Xtreme and Max coolers really any better?

[BrianL]

I have a Coleman 48qt cooler that'll drop 6-7 degrees during an hour, even preheated with some boiling water. Are these new coolers really any better? I've read some mixed results on their claim on keeping ice frozen for 5 days.....of course we just need a good hour of insulation.

[BeerPal]

I have only ever used a Coleman Xtreme as a mash tun, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I sure as hell don't get a 6°-7° drop in a hour in it. Maybe a degree, if even that.

[codewritinfool]

I use a MaxCold and it doesn't drop at all in one hour as far as I can tell on an analog gauge.

[huskerbrew]

I use a 10 gal Rubbermaid beverage cooler and I only lose 1-2 degrees max. I often wonder how one loses so much heat over an hour. Even in the winter when my garage is 40-45 degrees, I don't lose more than 2 degrees. Wouldn't the thermal mass of the mash hold temps itself fairly well unless you were mashing in the arctic? I'm not a scientist, so I don't know the technical answer, I guess. Just seems to me that there's a lot of emphasis on insulation for such a short rest. Now, if you're mashing overnight, I would understand. Any thoughts?

[BrianL]

I started with a 5 gallon cylindrical cooler and it didn't drop much more than a degree over and hour. I picked up a 48 qt coleman on sale at the grocery store for about $30 to handle some bigger batches.

The same time I changed coolers I changed my process where I'm pouring the strike water onto the grains with a gallon pitcher and opening it ever 15 minutes to stir the mash real well, per Palmer's book. Probably losing a little heat there.

[derfburg]

I use the Igloo Cube cooler, drilled a few holes in the lid and filled with Great Foam. I loose 1 deg in 90 min mash.

[BrianL]

This stuff?

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?s ... d=45643587

Might be worth a try...I hate to buy another cooler.

[derfburg]

Thats it, it will come out of the holes too. Be ready for some clean up.