Do I need another pot?

I am just about finished in collecting all the equipment I'll need for my first all-grain brew day. One question, though. Will I be OK using only one big pot to heat water? I have a 42 qt aluminum boil kettle, and the next largest pot I have maxes out @ 4 gal.

My thought is: I can use my aluminum pot for everything. Use it to heat the strike water, and while the mash is happening, I can use it to heat the sparge water and throw it into the hot liquor tank (I'm using two 10 gal Rubbermaid coolers) before I start draining the wort into the aluminum pot. I figure the sparge water should hold a pretty steady temp in those coolers while I'm letting the mash finish and before I start draining the wort into the kettle.

Does anyone see any issues with this thought process?

Thanks in advance...

Sounds like a good plan to me. I was planning to do the same since I only have one large kettle capable of being heated. The plan is to heat the Mash in water to the required temp. Drain it off into the mash tun and start the mash time. Return the pot to the fire and make the sparge water and put it into a cooler. Move the Boil Kettle to below the mash tun and start draining the wort and sparge it with the heated water from the cooler. Once complete, turn on the burner and do a full volume boil, then chill it and transfer to a fermentor for a yeast party. Just remember to keep the sloshing of hot wort to a minimum to avoid Hot side airation and kepp all your tool sanitized so you dont get nasties in your brew. Have fun.
Bob

That should work just fine. I suggest heating your sparge water to a higher temp to help compensate for the heat lost to the coolers.

I do a similar operation with no issues. I drain my wort into a couple large buckets so my sparge water is at correct temp when I begin. Your idea of holding the sparge water in coolers should work just fine also.

Sure this will work fine, or rather than using the cooler HLT you could use your 4 gallon pot as an HLT...6 one way, half dozen the other...

wilserbrewer said:

Sure this will work fine, or rather than using the cooler HLT you could use your 4 gallon pot as an HLT...6 one way, half dozen the other...

Click to expand...

+1

This is pretty much what I do with my 5 gallon pot

wilserbrewer said:

Sure this will work fine, or rather than using the cooler HLT you could use your 4 gallon pot as an HLT...6 one way, half dozen the other...

Click to expand...

That would work, but I might as well use the cooler I have, right?

Entirely up to you...The advantage to using the pot is you have to move the water one less time...??? 6 vs half dozen