Hello,
I need a new cooler for my mash tun (I moved, it didn’t). I was previously using the 48 qt Igloo cube it worked well as far as I was concerned. I mostly brew 5 gallon batches (boiling up to 8) and I batch sparge. I am now looking at coolers and was wondering if others use a 70 qt cooler for 5 gallon batches. Is it too big? Will the 5 gallon batch in a 70 qt mash tun have less than desirable temperature holding, etc?
Cheers,
Mike
I use a Coleman Xtreme 72qt for my mash tun and it works perfectly, even for lower gravity beers. I don’t think I’ve ever lost more than a degree or two in all my batches.
Just make sure you get the blue one ;) ( FYI - this is a running joke out there )
edit: I only do 5 gallon batches
+1 on the 72 qt coleman. I have no problem with 5 gallon average gravity beers and last weekend I mashed 31 lbs of grain in it. Now with that much grain at ~1 qt/lb it was full to the brim so that seems to be just about the limit but…
have not noticed more than a degree or two drop in a 60 minute mash with lower gravity wither
Not too big. I have the 70qt extreme (green so my eff isn’t as good as a blue but fermentability is better). 
The 70qt will do some pretty big 5 gallon brews too- beers that you’d never pull off in a 40qt without a hassle. So I say it’s a very good choice in mashtun volume.
Thanks for the comments. I bought the 70 qt coleman.
Cheers,
Mike
You’ll enjoy it more than you think… Cheers!!!
You’ll definitely be happy with it. It allowed me to discover the world of no-sparge brewing and gravities above 1.100. Life hasn’t been the same since.