Mash / Lauter tun hardware help

[acr4]

Just bought a 10-gallon round water cooler to turn into a mash/lauter tun.

Can someone double-check my hardware before I make a purchase? I'm ordering most/all the parts from Northern Brewer because it's just easier for me to do that than to stand in the hardware store for an hour (I can never find this crap in HD or Lowes).

All from Northern Brewer:
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7527 12" S/S False Bottom w/ 3/8" brass barb
7137 3/8" ID Thermoplastic Tubing (2 ft.)
7128 1/2" ID Thermoplastic Tubing (5 ft.)
7554 Bronze Cooler Valve Kit w/ barb
P004 Brass 1/2 MPT x 3/8 Barb

From HD/Lowes:
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bag of hose clamps

Goal is to have the false bottom connected to cooler valve assembly via 3/8" tube over 3/8" barbs (duh...). Getting 2 ft. of this tube because I'll probably need a mulligan on cutting to proper length.

Since the valve has 1/2" barb on the outside, I'll get 5 ft. of 1/2" tube to get the liquor "somewhere" (hopefully into a boil kettle).

I was going to do all stainless, but the false bottom has brass outlet and there's no point going all stainless if one part is brass. I guess I could upgrade everything to S/S and replace the elbow+barb on the false bottom.

Any comments? Is stainless really necessary if I'm brewing in a plastic cooler, boiling in aluminum pot, and fermenting in plastic bucket?

[Bugeater]

Brass is no problem in a mash tun due to the short exposure time to the wort and the relatively low temperature. You wouldn't want to use it in your boil pot or fermenter.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[Big Tex]

That's pretty much the setup I'm using... You might want to consider using quick disconnects instead of the barb on the output of the 1/2" valve. It will make your life easier when connecting hose to the MT.

Also, this may be obvious but make sure that you use hose clamps between the false bottom and the barb on the valve. Of all the hoses you'll be using, that's the one you definitely don't want to come loose.

[acr4]

QD on the 1/2" is a good idea... Thanks all!