Mash Tun Size

I am making my 10 gal brew sculpture (natural gas) and already have Sanke kegs for the HLT and BK.
I am debating buying a 15 gal SS pot that is 20" dia and 12" high for my MLT instead of using a Sanke Keg. My Sculpture will be a HERMS with no burner on the MLT. I'll have a false bottom made like the one B3 sells.

My sense is this is a better size because of the larger surface area of the false bottom, less compaction of grain bed and I'll get better eff fly sparging.

Has anyone done this?

I use 3 sankey kegs for my HERMS setup with a false bottom on my mlt just like you were talking about (except a sankey keg for the mlt instead of the pot). I usually get around 85% efficiency so in my opinion a MLT from a sankey keg works wonders.

Actually, you should get superior lautering efficiency from a tall narrow grainbed all other things being equal.

ChemE said:

Actually, you should get superior lautering efficiency from a tall narrow grainbed all other things being equal.

Click to expand...

Maybe I am overthinking this. When I toured the AB plant, the Mash Tun was about 70 feet diameter and the grain bed was about 14"-18" thick. They use differential pressure instrumentation to determine how compacted the grain bed is. Plus they rake the top of the grainbed to prevent channeling.
I know this is overkill, but if the Hight to Dia. ratio is mimiced I think it should help. I have even toyed around with the idea of of an adjustable height grain bed rake.