cheap cooler boxes

[LordEoin]

Supervalu have 24liter cooler boxes for €10.99.
They're insulated with half inch aeroboard, not sure what's in the lid.
Might make an ok mashtun, otherwise lets have a picnic!

[mr hoppy]

Thing to watch with them supermarket coolers is they usually quote the external volume - 24l external is <18l mash volume and 32l external is really approx 24l internal.

Mind, if you take dismantle the lid and shove in more polystyrene they work perfect with a bungee and some voile.

Anyone thinking about this, check this out as well. Unfortunately the picture links are dead but great thread anyway.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

[LordEoin]

for 11 bucks, even 18l is good

[mr hoppy]

It is. Just don't go mashing a 20l barley wine grist in it!

[Dara]

This is what I use. There seems to be two types of 24L: one is less than 24L and the other is 27-28L to the brim.  The larger one is what I have. Cheap as chips and good for a 23L brew at 1060.  I mashed the last rebel barrel batch in it - t'was a stretch but I think I had 8Kg of grain and got 20L (after losses) in the fermenter at around 1073 from it (pre-boil 28L).  My usual boil size is around 27-29L.
It needs to be wrapped up in a blanket, otherwise they lose a good bit of temp. (4degC) in an hour long mash.  With a blanket it loses around 0.5degC per hour.

A bit of 12mm copper pipe (3m @ 15euro), some copper elbows & tees (2.5euro), woodies ball valve (5 euro), brass  bulkhead (2 quid), copper pipe cutter (6.5euro) = mash tun for around 40 quid.

Mines looking a bit shabby now (after 15 batches) so I'll have to splash out for another!

Dara

[brenmurph]

Supervalu have 24liter cooler boxes for €10.99.
They're insulated with half inch aeroboard, not sure what's in the lid.
Might make an ok mashtun, otherwise lets have a picnic!

I just throw a folded up quilt over it and doubles up the insulation. I also use a hot tank laging jacket to keep great heat control

[willabur]

sounds like an obvious question but does it have a plastic tap already or did you have to drill a hole in it?