Wal-mart Igloo 5 gal cooler sale!

[oceanselv]

The Wally World here has the 5 gallon round for $15 and a rectangle 28 qt Coleman for $11.00. It is this cooler.

This will work fine for 5 gallon batches.

 

[xxsn0blindxx]

The 28 quart Coleman doesn't have a drain valve and is lighter on insulation.

 

[ChrisS68]

Most new brewers are most likely doing extract or maybe partial mashes. whatever... Caveat Emptor

To the OP: thanks for the tip!

 

[wilserbrewer]

The 28 quart Coleman doesn't have a drain valve and is lighter on insulation.

FWIW, I think the little Coleman 28 makes a great "starter" mash tun. Excellent size for 5 gal batch sparge batches, easier to stir than a round cooler, it is kinda thin, but if preheated will work fine IMHO, and for 11 bucks!

You will need to drill it, but you can simply drill a hole for a drilled stopper, pull a tube through the stopper and attach a braid. You can very easily set it up as shown in the link, I wouldn't bother w/ the copper but use a HD vinyl tube, instead of a ss clamp, a zip tie works well. A great little tun, under $20 complete...of course this is not for everyone. You can also add an inexpensive plastic in-line valve (optional), I think NB sells them for a couple bucks.

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/infusion/page1.php

 

[snevey]

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.

Huh, you don't say...

 

[steakandale]

I went to my local Wal-Mart and there it was - 15$ and in a cool blue color, so I snapped it up. You guys don't know how much I HATE Walmart! The funny thing is I went to my local Ace hardware - because you pay more, but the guys working there actually know their stuff (like Home Despot USED to be) so I was able to avoid making that dreaded return trip. The hardware came to almost 40$ though I think I got royally reamed.

Ok, I've been trying to follow these 10 gal warnings and I'm not fully getting it. I've been doing BIAB stovetop splitting between pots and the mash was close to 4, 4.5 gals. but not more than that?? (I'm waiting for a stainless 40qt stock pot ebay purchase to come through - Yay!)

so if I take 1.25 qts/lb. of grain even with a 12 lb grain bill, thats 15qts=3.75 Gal in water and add grain volume. Will that put it right to the top or more?

Since I have the hardware I can pick up a 10gal anytime I like the price. So far I haven't seen better than 35$ though

 

[ChrisS68]

12 pounds at 1.25 quarts per pound is about 4.71 gallons
Green Bay Rackers Mash Calculators

 

[xxsn0blindxx]

FWIW, I think the little Coleman 28 makes a great "starter" mash tun. Excellent size for 5 gal batch sparge batches, easier to stir than a round cooler, it is kinda thin, but if preheated will work fine IMHO, and for 11 bucks!

You will need to drill it, but you can simply drill a hole for a drilled stopper, pull a tube through the stopper and attach a braid. You can very easily set it up as shown in the link, I wouldn't bother w/ the copper but use a HD vinyl tube, instead of a ss clamp, a zip tie works well. A great little tun, under $20 complete...of course this is not for everyone. You can also add an inexpensive plastic in-line valve (optional), I think NB sells them for a couple bucks.

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/infusion/page1.php

I hemmed and hawed at getting that cooler or the 5 gallon jug and decided on the jug. The main reason I decided against the $11 cooler was because the $11 cooler felt light on insulation and didn't have the advertised keeps ice cold for XX hours like all the others had.

 

[midfielder5]

minimally helpful post warning:

My 40 qt pot does not hold 10 gallons of water (I don't know how they measure it!). it was like 9.25 gallons.
*I do not know if the coolers are more accurate, or what. So the 5g might be even smaller.

 

[Gfei]

Well, the 5 gallon igloo has graduation marks on the inside going up tp 5 gallons... so it better.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I hemmed and hawed at getting that cooler or the 5 gallon jug and decided on the jug. The main reason I decided against the $11 cooler was because the $11 cooler felt light on insulation and didn't have the advertised keeps ice cold for XX hours like all the others had.

FWIW I have found that just about any cooler can make a nice tun if you anticipate and preheat WELL! Have no fear...the little POS $11, 28qt will hold temp fine! W/ experience you can mash in a degree high, and it might lose one or two in an hour...not building watches here!