50l Thermopot Mash Tun

[DethApostle]

So phase 1 of my upgrades will be from my 30l coolbox MT to a new shiny 50l Thermopot.
I've looked around and it seems MrLard sells them for c. £265 (inc 3-part ball valve, bottom drain and false bottom) and a few other suppliers sell them without the bottom drain for up to £80 cheaper.

Has anyone any experiance with MrLard's supplies? (delivery cost, delivery time, etc)?
I'm not adverse to paying a bit more for a better product but as the difference is pretty big i'd like some customer feedback first!

If the master plan includes converting to HERMS is there anything I should consider getting added on the MT at this point?

Thanks in advance!
DA

 

[bobsbeer]

MrLard aka Mark provides excellent service and his stuff is top notch. I've had a few things from him and his service was excellent.

 

[marksa222]

I am about to buy a 38.5L one from here. I asked for a false bottom one and was quoted £140 inc delivery. I thought that sounded like a bargain. Not bottom drain, but still looks very good...

I was wondering though, I only do 23L batches at the moment. Would this size tun also be ok for double batches? I can't see why not and was a bit hesitant about getting a bigger one as for now, it would only contain about 15L water and 6kg grain. Would look lost in a 50L pot i'd imagine.

 

[Cactus]

If you want to do HERMS eventually get him to put a ball valve at the top now. I wouldn't bother with a temp gauge, brewing inside you are probably going to lose 1 degree over 90 mins and when you do go herms you'll be measuring the temp elsewhere.

I went the DIY route when you could get the pots from Bergland but if i was to do it again now i would just buy the pre done thermopot MT from MrLard.

 

[DethApostle]

I am about to buy a 38.5L one from here. I asked for a false bottom one and was quoted £140 inc delivery. I thought that sounded like a bargain. Not bottom drain, but still looks very good...

I was wondering though, I only do 23L batches at the moment. Would this size tun also be ok for double batches? I can't see why not and was a bit hesitant about getting a bigger one as for now, it would only contain about 15L water and 6kg grain. Would look lost in a 50L pot i'd imagine.

I did look at the Powell Brewing one and have emailled him to query the deadspace or whether it is bottom draining. My current mashtun is 30l and I decided that 50l rather than 38.5l is a little more future proof (incase I decide to do a 5g of 12% IPA or a double batch of something)

 

[marksa222]

Ah ok... did he get back to you about the dead space?

 

[DethApostle]

Not yet, but it's only been 2 hours...

 

[DethApostle]

Not yet, but it's only been 2 hours...

Update: They are not bottom draining. Deadspace is about 750ml with a false bottom fitted. Cost is £146 inc 1 tap and delivery

 

[marksa222]

nice one... i've pm'd you DA

 

[Vossy1]

Has anyone any experiance with MrLard's supplies? (delivery cost, delivery time, etc)?

I've found Marks service (Homebrewbuilder) to be excellent too, have no fears about purchasing from him :thumb:

 

[joe1002]

I've found Marks service (Homebrewbuilder) to be excellent too, have no fears about purchasing from him :thumb:

+1 :thumb:

 

[kev]

Any updates on the Powell stuff?

Anyone tried it?

K

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I've found Marks service (Homebrewbuilder) to be excellent too, have no fears about purchasing from him :thumb:

+1 :thumb:

+2 :thumb:

Really good guy to deal with and it's top quality stuff.

The other option for a 50 litre bottom drining Mash Tun is this one from the Malt Miller. Again excellent quality and a good guy to deal with. http://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.ph ... ductId=326

 

[marksa222]

Any updates on the Powell stuff?

Anyone tried it?

K

I'm going to order a mash tun from him this week. I already have a boiler which is good. Picked it up from his work house... nice bloke, did me a good deal.

 

[graysalchemy]

Do the Powell thermopots have a bottom drain in them?

 

[kev]

Did you see the false bottoms? Are they decent?

How does the tap drain? Is it literally just a tap through the wall?

K

 

[marksa222]

No they're not draining from the bottom. I did ask about a bottom draining one, but he said he doesn't do them. Dethapostle asked how much dead space there was, which is 700ml according to ian.


I did see the false bottoms in the workshop when I was there (I think he was making one at the time), but this was about 7 months ago.. I can't remember much about them. I'll send pics of mine when I pick it up though.

 

[kev]

Reckon they're decent though? Assume you're happy enough with them to buy one??

The 50 litre pot you're buying isn't on the site though?? Does he have more of them not on the site?

K

 

[marksa222]

Yeah it looked solid enough.

The stockpots are on there. I just asked him to put the temp probe, tap and hop filter on there. They look like the ones people get from the gerrys on here, id imagine thats where he gets them from.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

They look like the ones people get from the gerrys on here, id imagine thats where he gets them from.

That's exactly where they come from. We used to be able to buy them direct until they stopped selling to the UK. Certain homebrewing suppliers in the UK seem to have done some sort of deal though so they can buy them and sell them at an inflated price. This of course only works as there is no other way of buying them in the UK. The cynic in me thinks some form of exclusivity deal may have been arranged, but of course I have no proof of such a thing and it is probably a figment of my imagination