Would the 52qt be too big for 4 gallon batches? I typically mash in the 7-10 pound range.
Probably way too big for fly sparging, not enough bed thickness probably.
I batch sparge in a blue 50qt Rubbermaid cooler that I do mostly 3 gallon batches in w/ no problem.
Sorry, a little late to this party.
I use this. I got it on sale for $119. Plenty big for any 5 gallon batch. It might be pricey, but I didn’t want to go through the hassle of building my own.
http://www.homebrewing.org/10-Gallon-Converted-Igloo-Cooler-Mash-Tun-With-False-Bottom_p_1006.html
I just made mine w a nice CPVC manifold, sparge arm and ball valve. Found a 70qt Igloo for $25 at a Big Lots. It’s one of those cube shaped jobys but, the manifold sucks everything up… I didn’t go over $85 including modding my old kettle… about to sell it to a buddy already though cuz I saw a 150 qt for $75…
I’m finding that a rectangular cooler is a pain in the ass to clean. Almost considering going back to my 5 gallon rubbermaid…
I prefer the rectangular, but I guess I never noticed a huge difference in cleaning required. I just dump it out and then spray it out then spritz with star san. I use a homemade pick up with a stainless drier screen that is clamped to a copper elbow with a silicone hose piece - it comes apart easily and cleanup is super easy.
Only in the winter. I dump my grains and spray it out with a garden hose. Not ideal when it’s below freezing so I clean it in the kitchen sink. But that’s the only time I have trouble cleaning it.
I also have the 70qt Xtreme cooler…and of course it’s BLUE!
Mine is the 36qt Xtreme BLUE cooler. It’s much easier to mash in, which is nice, but the cleaning part is just driving me crazy! I’m sure I’ll get used to it though. I do feel that the thinner grain bed helps with draining off though, perhaps it’s the greater filter area and not the grain bed…I don’t know. But it’s alright. I don’t know that it holds heat much better than my Rubbermaid did though. I still seem to lose a few degrees during the mash. Is that normal for everyone else? I’m measuring my temp with a Thermopen…
I tend to lose about 2-3 degrees over an hour…not a big deal. If it’s a colder season, I will wrap it in a blanket to try to keep some of the heat in.
I use a 36 qt or a 52 qt Coleman Extreme. I do tend to lose a couple of degrees during the mash, but I don’t worry about it.
I figured it was normal and I used to lose a few degrees with my round 20qt Rubbermaid cooler, but I’m still losing a few degrees with this one…kind of frustrating, but I guess I’ll forget about it.
I have a rectangular BLUE rubbermaid 50qt cooler and I usually will lose 2-3 degrees in the hour mash. That doesn’t bother me and it seems to be the norm when mashing with a cooler.
As for cleaning, it was a little more difficult to clean when I was brewing in my kitchen. Brewing in the garage has made cleanup very easy. After dumping the grains and spraying out with a garden hose, I use the cooler to collect the initial hot water runnings from my chiller when chilling the wort. I then throw in some Oxiclean and use the mixture in the cooler to clean off other brewing equipment. When I’m finished, I dump the cooler, spray it out and dry it. Keeps the cooler clean and bright white!
Maybe I should spray paint my orange cooler blue, haha.
That would be like photoshopping Denny with a suit and tie!
Go with the cube… I only lose a 1/2 to 1 degree over an hour… It’s blue too
I found a 120 qt igloo rectangle cooler on amazon for around $60, earlier this year when I went to bigger batches. I made a PVC manifold for it. Before that I used a 48 qt coleman that I found for $20.
Could one do a reverse Hochkurz step mash starting at 158F and letting it drop to 145? Does it matter if the Beta rest is before the Alpha rest? Or vice versa?
Anyway, I do have a fair amount of head space in my cooler (36qt Coleman Xtreme) since I’m doing 4 gallon batches. The last batch I did, I mashed at 152F for 90 minutes and at the end of the mash it was at 147F. Oh well.
If you hold the 158 for any length of time, you will denature the enzymes that work at lower temps.
Ah, I see. Well, that’s cool I guess. A Hochkurz step infusion is easy enough.