Overview of the process please

I know I need to continue researching but was hoping to get receive some clarification.

I have a 15.5 gal. sanke keggle, and will have a 10 gallon rubbermaid cooler and probably a rectangle one to hold the sparge water (I want to fly sparge).

I cant fathom how you heat up water and get that into the MLT. I dont plan on getting pumps and I keep questioning the whole process when it comes to getting the liquid into the MLT and then after that how to get the sparge water up into the rectangle cooler.

I'm hoping I don't have to invest in making a stand. Or if I do I hope I can make a very cheap one!

I heat my strike/sparge water in another pot (i.e., not my boil kettle). I use the 7 gallon aluminum pot that came with my turkey fryer burner kit. Since I only do 5 gallon batches, I simply pick up the pot and pour it into my MLT (wearing oven mitts).

If you're determined to fly-sparge, however, then yes, you'll need to either invest in a pump, or find a way to elevate the HLT above the mash tun.

Either start working out, so you can lift the full volume of strike/sparge water safely, or use a ladle. If you use a ladle, be aware that it will cool the water somewhat as you transfer the water to the MLT/HLT.

-a.

for what you are wanting to do, it sounds like batch sparging would be much easier

finsfan said:

for what you are wanting to do, it sounds like batch sparging would be much easier

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How would batch sparging be any easier?
You still have to lift the same amount of water to the required height.
I'll admit that batch sparging is quicker, but as far as I can see, that's the only advantage.

-a.

ajf said:

How would batch sparging be any easier?

-a.

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Because he'd only have to lift the pot and pour it all in at once, rather than finding a way to hold the pot at that height while slowly fly sparging.

Makes sense. With a batch sparge, you don't need an HLT, so you only need to raise the sparge water to the top of the MLT., but if you have difficulty lifting the sparge water, I would strongly recommend using some form of ladle.

-a.

If you get creative, you can improvise a low cost stand for you HLT and sparge water.

I have used counter tops, work benches or even a couple of concrete blocks placed on their ends to raise the kettle high enough to gravity feed water into my mash tun for strike water and sparge water.

Not pretty, but functional. You may find other things around the house that would work as well, or better.

I have a ball valve installed on my kettle so I simply drain into a measured 1-gallon pitcher (0.25 gallon increments) until I've transferred the required mash and sparge volumes. Bit tedious but far safer than lifting 5-gallons of 160 - 180 F water and pouring into a cooler.

Darwin18 said:

I have a ball valve installed on my kettle so I simply drain into a measured 1-gallon pitcher (0.25 gallon increments) until I've transferred the required mash and sparge volumes. Bit tedious but far safer than lifting 5-gallons of 160 - 180 F water and pouring into a cooler.

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You're a lot more patient than I am. I'll take my chances pouring the HLT into the mash tun. It's an aluminum pot, rather than steel, and it's only 7 gallons, rather than 15, so it's not actually that unwieldly. At most, I'm transferring 5 gallons (for sparging). Mashing usually only requires 3-4 gallons.

I've also given up scooping the grains out of my 48-quart rectangular cooler mash tun, and now simply pick up the whole cooler and dump it directly into the compost bin.

Sounds like it would be best for me to build a cheap 3 tier gravity stand. I just need to make sure the last tier is high enough so that the tier's level + burner is higher than a carboy sitting on the ground. I collected a lot of pictures of brew stand I think would work well for me but I of course don't have blueprints. Are the blueprints anywhere for a well-known stand or is it more off-the-cuff?