All grain set up questions

[diptherunner]

I having been brewing extract for a while and would like to make the leap to all grain. While I understand the principals of it, the equipment seems confusing. Can I: use a lauter run, and 2 brew pots to achieve the same effect as a: large brew pot with a false bottle and drain (like a Bilchmann). With the large brew pot I'd have to heat constantly to keep the mash temp correct, right? Is there any advantage other than cost to these setups? Thanks ::rookie::

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Ok, not sure exactly what you're asking but here's my experience mashing in both my brew kettle (using the brew-in-a-bag method) and using an actual mash/lauter tun (a ten gal cooler w/false bottom). When I used the BIAB method, I used my 7.5 gal kettle as my mash tun. It held heat fairly well if I wrapped it with a towel. Since ~7 gal is rather small for a mash tun, a few times I had to split the mashed into two vessels, which I think is what you're talking about here. I used my 5 gal kettle as a second tun, wrapped in a towel it held temps just fine. Splitting mashes also worked just fine for me. I found that when mashing in the kettle, minimizing the headspace (by filling it as much as possible per recipe) really helped stabilize temps.
I now use a 10 gal picnic type cooler with a false bottom for mashing. With the cooler preheated, temps much more stable than a brew kettle, and the process of mashing and sparging is much smoother than doing a BIAB in the kettle. It also holds a lot more grain, so there's never a though of splitting the mash.
I'd say if cost isn't a worry for you, go with an actual mash tun of some sort.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Are you looking at brew-in-a-bag all grain or a more traditional set up?

 

[diptherunner]

Good question. A more traditional set up is what I a looking for.

 

[duboman]

I mash in a 10g beverage cooler with a copper manifold a, 10g brew kettle with a spigot for boiling and a 10g kettle for strike/sparge water

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Good question. A more traditional set up is what I a looking for.

I'd go the traditional picnic/beverage cooler route then. BIAB is great, it's a good way to get into all grain, but I think alotta guys end up moving on to a large cooler with a false bottom eventually. I did. Check out Midwest Supplies or some place like that.
FWIW, got the new BYO mag. yesterday, and there is a pretty good article on single vessel brew-in-a-bag. Either way's going to make you great beer, it's a matter of what sort of set up you want to work on to make that beer.