Brewing sculptures question

One can find numerous descriptions of brewing scuptures, construction materials, burners, plumbing etc. I can't seem to figure out one thing. I assume that the highest kettle is a hot liquor tun and that this drains directly into the middle level mash tun. Is this correct? If the middle level kettle is the mash tun and is heated by a burner to control the temprture for the various rests, where is the lautering done? Is it the lowest kettle on the sculpture or is the lautering done in a seperate container? I thought the lowest kettle was for the boil.

I'm not 100 percent sure but the middle kettle is more than likely a Mash/Lauter tun. After the mash is complete, sparging is done in the same vessel and drained into the brew kettle at the lowest position. For home brewers, I think it would be a big PITA to transfer the mash from the mash tun to the lauter tun.

The lautering (or sparging) is done in the mash tun. Hot water is sprinkled (or dumped, depending on your method) over the top of the grain bed in the mash tun, and drained into the kettle.

I have a HERMS on my system so circulation, as I see it, achieves the lautering. The wort is pulled through the grain bed/ filter until it is clear. I then let it set at the appropriate temps. I heat my HLT and circulate through it to step up temps. When I finish the steps. I shut off the pump and install my sparge ring to the HLT inlet. Then i slowely drain the mash tun into the boil kettle over the next hour or so, all-the-while maintaining a covered grain bed with the HLT.

If the middle kettle is the mash/ lauter tun but is also heated, what is the style/anatomy of the strainer at the bottom of the container. False bottoms won't work in a heated kettle will they?

My mash tun is an insulated keg. I do not use a burner under it. I use the HERMS for heat. So therefor I us a false bottom.

malty said:

If the middle kettle is the mash/ lauter tun but is also heated, what is the style/anatomy of the strainer at the bottom of the container. False bottoms won't work in a heated kettle will they?

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The mash should still be wet, no? There will be enough liquid under the false bottom to conduct heat to the mash. False bottoms have the added bonus that they protect the mash from burning because the mash is kept a good distance from the direct heat.