Hey everyone, I'm looking to build a mash tun to do some all grain brewing in and am pretty excited to get it going. The only problem that I have run into so far is that all of the coolers I've found lack a little spigot on the bottom to drain. Has anyone else out there run into thous problem and if so what was your solution? Just drill a hole? (I only worry because if the cooler was insulated via a vacuum, this method would destroy it.) Also if there are any other obvious pitfalls in mash tun construction I would love to hear about them. Thanks in advance to everybody!
Honestly, I purchased one with a spigot already installed, this was it was easier to add the additional parts that I needed. If you go on YouTube or do a search for Igloo Cooler mash tun there is a decent amount of information out there. My only advice would be do construct this and test days before you plan to brew or else it could make for a very long and stressful brew day. Also consider what types of beers you are looking to do as you want to make sure you have a large enough cooler for the amount of required grain.
All the coolers I have looked at have been upwards of 36 quarts, so I think they would be plenty big enough. But again all the larger ones lack the spigot. I have seen a bunch of the YouTube videos on it also, however they all use coolers with a hole already in place from the spigot
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/cooler-mash-tun-no-drain-127613/ Perhaps this will help? Or at least a good place to start...
I use the Coleman xtreme 70 qt. and it has a spigot that you'll need to replace with a good quality stainless ball valve. You'll also want to get a bazooka screen or some other way to keep the grain separate from the wort as you sparge.
I second the Coleman xtreme. I have 3 of them. A 50, 100 and 150 quart. All of them came with a spigot. As far as the screen goes I would use a braided stainless steel hose, less the hose . It gives you 3 feet to work with.
I got a five gallon water cooler cylindrical type cooler with spigot. Easy to convert. Works like a champ for virtually all my applications. Ten gallons would have been better tho, but I have only brewed two brews where there was any concern at all*. It needs to have a spigot. Best advice is you CAN look up online how to make one, but do yourself a favor and order or pick up a bazooka tube and then figure out the hardware to install that bazooka tube to your cooler. Get the biggest bazooka tube available that doesn't have to bend inside your cooler (within reason, you don't need a 36" tube for a ten gallon cooler, but don't get a 6" tube if you have a ten gallon rectangular cooler either). *you're limited by the water to grain ratio and the volume of your mash tun. So brewing five gallons of 1.10 OG imperial stout isn't possible with only a five gallon mash tun. 8% ABV is about the upper limit FOR A FULL FIVE GALLON BATCH if you perform some small-time miracles (read: fudge the ratios and make adjustments to the sparge procedures). I haven't been brewing rocket fuel, so it hasn't been an issue for me. However, you could simply lower your batch size a little, and then you'd be fine. Still, get the ten gallon cooler if you can. I don't think there's ANY five gallon batch that would be limited by a ten gallon cooler, and if there is, NASA would like to speak to you.
I thought most large coolers has spigots to drain because the big coolers are heavy/awkward to pick up. Get something like this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Coleman-Xtreme-2-Wheeled-62-qt-Cooler-6262A748/202021620 (probably better prices somewhere else).
That's what I thought also, guess not haha. I'm just going to keep looking for one that already has the spigot. Just seems like less to deal with. Thank you everyone for the advice!
Most coolers that have spigots already built will need them replaced with something a bit more suitable for use as a mash tun. Also, AFAIK, there are no coolers that are vacuum insulated - they are mostly foam insulation. Most people like the 10-gallon round igloo drink ones like you see at most work sites. There are plenty of accessories available to convert then relatively easily and fairly inexpensively. Personally, I used a 48-qt rectangular Coleman Extreme, swapped out the spigot for about $8 and built a manifold for about $15 in parts and pieces.
I think it would depend on how you add the fly sparge water (even dispersement) and what kind of manifold and its layout you are using on the bottom. Fly sparging requires uniform fluid flow so all of the pieces need to work together with either option.
Generally people view circular bases as more ideal due to the ease to create/purchase a manifold/screen that is suited to the shape. That said, when fly sparging grain bed depth is an important consideration (you want a deeper bed) so cylindrical is better suited for that reason.
I use 5 gallon round cooler, at first test I have lack around the spigot. The only way to totally stop it is to insert 2-3 additional rubber gaskets inside the cooler wall, support the cooler wall from the spigot tightening pressure.
I used this one: http://www.igloocoolers.com/Ice-Cube Ran me like $30 or something at my local Menards (Home Depot like for those non-midwesterners), a Stainless Steel Threaded hose and some tubing from my homebrew shop to run through the spiggot. I just bought a nice stainless steel ball valve for the outside. Works great and all for < $50...oh wait, just make sure not to knock the threaded hose from the hose on the inside...adds for a fun brewday.
If you ever want to do a 10 gal batch or you want to do a BIG beer, you'll want to go a bit bigger than 36 qts. You need headspace to stir your grains in. I don't think bigger coolers cost too much more and storage space isn't an issue for me.
