This is how big your Mash Tun needs to be

[Bobby_M]

You're assumption is correct. The total volume in the tun is based solely on a 1.25qt/lb single infusion with no mash out. I went that way because by far it's the most common process followed and even moreso by the newer all grain brewers who this chart was made for ;-)

 

[Benthic]

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

Measure the internal dimensions (in inches) then use this formula:

(L x W x H)/231 = Volume in gallons

Brian

 

[cyraxx]

I'm planning out my future all grain set up, and of course one of the items on the list is the mash tun. I have a question regarding almost the exact opposite of what the chart shows.

I want to get a cooler on the bigger side (probably 12-15 gallon) so I can do big batches and high gravity beers. However, how will this affect me if I want to brew 5 gallons of a small beer? Let's say I want to do a 1.035 Ordinary Bitter...there won't be an awful lot of grain and it will get more spread out in the large area of the tun. Will this cause any problems?

 

[Nowuries]

I'm planning out my future all grain set up, and of course one of the items on the list is the mash tun. I have a question regarding almost the exact opposite of what the chart shows.

I want to get a cooler on the bigger side (probably 12-15 gallon) so I can do big batches and high gravity beers. However, how will this affect me if I want to brew 5 gallons of a small beer? Let's say I want to do a 1.035 Ordinary Bitter...there won't be an awful lot of grain and it will get more spread out in the large area of the tun. Will this cause any problems?

It can cause problems with heat loss. To keep your desired mash temp, it's best to use up most all of the area within the mash tun.
Of course, I have seen guys cut styrofoam to fit exactly within their tun and hoover over the grain bed to help keep the heat where the grain is.... but I have never done this and can't attest to how well it works. :rockin:

 

[cyraxx]

It can cause problems with heat loss. To keep your desired mash temp, it's best to use up most all of the area within the mash tun.
Of course, I have seen guys cut styrofoam to fit exactly within their tun and hoover over the grain bed to help keep the heat where the grain is.... but I have never done this and can't attest to how well it works. :rockin:

Thanks for the info. Anyone else have something to add?

 

[smokinghole]

Make 10gal of the small beer if you have the kettle space. Just split it into two fermentors. The lowest gravity beer I've brewed was 8.5lbs of grain it worked just fine. I don't brew beers of that gravity often I tend to hit in the 7% range usually so my 52qt MLT is pretty much perfect for what I brew. The Coleman Extreme coolers have great insulation and doing a small 8lb grain bill keeps a consistent temp. Even at 5gal of 1.035 you're only 2lbs short of what I've done a few times in my cooler so you should be okay. If it doesn't work you'll have to do a 10gal batch of that beer, terrible I know.

 

[redrider736]

If I am understanding the chart correctly. My 36q/9g cooler is good up to almost 24lbs of malt and 7.5g of strike water.
I am looking at doing 5g brews so my cooler is good to go right ???

 

[fc36]

It should be more than adequate. Lotsa people use the 10 gallon gatorade coolers and they work just fine and with room to spare.

 

[Irishpenguin13]

I need ten gallons of barleywine

Agreed!

 

[Irishpenguin13]

It should be more than adequate. Lotsa people use the 10 gallon gatorade coolers and they work just fine and with room to spare.

Also agreed!

 

[tchuklobrau]

so someone tell me if my math was off. going by this i can fit 32lb of grain at a 1.25 ratio into my 60 qt tun. or am i way off?


duh the answer was on the 1st page.

 

[XianBrewer]

Just bought a 50qt coleman for $10 at and REI garage sale! All Grain here i come!

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

How big of a cooler to do 30 gallons of beer with 60lbs of grain?

 

[EddieB428]

I'm looking at building a small mash tun in the near future. I'm mainly going to be doing partial mashes. I don't have the means to do full AG batches but I can do 2-2.5 gallon AG batches with the equipment I have. I'm looking at converting a 3 gallon rubbermaid cooler. Based on some numbers I saw towards the beginning of the thread it looks like my max grain bill would be about 7 lbs and that leaves enough room for about 2.25 gallons of strike water. That leaves no room for a mash out. Does that sound about right? I now it will be plenty big enough for PM, just trying to get a feel for how much grain I could use for an AG.

Edit: Scratch that. The cooler I was looking at is 2 gallons and not 3. That's barely big enough to do the PM kit I have that has 4.25 lbs of grain.

 

[naemlss]

helpful for me too. I have 3 five gallon mash tuns, is it a big deal if I just split up the mash between them?

 

[BOBrob]

Great thread! Thank you Bobby !! I vote yes on the sticky.Cheers

 

[mlevings12]

Great post. I wish I would have found this a year ago when I started doing AG batches. Already understanding the constraints of the 5gal mash tun.

 

[Denny]

How big of a cooler to do 30 gallons of beer with 60lbs of grain?

152 qt. cooler, 68b lb. of grain at 1.5 qt./lb., room for more

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

152 qt. cooler, 68b lb. of grain at 1.5 qt./lb., room for more

Thanks
Where is the cheapest to buy?

 

[Denny]

Thanks
Where is the cheapest to buy?

I got that one at Costco. About $70 IIRC, but it was a while back so I could be wrong.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

I got that one at Costco. About $70 IIRC, but it was a while back so I could be wrong.

Do u think 76lbs of grain would fit?

 

[mendozer]

if I'm unsure about tun size (i want to share 10 gallon batches with a buddy) can we both build a 5 gallon mash tun? I don't want to make a 10 gallon only to want to make 5 gallon batches later and not be able to get the gravity high enough

 

[Piratwolf]

if I'm unsure about tun size (i want to share 10 gallon batches with a buddy) can we both build a 5 gallon mash tun? I don't want to make a 10 gallon only to want to make 5 gallon batches later and not be able to get the gravity high enough

Short answer is yes. However, I use a 10gal tun for 5 gal batches every time I brew & have no problems with gravity.

 

[mendozer]

how did you get around that since the beginning table said the highest gravity for a 10 gallon was lie 1.0118 or something.

To me, the size shouldn't matter because the water to grain ratio matters more. I was just doubting the table

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

how did you get around that since the beginning table said the highest gravity for a 10 gallon was lie 1.0118 or something.

To me, the size shouldn't matter because the water to grain ratio matters more. I was just doubting the table

Did you read the info above and below the pic or did u just look at the pic! Bobby_M explains it in his first post

 

[Denny]

Do u think 76lbs of grain would fit?

Easily.

 

[mendozer]

i did read it but it was confusing. if i get a 52 qt and divide by 5 for a max OG. I get 176.8. does that mean 1.176?

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

i did read it but it was confusing. if i get a 52 qt and divide by 5 for a max OG. I get 176.8. does that mean 1.176?

All the chart shows is the amount of grain that can be fit into a certain size mash tun. (How big your mash tun needs to be) Are you figuring out what your mash tun size needs to be? or do you already have a mash tun at 52 quarts.
If you already have a 52 quart mash tun the grid shows at 70%-80% those gravity numbers are possible, but that depends solely on how you mash the grain, how your grain was milled, how accurate your mash temp is, etc.
With a 52 quart mash tun and 31.2lbs of grain it is possible to reach those efficiencies, its not saying if you have a 52qt mash tun with 31.2lbs of grain you will either get 70-80% efficiency.
If someone would like to brew a 10 gallon batch of beer (with 52qt mash tun) with a gravity of 1.105 gravity reading because they know that there system of brewing brings 80% efficiency out of the grain. Then there tun would require more grain, which in fact the 52 quart would not be big enough.

What is your batch size?
What is your desired OG?

Taken from post #9 (Desired OG x Batch Size)/17 = mash tun size

For my size mash tun I took my desired OG 1.060 x batch size 30 gallons / 17
(60 x 30) /17 = 105 qt mash tun. Roughly a ~6% beer

If I want Higher gravity beer then lets say desired OG is 1.080
(80 x 30) /17 = 141 qt mash tun. Roughly a ~8.9% beer

No Worries, I just figured out the grid after I posted about How Big My Mash Tun Should Be

 

[mendozer]

ok. I just picked up a 10 gallon (40 qt) cooler tonight so that's what I'm working with. I'll do 5 gallon or 10 gallon batches in that I guess.

So for a 1.050 OG for example, that's a requirement of 14 qt and 29 qt for 5 and 10 gallon respectively. Ok got it. I didn't realize you were dropping the 1.0 from the OG so my numbers were way off

 

[jenkih]

Looking to make my first mash tun and take the AG plunge, I did a partial mash last weekend and now I'm hooked!

I see a lot of people on this thread concerned with buying a cooler that it too small for their needs; I have the opposite problem. There is currently a great deal on Amazon for a 70qt Coleman Xtreme for $36.86 and free shipping. I'm considering this because it is actually a little cheaper that a 10 gallon round Igloo cooler and would allow me to do larger batches.

I currently do 5 gallon batches, but I'm sure I'll want to do 10gal or larger in the future. I also have never done anything with an OG of over 1.080. My question is, if I buy the 70qt rectangular Coleman, will it just be too big for 5 gallon AG brewing?

Thanks!

(link to the 70qt: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G64I1A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)