[jaftak22]

Well I am sure this has been done, but here I go. So I got a 3 gallon Rubbermaid cooler for my 1-2 gallon batch's. I am just not the best DIY sometimes, anyone have any ideas for a valve setup with this. Don't wanna spend $30 on a valve and bulkhead set up

[reverseapachemaster]

Are you opposed to using it as a BIAB vessel? That is what I did with my two gallon cooler. I also did not want to spend $30 to shove a ball valve on a $15 cooler.

[Stevie]

Are you opposed to using it as a BIAB vessel? That is what I did with my two gallon cooler. I also did not want to spend $30 to shove a ball valve on a $15 cooler.

Do you stand there holding the button during sparge? Thumbs of steel!

[hopfenundmalz]

There is a video on this page that shows how to do it for less, scroll down to the mash tun build video.
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/videos/all-grain-brewing-video-series/

[erockrph]

Are you opposed to using it as a BIAB vessel? That is what I did with my two gallon cooler. I also did not want to spend $30 to shove a ball valve on a $15 cooler.

Do you stand there holding the button during sparge? Thumbs of steel!

You can either no-sparge and use your full volume of water; or you just pull the bag, dump the wort in your kettle, then return the bag and sparge. Or you can jam some tubing through the spigot, depending on the size of he spigot opening.

[morticaixavier]

I just jammed the tubing through the spigot on my big cooler. If I had a small one with a spigot I'd do the same thing. but when I do small batches I use one of those little igloo lunch buddies or whatever they are called. the ones construction workers use to carry an enormous lunch. no spigot so I just do what erock suggests and pull the bag, empty the work, replace the bag and sparge.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have also done mini mashes in a pot, and you can preheat the oven and put the pot in there to hold temperature.

[morticaixavier]

I have also done mini mashes in a pot, and you can preheat the oven and put the pot in there to hold temperature.

this works as well.

[denny]

Well I am sure this has been done, but here I go. So I got a 3 gallon Rubbermaid cooler for my 1-2 gallon batch's. I am just not the best DIY sometimes, anyone have any ideas for a valve setup with this. Don't wanna spend $30 on a valve and bulkhead set up

You can do it for about 3 bucks.  See www.dennybrew.com

[jaftak22]

My biggest reason for the cooler is temp control, I don't know about you guys but I had a hard time with temps on the stove last weekend. They we jumping around alot

[morticaixavier]

My biggest reason for the cooler is temp control, I don't know about you guys but I had a hard time with temps on the stove last weekend. They we jumping around alot

coolers are great for that. but Jeff's suggestion of a preheated oven can help a lot too. If your oven can go that low.

[HoosierBrew]

My biggest reason for the cooler is temp control, I don't know about you guys but I had a hard time with temps on the stove last weekend. They we jumping around alot

coolers are great for that. but Jeff's suggestion of a preheated oven can help a lot too. If your oven can go that low.

+1.  I remember after starting AG I thought about using the oven I had at the time.  Except at its coolest it wouldn't go cooler than ~ 200F.  A little over mash temp.

[hopfenundmalz]

My biggest reason for the cooler is temp control, I don't know about you guys but I had a hard time with temps on the stove last weekend. They we jumping around alot

coolers are great for that. but Jeff's suggestion of a preheated oven can help a lot too. If your oven can go that low.

Some go lower than that. as I say preheat, turn it off, put the minimash in, I don't think there is much rise.

+1.  I remember after starting AG I thought about using the oven I had at the time.  Except at its coolest it wouldn't go cooler than ~ 200F.  A little over mash temp.

[HoosierBrew]

My biggest reason for the cooler is temp control, I don't know about you guys but I had a hard time with temps on the stove last weekend. They we jumping around alot

coolers are great for that. but Jeff's suggestion of a preheated oven can help a lot too. If your oven can go that low.

Some go lower than that. as I say preheat, turn it off, put the minimash in, I don't think there is much rise.

+1.  I remember after starting AG I thought about using the oven I had at the time.  Except at its coolest it wouldn't go cooler than ~ 200F.  A little over mash temp.

For sure. I've had a few ovens since then that go (accurately) lower than that. It was around the time I went with my first round Igloo and started fly sparging, which eventually led to batch sparging. I have no doubt there'd be little, probably no temp rise with that oven method.

EDIT  -  I misunderstood preheating the oven to mean leaving the heat on at a constant temp, not shutting off, Jeff.  My bad.

[hopfenundmalz]

My biggest reason for the cooler is temp control, I don't know about you guys but I had a hard time with temps on the stove last weekend. They we jumping around alot

coolers are great for that. but Jeff's suggestion of a preheated oven can help a lot too. If your oven can go that low.

Some go lower than that. as I say preheat, turn it off, put the minimash in, I don't think there is much rise.

+1.  I remember after starting AG I thought about using the oven I had at the time.  Except at its coolest it wouldn't go cooler than ~ 200F.  A little over mash temp.

For sure. I've had a few ovens since then that go (accurately) lower than that. It was around the time I went with my first round Igloo and started fly sparging, which eventually led to batch sparging. I have no doubt there'd be little, probably no temp rise with that oven method.

EDIT  -  I misunderstood preheating the oven to mean leaving the heat on at a constant temp, not shutting off, Jeff.  My bad.

Yes get it to the lowest Temp, 160 to 170 F in some ovens. Turn it off, put the pot in, no worries.