How many mashes has your cooler mashtun lasted?

[adam01]

My mash tun developed a wrinkle in the lining in the beginning of brewing.
Now, I see some beginnings of what looks like cracks starting on the wrinkle.
Looks like I need to start planning for another mash tun.

How long did your cooler based mash tun last before it broke ?

 

[duboman]

I have a 10 gallon rubbermaid going on 3 years with around 24 mashes per year. I get a small wrinkle/bulge in one side when mashing but no cracks or leaks at all

 

[Yooper]

I still have my original one, but don't use it as much since I went to 10 gallon bigger batches.

It warped in 2007, and looked like it might crack, but it never did. I poured boiling water in it, and that's why it warped.

I think I did about 250 batches or so in that MLT. I still use it occasionally, for 5 gallon batches.

 

[kh54s10]

I am at 33 batches and about a year and a half with no signs of any problems. The only sign that the Rubbermaid 10 gallon cooler has that shows it is not new is the scratching inside from stirring the grain and even that is slight.

 

[adam01]

Well I'm at 49 batches, so I guess I've got a while.

 

[Homercidal]

I'm probably at about 40-50 and no problems. Some scratches from my spoon. The sides have some stiffening shapes that probably help keep it from warping. FYI I put boiling water in mine all the time to preheat it...

 

[Xpertskir]

I'm probably at about 40-50 and no problems. Some scratches from my spoon. The sides have some stiffening shapes that probably help keep it from warping. FYI I put boiling water in mine all the time to preheat it...

This is pretty much me as well. Maybe 50-60 though on the number of batches

 

[Mojzis]

I'm at about 30 batches with mine. No cracks or warps yet. I not longer add boiling water for pre-heating as Yooper warned me that hers warped with water that hot. I try not to go above 180.

 

[LuiInIdaho]

I used a Rubbermaid 10 gallon cooler from Home Depot for two or three years. I saw that it formed a bulge due to the hot water causing the plastic to expand. I was also concerned about it leaking some day. Then about two years ago, I saw this thread and converted my 10 gallon cooler into an 11 gallon stainless mash tun using a Bayou Classic kettle. I like the new tun much better and I don't need to worry about it bulging or developing cracks.

Not that you need to do this now, but this will give you options when your tun finally does crack and start leaking.

Mark

 

[GoodDogShelby]

I have a 10 gallon yellow industrial igloo. It has about 25 with no cracks, wrinkles, nor discoloration.

 

[kombat]

I've put 40 batches through mine, and it's in fantastic shape. I expect to get at least 100 more.

 

[Spartan1979]

I've had my 10 Gallon Gott cooler since the mid 90's. I didn't brew much during the early 2000's but it's probably got 100 batches on it. The inside is warped, but it hasn't cracked.

 

[ryan_george]

My first tun was a used rectangular cooler from craigslist. I think it was probably about 20 years old when I bought it. It has seen a lot of abuse over the years, and I don't think it will let me down in the near future. It is severely warped and discoloured, but it always makes good beer.