Before we fill it up, let's look at my "picnic cooler mashtun." I chose this design because of the simplicity in conducting the mash. It's made of a Coleman cooler, some 1/2 inch copper pipe, and some plastic hose. What isn't visible in the photo are the slits on the underside of the copper manifold. On each of the four runners, I've taken a hacksaw and cut halfway through each pipe, every inch and a half. This allows for the drainage of the hot liquor at the end of the mash. Since the cuts are on the underside, the grain won't clog the manifold.

Each of the four runners is capped at one end. The other end is connected to a collector which is made out of tee's and elbows. From the center of the collector runs the drain pipe. It has no slits, and on the end is a barb fitting where I attatch the drain hose. The drain hose pokes through the drain plug on the cooler. The hose is just about the same size as the cooler drain, so it makes a good seal.

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