Coolbox mashtun advice

[banjokat]

Morning all.

I've used an insulated 27 ltr fermenting bin as my mashtun for years quite happily. But I fancy making something a bit bigger to make batch sparging easier. I do 25 ltr batches normally.
Can't afford / don't particularly want a shiny one, I did see this, anyone use one?
http://www.horizonleisure.co.uk/igloo-m ... re=default
Looked good to me but if anyone knows better I'd appreciate your thoughts.

[jmc]

Morning all.

I've used an insulated 27 ltr fermenting bin as my mashtun for years quite happily. But I fancy making something a bit bigger to make batch sparging easier. I do 25 ltr batches normally.
Can't afford / don't particularly want a shiny one, I did see this, anyone use one?
http://www.horizonleisure.co.uk/igloo-m ... re=default
Looked good to me but if anyone knows better I'd appreciate your thoughts.

I bought a 49L Coleman igloo a few year's back.


I was disappointed with heat loss I got from it so I ended up adding loads of insulation to minimise heat-loss.


I still use it occasionally. In fact I used it at the weekend for a 40L brew.
7.1kg of malt at ratio 4:1 and still loads of room for batch sparging.

Advice
* Dead-space above mash increases heat loss. Its better if you fill as much as possible so either longer brew length and/or higher liquor:malt ratio
* You must pre-heat. I use 2 x 1.5L boiling water from kettle for min 10 mins.
* Keep lid tightly closed.

If you ever intend to fly sparge the 45L igloo cubes are a better shape.

More info
Is bubble/foil insulation any good?
Mash Tun - Adding insulation

Edit---
This is the igloo Ice Cube mentioned above.
Better shape to reduce heat loss. Ok for fly sparge too I believe.
Igloo 48 Qt. Ice Cube Cooler

[banjokat]

Fantastic reply, thanks for taking the time to do that!
That's food for thought, my current set up has virtually no heat loss, it's just a few litres too small sometimes.
Cheers

[Dave S]

Fantastic reply, thanks for taking the time to do that!
That's food for thought, my current set up has virtually no heat loss, it's just a few litres too small sometimes.
Cheers

I have a Coleman MT also. I think it's meant to be 32l, but I measured it at more like 26. It doesn't lose much heat either. Did a brew on Sunday and it lost less than 0.5C in 90 mins

[SamT]

I use a 45L Cube and its pretty damn good.

I made it in accordance with this thread here ... viewtopic.php?f=6&t=39593

[pads72]

I use a 45L Cube and its pretty damn good.

I made it in accordance with this thread here ... viewtopic.php?f=6&t=39593

+1 for the Igloo 45L Cube based on this and PDTNC's build

[Dave S]

Most people seem to go with 22mm pipe for the manifold. I used 15mm and have had no issues. Never had a stuck mash apart from once when I knocked the manifold out of the back of tap while stirring the mash.

[Fil]

fyi my 32l camping gaz cold box tun was actually more like 28 l allowing 1cm for the lid lip and closing. so do be mindful when buying based on published volume, that it probably represents some if not all the unusable lid volume too.

[sweatysock]

I also have the igloo mash tun with 15mm manifold. It works very well with little heat loss and as others have said it is a good size. I have easily produced 33 litre brew length using it. One thing I was going to say was pre-heating is also mentioned. From a tip on here I now heat my strike water to about 78 - 80 degrees C before filling. This preheats the mash tun and will slowly over a period of about 10 mins, with occasional stirring, get to the perfect strike temperature. I have found I can now get within 0.5 of a degree of my mash temp using this method, a thermapen and the calculator for strike temp on here. I am also going to start fly sparging as I got a sparge arm for Christmas and the igloo is almost perfect for it.

[banjokat]

Thanks for the input everyone. Much appreciated. Igloo cube it is then!

[Dave S]

I also have the igloo mash tun with 15mm manifold. It works very well with little heat loss and as others have said it is a good size. I have easily produced 33 litre brew length using it. One thing I was going to say was pre-heating is also mentioned. From a tip on here I now heat my strike water to about 78 - 80 degrees C before filling. This preheats the mash tun and will slowly over a period of about 10 mins, with occasional stirring, get to the perfect strike temperature. I have found I can now get within 0.5 of a degree of my mash temp using this method, a thermapen and the calculator for strike temp on here. I am also going to start fly sparging as I got a sparge arm for Christmas and the igloo is almost perfect for it.

That's exactly what I do - heat the water to 80-85C, then let it cool with the lid off to strike temp.