2 vessel system?

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wabn8c

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Hi all,

I'm new to brewing and just acquired some nice like new brewing equipment. I have two 15 gallon SS brew pots and two burners, and would like to do a 2 vessel system. My goal is to do 10 gallon batches. Can anyone talk to me about advantages/disadvantages of 2 vessel system? Is there anyone out there who uses two vessel system that would share your opinion? I'm thinking I want to do gravity feed at this time to avoid spending more money on pump(s). Thanks for your time and input.
 
Also, would draining my first mash running into plastic buckets before sparging be my best way to go?
 
The disadvantage is that you will need to drain your first runnings into a bucket.
The advantage is that you will still make beer.
 
In a true 2-vessel system, you wouldn't sparge. In the case of a 10-gal batch, you're probably going to want a 20-gal mash tun. My eHERMS system uses a 20-gal mash tun and 15-gal HLT/BK for 11-gal post boil. I regularly fill the mash tun to 17-19 gallons (with grain) for most average mashes.
 
Sure, you can do it that way, heat strike water in pot #1, mash in pot #2, drain first runnings to bucket, heat sparge water in pot #1, then batch sparge in pot #2, First runnings go to pot #1 for boil, drain batch sparge to bucket and add to boil. You don't need two burners, just wrap pot #2 with an old coat or something similar. Get started with what you've got, after a while, you'll add equipment and alter your process as your time and budget allow.
You can add a cooler/mashtun, the advantage of that being you don't have to fool with transferring with buckets.
 
Well... i dont have to room yet to set up my ideal system. So i do biabs right now. what i do is mash, train of the water in the bag, place the bag over a plastic fermenter, and just rinse the grains with 5 liters of water at 65c ish and just add it to my worth, then start boiling it. It gives me quite a lot more OG to it. which is nice. So you dont need a two vessel setup, but your efficiency would increase if you do.

A friend of mine has a brewing setup in his uni, (about 120liters) and we rock around 88-90% eff on that one.
 
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