Size Of Mash Tun ? (lt's)

[Gout]

I have a 27Lt esky that i no longer use (handle snapped) but is new and clean. Would this be big enough for a mash tun? I'll use a manifold so it wont take up much volume...

even 25Lt with 7Kg of grain would give about 2.6Lt water/kg grain (thats if a kg of grain takes up 1Lt of space - i guess it wouldn't

therefore 5.8Kg grain + 2.75Lt water for each kg of grain (if 1Kg grain takes up 1.5Lt space) would be about my limit....

this may limit me in some heavy alc beers...

(then again the 1.5Lt space for 1Kg grain is dry *guess* so when the water is added maybe it wont be so bad )



anyway is a 27Lt esky to small? (for AG brewing, i want to get away from the bucket in bucket - to much dead volume in the bottom)

 

[crackers]

Ben,
that is fine.
mine is a 26L esky and i have no problems
in creating 6-7% alc (some by accident ) beers for my 25L fermenter.
i have a copper manifold that seems to work fine.

cheers
crackers

 

[Gout]

ohhh the joy!

i will now go and pick it up from where i kicked it clean it up and get her ready

thanks
P.S this esky handle snaped the first time i used it smashing my beer glasses and all my x-mas beer. All i could do after than was drink VB or nothing, hence i had a coke its about time it repayed me the SOB

 

[crackers]

you may need to sparge a bit more
to get the desired starting boil volume.

this is the only thing ive found.

and away you go.

cheers
crackers

 

[Gout]

How has others attatched a "outlet" eg tap to there esky's, and how did you attatch the mainfold to it? the copper pipe is way to small to fit in the standard fermentor tap i was planing on using

 

[GMK]

Buy a gate valve or drill a bigger hole and get a bigger copper threaded tubing...

 

[Batz]

Not sure what you have there at this stage Ben

Can you explane it or post a pic

 

[Gout]

ok currently esky has no hole.

I want to add a tap of sorts to the esky so i can
a) add some plastic pipe to join to the manifold
B) on the output of the tap have a pipe to the mag pump

the tap needs to have a nut backing to seal in the esky

hope that all makes sense... hard to explain but have nothing to take of photo of

 

[Batz]

You can buy threaded pipe and flare nuts , one nut inside one outside , couple of rubber washers and your done

 

[GMK]

Ben

Buy a ss ball valve - this will allow you to control the flow rate.
Fit a ss threaded adapter into it. Drill hole in esky to fit adaptor.
Buy a rubber gromet, a fibre washer and either a ss or copper washer to fit adaptor.
Now:
go adpaptor, copper/ss washer, fibre washer esky wall, rubber gromet gate valve.
Tighten up and test for leaks.
Gate valve will have a female threaded end - buy a ss 90 degree elbow with a 1/2 inch barb on it.
Attach hose to this and then to an irrigation 13mm male snap lock fitting.
Conect femal snap lock - 13mm irrigation fitting onto a hose that conects to the mag pump inlet.

This enables you to disconect for ease of cleaning/moving etc...

Do a forum search for rubbermaid and my name and there are some photos of my mash tun that will make this clearer...

Hope this helps.
Otherwise, give me a ring/pm.

 

[sosman]

Some pics that show my 26 litre esky mash tun (used for the first time on the weekend) can be found at:

brewiki: partial mash #3

The original bung is on the bottom so I drilled a small hole through the wall, then used a hole saw to open the outer casing up. I then used a flange mount quick disconnect coupling. The back has a tail so I just clamped the SS braid onto it.

I have only used it once but I got 75% efficiency in a batch sparge so I am going to persist with it.

Cheers