Mash Tun: Using a Cooler with a colored plastic inside

[ScroatesMcGoats]

I’m mostly making 10 gallon all grain batches now, so my 10 gallon igloo mash tun is getting to small for 6%+abv beers. I got a great deal ($10) on this brand new Coleman Xtreme 70
qt Cooler to make a new Tun. Only concern is that it has an orange Polyethylene inside. Should I be concerned about any kind of chemical leeching at mashing temps?

https://www.rei.com/product/849529/coleman-xtreme-5-cooler-70-qts

Can’t seem to find anyone asking this question yet.

 

[BigEd]

Polyethylene and polypropylene are the typical products used in constructing these coolers. Those plastics do not contain additives like BPA which has caused concern with other products recently. Assuming that materials in this product are "food grade", although it is not specified, you should be fine. Polyethylene, polypropylene, and other general purpose plastics have a maximum long-term use temperature limit of 180F (82C) which puts it well within mashing & sparging temp ranges. It will start to warp and deform at higher temps but for brewing purposes that is more of an aesthetic issue.

 

[oldwhiskers]

That's what I've got. I had the same concerns so I did a mash less grain at 170* that nearly filled the cooler and let it sit for an hour. It did bleed a bit of the orange into the water but after a good cleanup it has since been fine.

It also let me check the initial temperature drop warming the cooler and the temp drop over the hour.

 

[ScroatesMcGoats]

That's what I've got. I had the same concerns so I did a mash less grain at 170* that nearly filled the cooler and let it sit for an hour. It did bleed a bit of the orange into the water but after a good cleanup it has since been fine.

It also let me check the initial temperature drop warming the cooler and the temp drop over the hour.

Did you try to do a 2nd fill to see if the bleed came through after the first run?

 

[oldwhiskers]

I did do a second one not as full and it did ok. On the first time, the coloring was light and showed up more on the paper towels I used to wash it out afterwards.