Guidance on AG Setup

[619Brewer]

Ok so here's the background:

Started brewing all grain about 2-3 months ago and have done a handful of batches. Started out in the kitchen with a cooler as my MLT and just recently did my first batch on my new brew sculpture three tier gravity system. I kept my cooler MLT in that setup, but saw a steal on a 15 gallon pot with welded thermo and valve so I bought it along with a false bottom thinking I could use it as a MLT instead of my cooler.

Now, here's the question(s):

1)How should I proceed with maintaining mash temperatures? Should I try to get a pump and recirculate? If so, can someone direct me to some reading material so I can research on how to do it?

2)Should I just get a reflectix insulation roll and get my mash to temp, kill the flame and wrap it?

3)Or should I just keep a very very light flame on my MLT to try and maintain temp and stir every few minutes and monitor the Kettle?

Any and all suggestions are welcome at this point. I'm fairly invested at this point, but would prefer not to spend a ton of more money, but at the end of the day, I want to do things right.

My concerns in direct flame are scorching and the tedium of watching the pot and manually trying to maintain temp.

My concerns of getting a reflectix is why did I bother getting a SS MLT and false to just try and convert it into a cooler!?

Thanks in advance in any and all input/advice.

 

[acidrain]

A cooler MT with direct fired BK, and either direct fired or electric HLT is the best/cheapest way to start out IMHO. Get a pump and connectors to complete the system, then if you want to tweak it with Herms or Rims, you can do that.
I have a direct fired MT, and I've put a lot of money into it when it probably would have better to just go cooler instead.

 

[619Brewer]

Thanks, but I've already purchased the new kettle/false bottom. Are you suggesting I just keep that on the side and continue to use my cooler?

 

[jrgtr42]

I would think that there are situations where either one of the MTs would be the better choice. If you are doing single-step mashes, then yes, the cooler would be the best way to go. If you want to do step mashes then the kettle one would be better.
For a decotion, then a combination of the two would work best.

 

[chri5]

You might try and see how well it holds your temp without any changes. I don't measure more than a 1-2°F drop even with a small kettle doing 2.5 gallon batches.

With a large batch you might be fine without doing too much more. The insulation wouldn't hurt of course.