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Author Topic: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?  (Read 3768 times)

Offline gevans73

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Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« on: February 07, 2013, 07:52:38 am »
Curious to know if anyone is using the 70 Quart Maxcold coolers for a mash tun.  I have a 10 gallon Igloo round I use for smaller beers, but want to make a 10 gallon batch of a big beer, (36lbs of grain).  It would work in the 70 quart, but it has a weird 45 deg shape on the back for the wheels I guess.

I have a Blichmann Top Tier system and two of their brew kettles, but not quite ready to make the jump to a SS pot and then needing to go to a rims system.  We always fly Sparge and I use a Blichmann auto Sparge system that works well. 

I am new to brewing, just since October, but do have 19 batches made since then, so I think I have a pretty good handle on things.

Thanks for the input!


Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2013, 08:30:26 am »
My LHBS sells them converted into mash tuns.  I have one as a cooler. I don't think the lid is insulated as well as other coolers (I suspect it isn't insulated at all).
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Offline Hokerer

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Re: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2013, 11:28:18 am »
Curious to know if anyone is using the 70 Quart Maxcold coolers for a mash tun.  I have a 10 gallon Igloo round I use for smaller beers, but want to make a 10 gallon batch of a big beer, (36lbs of grain).  It would work in the 70 quart, but it has a weird 45 deg shape on the back for the wheels I guess.

We always fly Sparge and I use a Blichmann auto Sparge system that works well. 

That "weird shape" would make a manifold kinda tricky.  If you'd batch sparge, then it wouldn't matter and that cooler would probably work fine.
Joe

Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2013, 11:37:52 am »
Curious to know if anyone is using the 70 Quart Maxcold coolers for a mash tun.  I have a 10 gallon Igloo round I use for smaller beers, but want to make a 10 gallon batch of a big beer, (36lbs of grain).  It would work in the 70 quart, but it has a weird 45 deg shape on the back for the wheels I guess.

We always fly Sparge and I use a Blichmann auto Sparge system that works well. 

That "weird shape" would make a manifold kinda tricky.  If you'd batch sparge, then it wouldn't matter and that cooler would probably work fine.
Yeah, the drain whole is in that 45 degree part, so I think a braid is out of the questions. You'd need a manifold with some creative elbow joints.
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Offline gevans73

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Re: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2013, 07:29:57 pm »
mtnrockhopper, what does your LHBS do for a manifold.  I like the size, maybe I can get a piece of perforated ss and angle it thereby not having as much dead space.

Cheers - and thanks for the input.

On tap honey DIPA.
          bourbon stout
          Extra Pale Ale
          sMash Ale
Fermenting
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          Black DIPA
          Extra Pale Ale

Offline industrialpunk

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Re: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2013, 11:44:43 am »
I have one of these coolers. I tried adding the bulkhead through the sidewall since the drain is at that weird angle. I can't get a proper seal since the sides "smoosh" when the bulkhead is tightened. I have to get some food safe silicone to seal it up. Until then I just make what I can in my 50 qt and mash thick (1:1) when I go big.
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Offline oly

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Re: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2013, 11:24:43 pm »
I've been using one of these cube coolers as my mash tun for 5 years. Mine might be a bit smaller than what you're looking at (mine maxes out at 15gals) but it's a cube with the drain hole in the odd 45degree slope area. I have always liked it. I made a palmer-style copper pipe (slotted tubes) manifold. Using some creative elbows and the high-temp silicone tubing crammed through the drain hole there are no leaks. There is virtually no dead space as the manifold functions more or less as a syphon and pulls out every last bit of liquid, even though the drain hole is raised up off the bottom. The lid is well insulated, but I do add some towels to the top and it holds temp, losing 1 degree over 60mins.  I started out fly sparging but now I batch. I don't see why you couldn't use a braid if you wanted to skip the manifold. I'd add a pic but it's currently full of grain for tomorrow's brew  :)
« Last Edit: February 08, 2013, 11:39:39 pm by oly »

Offline gevans73

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Re: Anyone using a 70 quart Maxcold cube cooler for a mash tun?
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2013, 05:20:12 pm »
Thanks for all of responses.  After adding up what it was going to cost me for all of the copper and plumbing work, I decided against it and am going to a 15 gallon SS pot instead.  Found a Bayou Classic for $100 brand new.  I can use my exisiting false bottom from my 10 gallon Igloo and auto sparge.  Adding insulation around it should keep my temperatures fine for a 60 minute mash.  Then I also have the equipment if I ever want to update to a RIMS or HERMS system.