33 replies to this topic

[strangebrewer]

I'm looking at building a new mash tun using a 120 quart cooler for brewing 10+ gallon batches of 1.100+ beers. It'll be a batch sparge rig. There are a couple options out there for coolers in this size so I was wondering if anybody had an opinion on one vs the other. Right now I'm looking at the Igloo Polar 120 quart cooler and the Coleman Xtreme 120 Quart cooler. The Coleman is a bit more expensive but is it worth it? Are there other coolers out there that I should consider?

[BlKtRe]

In my experience thermal mass alone in a cooler holds heat just fine. Not sure of the price difference, but I wouldn't be scared of using the cheaper cooler. Why are you batch sparging big beers? You will already loose eff. with the high gravity, now you are going to loose more batch sparging?

[ChefLamont]

How much is a bit more?I am not intentionally trolling up trouble here, but if you are doing the 1.100+ beers, why don't you go to fly sparging. I know some routinely get excellent efficiencies with batch, but I would think that for beers in that OG range the (potential) efficiency difference would become more apparent between the to methods. Obviously I am biased...blah blah blah.

[strangebrewer]

In my experience thermal mass alone in a cooler holds heat just fine. Not sure of the price difference, but I wouldn't be scared of using the cheaper cooler. Why are you batch sparging big beers? You will already loose eff. with the high gravity, now you are going to loose more batch sparging?

That's pretty much what I was thinking. It's going to be a lot of thermal mass so it should be pretty stable in just about anything. Thanks.I batch sparge for the simplicity. It's also my understanding that a large rectangular cooler would not be the ideal shape for a fly sparge rig. Honestly, I have not done much research into fly sparging so if this is a myth that has been debunked I'm just out of the loop. How well does fly sparging take to doing transfers with a pump?

[strangebrewer]

How much is a bit more?I am not intentionally trolling up trouble here, but if you are doing the 1.100+ beers, why don't you go to fly sparging. I know some routinely get excellent efficiencies with batch, but I would think that for beers in that OG range the (potential) efficiency difference would become more apparent between the to methods. Obviously I am biased...blah blah blah.

Wally world has the igloo polar for $59 and the coleman Xtreme for $88 so $29 difference. Don't worry Blktre already trolled up the good ol batch vs fly sparge debate . I'm not against it so long as it will work well for a 120 quart cooler and a system built around transferring everything with pumps.

[positiveContact]

Wally world has the igloo polar for $59 and the coleman Xtreme for $88 so $29 difference. Don't worry Blktre already trolled up the good ol batch vs fly sparge debate . I'm not against it so long as it will work well for a 120 quart cooler and a system built around transferring everything with pumps.

does one cooler lend itself to the kind of modifications you'll want to make?

[djinkc]

........... . I'm not against it so long as it will work well for a 120 quart cooler and a system built around transferring everything with pumps.

One of the LGB brewers converted one of those for a MT. IIRC he got 85% eff the first time flying.I fly with a pump all the time with a 70 qt coleman. Not a big deal to match inflow and outflow with very little practice.

[chefmiller]

FWIW, I have the coleman 120, I batch sparge, and I get at least 80% eff. on almost every batch, never had any lower than 75%, even on big beers. As I say on here quite often, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[denny]

I use a 152 qt. cooler and batch sparge. I use in the area of 70 lb. of grain to make a 10 gal. batch of 100+ beer without a sparge. Then I partigyle 12 gal. of a 1.060+ beer.https://www.bodensatz.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5232&g2_serialNumber=2

Edited by denny, 11 April 2011 - 10:57 AM.

[tag]

I no-sparge those big boysSometimes I'll use 2 mashtuns.

[BlKtRe]

Id rather use the room for more grain than batch sparge water. Yes, LBG brewer Cyburia has this cooler and he throws down just fine with it on the fly. Should of mentioned that, thanks Dan.Something else to consider, more grain = more thermal mass. Get what I mean by that? <_<And as Denny pointed out, you will get a nice 1.055-60 second running. Go big or go home. Dont waste your time

Edited by BlKtRe, 11 April 2011 - 11:12 AM.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I fly with a pump all the time with a 70 qt coleman. Not a big deal to match inflow and outflow with very little practice.

I fly with a 70 quart and a pump too. I am interested in a 100 quart cooler conversion for big brews.

[strangebrewer]

Sounds like all 3 methods work. Not that that is anything new Have to say I'll probably go the batch sparge way since I'm already setup for it. I'd have to build something to be able to add the fly sparge via gravity since I currently only have 1 pump in my system and that will be in use draining the mash tun.Thanks all!

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

Sounds like all 3 methods work. Not that that is anything new Have to say I'll probably go the batch sparge way since I'm already setup for it. I'd have to build something to be able to add the fly sparge via gravity since I currently only have 1 pump in my system and that will be in use draining the mash tun.Thanks all!

One pump

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

One pump

Sorry, couldn't upload the image I wanted, then couldn't edit my post.

[realbeerguy]

The 24 Gal Boys of Savannah use a 150Qt Igloo with a 3/4" copper manifold. can fit close to 110# grain in it. Have fly sparged to a low to mid 80's eff, no sparged to a low 70. So figure that a batch sparge would be in the mid to upper 70's. BTW the cooler fits right on a home grade scaffold so we can wheel it from HLT to kettles.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I use a coleman extreme 70 quart for up to 10 gal batches (of 1.050 ish beers) and it works great. I would probably go with another coleman extreme if I wanted to make bigger beers in 10 gal batches. Cheers,Rich

[No Party JKor]

I'd get the extreme, unless money is a big issue. More insulation is better. I'm assuming this is just single infusion, no recirc, yes?Averaged out across the whole grain bed, the temp in one may only drop 1 degree witht he coleman and 2 degrees with the Igloo, but I tend to be more worried about local temperature loss around the walls of the cooler. I don't want the 30% of my grain bed to be at 145 even though the average is 150. Will you be able to tell a difference? I don't know. You'd have to buy both and try it. Does that help?

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I'd get the extreme, unless money is a big issue. More insulation is better. I'm assuming this is just single infusion, no recirc, yes?Averaged out across the whole grain bed, the temp in one may only drop 1 degree witht he coleman and 2 degrees with the Igloo, but I tend to be more worried about local temperature loss around the walls of the cooler. I don't want the 30% of my grain bed to be at 145 even though the average is 150. Will you be able to tell a difference? I don't know. You'd have to buy both and try it. Does that help?

I think the biggest heat loss from coolers is out the top. Since I've been covering mine with a blanket during the mash, I've noticed minimal loss. I have been wanting to fill the lid with foam insulation but haven't gotten that far yet.

[No Party JKor]

I think the biggest heat loss from coolers is out the top. Since I've been covering mine with a blanket during the mash, I've noticed minimal loss. I have been wanting to fill the lid with foam insulation but haven't gotten that far yet.

Cut a 2" thick piece of rigid EPS to fit exactly inside the cooler and float it on top of the mash.