33 replies to this topic

[chadm75]

So I've upgraded my mash tun from a 5-gal circular igloo to a igloo max cold 60 qt cube. I've really been limited size wise by the 5-gal one so I picked up a new one last week. But I have a concern about the drain on this cooler.It doesn't sit on the bottom of the cooler. The way the bottom of the cooler is shaped is that it's flat on the bottom and then it comes up at an angle. Where this angled part of the cooler bottom meets the wall is where the drain is located. What this means is that the SS braid won't likely sit flush against the bottom of the cooler and even if it does, the wort would have to travel up to the drain to leave the tun.So my question is will this work and work well or should I just search for a flat bottomed cooler? Does anyone use this cooler and have pros/cons?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So I've upgraded my mash tun from a 5-gal circular igloo to a igloo max cold 60 qt cube. I've really been limited size wise by the 5-gal one so I picked up a new one last week. But I have a concern about the drain on this cooler.It doesn't sit on the bottom of the cooler. The way the bottom of the cooler is shaped is that it's flat on the bottom and then it comes up at an angle. Where this angled part of the cooler bottom meets the wall is where the drain is located. What this means is that the SS braid won't likely sit flush against the bottom of the cooler and even if it does, the wort would have to travel up to the drain to leave the tun.So my question is will this work and work well or should I just search for a flat bottomed cooler? Does anyone use this cooler and have pros/cons?

do you have a picture?

[3rd party JKor]

With some ingenuity, yes.

[chadm75]

https://www.walmart....duct_id=5663765This is the one I've got. But it doesn't show the bottom so it might not be any help...

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Mash TunThis is the one I've got. But it doesn't show the bottom so it might not be any help...

correct - the link also doesn't work

[chadm75]

correct - the link also doesn't work

try it now...sorry about that! I have no idea how to load links or pics onto the board...

[djinkc]

It should work for batch sparging. You'll need to make a pickup tube to get whatever you strain with on the bottom. And it wouldn't work well for fly.Personally, I would return it and get something with a flat bottom

[chadm75]

It should work for batch sparging. You'll need to make a pickup tube to get whatever you strain with on the bottom. And it wouldn't work well for fly.Personally, I would return it and get something with a flat bottom

I batch sparge. What do you mean pickup tube?That's what I'm thinking....

[Brownbeard]

It should work for batch sparging. You'll need to make a pickup tube to get whatever you strain with on the bottom. And it wouldn't work well for fly.Personally, I would return it and get something with a flat bottom

I agree. When you install the valve/bulkhead make sure on the inside, your plumbing dips down to the bottom of the cooler and attach the braided hose there. The tun will drain to the level of your pickup tube. GRAVITY BE DAMNED!!!

[Brownbeard]

I batch sparge. What do you mean pickup tube?That's what I'm thinking....

When your plumbing goes through the cooler, you need to add a fitting on the inside that will dip down to the bottom of the cooler. So, if you use one of the cooler bulkheads, you will have a female thread on the inside. Add an angle that drops the drain to the bottom of the cooler. The cooler will drain to whatever level the tube/pipe goes to.

[ChefLamont]

I batch sparge. What do you mean pickup tube?That's what I'm thinking....

What you are essentially doing is creating a siphon. The liquid has to go from the bottom of the cooler UP to the level of the drain hole and then down to the kettle. By saying you need a dip tube, we are saying that you need a tube of some sort that is air tight so when you are draining and the level of the liquid gets below the drain hole, the siphon will be maintained and drain all the way to the bottom of the cooler. If it is not airtight, the siphon will break and you will only drain to the point where the siphon is broken (presumable the drain hole). You will also have to be careful to design it so the dip tube/manifold/braid/whatever stays on the bottom of the cooler for the same reason.

[jayb151]

I have that exact same cooler, minus the handle and the 50 qt size instead of 60. I used to batch sparge with a SS tube in my old cooler but when I got this one i made a copper manifold. It's really pretty easy to do. I just youtubed soldering and it worked like a charm. Now I can fly sparge with my 5 gal tun holding the sparge water. I know a SS tube is easy, but man I'll never go back!

[stellarbrew]

Maybe you could drill a new drain hole in the side of the cooler, where the bottom of the cooler is at it's lowest. Then you could put a bulkead fitting throught the hole, and directly attach your braid right at the bottom of the cooler, with no need of a siphon tube. Of course, that would be of no help if the bottom slopes up at the sides, as well as the ends.

[Deerslyr]

Maybe you could drill a new drain hole in the side of the cooler, where the bottom of the cooler is at it's lowest. Then you could put a bulkead fitting throught the hole, and directly attach your braid right at the bottom of the cooler, with no need of a siphon tube. Of course, that would be of no help if the bottom slopes up at the sides, as well as the ends.

This is not necessary. A pickup tube to a manifold is easy to do. I know the OP is batch sparging, but with a minimal amount of effort he could be set up for fly sparging as well. The pickup and manifold can be made of either CPVC or copper, doesn't really matter. I use CPVC. My tube comes out about 2 inches from the wall where it hits a 90 degree fitting. Then it runs about an inch to a "t" fitting that is on the manifold. Here is how I don't have to worry about the length... the pickup tube is not glued to the "t" fitting or the tube coming out. The portion of the manifold that the "t" is on is not glued in either. It allows me to swivel the "t" to come and meet up with the pickup tube without having to make any precise measurements. The fit is tight enough that it doesn't break the siphon. I've got a buddy who just built a new tun out of the same as the OP. I know he made a manifold out of copper. It IS possible to make a great tun (with excellent capacity) out of this cooler.

[Deerslyr]

I just youtubed soldering and it worked like a charm.

Damn! If I had known youtube would do my soldering for me, I would have not burned my fingers on a few projects! I have the hardest time with soldering, but I had a couple of projects for my system that required copper. The welds, for the most part, look like a third grader did them, but in the end it gets the job done.

[Recklessdeck]

I think the reason this specific cooler is better suited for batch sparging is that no matter how you built the manifold, you would get channeling problems near the sloped edge. Info on mash tun geometry.That being said, no reason it won't work great for batch sparging! I've been considering buy this cooler myself, so I'm glad to see some discussion on it.

[Brownbeard]

If you are already batch sparging, there is no good reason to change to fly sparge. To avoid the long argument about it, I will say "and vice versa".even though I don't agree

[Deerslyr]

If you are already batch sparging, there is no good reason to change to fly sparge. To avoid the long argument about it, I will say "and vice versa".

I disagree... somewhat.I built my tun with a manifold suitable for fly sparging, but for almost the first year did batch sparging. I was hitting efficiencies in the range of 75 to 80 percent. But the work was "brutal". I knew that ultimately I wanted to buy a pump and fly sparge... and this is what I have done. I now have a pump attached to a float switch that allows me to fly sparge. If I wanted to, now that I think of it, I could just as easily batch sparge on the same system, which I may try next time. My efficiencies with fly sparging have also been at the 75% plus range. If you use the typical ss braid to batch sparge, you will likely not be able to use that system for fly sparging. But with a little bit of effort, a manifold created for fly sparging will also work with batch sparging.

[Brownbeard]

I disagree... somewhat.I built my tun with a manifold suitable for fly sparging, but for almost the first year did batch sparging. I was hitting efficiencies in the range of 75 to 80 percent. But the work was "brutal". I knew that ultimately I wanted to buy a pump and fly sparge... and this is what I have done. I now have a pump attached to a float switch that allows me to fly sparge. If I wanted to, now that I think of it, I could just as easily batch sparge on the same system, which I may try next time. My efficiencies with fly sparging have also been at the 75% plus range. If you use the typical ss braid to batch sparge, you will likely not be able to use that system for fly sparging. But with a little bit of effort, a manifold created for fly sparging will also work with batch sparging.

I have heard people comment on the extra work of batch sparging before. I don't get it. I know you have to lift a kettle of water 3-4 times during the brewing process, but for a 5 gallon batch, I never have to lift more than three gallons of water at one time. That's 25 pounds of water. I am no Lou Ferrigno, but that is not that much weight. My sparge rounds are usually ~2 gallons (16 lbs). Is there something else I am missing, or is it just the lifting of the kettle?

[Pseudolus]

I use that exact same cooler, batch sparging, Denny-style wire mesh thingy. I tip it up (putting the lid under the uptipped edge to prop) to get the last bit out of the grain. Works just fine for me. Mid-70s efficiency-wise, which is plenty.