AG equipment question

I just scored a Keg for either my HLT or MT.

I plan on just sticking to 5 gallon boils for now, but obviously having a keg sets me up for the future.

I currently live with my parents but managed to convince them I can do AG brewing without taking up too much room. This leads me to my question.

Can I use the keg as a HLT and a MT? For example: Heat up my water in the keg using the appropriate amount of water for the mash. Mash in the keg... let it sit for 60min and drain into a sanitized bucket.... then using my boiling pot (6.5 gallons), add the remaining sparge water.

This way I can skip having to use a large cooler, which would then save me a ton of room and keep the parents happy.

Personally I would save my money so that I could move out!

RDWHAHB said:

Personally I would save my money so that I could move out!

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I may have just gotten in trouble at work for how loud I just laughed.......

Look into Brutus 20. There are several threads here detailing the system. Depending on your budget, I have an all electric B20 system detailed that is pretty cool. I also have some other designs for compact systems in my blog.

hahaha I actually could move out.... problem is... I do not have a secure job right now.

Thank you Newspaper industry!

So I'm not moving out until I find a new career that's stable.

I also just realized I can BIAB.

If space is really a concern, you would be better off using the keg as the water heating and wort boiling vessel and get a cooler for the mash. You can also just use the keg as a no sparge mashtun, then boil kettle after removing the grain bag. In general though, kegs don't make great mashtuns for leaving it be for 60 minutes as they are uninsulated and just bleed heat.

"keg as the water heating and wort boiling vessel and get a cooler for the mash."

what kind of msh would that be then? Single infusion?

That way I'd only be able to do a single run off of the wort correct?

It's doable but there is a reason most people use a cooler and it's because you lose so much heat thur a Keggle that you'll need to keep it heated and recirculate the wort to keep the temp even throught the entire MLT for an hour.

Hopefully you are not doing this inside your parent house and have a place outside. Because I can tell you your folks will not be happy about the mess you'll create if you are inside the house.

So if you are outside consider going vertical w/ a brewsculpture homemade or of the store bought variety. Get a cooler and do it right. because from the sound of it you are nowhere near being ready to recirculate wort in an all metal MLT

yeah I'm outside... but during the winter I'm going to be held up in a Garage with the door open.

Stable job? Looks like you will living with parents for a long time unless you get a government we never fire you kind of job. Seems like it is becoming the norm for kids to stay with parents. btw some parents are sloppy and have kids who are neat.

BIAB (brew in a bag) method - I don't use it but many like the simplicity of it and it takes less space and equipment.

samc said:

Stable job? Looks like you will living with parents for a long time unless you get a government we never fire you kind of job. Seems like it is becoming the norm for kids to stay with parents. btw some parents are sloppy and have kids who are neat.

BIAB (brew in a bag) method - I don't use it but many like the simplicity of it and it takes less space and equipment.

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Well more stable... but I'm actually interviewing to be a police officer right now. anyway....

I could always try the BIAB method for the winter then upgrade to a cooler in the spring. By then I should be with a new career...hopefully anyways... and living on my own.

I don't know about Canada but the chicken processing plants here in Georgia always have positions open.

hahaha... we used to have tons of car plant jobs where I am, where you could be clearing 100k a year. GM has the Canadian HQ in my town. **** hit the fan with that not to long ago....so that's pretty much out.

mhermetz said:

"keg as the water heating and wort boiling vessel and get a cooler for the mash."

what kind of msh would that be then? Single infusion?

That way I'd only be able to do a single run off of the wort correct?

Click to expand...

It would be like the single pot/burner method listed in my all grain primer. Basically you'd use the keg as an HLT until you've infused all your sparge. IN the meantime, you collect wort into a bucket. Once it's no longer an HLT, you dump the wort in and start boiling.