Using multiple mash tuns or MLTs?

[bsdx]

I am under the impression that it is better to have a taller MLT than it is to have an extremely wide one, at least as far as (fly) sparging is concerned; the less wide and thin it is, the better your efficiency should be. The reasoning why you probably don't want to have a 25+ gallon MLT for making 5 gallon batches.

Given this, I would like to plan for flexibility. One idea would be to use one or more MLT so your grain bill would more suitably fill one or more MLT. I'm talking a wide range, I would like the ability to do 10-15 gallons of something high gravity to share with friends while normally going only 5-10 gallons of something of a reasonably smaller gravity. It would seem like a shame to invest 300-600 in some huge MLT and only use it occasionally while still needing a smaller one that I would use more frequently. Is it possible to reasonably use multiple MLT at the same time and get an even distribution of sparge water for both as well as trying to make sure one does not get a stuck sparge and possibly overflow? What techniques could be used to help ensure each MLT gets a fair share of sparge water from a single HLT, and would you just try your best to make sure not to get a stuck sparge? I can't really think of a fair way to employ something like an autosparge for each if it is just going to let too much sparge water go through the other MLT without multiple HLT. I'm trying to stay more on the simple side without creating something really elaborate, like if it needed a bunch of pumps and crazy tubing then its probably not worth it.

I am leaning towards insulated coolers rather than directly heated MLT.

Or is this too difficult/expensive and I should just plan on owning multiple MLT of different sizes if I expect wildly different needs? I have a third idea up my sleeve but I want to do some testing first.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I wouldn't be overly worried about it. Over the years, I've had multiple types of coolers and keggles as mashtuns. I've always hit 75-80% eff. on average regardless of whether I'm doing a 5 or 10 gallon batch.

The main goal is to have a comfortable medium. You don't want it too shallow because the grain bed won't filter your beer properly. And you don't want it too deep because you'll get stuck sparges. Palmer talks about this a little if you read his book.

I currently use a converted sanke keggle as a tun, and I frequently do 5 gallon batches in it so I don't have to take up lots of space on 10 gallon batches. Most of my beers are high gravity, but occassionally I'll slip a normal beer in there. It works just fine for both.

If you have a well designed manifold on a long rectangular cooler, your efficiency shouldn't be effected. That's just my opinion and experience, though.

 

[arturo7]

Is it possible to reasonably use multiple MLT at the same time and get an even distribution of sparge water for both as well as trying to make sure one does not get a stuck sparge and possibly overflow?

Maybe start the mashes at different times, thus sparge at different times. Say 1/2 hour apart?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Coolers are cheap. I wouldn't want to use the same cooler for 10-15 gal high gravity and also 5 gal session brew. Cooler dimensions are relevant to fly sparging. With batch sparging grain bed depth is unimportant. The problem w/ using a large cooler w/ a small grain bill is the large unnoccupied space.

 

[Tom]

I have saved my mash tuns as I brewed bigger and bigger batches. So now I have a 5 gallon Gott, and 10 gallon Gott and 2 converted kegs I can use. The most I mashed was filling the 2 15 gallon keg mashtuns to make 14 gallons of first runnings Old Ale.

For batch sparging it doesn't matter how deep the mash is.