Mash Tun build

[hads]

Just thought I'd let you know about my first attempt at a mash tun. I've done a couple of all grain brews using a friend's set up and have seriously got the bug. Being on a very strict budget I have gone for the cheapest set up I thought I could get away with. I used a 5 gallon FV from Wilkos and fitted it with a braided steel hose and ball valve tap (sealed with a washer and some PTFE tape). I have lagged it with firstly an emergency foil blanket doubled up so four layers in total. Secondly I have fitted an old self inflating sleeping mat which has kept me warm on many a night camping in minus temperatures in Wales. This has the advantage of being able to inflate it with my 37 degree breath. I have lagged the lid with several layers of bubblewrap inside an envelope made from the same emergency blanket. Hopefully all this insulation is going to be able to keep my mash at the required temperature for long enough. I haven't done a heat retention test yet but will let you kow the results as soon as I have.

 

[Wez]

Nice work, anything on it's bottom?

Let us know how you get on :thumb:

 

[hads]

Do you mean insulation?
If so, no, I thought the old addage heat rises would mean I wouldn't need to. I have spare foil and bubblewrap but don't want to make it unstable with 5 gallons of hot wort in it.

 

[Wez]

Depending on the surface might just be worth standing it on a spare piece of foil.

 

[hads]

Will probably attach a bit of foil to the bottom and maybe look at standing it on some polystyrene.

 

[hads]

Update on my mash tun. I tested first with nothing on the bottom, with 5 litres water at 75 degrees. Within half an hour it had dropped to 50 dgeress. Fail. I then stood it on some foil and on a polystyrene plinth. 10 litres of water at 75 degrees, half hour check dropped to 67 degrees, 1 hour check 66 degress and 90 minutes check still 66 degrees. I have since added a foil backed polystyrene permanent base and made another 1 inch thick foil wrapped bubblewrap 'pillow' to sit on top. Planning a brew day on the 27th so will let you know how that goes.

 

[MikeB]

For my first tun I used a 23 litre tub that used to contain food I got from a pub. Lagged it in heating jacket stuff and put lots of towels round it. For the bottom I just put it on an old sofa cushion, which, being six inches thick, was ideal. It would lose about 2 degrees over 90 mins... I'd also stand the whole thing on the cooker and put the oven on at 100 degrees, so there was a decent ambient temp around the whole setup.

I didn't bother with a tap for this tun, I just used a large mashing bag :thumb:

 

[Nunfa1]

I think you'll be fine. Once you add the grains in there the heat retention will improve as well.

 

[tazuk]

why dont you like 2 lads of here done get a tin of expanding foam ill look for the vid on you tube its in 3 parts


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

neil :

 

[StubbsPKS]

You could also do the brew in a bag method and use your boiler as your tun! That's my plan until I can get my MT sorted :thumb: