few questions about single and multi tier set ups

ok i was lookin around on the forum and came across some pics of peoples 3 tier and single tier set ups.
Can somebody please explain these to me...what does what, and how do you transfer liquids from one another? If possible give me a simple rundown of how you would successfully use these systems start to finish. Also what exactly is a mash tun, and how is it used?

I looked at a bunch and cant figure out how they work from the pics, and i dont understand much of the lingo used in the threads, very confusing haha


thanks alot,
matt

 

This is for all grain brewing. You basically need 3 pots -
1. HLT (the hot water)
2. Mash Tun (cooler or pot to mash the grains in)
3. Brew Kettle (boil the wort).

With a 3 tier set up the brewer uses gravity to siphon the liquids amongst the three pots. With single tier they use a pump to pump from one pot to the other.

When you are doing full boils, the pots get very heavy and it becomes difficult and unsafe to simply pour the liquid from one pot to another.

 

I work in 2 tiers:

I heat water in pots and pour it into my mash tun, which is on my high dollar brew rig (chair on counter). I drain this by gravity into my boil kettle. When Boil is done, I pour into a fermenter. I have a drain for my boil kettle, havent installed it yet. Then I will simply drain into my fermenter. Much easier than lifting the 10 gallons of brew!

See if I have a picture here somewhere.... ahh... try this. Shows my complicated system:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2326794&l=68f317f3f7&id=597449719

And yeah, Setting a 4 gallon pot of 170 degree liquid on a ladder is dangerous, but it makes good beer. I look forward to having pumps. SOmeday. Maybe I will do the dishwasher pump thing...