Wal-mart Igloo 5 gal cooler sale!

[snevey]

I just picked up an Igloo Heavy Duty 5 gallon round beverage cooler from my local Wal-Mart (East York, PA) for $15. Looking on Amazon, it appears that this is a $35 cooler regularly priced!!!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MLU80E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

If you are in the need for a tun, you may want to check into this...

Steve

 

[eanmcnulty]

This is true! I just picked one up for $15! Get them whlie they're hot.

 

[Gfei]

Is that really a sale?? I've been Eying one for myself for a few weeks and they've been around $19 the whole time... maybe i should look again and see if they're cheaper now.

 

[eanmcnulty]

I feel a little stupid if that is true, but amazon's is $35. I'm going to build an MLT and sell it. Where did you see it for $19?

 

[eanmcnulty]

No, I was right. $15 is really good for that cooler. I went out and bought the parts to convert it: $22. So, that is $37 invested. Not bad!

 

[SamuraiSquirrel]

I do not see these at walmart ..........

 

[eanmcnulty]

Apparently they are on clearance in PA and IL (Chicago).

I was just at Ace Hardware, and they have the 10 gallon Igloo cooler (orange) for $49. From what I've seen, that is a pretty good price too.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Apparently they are on clearance in PA and IL (Chicago).

I was just at Ace Hardware, and they have the 10 gallon Igloo cooler (orange) for $49. From what I've seen, that is a pretty good price too.

Spend the extra dough on the ten gallon one. The fivers are cheap, yes, but you will outgrow it in no time and be left with a five gallon paperweight.

 

[eanmcnulty]

Well, I understand that point of view, but I get a high enough ABV for me. If I want to go higher, I can just brew a slightly smaller batch. No Problem.

 

[sulawesi]

Well, I understand that point of view, but I get a high enough ABV for me. If I want to go higher, I can just brew a slightly smaller batch. No Problem.

Yeah, I used to say the same thing. Looking for a 10 gallon now :cross:

 

[eanmcnulty]

I don't have space to grow any larger. No kegs for me. No keggerator. I'm fine with what I have. In fact was looking into making the Brutus 20 countertop electric system to get even more compact.

 

[OLDBREW]

I agree with the oter poster.

A 5 gal. cooler is a waste of money. If you are going to take the time to brew some bigger beers (Denny's sig: "Life begins at 1.060")(that's a small beer in my opinion!) so you can store them for a while you really need a bigger cooler.

 

[Gfei]

I'll probably swing by in the next week or so and pick up the 5 gallon from walmart. I brew 2.5 gallon batches for the most part right now ( reduces bottling and I can brew more often. Plus I dont' really have the space to brew bigger right now.

 

[waltj]

they are on sale in FL wal marts as well....$15..usually $20...i got the last one

 

[eanmcnulty]

You see? It seems like there is no need to tell someone that they should be brewing the way you brew. The thread was simply about 5 gallon coolers. It seems there are plenty of brewers who use them. One way way is not more right than another. I may have a 10 gallon cooler one day, but that doesn't mean the 5 gallon cooler is a waste. Just different.

 

[eggbeater59]

5 gal may be small for a mlt, but would be perfect hlt size for someone only interested in doing 5 gal batches.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

You see? It seems like there is no need to tell someone that they should be brewing the way you brew. The thread was simply about 5 gallon coolers. It seems there are plenty of brewers who use them. One way way is not more right than another. I may have a 10 gallon cooler one day, but that doesn't mean the 5 gallon cooler is a waste. Just different.

I'm not trying to tell to brew the way I do. I'm just trying to save you some money in the long run. Because if you do as you say, and upgrade to the ten gallon cooler, then it WAS a waste, because you could have been using the big cooler for your small batches all along, and you could have used the fifteen bucks for something else. I never said you had to brew big beers, or brew ten gallon batches. I just said it was wise to think ahead little bit, and getting the bigger cooler keeps your options open without a second purchase. And if you think you can use your use your fiver for an HLT for a bigger system, think again. My sparge water requirements are usually close to ten gallons.

 

[eanmcnulty]

But what if I never do go to 10 gallon cooler? Then I have wasted $35 getting space in a cooler I don't need. Who knows what the future holds? My plan is to brew mostly ales under 1.065, and I figure if I ever want to brew over that, I can just make a smaller batch. Honestly, I don't really like to drink many very strong beers. I am in the 5-6% range.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I understand it's not for everybody- I just want people to think ahead a little bit. As i said, I'm just trying to save people money over the long run. It's not just the cooler- it's the money spent on turning it into an MLT, which will have to be re-spent on the new one it one does go bigger. You guys do what you want- but i reserve the right to say I-told-you-so

 

[snazzy]

I myself will get a ten gallon in the future just to have the room if I want it. With that said you can brew about 95% of the beers I brew with the 5gal I have right now. In the few years I have been using it I only had space issues on 2 beers. And I usually brew around 1.050-1.070.

What I am saying is that is a great deal and for 5gal batches you will get alot of use out of it.

 

[eanmcnulty]

Bernie, You of course have the right to say "I told you so." My point was simple. These coolers are available. They are a great price. If you are in need of a 5 gallon MLT, here it is!
I guess this thread has run it's limit. We are just repeating ourselves here.

 

[BigJason]

I didn't see a need to create a new thread, but wanted to share my price find. After shopping all day with the Mrs, and checking every store for cooler sales, we stopped at Kmart to pick up a couple things. I wasn't even going to check coolers there, they were in the back, too far away... but Mrs insisted that we go check.

She's a goddamned psychic! I picked up a 75 quart Igloo eXtreme and a 100 quart Igloo eXtreme for $22 and $32 respectively. So, for now, the plan is to use the 75 quart as a HLT and a twice used IceCube as my Mash Tun. The 100 qt cooler will replace the IceCube as general duty. I only have a 7.5 gallon boil pot at the moment, so I'm only doing 5 gallon batches for now. But I'm moving to all grain, after 8 batches of extract and PMs.

My plan is to run to Home Depot for the parts needed for a ball valve on the HLT and the Mash Tun and a copper manifold for the Mash Tun. I probably already have everything I need except for the ball valves.

Sorry to interjackulate on your thread, but I thought I'd let you all know, that it might be time for clearances on coolers to be happening all around.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

i didn't see a need to create a new thread, but wanted to share my price find. After shopping all day with the mrs, and checking every store for cooler sales, we stopped at kmart to pick up a couple things. I wasn't even going to check coolers there, they were in the back, too far away... But mrs insisted that we go check.

She's a goddamned psychic! I picked up a 75 quart igloo extreme and a 100 quart igloo extreme for $22 and $32 respectively. So, for now, the plan is to use the 75 quart as a hlt and a twice used icecube as my mash tun. The 100 qt cooler will replace the icecube as general duty. I only have a 7.5 gallon boil pot at the moment, so i'm only doing 5 gallon batches for now. But i'm moving to all grain, after 8 batches of extract and pms.

My plan is to run to home depot for the parts needed for a ball valve on the hlt and the mash tun and a copper manifold for the mash tun. I probably already have everything i need except for the ball valves.

Sorry to interjackulate on your thread, but i thought i'd let you all know, that it might be time for clearances on coolers to be happening all around.

winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[eanmcnulty]

I know... More is better.

 

[OLDBREW]

I know... More is better.

It's not that you're not suppose to brew small batches. It's more about a 20 qt cooler being very limiting for brewing purposes.

The majority of the readers will brew 5 or more gallon batches. To post a deal for five gallon coolers without alerting the not knowing newbie brewers that the cooler is limited to brewing 5 gal batches of smaller gravity beers is the problem.

You can get great deals on all size coolers this time of year. A Coleman 48 qt cooler at Kmart is 22 bucks and a better buy IMHO for brewers

 

[eanmcnulty]

I agree with everything you said. I have a 5 gallon MLT for sale.

 

[mr_clean]

Im gonna see if they are on sale here

 

[snevey]

I had no idea what I was getting into when I mentioned this sale. I just spoke with my local homebrew store and told him of the find and he went over to Wal-Mart, bought their entire stock, and converted them to MLT's and they are now for sale in his shop. A five gallon MLT is fine for 75% of the people in here. Do a fly sparge, batch sparge, etc. it will work. We are homebrewers. We adapt things. I like the idea that this is a DESIGNED beverage cooler. Not a cooler designed to put cans into such as the big square deals.

And if I want to make a high gravity beer, and you say I can't, guess what, I'll do a 4 or 4.5 gallon batch. Less to bottle. If I want to do a 10 gallon batch, hell, I'll buy two 5 gallon MLT's and combine them into the same brew pot. Adapt. That's what I do. Peace out!

 

[prodigal_son7]

I actually found the $15 5gal cooler at Wally World last week, I'm going to use it for a HLT for fly sparge. Thanks for the original post though 'cause I have been looking for deals on coolers for a while.

 

[eanmcnulty]

OLDBREW was finally able to get me to see the reason behind all this 5/10 gallon controversy. It is good to let new brewers know that a 5 gallon cooler limits a brewer to 5 gallon batches.