Mash Tuns

[towser]

Rubbermaid cooler is what I use. As mentioned before, the insulation properties are unbelievable:

5 gallon here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-RUBBERMAID-5G ... 7C294%3A30

10 gallon here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-RUBBERMAID-10 ... 7C294%3A30

[Subsonic]

Mc - That looks mighty complex! Well I did a brew Saturday and here is how it went. Filled my keg with 30 litres of 'hot' water and heated it to 68c with a propane burner. Pitched 7.85Kg of grain to drop to my target of 65c and stuck a high tech SS pan lid on (albeit fitting perfectly to my plasma cut hole ) Wrapped 2 blankets around the keg fastened with a high tech close peg and a further one folded in 4 on top of the lid. Mashed for 90 minutes with a probe in the mash. After 90 minutes I took the lid off and the probe read 65c gave it a good stir and it read 65c. I find it works really well, the guys in the states I visited use similar mash tuns with great results. I think the key thing is to find what works for you and stick with it. My cool box didn't (well sometimes it did and other times it didn't. I am pretty anal running a spreadsheet on my mashes and knew it wasn't my method hence I blamed the coolbox) With my SS kegs I am always within 1% efficiency and 0.5c on the mash. It does sit on a big steel stand with the burner underneath and all that heats up as well, so I figure that acts as a capacitor too. I got my ideas from here and going to Texas to see the brewers there. http://www.texanbrew.com/index.php?topic=mt Also I do stepped mashes at times and the burner and keg is perfect for that. But if you get regular efficiency stick with what suits you. I do like my shiney kegs mind.... Subsonic.

[escapizm]

[quote="BarnsleyBrewer"]For 10 years I used 2 buckets to mash, but with the help from people at JBK I built this using a 36lt Coleman Xtreme!

Having admired you’re manifold I’ve just bought one of these xtreme coolers (don’t ask how much )

Was hoping to still be able to use as cooler (as justified to wife ) when we go camping, please tell me I can. Is the 15mm pipe in the drain removable and how have you sealed it.

Any info you can give so I can reproduce the fine piece of kit you have there would be appreciated.

[mac]

Mc - That looks mighty complex! Well I did a brew Saturday and here is how it went. Filled my keg with 30 litres of 'hot' water and heated it to 68c with a propane burner. Pitched 7.85Kg of grain to drop to my target of 65c and stuck a high tech SS pan lid on (albeit fitting perfectly to my plasma cut hole ) Wrapped 2 blankets around the keg fastened with a high tech close peg and a further one folded in 4 on top of the lid. Mashed for 90 minutes with a probe in the mash. After 90 minutes I took the lid off and the probe read 65c gave it a good stir and it read 65c. I find it works really well, the guys in the states I visited use similar mash tuns with great results. I think the key thing is to find what works for you and stick with it. My cool box didn't (well sometimes it did and other times it didn't. I am pretty anal running a spreadsheet on my mashes and knew it wasn't my method hence I blamed the coolbox) With my SS kegs I am always within 1% efficiency and 0.5c on the mash. It does sit on a big steel stand with the burner underneath and all that heats up as well, so I figure that acts as a capacitor too. I got my ideas from here and going to Texas to see the brewers there. http://www.texanbrew.com/index.php?topic=mt Also I do stepped mashes at times and the burner and keg is perfect for that. But if you get regular efficiency stick with what suits you. I do like my shiney kegs mind.... Subsonic.

Subonic,
Complex? it took me 2 hours and an old college file to work out.
You cant knock your figures, the stainless steel and frame must be holding as much heat as the blanket is loosing. Don't underestimate the thermal resistivity of a regular blanket on sleeping bag, especially if it's wrapped around twice. You'll have the blanket r value, the air between the blanket and a surface resistance on each area.
It's like you said, find what works for you. I think it's also a case of use what suits your conditions. For example, if I had a outside room or garage I could dedicate to a brewery, my kit would look like NASA's Luna Module At the moment I live in a flat, so all my kit needs to be laminate floor and enamel bath friendly

I haven't had a look at the link yet but if its shiney porn, I may be some time

[Earth Titan]

Well i use an Argos cool box with a set up I fashioned myself in an evening for about £30 all in. Works a treat.!!!

Dont solder the joints together though as you will need to get everything apart for cleaning.

I put it in an old sleeping bag and place it on top of the aga in the kitchen (no it doesn't make me posh - the house just had one in it.... !!!!) and faultless brews every time.

[nobby]

I use a stainless steel bain marie I got of ebay last year.

Hi Nobby

What size did you get? What sort of grain filter do you use in it? Any chance of a picture of the inside when it's empty please?

Cheers

I think its the 24 Ltr one. It does 6Kg of grain no problem. I just use a copper manifold cut on the underside with a hacksaw.

[Invalid Stout]

I would like to have a stab at All Grain brewing for my next batch. However, I am currently out of work an hence I'm a bit skint

For a mash tun, would I be able to use just a fermentation bucket that has a tap and contain all the grain in a cotton pillowcase or something within the bucket???

As edit1now said, get some mesh/net curtain type material from a haberdashery department. The stuff you want is referred to as toile (twahl) and it's a very fine, sheer fabric. Two metres is plenty and should cost well under a fiver. Then sew it up into a bag. You don't need a sewing machine, just sew it by hand while watching TV or something (Of course, if you do have a machine around the house, use that!). This is what I use at the moment and it works fine, might not be quite as efficient as a mash tun but who cares eh.

Two tips: Rather than sewing a square bag with seams along two edges, cut a circle and form the bag by gathering the edges together and hemming them over a cord (get the cord from the haberdashers too). This way you can close the bag, there is no danger of a seam splitting under the weight of the grain, and grain doesn't get stuck in the seam.

Second: make sure the material is nylon or some other artifical fibre. That will dry quickly after use and you can just shake the remaining bits of grain off. Cotton will stay damp for ages, risking mould.

[mac]

I would like to have a stab at All Grain brewing for my next batch. However, I am currently out of work an hence I'm a bit skint

For a mash tun, would I be able to use just a fermentation bucket that has a tap and contain all the grain in a cotton pillowcase or something within the bucket???

As edit1now said, get some mesh/net curtain type material from a haberdashery department. The stuff you want is referred to as toile (twahl) and it's a very fine, sheer fabric.

Two tips: Rather than sewing a square bag with seams along two edges, cut a circle and form the bag by gathering the edges together and hemming them over a cord (get the cord from the haberdashers too). This way you can close the bag, there is no danger of a seam splitting under the weight of the grain, and grain doesn't get stuck in the seam.

Second: make sure the material is nylon or some other artifical fibre. That will dry quickly after use and you can just shake the remaining bits of grain off. Cotton will stay damp for ages, risking mould.

I like the making your own net bag idea for anybody who is skint but for those who are lazy and skint there's these. http://laundry.applied.org.uk/Products.htm

[gunner]

I have a converted Maxcold igloo 47 litre cool box mash tun,very similar to barnsley brewers coleman's.

Picked up on ebay for 51 notes inc P@P.It has a threaded drain plug at one side,no drilling needed.I have a normal sink tap instead of a ball valve,as the bloke in the hardware shop pointed out that if using a BV,you are constantly putting pressure on the weakest part of the cool box.

So opted for sink tap,half the spout cut off otherwise it would be long,and it still takes a 19mm hose.Made myself a copper manifold as per ideas from you guys.

Mashed outside with it 3 saturdays ago,lost about 1d over 90min mash,no outer insulation as the box has added ultratherm.

Talked the mrs into it,as we take our vw t25 away alot,and it doubles up as a very effective coolbox,does what it says on the tin,it keeps ice frozen for 5 days.

[garwatts]

Don't forget they like their piccies on here if possible