Should I throw out my cooler mash tun?

[Craigerrr]

I brewed last Sunday, meant to empty the grains from my cooler mash tun and clean it Monday evening, but it slipped my mind. It really slipped my mind, I o ly just did it today, what a stench!
After emptying it out and getting some on my hands, it took quite a while to get the small off my hands. Assuming that the small is coming from a nasty fermentation in the grains, I wonder if I should toss it and get another one. I can probably get a used one cheap, bout this one for $10 on a site we have here which is like Craigslist. It is cleaned out, rinsed, and drying in the garage now.

Should I toss it, or try and clean it?

 

[Donoroto]

I brewed last Sunday, meant to empty the grains from my cooler mash tun and clean it Monday evening, but it slipped my mind. It really slipped my mind, I o ly just did it today, what a stench!
After emptying it out and getting some on my hands, it took quite a while to get the small off my hands. Assuming that the small is coming from a nasty fermentation in the grains, I wonder if I should toss it and get another one. I can probably get a used one cheap, bout this one for $10 on a site we have here which is like Craigslist. It is cleaned out, rinsed, and drying in the garage now.

Should I toss it, or try and clean it?

If it hasn’t taken on the odor, no, but if it’s faint, sunlight has a bleaching and deodorizing effect. If it stinks, chuck it.

 

[Megary]

I brewed last Sunday, meant to empty the grains from my cooler mash tun and clean it Monday evening, but it slipped my mind. It really slipped my mind, I o ly just did it today, what a stench!
After emptying it out and getting some on my hands, it took quite a while to get the small off my hands. Assuming that the small is coming from a nasty fermentation in the grains, I wonder if I should toss it and get another one. I can probably get a used one cheap, bout this one for $10 on a site we have here which is like Craigslist. It is cleaned out, rinsed, and drying in the garage now.

Should I toss it, or try and clean it?

I’m sure you cleaned it well, so I highly doubt you need to get rid of it. But…if you can get a replacement for cheap??

 

[Craigerrr]

All I have done attributes point is rinse it out with cold water and leave it to dry. Twelve hours later my hands don't seem to smell anymore. I actually have another cooler I can use, I will just toss this one. Note to self, don't be a lazy ass brewer, clean everything up on Brew day Dum Dum...

 

[Ward Chillington]

No beer until you start putting away stuff!

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

No beer until you start putting away stuff!

No kidding. I had to much fun brewing once and put off the cleaning until later. Big mistake, it became twice as much work doing it later.

I’ve put myself in your same spot Craig, and I feel for you. Fill it with a mild bleach solution for an hour or two , dump it and leave open to the air for a week. Eventually the stench will leave.

 

[Minbari]

Here is my take on the mash tun. For the most part you are only steeping/mashing for an hour. Now, i am an not saying it can be filthy, but pristinely clean isn't necessarily needed either. You are gonna boil the contents for an hour after the mash. Any bacteria is gonna be killed.

So Unless you just want to buy a new mash tun. Run it!

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Along a similar vein, should you replace picnic cooler mash tuns periodically? Mine is 10 years old. It is stained (who cares) and has slight warping due to the high temps of mashing & mash-out. At what point does the plastic break down and start leaching chemicals into the mash? Replacing it can be done relatively cheaply but what kind of quality do you get these days in moderately priced coolers? Unfortunately suitability for use as a mash tun is not listed on the spec sheet.

 

[Minbari]

Along a similar vein, should you replace picnic cooler mash tuns periodically? Mine is 10 years old. It is stained (who cares) and has slight warping due to the high temps of mashing & mash-out. At what point does the plastic break down and start leaching chemicals into the mash? Replacing it can be done relatively cheaply but what kind of quality do you get these days in moderately priced coolers? Unfortunately suitability for use as a mash tun is not listed on the spec sheet.

Honestly, you can get a 15 gallon stainless pot for $150, more than an igloo cooler, but you will never replace it either

 

[Donoroto]

At what point does the plastic break down and start leaching chemicals into the mash?

Immediately, then less and less as time passes.

Not sure it is enough to worry about though. Polyethylene and polypropylene are highly inert.

 

[Craigerrr]

Here is my take on the mash tun. For the most part you are only steeping/mashing for an hour. Now, i am an not saying it can be filthy, but pristinely clean isn't necessarily needed either. You are gonna boil the contents for an hour after the mash. Any bacteria is gonna be killed.

So Unless you just want to buy a new mash tun. Run it!

Good points

 

[Craigerrr]

Honestly, you can get a 15 gallon stainless pot for $150, more than an igloo cooler, but you will never replace it either

I like the capacity of the cooler to hold the temperature, I did use to do BIAB, and could do a similar process using a SS pot as a mash tun.
We actually have another large cooler that we never use, so I may just use it.

 

[Donoroto]

I like the capacity of the cooler to hold the temperature, I did use to do BIAB, and could do a similar process using a SS pot as a mash tun.
We actually have another large cooler that we never use, so I may just use it.

Just treat it nicely.

Maybe the old one can be used … as a cooler.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Just treat it nicely.

Maybe the old one can be used … as a cooler.

That's what I like about you Don. You are always thinking outside the box!

 

[Ward Chillington]

I like the capacity of the cooler to hold the temperature, I did use to do BIAB, and could do a similar process using a SS pot as a mash tun.
We actually have another large cooler that we never use, so I may just use it.

The old square red one?

 

[Zambi]

I only do small batches and I place the stainless steel pot inside the cooler.
I am well aware that that would be tricky with bigger batches

 

[Craigerrr]

That's what I like about you Don. You are always thinking outside the box!

Or... outside the cooler

 

[Craigerrr]

The old square red one?

We have one of these, have probably only ever used it twice, will look at it when I get back from the West and see if my drain fittings can be adapted to it.

 

[Minbari]

Or... outside the cooler

What if the cooler was in a box?

 

[west1m]

What if the cooler was in a box?

It would be hard to get to the drain.