Equipment for all-grain brewing

[YeastFeast]

Just getting into all-grain (5 gallon) brewing (one batch so far) and I'm already questioning the best way to do this. I purchased (2) 10 gallon igloo coolers (one for a mash tun, the other a a HLT). I also have a turkey fryer (aluminum boil kettle). I found out pretty quick it's not all that fun to haul 7 gallons of water around. Nor is it fun to constantly lift that amount of weight many different times dumping it in various vessels.

Seems to me there's no real reason for a "cooler hot liquor tank"?
Wouldn't I be better off with two boil kettles, one of the coolers for a mash tun and a pump to move the liquid around? I was thinking, if I had a pump, I could heat the strike water in one of the boil kettles and pump it to the mash tun. Add grains. Then after an hour, drain it to the other boil kettle. Meanwhile, I would be heating up my (batch) sparge water in the other boil kettle. Then pour or pump that to my mash tun. Drain that to the boil kettle. Boil. Finally after the boil, pump the wort to the fermenter.

I know there's a million ways to do this and tons of different equipment for all kinds of dollar values but does it seem like I'm on the right track here?

Thank for your thoughts!

 

[TheHappyHopper]

Seems to me there's no real reason for a "cooler hot liquor tank"?
Wouldn't I be better off with two boil kettles, one of the coolers for a mash tun and a pump to move the liquid around? I was thinking, if I had a pump, I could heat the strike water in one of the boil kettles and pump it to the mash tun. Add grains. Then after an hour, drain it to the other boil kettle. Meanwhile, I would be heating up my (batch) sparge water in the other boil kettle. Then pour or pump that to my mash tun. Drain that to the boil kettle. Boil. Finally after the boil, pump the wort to the fermenter.

What you just described is exactly what most people with a 3-vessel system do. Until I got to that part of your post I couldn't figure out why in the world you would have 2 coolers :cross:. But it sounds like you are on the same page now.

 

[Darwin18]

Zero reason for two coolers (Mash Tun + HLT) except for markup on unsuspecting new homebrewers. I use a cooler for my mash tun and use buckets to temporarily hold runnings while I'm heating water in my boil kettle. $5 bucket or $75 cooler with fittings. Tough decision.

 

[YeastFeast]

Zero reason for two coolers

Anyone need a new cooler?
Just kidding, guess I have a new tall round cooler for keeping my beer cold in the summer. Usually I'm pretty thorough in my research when buying equipment but I guess not this time!!

Any recommendations on decent pumps to buy? I've heard Chugger & March mentioned...

Thanks for the replies!

 

[ol-hazza]

3 replies and not a single mention of BIAB.
What did you guys do to the BIABers!!

 

[AnOldUR]

You could think about putting a water heater element in one of the coolers to use as an HLT.

Example

 

[douglasbarbin]

Wouldn't I be better off with two boil kettles, one of the coolers for a mash tun and a pump to move the liquid around?

Yes. Or even 3 kettles, using one of them as your mash tun if you want to do HERMS, RIMS, or direct-fire the mash tun.

 

[TeamAshBrewing]

I know there's a million ways to do this and tons of different equipment for all kinds of dollar values but does it seem like I'm on the right track here?

Thank for your thoughts!

A million ways, a million of your dollars, and a million different opinions on this one.

Yes you are on track. Using a cooler as a HLT is deemed the "cheaper" way to get started in AG, but lugging 175° or hotter water is not fun as you stated.
I have a pump on my wish list, but until then I have a 3-tier system and let gravity work for me. I heat my strike and sparge water on the top tier, MLT in the middle, and BK on the bottom.

 

[normonster]

Anyone need a new cooler?
Just kidding, guess I have a new tall round cooler for keeping my beer cold in the summer. Usually I'm pretty thorough in my research when buying equipment but I guess not this time!!

Any recommendations on decent pumps to buy? I've heard Chugger & March mentioned...

Thanks for the replies!

Now you have a double mash no-sparge system.

 

[Coreyolf1]

Use the other tall cooler and convert it into a 2nd mash tun! Brew two different beers at once!

 

[Frilock]

 

[normonster]

And a fermenter:

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1433805513.024369.jpg

 

[ol-hazza]

And a fermenter:

View attachment 283431

Brew in a Bath!!

I've been doing it all wrong.

Reminds me a bit of

 

[Temp81]

If you want to get a pump anyway, just heat all your water in your pot and pump it to your HLT. Then it will hold temp well, and you won't have to buy a new kettle

 

[doug293cz]

3 replies and not a single mention of BIAB.
What did you guys do to the BIABers!!

OP bought two coolers. Didn't want to make the buyer's remorse any worse.

Brew on

 

[Bobby_M]

Cooler HLTS are plenty practical for those that want to fly sparge with only one burner and pot. If you batch sparge, you don't even need the second pot. Just hold your sparge water in that cooler ( a bucket would have been cheaper) to free up the kettle for first runnings.

 

[YeastFeast]

Appreciate all the comment/ideas!

Think my best/easiest/least$$ at this point would be to buy a pump. I could avoid building a 3 tier gravity system (no room) and I wouldn't have to buy another boil kettle if I did it like this:

1. Heat strike water in BK
2. Pump into MT
3. Drain first runnings to bucket
4. Heat sparge water in BK
5. Pump to MT
6. Drain runnings to bucket
7. Pump wort from bucket to BK
8. Boil. Cool.
9. Pump wort to fermenter.

 

[douglasbarbin]

Appreciate all the comment/ideas!

Think my best/easiest/least$$ at this point would be to buy a pump. I could avoid building a 3 tier gravity system (no room) and I wouldn't have to buy another boil kettle if I did it like this:

1. Heat strike water in BK
2. Pump into MT
3. Drain first runnings to bucket
4. Heat sparge water in BK
5. Pump to MT
6. Drain runnings to bucket
7. Pump wort from bucket to BK
8. Boil. Cool.
9. Pump wort to fermenter.

That would work, as long as your have enough bucket volume to hold your runnings. Maybe you could empty the bucket into the BK after you pump your sparge water out of the BK. Probably no reason to pump from the bucket to the BK, and it may not even be possible unless your pump is submersible.

Would be kind of a pain in the ass, IMO, but if you absolutely don't want to buy a 3rd vessel then I guess that's your only option.

 

[dcrog]

I know that a 10 gallon rubbermaid will hold right at 50 lbs. of two row and makes a great storage vessel. And buying by the bag brings the price of brewing down.

 

[pvpeacock]

I use two coolers and a brew kettle, but my mash tun is a 10 gallon cooler and my HLT is a 5 gallon cooler.
1. heat 4-5 gallons of strike water
2. drain strike water into mash tun, put mash tun on table, add grain and stir. mash in 10 gallon cooler mash tun for 1 hour.
3. while mashing, heat 4-5 gallons of sparge water in brew kettle and drain it into 5 gallon cooler HLT so brew kettle is free. Cooler maintains sparge water temp. while I'm mashing
4. drain mash tun on table to brew kettle on ground, put kettle on burner and begin heating first runnings wort
5. put mash tun on ground, HTL on table and drain HLT to 10 gallon mash tun once or twice for batch sparges. Move mash tun to table top and drain into bucket or 1 gallon pitcher to be poured into already heating brew kettle.

That way, I only need one brew kettle to heat water/wort in and the most I have to lift at any one time is 4-5 gallons of water/wort even though I shoot for about 7 gallons of pre-boil wort after mashing and batch sparging. In addition, it's all gravity fed, with no need for a pump.

 

[YeastFeast]

1.) as long as your have enough bucket volume to hold your runnings.
2.) and it may not even be possible unless your pump is submersible.

Good points.

I'm guessing my pump would be one that I'd have to prime (pump below the pumping liquid). That's going to require a vessel with a valve so that I can prime the pump through gravity.

That brings me back to (what I though was my now useless) 10 gallon Igloo HLT. I think if I replace the word "bucket" with "HTL" in my plan, this would work OK.

1. Heat strike water in BK
2. Pump into MT
3. Drain first runnings to HLT
4. Heat sparge water in BK
5. Pump to MT
6. Drain 2nd runnings to BK
7. Pump wort from HLT to BK
8. Boil. Cool.
9. Pump wort to fermenter.

 

[YeastFeast]

I know that a 10 gallon rubbermaid will hold right at 50 lbs. of two row and makes a great storage vessel. And buying by the bag brings the price of brewing down.

Good plan if I ever buy a second kettle.

 

[McKnuckle]

Usually in a 3 vessel setup one can heat both the HLT and the BK, so it would be:

1. Heat strike water in HLT
2. Pump into MT
3. Drain first runnings to BK
4. Heat sparge water in HLT
5. Pump to MT
6. Drain 2nd runnings to BK
7. Boil. Cool.
8. Pump wort to fermenter.

 

[YeastFeast]

I use two coolers and a brew kettle, but my mash tun is a 10 gallon cooler and my HLT is a 5 gallon cooler.
1. heat 4-5 gallons of strike water
2. drain strike water into mash tun, put mash tun on table, add grain and stir. mash in 10 gallon cooler mash tun for 1 hour.
3. while mashing, heat 4-5 gallons of sparge water in brew kettle and drain it into 5 gallon cooler HLT so brew kettle is free. Cooler maintains sparge water temp. while I'm mashing
4. drain mash tun on table to brew kettle on ground, put kettle on burner and begin heating first runnings wort
5. put mash tun on ground, HTL on table and drain HLT to 10 gallon mash tun once or twice for batch sparges. Move mash tun to table top and drain into bucket or 1 gallon pitcher to be poured into already heating brew kettle.

That way, I only need one brew kettle to heat water/wort in and the most I have to lift at any one time is 4-5 gallons of water/wort even though I shoot for about 7 gallons of pre-boil wort after mashing and batch sparging. In addition, it's all gravity fed, with no need for a pump.

Nice plan. Will give that some thought if my pump plan falls through.

 

[YeastFeast]

Usually in a 3 vessel setup one can heat both the HLT and the BK, so it would be:

1. Heat strike water in HLT
2. Pump into MT
3. Drain first runnings to BK
4. Heat sparge water in HLT
5. Pump to MT
6. Drain 2nd runnings to BK
7. Boil. Cool.
8. Pump wort to fermenter.

This would have made perfect sense if I had purchased a second boil kettle instead of a cooler HLT. My misinformed mistake. Still considering my best option...

 

[Frodo]

I use two coolers and a brew kettle, but my mash tun is a 10 gallon cooler and my HLT is a 5 gallon cooler.
1. heat 4-5 gallons of strike water
2. drain strike water into mash tun, put mash tun on table, add grain and stir. mash in 10 gallon cooler mash tun for 1 hour.
3. while mashing, heat 4-5 gallons of sparge water in brew kettle and drain it into 5 gallon cooler HLT so brew kettle is free. Cooler maintains sparge water temp. while I'm mashing
4. drain mash tun on table to brew kettle on ground, put kettle on burner and begin heating first runnings wort
5. put mash tun on ground, HTL on table and drain HLT to 10 gallon mash tun once or twice for batch sparges. Move mash tun to table top and drain into bucket or 1 gallon pitcher to be poured into already heating brew kettle.

That way, I only need one brew kettle to heat water/wort in and the most I have to lift at any one time is 4-5 gallons of water/wort even though I shoot for about 7 gallons of pre-boil wort after mashing and batch sparging. In addition, it's all gravity fed, with no need for a pump.

+1

This is pretty much how I do it. Using a cooler as an HLT keeps the strike water temperature controllable and stable until conversion is complete in the MT.

 

[McKnuckle]

Have you even considered BIAB (Brew in a bag)? You can do it in one vessel in the traditional way, or try this two vessel variant:

Heat full volume of strike water in your BK.
Pump to cooler MLT. Mash in your bag.
Drain to BK. Boil.

 

[Umaine_Moose]

Good points.

I'm guessing my pump would be one that I'd have to prime (pump below the pumping liquid). That's going to require a vessel with a valve so that I can prime the pump through gravity.

That brings me back to (what I though was my now useless) 10 gallon Igloo HLT. I think if I replace the word "bucket" with "HTL" in my plan, this would work OK.

1. Heat strike water in BK
2. Pump into MT
3. Drain first runnings to HLT
4. Heat sparge water in BK
5. Pump to MT
6. Drain 2nd runnings to BK
7. Pump wort from HLT to BK
8. Boil. Cool.
9. Pump wort to fermenter.

I would change things a little bit

1. Heat strike water in BK
2. Pump into MT
3. Heat sparge water in BK (while mashing)
4. Pump sparge water to HLT
5. Drain first runnings to BK (start burner on BK)
6. Pump sparge water to MT from HLT
7. Drain 2nd runnings to BK
8. Boil. Cool.
9. Pump wort to fermenter.

This way you can start heating the wort in the BK while sparging so when the sparging is done the wort is almost to a boil saving time.

Also I would suggest brewhardware for the pump, fittings, hoses etc. The chugger center inlet works well for me.

 

[YeastFeast]

Have you even considered BIAB (Brew in a bag)? You can do it in one vessel in the traditional way, or try this two vessel variant:

Heat full volume of strike water in your BK.
Pump to cooler MLT. Mash in your bag.
Drain to BK. Boil.

So many possibilities. That's really simple. Will have to read more.

 

[dcrog]

Good plan if I ever buy a second kettle.

I have two kettles and a Cooler MLT.

All I ever use any more is the cooler and HLT/BK.

One less vessel to clean.

Heat full volume of water in HLT/BK.
Drain what is needed into Cooler MT for mashing.
Add first batch sparge from HLT after mash.
Drain to bucket.
Add remaining water for second sparge from HLT.
Pour the 3 to 4 gallons from bucket to now empty HLT/BK and begin heating.
Drain second batch sparge to bucket and add it to the HLT/BK.

Now you have the second cooler for storage.

I do pump things around to recirculate if wanted and always to chill but only use the two vessels with the five gallon bucket.

Very similar to what McKnuckle is describing.

 

[YeastFeast]

I would change things a little bit

1. Heat strike water in BK
2. Pump into MT
3. Heat sparge water in BK (while mashing)
4. Pump sparge water to HLT
5. Drain first runnings to BK (start burner on BK)
6. Pump sparge water to MT from HLT
7. Drain 2nd runnings to BK
8. Boil. Cool.
9. Pump wort to fermenter.

This way you can start heating the wort in the BK while sparging so when the sparging is done the wort is almost to a boil saving time.

Also I would suggest brewhardware for the pump, fittings, hoses etc. The chugger center inlet works well for me.

Thanks for the tips. Will take a look at the site.