Can I use one pot for brew pot and mash tun?

[KC10Chief]

I am planning at ordering one of those 10 gallon Megapot brew kettles and moving up to all grain brewing. Can I use this pot as a mash tun as well? I would buy the false bottom for it. If I did that, what would I do with the wort while I'm cleaning the grain out of the pot to get ready to boil? I might also just make a mash tun out of the 10 gallon Home Depot cooler. Is that easier, usually? If I did that, would you guys still recommend that I get the false bottom for the brew pot? What else would a brewer use it for? Thanks!

 

[HalfPint]

Hi,

If I were you, I'd make a cooler mash tun. You will need 2 pots (usually) and a mash tun. One to heat your water up (Hot Liquor Tank), one to boil in (Kettle), and a container for your mash (Mash Tun). Here is the mash tun I made

 

[JeepDiver]

You can look into BIAB (do a search, lots of info on here). Put the grain in the Bag, Mash, pull the bag out and drain, start your boil.

 

[Hex]

I'm using three pots 5 gal sparge water, 7.5 gal lauter tun, 9 gal mash/brew kettle.

I ran 14 lbs. of Castle Pilsner last night and finished with 5.5 gal 1.076 in the carboy.

I think I can run a few more pounds with this set up.

https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/showgallery.php?ppuser=45382

 

[Clifton]

you can look into biab (do a search, lots of info on here). Put the grain in the bag, mash, pull the bag out and drain, start your boil.

+1

 

[ExHempKnight]

I'm building something very similar to this:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/single-vessel-all-electric-ns-nc-brewery-158608/

 

[WolvinMaine]

I meet someone who does exactly this. He uses a temperature mash in his brew kettle. He bought 2 cheap food grade buckets that stack, and drilled small holes in the bottom of one, and installed a spigot in the bottom of the 2nd. He nests the bucket with the holes inside the other, and then just scoops his mash into the buckets, pours in the liquid, and recirculates until it is clear. Then he fly sparges back into his brewpot. This will take some time, but is a cheap way to do it. That being said, I think the insulated cooler with a manifold is much easier, and not that expensive.

 

[HossTheGreat]

I second the Brew In a Bag option. If you want to go that route, I'd suggest going for a 15gal pot. I use a converted sanke keg and it works great.

 

[dobeluvr]

+3 to brew in a bag and definitely 15 gal or larger. i am also using the converted sanke and have boiled over with just 6 gal. Some of my batches are now 13.5 gals, and I have to take a lot more precautions to prevent boilovers.

 

[MatthewDLW]

Not sure if people will still post on this thread but I am doing this. I just got a 15 gal mega pot 1.2 with thermo and ball valve and false bottom. I've done cooler mashing for a bit. My plan is to have my 10 gallon hot liquor tank for spare water, direct heat while recirculating mash to maintain temps, them drain into my old cooler and sparge with hlt. Then clean grain out of mash tun put wort in and boil! I want the temp control to do multi step mashing but just forked out $400 for new mash tun and other equipment to buy another $200+ boil kettle.