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cd38

cd38

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Hello all I am looking to make the jump into all grain. After doing a lil searching I think the simple way is by converting my cooler into MLT, I have a brew kettle, but I think I also need another kettle for my HLT, correct? Plan on batch sparging also.
Does this make sense to u guys for minimum equipment needed for all grain
 
cd38 said:
Hello all I am looking to make the jump into all grain. After doing a lil searching I think the simple way is by converting my cooler into MLT, I have a brew kettle, but I think I also need another kettle for my HLT, correct? Plan on batch sparging also.
Does this make sense to u guys for minimum equipment needed for all grain
Click to expand...

You don't *really* need another kettle for an HLT... or at least nothing fancy. My buddy uses one kettle for all of his water heating. There is just one point where you need three vessels, and that is when you are ready to take the first mash runnings into the boil kettle.

My buddy does the following:
- heat mash water in kettle
- dump water into cooler to mash
- while mashing, heat up more water in kettle
- when mash is done, here comes the third vessel, he dumps the kettle's hot water into a plastic bucket and sits it to the side
- run mash tun contents to kettle
- dump bucket into mash for batch sparge
- run mash tun contents to kettle to complete the sparge

SO, you can get by without a second kettle for sure, but you do need some sort of third vessel to at least temporarily hold your sparge water.
 
Walker said:
You don't *really* need another kettle for an HLT... or at least nothing fancy. My buddy uses one kettle for all of his water heating. There is just one point where you need three vessels, and that is when you are ready to take the first mash runnings into the boil kettle.

My buddy does the following:
- heat mash water in kettle
- dump water into cooler to mash
- while mashing, heat up more water in kettle
- when mash is done, here comes the third vessel, he dumps the kettle's hot water into a plastic bucket and sits it to the side
- run mash tun contents to kettle
- dump bucket into mash for batch sparge
- run mash tun contents to kettle to complete the sparge

SO, you can get by without a second kettle for sure, but you do need some sort of third vessel to at least temporarily hold your sparge water.
Click to expand...

I do this. I bought a 3.5 gallon ceramic coated pot from target for $15 to hold my sparge water in. I also use a 1 gallon pitcher to transfer liquid from one container to another. Trying to sparge while holding a pot full of hot water sucks.. :)
 
My AG is as follows...

Turkey Fryer (strike/mash)
Canning Pot (sparge water) (I used this pot originally for extract kits)
Brew Bucket

After heating strike water I use a strainer bag to mash in. I sit it in a big rubber maid tub wrapped in towels. Heat strike water in canning pot, remove bag of grain to the bucket and add sparge water. Combine the two and proceed as normal. Works like a charm.
 
Kettle - Heat mash/sparge water
MLT - Igloo Cooler - Mash
Bottling Bucket - wort holding tank, once the the sparge water is out of the kettle the contents of this go in.

A bit labor intensive but it works for now.

I do use another pot to for heating water to preheat the MLT.
 
I also use on kettle.

Heat water to mash in Kettle
Add Mash water to MLT
Heat Sparge water in Kettle
After Vorlauf, First Runnings go in bottling bucket
Add Sparge water to MLT
Heat second sparge water in Kettle
Drain first sparge to Bottling Bucket
Add sparge water to MLT
Add contents of bottling bucket to kettle and start boiling.
Drain second sparge to bottling bucket
add to kettle

Done.
 
Yep, you need a minimum of 3 containers - an MLT container, an 2 containers of some kind for your water and wort.

I use a cooler for MLT, and a 5gal SS kettle (also my extract kettle) and an 8gal aluminum boil kettle. I heat strike water in the 5gal. While mashing I heat the sparge water in the boil kettle. Drain first runnings in the now empty 5gal. Add sparge water to MLT, then drain 2nd runnings in the now empty boil kettle. Add the 1st runnings from the 5gal to the 2nd runnings in the boil kettle. Laugh maniacally like a mad scientist.
 
Ok thanks for all the help guys, just want to get stuff right. I'm still a little intimidaated but I think I'm ready lol
 
Dont be intimidated. I have only done 1 AG recipe, and now Im giving advice to newbies! Be careful what you read on the internet!! LOL
 
Walker said:
...- when mash is done, here comes the third vessel, he dumps the kettle's hot water into a plastic bucket and sits it to the side
- run mash tun contents to kettle
- dump bucket into mash for batch sparge
- run mash tun contents to kettle to complete the sparge

SO, you can get by without a second kettle for sure, but you do need some sort of third vessel to at least temporarily hold your sparge water.
Click to expand...

Nice tip! This will keep me from having all 4 burners going with pots taking up all the counterspace.
 

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