POLL: How many vessels do you use in All-Grain

[DromJohn]

I'm a partial-something brewer.
But in today's new article "Simple Homebrewing Techniques" the first reply was:
"Anyone actually have numbers on here about how many brewers use a BIAB vs. multi-vessel setups?"
So let's get some actual numbers.

 

[Psylocide]

Looks like something is missing.

 

[LLBeanJ]

One. BIAB.

Assuming the poll comes up, I'll respond accordingly.

 

[j1n]

3. Mash tun, HLT, boil kettle

 

[Vamptrump]

AG, 3 vessles: 7.5 gallon Kettle (KLT), 10 gallon Kettle (Boil Kettle), and 10 gallon Mash tun

 

[MrFancyPlants]

BIAB and 3 vessles. 1 for BIAB, 1 for dunk-sparge and 1 for adjuncts(sometimes).

 

[SnakeRidge]

I have a cooler MLT and a 8 gallon brewpot. I heat strike water, dump it in the MLT, heat sparge water in same kettle, dump it in at the end of mash and run off the whole volume into the kettle for the boil. I get 75-80% mash efficiency.

 

[Hello]

4. HLT, MLT, BK and fermenter.

 

[SeraW]

I do 3 vessel BIAB, basically an HLT, an MLT with no screen or false bottom (where I mash in the bag), and a boil kettle. I use a colander for "lautering" and sparging the bag. My bag is too small for my kettle, but I can still begin heating while I sparge.

 

[jkovac]

3 - hlt, mt, bk

 

[acidrain]

3 vessels, 2 tier arrangement.

 

[AnOldUR]

4. HLT, MLT, BK and fermenter.

Seven. You forgot keg, glass and john. :cross:

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I can get it done with two, no problem; but 3 is much more convenient.

 

[BroStefan]

Direct gas fired RIMS BIAB using a Tower of Power.

One 15 gal Kettle.

 

[douglasbarbin]

4. HLT, MLT, BK and fermenter.

I think that, for the purposes of this poll, the fermenter does not count as a vessel.

 

[1977Brewer]

2 vessel BIAB. Kettle and sparge.

 

[heckabrew]

This is what I use:
1. 15 gallon HLT (which started life as a BK)
2. 20.5 gallon SS MLT wrapped in insulation
3. RIMS Tube
4. 10 gallon grant (which was originally for BIAB but then became a traditional BK and then a HLT)
5. 25 gallon BK
(my original cooler MLT has been put back into service as a portable keg cooler)

 

[ol-hazza]

I have a bastardised BIAB system that has the main kettle as well as a HLT for sparge and infusion water.

I wish I just had one kettle that was big enough.

 

[PlexVector]

Two:
Brew Kettle
MLT cooler
Lautering grant ( but I'm told grants don't count)


edit: unless of course it's a government grant.

 

[Ian123]

3 keggle system

 

[wardens355]

I have started to brew a variant of no-sparge where I mash at a typical thickness (in a cooler), then top-up/mashout to full volume before running off to the boil kettle. I either use the boil kettle as my hot liquor tank, or heat water on my electric range in a couple 3 gallon pots to save propane. One of the 3 gallon kettles is also used to transfer wort from mash tun to boil kettle in manageable volumes. So I really either operate HLT+MLT+BK, or just MLT+BK. Been heating all my strike and infusions on the stove top recently, so I'll pick 3 on the poll.

 

[EJay]

1.5 : BIAB main kettle, but I use a second smaller kettle with a strainer in the bottom to rest the bag and let it gravity-drain while the main kettle gets to boiling temperature.

 

[motobrewer]

3. 4 with decoction mashing. which i've done twice. lol.

 

[wobdee]

1 vessel BIAB, no sparge.

 

[shetc]

One 11 gallon pot for full volume BIAB

 

[shetc]

1 vessel BIAB, no sparge.

Technically, your sparge water is part of the full volume.

 

[Natdavis777]

Assuming the poll comes up, I'll respond accordingly.

That's what she said...


Everyone else left that one hanging, I had to.

 

[Natdavis777]

I have a three vessel (2 keggles, 1 10gal Rubbermaid HLT) single tier system. My first AG system was a gravity fed 2 vessel system (1 cooler, 1 boil pot)

 

[DanzigsMISFITS]

3. 10 gal HLT kettle, 10 gal igloo mash tun, 10 gal Boil kettle.

 

[Hello]

I think that, for the purposes of this poll, the fermenter does not count as a vessel.

I don't live by rules.

 

[Cyclman]

If you can count fermenters, I am at five (break my 10G batch into 2 6.5G carboys).

 

[douglasbarbin]

I use 15.5 gallon keggle electric HLT, 20.5 gallon mash tun, 20.5 gallon boil kettle

 

[Funkychef]

1 BIAB simple as it gets

 

[govner1]

I use an HLT, MT, & BK. Also fermenters.

 

[Bearsmith]

3 keggle here. HLT, MT, BK

Then 2 buckets, 2 carboys, 2 bottling buckets, an Erlenmeyer flask, and various mason jars for yeast harvesting or other tasks.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Assuming we're counting hot side only, then it's still a "depends". For your average 5 gallon single infusion mash, I use 3 vessels (HLT, MLT, BK). If I'm doing larger batches, or more complicated mashes (decoctions, turbid, etc), or doing a special boil thing (such as kettle caramelizing first runnings, or doing a partigyle), then it can go upwards from there. Rarely do I exceed 4 vessel (HLT, MLT, main BK, and secondary kettle of various sizes depending on application).

If we're counting fermenters and/or total vessels, I'm at ~30.

 

[Singletrack]

3: HLT, MLT, and a BK that also serves as a CLT. What's important here, is that I only have to wash 2 vessels. The HLT just get's dried off and put away. It was a leftover from extract brewing, so it was "free" too. (Using that logic, I should be driving a Lamborghini.)

 

[PlexVector]

That's what she said...


Everyone else left that one hanging, I had to.

A date said that once!


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

1. BIAB full volume.

If I really have to I'll sparge from my electric kettle or 1 gal pot but it's rarely needed.

 

[TX_Brewing]

2. a 7.5 gallon mash tun and an 8 gallon brew kettle.