sealing cooler thru drain hole

[ozarkman]

am new to homebrewing & want to try all grain.i am trying to build a mash tun but don't know how to go thru drain and seal it.i have a 1/2" barb tee with a stainless steal mesh hose attached but can't figure out how to go thru the drain. how do you seal the drain and run 1/2" tubing thru & attach valve, etc. i have a cooler with approx. 3/4" opening . also any tips on mashing. is ph really needed.alot on the web is confusing.any simple advise welcome.

[Jeff]

Welcome to the board Ozarkman. I actually have had the same question and just haven't posted it. I was planning on looking for some food grade silicone the next time I was at the hardware store. Anybody else have any insight?

[axis714]

well for what its worth.. Toney C has pics posted on this site about his method. I myself bought a bulkhead and ball valve from small town hardware store and tightened down around a rubber gasket. Also If need be you can just extend a piece directly up out the top of the mash tun and syphon up-over and out completely bypassing the need for a spigot/valve,just make sure if you do this it is detachable for lid seal purposes for mashing.

[Grog]

Welcome. Hope your time here is as pleasant and useful as mine has been.

My MT is similar to axis714's. I used the plastic washer and food grade rubber gasket that came with the cooler, then ran a SS 1/2" NPT nipple thru the hole in the cooler. Attatched a 1/2"NPT to 1/2" copper tube adapter (I have a slotted copper manifold) on the inside of the cooler. Then I used several 3/4" ID o-rings on the outside of the nipple to take up the extra space between the OD of the nipple and the ID of the cooler. Then a SS 20mm flat washer and then the 1/2" NPT ball valve. No leaks! BTW - a ss mesh hose can fit around a piece of 1/2 copper tube with a little work.

-G-

For input regarding your other questions. Stick to single infusion mashes for the first few times and yes pH is important, but if you know the mineral composition of your water it's fairly easy to adjust with mineral salts to suit most beer styles.

[toneyc]

Yup, here's the pics of mine:

http://www.hwy71.net/images/cooler-out.jpg
http://www.hwy71.net/images/cork-assy.jpg
http://www.hwy71.net/images/crimp.jpg

Just a rubber stopper of the appropriate size with a piece of racking cane stuffed through it. On the inside, I also have a short piece of vinyl tubing over the racking cane where the braid is crimped. It works very well and allows me to break the system down for cleaning very easily and if I really need a cooler in a hurry, I can put the original valve assembly back in, if I could ever find it.

:D
Toney.