Hot Liquor Tank Recommendations

[awiens]

Today I brewed my first all-grain batch, and one of the major challenges I faced was using my 5-gallon SS brew kettle as a HLT. My current set up (as of today) consists of a 5-gallon SS brew kettle as a HLT, a 10-gallon Igloo cooler mash tun, and a 9 gallon SS boil kettle. I looked at 8 gallon aluminum pots, as well as SS pots, and converted Igloo coolers. What are you all using for five gallon batches? I do batch sparging. Thanks!

 

[brewmadness]

Explain the "challenge". the only thing I could see is maybe you needed more sparge water volume than your 5 gal. kettle would hold? Maybe what I would do is collect your first runnings in the 5 gal kettle while heating your sparge water in the 9 gal. after you add your sparge water to your mash tun you can move your first runnings to the boil kettle and begin to heat that as you collect your 2nd runnings. Am I missing something else?

 

[bobbrewedit]

Today I brewed my first all-grain batch, and one of the major challenges I faced was using my 5-gallon SS brew kettle as a HLT. My current set up (as of today) consists of a 5-gallon SS brew kettle as a HLT, a 10-gallon Igloo cooler mash tun, and a 9 gallon SS boil kettle. I looked at 8 gallon aluminum pots, as well as SS pots, and converted Igloo coolers. What are you all using for five gallon batches? I do batch sparging. Thanks!

I use an 8 gal HLT, a 12 gal cooler and a 10 gal kettle. I fly sparge using a float valve in the tun.

 

[Double_D]

I'd say buy the biggest that your wallet will allow. That way if you ever decide to move to a larger batch size you have to invest less.

http://www.brewershardware.com/10-G...ead-and-3-piece-SS-Ball-Valve-POT15GWL11.html

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/40-qt-heavy-duty-stainless-steel-stockpot-with-cover/922SSPOT45.html

These are my suggestions. You're a ball valve and a sight glass away from having a really nice HLT.

 

[BigJP]

Use your BK as HLT, collect runnings into food grade plastic pails... About 3 bucks from Walmart. I use this method for 5 and 10 gallon batches. I have a keggle I built for BK and mash tun

 

[FourSeasonAngler]

I use an $8 5 gallon beverage cooler from Menards. I added a simple 2k watt water heater element and a 1/4 turn ball valve.