Found this online. Good price. Has a drain.
But is it the right size and shape.
Thoughts?
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... 01260-8177Yes people have used Cube coolers for MTs.
You’ll probably be happier with a cooler with better insulation, especially on the lid.
The maxcold comes with the ultratherm and is available in a 70qt.
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... ld&Ntk=All[quote=“Worts_Worth”]You’ll probably be happier with a cooler with better insulation, especially on the lid.
The maxcold comes with the ultratherm and is available in a 70qt.
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/store ... ld&Ntk=All[/quote]Seems kind of big.
A little worried that a rectangular cooler that size would have too shallow a grain bed.
Not sure how many really big beers I am going to do.
[quote=“smetana1986”]A little worried that a rectangular cooler that size would have too shallow a grain bed.
Not sure how many really big beers I am going to do.[/quote]If you’re going to batch-sparge, the bed depth doesn’t matter.
For $5 you can put a can of spray foam in the lid.
IMO, 70qts (and even 60) is over kill for most 5 gallon batches.
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtmlAccording to the Rackers calculator above:
12lbs of grain with 1.25q/lb will take up 4.71 gallons (18.84 qts). About 1.057 @ 70% efficiency.
20lbs of grain with 1.25q/lb will take up 7.85 gallons ( 31.4 qts). About 1.081 @ 60% efficiency.
Unless you are doing 10 gallon batches of beer, 48-50qt is all the larger cooler you need.
Well I agree, I have a 48qt cooler that has done me well, but on a few occasions I had wished for a larger one–namely a parti-gyle batch and other BIG beers.
If I was to replace it, which I may do soon, I would certainly get a larger one, not just to accommodate larger grists, but also to at least give me the option at 10gal batches.
Plus if the insulation is good in the cooler, you’re temps won’t go down much at all, even if the cooler is mostly air.
I agree. I bought a 52-qt MaxCold on sale that is perfect for everything I’ve done so far. My estimates I can easily fit 22lbs of grain and strike water/sparge water in it. I average about 14lbs to 16lbs of grain per batch and have been very happy.
Mouse
Heres a link to a 60qt Igloo cube that I converted.
[quote=“Nighthawk”]For $5 you can put a can of spray foam in the lid.
IMO, 70qts (and even 60) is over kill for most 5 gallon batches.
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtmlAccording to the Rackers calculator above:
12lbs of grain with 1.25q/lb will take up 4.71 gallons (18.84 qts). About 1.057 @ 70% efficiency.
20lbs of grain with 1.25q/lb will take up 7.85 gallons ( 31.4 qts). About 1.081 @ 60% efficiency.
Unless you are doing 10 gallon batches of beer, 48-50qt is all the larger cooler you need.[/quote]
that all assumes 1.25q/lb but I don’t know why you would want to mash that thick if you have more space in your mash tun. I seldom mash lower than 1.5q/lb. but yes 70 qt cooler is larger than needed for 5 gallon batches a 48-52 qt would loose less heat. the larger cooler would be nice for someone wanting to do 5 or 10 gal batches.
[quote=“sonex”]a 48-52 qt would loose less heat.[/quote]If you said “a poorly-insulated 48-52 qt” I would agree with you, but there’s no heat loss inherent in having a smaller volume of mash in the cooler if the cooler is properly insulated.
this is true but it also depends on the lid seal for heat retention. 
I just got a new 70qt mainly for when I do 11 gallon batches but I plan to use it on 5.5 gallon batches too.
My 52qt worked well for 11 gallon batches however I upgraded my burner to natural gas and my boil off increased considerably so that meant more water in the mash. That in turn got me closer to the boil over zone in my boiler so I began using my 30 gallon boiler, which boils off even more so that meant more water in the mash tun. The last 11 gallon batch I did with the 52qt it was damn near to the bottom of the lid. I could have mashed thicker and done 2 sparges, but I’m lazy
I hear you glug master same thing happened to me. I got a larger kettle and my boil off increased too. I ended up with a 70qt cooler for my big grain bill 10 gal batches. I still use my 48qt cooler for my small session beers but it is full.
