Mash Tun

[Glass]

I have been watching a few AG videos and noticed that coolers play a big part for many people. They are used as mash tuns in the process of making the wort - beer juice.

I was gifted what I'm pretty sure is the 100L version of a coleman cooler. We call them Esky's here. Its damn big and needs 2 to haul it. Now it's actually kind of over kill for me as a cooler unless I am camping or it was a big BBQ gathering. I'm not going to be packing enough of anything to fill it given there is only one of me.

edit: it's 36quarts so a fair bit smaller than I thought but still useful for brewing 23L batches

Seems to me I've got my Mash tun right there. It looks like this one but I think the walls on mine are thicker. So it's the same outside volume but inside it has less usable volume.
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-100-Quart-Xtreme-Cooler-Blue/dp/B000G36KIM

What I don't like about it as a cooler is that the inside has less volume, maybe only 75L and it also has this sloping channel in the floor inside, which is for draining to the bung. It messes up the ability to stand things upright over more than half the coolers area. It needs a kind of grill in the base. I could make one and I probably should

BUT as a mash tun this could be a good thing. I've seen a few copper pipe manifolds and I could make one to run down this slope. Basically there would be very little wort left in this cooler when draining it. I have a few of those stainless braided hoses from mixer faucets. I've replaced a couple faucets and the hoses don't always need replacing so I was looking at the barrel type coolers - gatorade style. But I've got this thing already sitting there.

or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftY_HZAFJFc

although I'm not sure how I would pick up the slope with that. Would need thunking about.

[Libertytree]

After lookin at some of those YT's, if it were me I think I'd go with the round model with the false screened bottom. I also like the way it screws on giving it a seal that would seem to hold heat better. It's probably more expensive though. I just like the design more than the other overall.

[Libertytree]

I'll actually be doing my 1st AG batch in a couple weeks. My brew buddy is coming down here for a little vacation "Homebrewfest", lol and he ordered a grain kit and had it shipped here. Enough for a 5gal batch, a Patersbier. Nothing fancy, just using my big pot as the tun.

[Glass]

good news on the AG LT. I think I need to find someone local who is doing AG's and see how it's done up close. I've watched the process a bunch and I did use a brew on premises place for a while. In the begining they let you do the whole boil with their supervision but health and safety put and end to that and they had staff do it all from them on.

I'm getting interested myself. I was also liking those round chillers. Just seem easier to handle if need be. But then I was looking at the price to pick one up. Plastic is very expensive down here. I"ll poke around a few places today but so far seeing just under $100.

So while I have this almost unused chiller here, I think that will get a run and we see how it goes.

Also we have rubbish chuck out - verge collections of household goods going on. Furniture, tv's, junk. Many interesting things. A lot of discarded BBQ's which might still have some useful bits in them, burners, gas rails that can be salvaged. I got to thinking if the stand/frame is ok it could make a useful cooking stand. Might go cruising and have a look see while the pickins are good.

[Libertytree]

Do you have a craigslist type of thing down there? Or a Freecycle? I saw one of those round coolers in a trash pile the other day and am kicking myself now for not fetchin it.

I'd use what I already have too, no doubt about it.

A used dome smoker would be easy to convert into a burner, not easy, easy, but doable.

[Glass]

yes we have a web trading site called gumtree and a couple print trading papers. Local one is the quokka - small furry rat animal that lives only on an island near here called rottnest (dutch for rats nest). I get this one regularly. I've seen a few good fridge and freezers go through already. When I am ready I am confident I can get something in good nick for the right $$. Watching for brew kit as well.

Looking around the hardware store, a copper manifold would probably run to $40 + a ball valve and fittings $50+. I would have a few feet of pipe left over.

A 1.5m (15') stainless steel braided water hose is about $8 + ball valve and a couple other fittings, clamps $20 - $25. I need to hunt elsewhere for some fittings like push on barb, locking washers.

I think snaking the SS hose around the bottom. 1.5m is ample.

A lot of BBQ's have pot boilers on the side. Might get lucky with a verge find.