I’ve got a system set up with a 10 gallon rectangular cooler for 6 gallon batch mashing. My brew kettle is a converted 1/2 keg. I want to move up from 6 gal. to 10 gal. batches, and I think the brew kettle will be fine, but I need a bigger mash tun. It’s a RIMS system, no need for direct heat, so I’d like to stick with a cooler for a mash tun.
Any suggestions for a good cooler to buy? Thanks,
Dave King, BIER
70 quart Coleman XTREME!!!
I think the popular one is the Coleman extreme
This. It will be my next Mash Tun, so I can do both 5 gallon and 10 gallon batches.
Make sure to get the BLUE one. ;D
Love the coleman xtreme. The 70qt is a big tun… for 5 gallon batches, I’m not sure I would recommend it. For big beers, fine… but 8lbs of malt for a pale ale or pils would get lost in there!
+2. Get the blue one, so you’ll get better conversion and attenuation.
I did a mild in mine once. I looked like it barely covered the bottom. Everything still converted well though.
yeah I do 5 gallon batches all the time in mine.
I want to know who only uses 8lb of malt for a pale. My last Pale used 13, and my mild uses 7-8.
I keep my original 40 quart for mashing 18lbs or less. I have squeezed 36lbs at 1.2 qt/lb in the big one. I would say it was 1lb to much as doughing in got a bit messy.
I’ve seen the 70qt go for as low as $39 w/free shipping from time to time on Amazon (that’s where I got mine). Been xtremely happy with it.
+1. That’s how I got mine. Really good deal.
Walmart and target have them for around that price as well.
Walmart stocks them in most stores, but the price is not as good as online.
I’m surprised at the suggestion of a 70 qt. Coleman extreme. It’s no bigger, maybe not as big, as the cooler I’m using now. Isn’t a larger cooler available? Thanks,
70qt is 17.5 gallons. You could go with the 100 or 120 quarts.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Xtreme-Chest-Cooler-in-Blue/19268443
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Xtreme-Chest-Cooler-in-Blue/19268443
I’ve got a 152 qt. that I use to make 10-15 gal. of big beers. I call it the “mash coffin” because it’s big enough to be buried in!
“March 20, 2014 - Noti, OR - Man drowns after falling into his mashtun. Wife is distraught, but finishes the beer as a memorial to her husband.” 
Oops, thanks all. I miss-calculated. 70 qt is huge, and will do me just fine. I’ll probably buy a blue Coleman Extreme when I get the time for a little project. Thanks a ton! See you all in Grand Rapids.