Making a Mash Tun.....FInally

thanks for the link man!

 

That will work just fine.

I use a 10gal igloo, SS fittings, valve, and a bazooka tube on the inside. I did find that the bazooka tube will allow some crap through, so I altered it a bit.

I took a piece of copper pipe, and cut some slits into it all the way around it in a pattern. Opened up the end of the bazooka tube and stuck the pipe in there to run the whole length of the screen and then closed the screen up around it.

Keeps just about EVERYTHING out. I pull probably less than 2qt during a vorlauf before it's very clean coming out. *Knocks on wood* I've never had a stuck sparge, and I regularly run 1.5-2 #'s of oats, wheat, and rye in most of my beers without rice hulls.

I like this tube better than a false bottom. I don't lose any volume in my mash tun, and can go 5# batches and get around a 1.120 OG.

 

Yes, I believe that my kettle screen was called a Bazooka tube, but not sure if it is the name brand or a different commercial version. I had to bend the end of it over just a little bit to fit into the cooler, about 1/4", if I recall correctly. Similar to Fatc1ty, I have produced 5 gallons of wort in 1.090+ range with room to spare in it.

I will be working with my biggest grain bill to date in a couple of weeks when I pitch onto a cake of Irish ale yeast for a winter barleywine.

 

That's the wrong kit for a cooler, this is the one you need:

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=47&product_id=85

 

Sure.

Here's the valve I installed. It's all SS.


Here's the inside:



Here's the screen tube with the copper pipe inside of it to make it rigid.




Here's inside of it together:

 

I mentioned it earlier, but it's so you can clean the valve without taking the the entire thing out of the cooler.

 

I don't think a 3 piece is needed on a mash tun. It's on the hotside anyways, before you even boil.. Can't really get a TON of junk in there if you clean it after you use it.

On a kettle, or fermenter, I could see a 3 piece being something worth messing with. Both get the job done, and if you want to spend the extra for it, why not.. But it's not something that is really needed, IMO.

 

I don't clean the MLT ball valve because I'm concerned about sanitation. I've used a two piece ball valve, and cleaning it while on the cooler has been impossible. You're pouring sugars through the valve...and they aren't easily removed.

You don't need to clean it often, but it should be cleaned...and the fewer times you completely uninstall/install the equipment, the better for the cooler.

 

I wasn't saying it shouldn't be cleaned, but like you said.. sugars. Hot water and some dish soap does wonders for a soak. It's not baked on food, it's slightly sticky residue if you leave it on there for a week or 2 till you brew next. A water hose with decent water pressure, and open and close the valve 3 times. I've never had to remove my valve from my cooler.. If you are half way sanitary and clean, it doesn't have the chance to get nasty.

It's not really get gunked up bad enough, but like I said.. it's personal preference.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that. I wrote that as a way of saying that I realized it didn't need to be cleaned after every brew...but that when you did need to clean it, you wouldn't have to completely remove it.

 

Understandable.. My point was.. it does need to be cleaned after every brew, which means it doesn't need to be taken apart because you haven't let it getting dried on and gunked up.

Bottomline.. 3 piece is easy if you want to tinker and clean and all that jazz. I'm not denying it. It's just a bit overkill if you want to toss your money towards something that will give you a marked advantage in brewing better beer.

 

I clean my MLT's valve after every batch by adding hot water to the tun and opening the valve. Fortunately sugars are water soluble.

 

The hot water that comes out of my immersion chiller for the first few minutes or so goes into a wash tub for this and other cleanup at the end of the brew day.

 

I do the same thing, as I'm sure most people do. However, when I had to take the ball-valve and parts out of my cooler (because Midwest had installed it incorrectly) there was grain particulate and sugar.

I suppose I could be skimping on the rinsing in some way...but this has been my experience.