Ghetto AG Pics :)

[Lufah]

Nice set up travis. I hope I can put together something just like it before too long. You do 10 gallon all-grain batches, right? What size is your cooler again? I think I'm going to do 5 gallon batches. Wondering what size cooler I should get. Any ideas?

I do mostly 5gal batches. I have done a few 10, but don't really need that much beer. I have a 50 quart cooler. I used that one because it was laying around not getting used for anything else. I would get one around the size I use. That gives you room to do high gravity beers if you want to.

Travis

[2DogAle]

I do mostly 5gal batches. I have done a few 10, but don't really need that much beer. I have a 50 quart cooler. I used that one because it was laying around not getting used for anything else. I would get one around the size I use. That gives you room to do high gravity beers if you want to.

Travis

All right then... so you mostly do 5 gallon batches. I have read some posts elsewhere about grain depths. I thought I saw something that gave you some way to calculate the size of your cooler based on your grain build etc.

Any thoughts?

Rob

[Lufah]

Take a look here... http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

You really can't go to big IMHO.

Travis

[2DogAle]

Nice, thanks. I was obsessing over coolers this week. I see all the nice scuptures that had those 10 gallon gott coolers but $40. I saw a 50 qt cooler for like $20. I'm a hick from farm country so I can't just spend extra money on stuff when I can do it cheaper.

Thanks Travis,

Rob

[cetialphav]

Lufah,
Do you have problems with plastic flavors?

I have a cooler like that, but I have never used it as a mash tun because I suspect that it is not food grade plastic, and was afraid of plastic flavors in the wort.

[Lufah]

Nope no problems. I don't think any of the coolers are officially food grade. I maybe wrong tho

Travis

[ionia_ales]

I use an igloo ice cube cooler.

no problems with that.

[Danno]

A 40 quart or larger will handle 5 gallon batches. The rectangular style may have some bed depth probem with 5 gallons of low gravity beers above 48 quart but the round Rubbermaid and square Ice Cubes will be okay.

For 10 gallon batches, a 48 qt is going to be too small for high gravity batches but for anything thing else, you're good to go. I recommend you get at least a 54 quart as a minimum for 10 gallon batches.

That being said, I had 42 pounds of malt in my Minibrew MT the other day. That easily made 10 gallons of Barleywine and 5 gallons of a small beer.