Partial Mash - Mash Tun, What Do You Use?

[PortlyPorterGuy]

I've been an extract brewer for about 6 months now but this past weekend I did a partial mash using a 2 gallon beverage cooler and a grain bag. I know 2 gal. isn't much, I used only 4 lbs. of grain, but it's a start. What are other partial mashers out there using? For the all grain folks that used to do a partial mash, what used to work for you?

Before anyone mentions it, I know that it's not much of a leap to all grain. I just have to get off my ass and put together a mash tun.

-Portly

[Push Eject]

I used to mash in my 5 gallon pot. Horrible heat retention and a mess to sparge, but it worked well enough. The most I ever had in there was less than 9 pounds, I think.

Keep it up!

Push Eject

[Speyedr]

I went from Steeping and extract right to a 5gal Rubbermaid cooler setup (Walmart had them on special). But a couple weeks ago I did a partial mash with a buddy for his first beer. We just used two big grain bags and a bucket and did the mash inside. It's messy, but it works.

[Axis714]

Ive tried to post a pic- as an easy and cheap idea for you to use as mini mash tun or full AG. A few years ago I built a mini masher for about 5$
I
Its a simple copper manifold in an old square cooler.




The slots are on the underside of the manifold- cut with a hacksaw- I never did drill a hole through the cooler for a spigot, I just siphoned over and out the top.




It would be wise to add a slotted pipe or 2 through the center as to prevent sparge runoff down the walls and not through the middle, but this simple lauter tun worked for me many many batches- held up to 10-12 lbs. grain...though if I ever use it again Itll be for minimash with about 5-6 pounds grain.
Hope maybe this helps.

[PortlyPorterGuy]

Thanks! Hell I can do that, any reason not to use PVC?

[Bugeater]

Thanks! Hell I can do that, any reason not to use PVC?

I would use CPVC instead of PVC since it holds up under higher temperatures. I have built a number of cpvc manifolds and they work fine. Just be sure you get all the plastic "sawdust" out of the slots and the inside. Also you may want to run a rat tail file down the inside to remove burrs that will catch stray husk material and slow down the flow.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[Axis714]

^^^^^^^^^^^^Same advice as Bugs with the copper^^^^^
Some guys even drill the cpvc with tiny little holes and debur. Also Ive seen the bucket inside of a bucket with the top bucket being drilled with hundreds of little holes in the same manner (though I have no experience with this) I assume it works fairly well.
Isnt hard at all is it? Not 1 bit. Grab a cheap corona mill or order grain pre milled- youre in the AG biz for under $20.
Have fun.

[jaydub]

I got a Phil's Lauter Tun bucket with a plastic, convex false bottom. Its held up pretty well over a year of partial mashing with up to (I think) 6lbs of grain. There's a little silicone plug thingy that disappeared after cleanup a few brews back. I replaced it with a wood peg - but I'll probably go to an igloo cooler soon.