This is how big your Mash Tun needs to be

[maida7]

Strangely enough I was looking for the answer for this exact question, as I was debating this cooler or the 36qt version.

Anyone have any input?

Are we talking 5 gallon or 10 gallon batches? I use the 70 quart for 10 gallon batches. It's huge. If you did 5 gallon batches the grain bed would be very thin. Especially with lower gravity recipes. No way could you fly sparge in this cooler. Possibly a batch sparge but the thin grain bed may still give you issues.

I think a 30-50 quart cooler is plenty big for most all 5 gallon beers.

 

[r8rphan]

I'm a little confused.. Are the 'batch sizes' for a single mash, or for a sparged mash?...

I have a 28qt cooler that I was hoping to use for 10G IPA's in the 1.060 range... If I am batch sparging, will this be big enough (at least for a while)?

Or do I need to sell my prized belly button lint collection on ebay to raise money for a bigger cooler...

 

[maida7]

I'm a little confused.. Are the 'batch sizes' for a single mash, or for a sparged mash?...

I have a 28qt cooler that I was hoping to use for 10G IPA's in the 1.060 range... If I am batch sparging, will this be big enough (at least for a while)?

Or do I need to sell my prized belly button lint collection on ebay to raise money for a bigger cooler...

Say goodbye to that lint, I think you need a bigger cooler. There is a way to make it work with what you've got but it's really not worth the effort. You could do 2 mashes one after another. Getting a bigger cooler would save you lotsa time and energy. I'd suggest a 60+ qt for 10 gallon batches.

 

[r8rphan]

Say goodbye to that lint, I think you need a bigger cooler. There is a way to make it work with what you've got but it's really not worth the effort. You could do 2 mashes one after another. Getting a bigger cooler would save you lotsa time and energy. I'd suggest a 60+ qt for 10 gallon batches.

Just bit the bullet and ordered that 58qt cooler coleman has on sale... Can afford it like a hole in the head... but at least that's one headache that hole in the head won't have to deal with now...

 

[fc36]

I'm a little confused.. Are the 'batch sizes' for a single mash, or for a sparged mash?...

I have a 28qt cooler that I was hoping to use for 10G IPA's in the 1.060 range... If I am batch sparging, will this be big enough (at least for a while)?

Or do I need to sell my prized belly button lint collection on ebay to raise money for a bigger cooler...

Sell you must. A 10 gal batch at 10.60 is going to require about 23 pounds of 2-row and 29 qts of water just for the initial infusion mash and that's at 70% efficiency! Unless you do the two-part mash mentioned before my post, but trust me that's a big headache and you won't have much fun doing that. It'll be a very long brewday with a mash tun that size. Just invest the $50-100 or so it'll cost you to make either a picnic cooler mash tun or a rubbermaid cooler mash tun. That'll allow you to do a 10 gal batch in one shot. You don't want to put $50 into that 28 qt to convert it and then end up converting a 60+ qt picnic cooler or a 10 gal rubbermaid later. Just do it now and start off on the right foot.

 

[maida7]

If your batch sparging 10 gallon batch size. This is what I recommend. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-70-Quart-Xtreme-Cooler/4807332

 

[r8rphan]

If your batch sparging 10 gallon batch size. This is what I recommend. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-70-Quart-Xtreme-Cooler/4807332

Too late.. I ordered the 58 qt coleman extreme marine cooler an hour ago... But that's a better deal you posted... OTOH, I doubt that thing will fit on the wooden brew stand I've been building.. Up sizing to the 58qt is gonna push it to the limit as it is...

According to the chart, the 58 qt should handle 10G batches to 1.077 no problem... If I need anything stronger than that, I'll do a 5G batch.. because it won't be often if I do....

These coleman extreme 'marine' coolers offer seat cushions as available accessories... I'm hoping to get dual use out of this thing as a cooler for the boat as well.. And my little boat is already cramped as it is... I've ripped the seats out of it, installing a pedestal seat for the drivers side, and I've been looking for an affordable seat/cooler so that I can save space by combining the passenger seat with the cooler..

This may be the best of all solutions for me...

For $50 (including shipping) I think I just solved a problem for both the boat and brewing... :rockin:

 

[r8rphan]

Just received the coleman extreme marine 58qt cooler....

First of all, for some reason, when I was posting in this thread before, I was thinking that my other cooler was a 28 qt cooler, when right on the dang side it says 48qt...

So I filled both coolers with measured amounts of water to see what they actually held..

Now the 48 qt cooler I already had, holds exactly 48 qts with lid closed...

The new cooler, advertised and sold as a 58qt cooler, holds 52qts with lid closed..

It's 'much larger on the outside (better insulated), but has very little actual capacity gain...

So, I don't see reason to ruin a new cooler for only 1G gain in capacity, and a huge loss of space on little wooden brew stand...

Basically, I just spent $50 on a mash tun that's not gonna cut it... The saving grace is that I still need a cooler/seat for the boat.. So it's not a total waste..

But now I have to decide if I want to use the 48qt cooler I have, building a manifold for that, and then later either buying a bigger cooler and using the manifold built for the smaller one, or converting an additional keg into a mash tun.. which will fit on my brew stand, but I won't be able to gravity feed it (I'll need a pump)..

So, I'm gonna throw out this question to help me decide..

Can I use my 48qt cooler (actual 48qt capacity) to mash for 10lb brews 'up to' 1.060 FG (600GU)? According to the chart at the beginning of this thread, I should be able to mash for a 708GU brew.. but I don't know if that's filled so full that you can't stir it or what...

If that's acceptable, then I'll just have to plan to either do a two part brew day, or go for less beer if I want to go higher than that...

I'm at a point where I want to quit futzing around with trying to get all this crap together, and start brewing already! This is getting frustrating...


or spend yet 'more' money on a bigger cooler yet, which will probably not fit on my brew stand at all, killing my attempt at saving space...

 

[maida7]

If your batch sparging 10 gallon batch size. This is what I recommend. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-70-Quart-Xtreme-Cooler/4807332

I still feel the same way as I did 7 days ago.

 

[r8rphan]

I still feel the same way as I did 7 days ago.

And seven days ago, I wished you would have posted that a few minutes earlier...

And while I understand, and even agree, fitting such a cooler into my plans right now is problematic...

And all that doesn't answer my question.. Will I be able to 'make due' for a while with the 48qt cooler I have now, to brew 10G batches of 1.060 FG beer?

That's all I'm after 'right now'.. I can revisit this issue come spring, when I've got to revisit the whole operation anyways before the summer temps hit....

Will it work 'for now?'

 

[maida7]

And seven days ago, I wished you would have posted that a few minutes earlier...

And while I understand, and even agree, fitting such a cooler into my plans right now is problematic...

And all that doesn't answer my question.. Will I be able to 'make due' for a while with the 48qt cooler I have now, to brew 10G batches of 1.060 FG beer?

That's all I'm after 'right now'.. I can revisit this issue come spring, when I've got to revisit the whole operation anyways before the summer temps hit....

Will it work 'for now?'

I've done 10 gallons in a 48qt. It's great for regular strength beers but it's get maxed out if you go for high gravity beers. How much you can squeeze out depends on your efficiency. Also, you could use some tricks like a longer boil and/or add some DME to the wort. With those tricks you could do just about any gravity batch. So yes it will work. Enjoy

PS:Those 58 quart extreme coolers are much better insulated then any of the other colemans. The 70 quart is similar to the 48 in how thick the insulation is.

 

[fc36]

Bigger, bigger, bigger!!!

 

[r8rphan]

I've done 10 gallons in a 48qt. It's great for regular strength beers but it's get maxed out if you go for high gravity beers. How much you can squeeze out depends on your efficiency. Also, you could use some tricks like a longer boil and/or add some DME to the wort. With those tricks you could do just about any gravity batch. So yes it will work. Enjoy

PS:Those 58 quart extreme coolers are much better insulated then any of the other colemans. The 70 quart is similar to the 48 in how thick the insulation is.

Thanks man.. That's what I was hoping to hear..

So now I gotta decide if I want to go ahead and order one of those 70qt coolers in the next few weeks, or just wait and convert that other keg I have sitting in the shop...

The 'good' thing about this all, is that now I don't have to worry about reconfiguring the thing for the boat and then the brew.. It'll just be fr the boat.. And truthfully, when I weigh the need for holding temperatures for an hour at home, or holding it for entire days out on a lake in 115 degree heat.. I'm thinking that the extra insulation is gonna be coming in handier when used in the boat anyways!

$32 dollars for the seat cushion option.. Between that and the $50 for the cooler, that's a heck of a lot better deal than the $250+ they want for a seat cushioned cooler out of the boating catalogs!

 

[KipNet]

I've been brewing all-extract for about 3 years now. Based on the info in this thread, I'm converting a 10 gallon cooler for use in partial mash brewing, with plans to dive into all-grain after a few batches.

However, I'm concerned about using it for my PM batches. Given the much smaller mash volume in PM recipes, will an oversized tun cause a temperature problem with the amount of empty space? Should I stick with a 5 gallon tun for PM batches and just upgrade when I move to AG?

 

[fc36]

I've been brewing all-extract for about 3 years now. Based on the info in this thread, I'm converting a 10 gallon cooler for use in partial mash brewing, with plans to dive into all-grain after a few batches.

However, I'm concerned about using it for my PM batches. Given the much smaller mash volume in PM recipes, will an oversized tun cause a temperature problem with the amount of empty space? Should I stick with a 5 gallon tun for PM batches and just upgrade when I move to AG?

I think you'll be fine, You just need to make sure your strike temp for the much smaller volume of water you'll be using is more than enough to also heat up the entire mass of the mash tun itself and the grain to your target temp. The mash tun will pretty much hold any temp you strike it at for the duration of an hour mash. The only thing is most people doing AG, strike at +10 to +15 degrees F in order to heat the mass of the MT and the grain to their target temp, but since you'll be using approximately half the volume of heated water to strike, you may need to double that temp to +20 to +30 degrees F above the target temp. I would suggest trying +20 degrees F at first because you also have less grain to heat up and if that's not adequate, then bump it up to +25 and so on and so forth until you find what's right for you.

 

[maida7]

I've been brewing all-extract for about 3 years now. Based on the info in this thread, I'm converting a 10 gallon cooler for use in partial mash brewing, with plans to dive into all-grain after a few batches.

However, I'm concerned about using it for my PM batches. Given the much smaller mash volume in PM recipes, will an oversized tun cause a temperature problem with the amount of empty space? Should I stick with a 5 gallon tun for PM batches and just upgrade when I move to AG?

Another idea would be to do a BIAB for the partial mash batches then go to the cooler when you go all grain.

Quite frankly I don't think doing partial mash makes learning all grain any easier. If your goal is to brew all grain then just make the leap.

 

[BrewMoreBeers]

Just pre-heat the cooler. Fill it up with 160 degree water and let it sit a few minutes to heat up the cooler, then dump it and add your strike water and grains.

 

[fc36]

Another idea would be to do a BIAB for the partial mash batches then go to the cooler when you go all grain.

Quite frankly I don't think doing partial mash makes learning all grain any easier. If your goal is to brew all grain then just make the leap.

Agreed, don't bother with PM if your goal is AG anyways. I made the leap no too long ago and I haven't looked back. PM is only useful if you are doing kits that call for it. It won't make AG any easier of a transition because you're basically doing AG plus the added step of extract syrup. Cleanup is the same as AG and now you're paying more for extract instead of just buying more cheaper grain.

 

[KipNet]

Thanks for the responses. I'm going to take your advice and jump right into AG. I'm just about finished for acquiring the parts for my 10g cooler conversion.

First brew will be a nut brown ale. Wish me luck!

 

[fc36]

Good luck and I'm sure after this first beer finishes fermentation and you get your first sip, you'll thank us even more for pushing you to take the plunge.

 

[chrislehr]

Great chart. One question.

I use a 10g HD cooler for my tun, and it works awesome. I have an autosparge installed at about the 9.5gallon mark. I have only done one 10g batch (Ed's Haus Pale Ale, about a 1.05x beer) and during mash, I had the sparge covered. Once vorlauf occurred, I let the grain bed settle down a bit and then sparged at about the 8 gallon mark. I was definitely NOT keeping an inch of water, as I feared the loose grain would gunk up the autosparge..

If I want to consistently do 10g batches, should I just plan to go to a sanke for mashing?

 

[maida7]

Great chart. One question.

I use a 10g HD cooler for my tun, and it works awesome. I have an autosparge installed at about the 9.5gallon mark. I have only done one 10g batch (Ed's Haus Pale Ale, about a 1.05x beer) and during mash, I had the sparge covered. Once vorlauf occurred, I let the grain bed settle down a bit and then sparged at about the 8 gallon mark. I was definitely NOT keeping an inch of water, as I feared the loose grain would gunk up the autosparge..

If I want to consistently do 10g batches, should I just plan to go to a sanke for mashing?

I use a 70 quart rectangular cooler for 10 gallon batches. But I batch sparge. For batch sparging the large rectangles work great. I don't think you'd have enough bed depth for a good fly sparge. A tall cylinder like a sanke keg would be a much better shape. But then you need to think about how to maintain temps. Stainless will not provide the same level of insulation that a cooler does.

 

[Sheldon]

I have been using a converted cooler that I purchased from a brewer for my mashing of 5 gal batches with no problem. I now want to do a partigyle that requires about 30 lbs of grains and I do not know if my mash tun can handle that amount. I do not know the size of the cooler and have not noticed it the cooler itself. Is there a chart that identifies capacity based on dimensions?

Thanks

 

[Bobby_M]

If the shape is relatively symetrical, you can measure each side and the height and figure out its capacity. If all else fails, fill it up and then drain it into a vessel with known gallon graduations.

 

[fc36]

I have been using a converted cooler that I purchased from a brewer for my mashing of 5 gal batches with no problem. I now want to do a partigyle that requires about 30 lbs of grains and I do not know if my mash tun can handle that amount. I do not know the size of the cooler and have not noticed it the cooler itself. Is there a chart that identifies capacity based on dimensions?

Thanks

Grab an empty milk jug and start pouring. That's my only advice and it's probably the simplest method for determining a rough estimate of your MT capacity if you don't have a graduated container like Bobby_M mentioned using. It's also probably quicker because you're not limited by the flow of the cooler's spigot and milk jugs empty pretty quick. I just hope you stick to classic plastic milk jugs and you're not an oberweis delivery subscriber or something like that.

 

[Sheldon]

gracias for the sage advice.

 

[mux11]

Grab an empty milk jug and start pouring.

You know in my experience the off the shelf milk jug is 1 Gallon only when filled 100% of the way. I was kinda torqued off when I found this out that you are not really getting a full gallon.

Prob over anal about it but measured one out as I was designing a sight glass on a 30gal vessel.

 

[madmikem]

I have a 15 gallon brewing system from synergy brewing systems that has 15 gallon kettles and I can usually fit @45 # of grain in the mash, while keeping water over the grain bed.I have also used almost 50#s with no stuck mash. One thing that needs to be kept in mind is that the finer the crush of the grain the more #'s you will be able to fit in the tun.

 

[Native302]

subscribed

 

[starsailor]

Thanks Bobby for getting a great discussion going.

I found this thread very useful for a NOOB (me) when first gettting into AG a while ago. I think there are still some variables to factor in though, but at the very least it gets ones "head in the game" before picking a mash tun size.

One question is nagging me though. Are the formulas in this thread only applicable for single infusion single rest mashes?

As best I can tell you're factoring a 1.25qt/lb liquor to grain ratio across the board. Based on that ratio, I assume that's only for a single infusion mash with only a saccrification rest. I'm pretty sure the total volume numbers would look quite different if one was planning on doing a protein rest and a mash out in a cooler.

I just did a 5g AG Kolsch the other day and my BTP calculations had about .5qt/lb for a 123° F protein rest then another 1.5qt/lb to step up to a 150° F saccrification rest and then another 1.5qt/lb to step up to a 168° F mashout. That total of 3.5qt/lb will certainly (and did) take up a lot more volume than any of the calculation I see here. It took up about 3/4 of my 50qt square cooler mash tun before I started to run off. Right before starting to run off was the high water mark. The settled grain bed was quite a bit lower. Just eyeballing the liquid level, it looked like fly sparging the remaing the 2.5g I needed look like it took up about the volume calculated using the formulas in here.

Just thought I'd bring up multistep mashing in this thread to see how that would affect mash tun size calculations.