Cooler mashing debate! Rectangle, round, false, manf...

[Big Tex]

From my perspective, the round cooler provides the option to either fly or batch sparge. If you go with a rectangular shaped cooler, you may get a large volume but it is difficult to fly sparge. I use a 10 gallon Round cooler with a 12" false bottom. I fly sparge and have yet to have a stuck sparge. This cooler can hold a temp within a 1-2 degrees for 90 minutes with efficiency of at least 75%. I've yet to think twice about the decision to go round.

[BDawg]

Manifolds and braids work best with rectangular coolers. If you batch sparge, both work equally well. If you Fly sparge, the manifold works better.
False Bottoms and braids work best with round coolers. If you batch sparge, both work equally well. If you Fly sparge, the false bottom works better. (A manifold that would fit in a round cooler is so small, few people use them.)

Note that you can do both - batch sparge and fly sparge - with either the manifold or the false bottom. If you absolutely never ever ever intend to fly sparge, go with a braid. Otherwise, go with the manifold or false bottom based on your mash tun vessel.

The other thing to take into consideration is if you plan to do a lot of high gravity beers and your batch size is 10 gals.
In a 10 gallon round cooler, you can get by with beers up to roughly around 1.070 (lower for those who get lower efficiency). Beyond that, the round cooler mash tun is too small to hold all the grain and the required strike water for step mashing the bigger batches. Also, the grain bed will compress more than it would in a rectangular cooler, which can cause stuck mashes (pain in the ass) or channeling (throwing your efficiency to chance). Otherwise your alternative is to decoct to hit step temps. It can be tough to hit decoction step temps accurately.

Now, if you are just gonna stick with 5 gal batches, no difference, both will work just fine. If you want to brew 10 gal Trippels, Russian Imperial Stouts, and Barley Wines, go with the rectangular.

HTH-

[Test_Engineer]

The other thing to take into consideration is if you plan to do a lot of high gravity beers and your batch size is 10 gals.
In a 10 gallon round cooler, you can get by with beers up to roughly around 1.070 (lower for those who get lower efficiency). Beyond that, the round cooler mash tun is too small to hold all the grain and the required strike water for step mashing the bigger batches. Also, the grain bed will compress more than it would in a rectangular cooler, which can cause stuck mashes (pain in the ass) or channeling (throwing your efficiency to chance). Otherwise your alternative is to decoct to hit step temps. It can be tough to hit decoction step temps accurately.

Now, if you are just gonna stick with 5 gal batches, no difference, both will work just fine. If you want to brew 10 gal Trippels, Russian Imperial Stouts, and Barley Wines, go with the rectangular.

HTH-

Thanks BDawg! 10 gal Round with false bottom seems the way to go. 10 gal batch of 1.070 beers seems reasonable. If I am gonna make really big beers, I'd probably make 5 gallon batches. So, 10 gall round with a false bottom seems decent!

[Test_Engineer]

I use a 10 gallon Rubbermaid round cooler I got from Home Depot for like $30 and a Bazooka T and stainless ballvalve/bulkhead assembly. When used with the factory setting on my Barley Crusher, I get 70-75% efficiency and no stuck mashes. I recently made a Bavarian Hef with 60% wheat and no rice hulls without a stuck mash. This is a batch sparge setup.

I saw these round coolers at Home Depot the other day. I'm leaning toward using these over the expensive igloo ones you see. I'm just hoping the SS false bottoms fit properly in the bottom.

[dresselbrew]

I saw these round coolers at Home Depot the other day. I'm leaning toward using these over the expensive igloo ones you see. I'm just hoping the SS false bottoms fit properly in the bottom.

I take it you are set on fly sparging and not batch sparging?

[huskerbrew]

I'm leaning toward using these over the expensive igloo ones you see. I'm just hoping the SS false bottoms fit properly in the bottom.[/quote]




I don't see why not. After seeing the AG setups from NB and others wanting $200+ for about $100 or so worth of equipment that I could source locally, it wasn't much of a decision. Home Depot was the cheapest that I could find in town.

[Test_Engineer]

I take it you are set on fly sparging and not batch sparging?

Ability to try both methods seems like the right thing for now.

[Big Tex]

The Home Depot 10 gallon round coolers are what I use. They are exactly like Igloo and I wouldn't be surprised if Home Depot re-branded Igloo's coolers. Yes, the 12" SS false bottom fit perfectly.