where should i use this item in an all grain setup

[puddin]

i'm soon planning on making the switch to all-grain brewing. and ive been brewing extract kits on a turkey fryer currently. and i plan on still using that for my main brew kettle. but i have a used keg that i plan on cutting the top open and using it somewhere in the all -grain setup.
my question is where should i use it?
HLT? Mash Tun? any ideas?

 

[m1k3]

Kettle as it will be your largest vessel for boiling.

The HLT does not need to hold the full volume that you need to boil so it can be smaller. (you can heat the water to mash and then refill it to heat the sparge water)

I mash in a cooler so that is why I didn't consider that option. I've never had a reason to direct fire the mash tun.

 

[m00ps]

I wouldn;t cut the keg. Use it as a keg or fermentation vessel. Seriously, its not insulated for it won't make a good mash tun or HLT. Also, unless its a 10gal keg, it won;t be able to hold close to all the water and grain for a 5gal batch

I would jsut try BIAB on your turley fryer to see how you like all grain first. That way, all you need to invest in is like a 5gal paint strainer bag in terms of equipment

 

[thekraken]

Are you doing full boils with your current kettle? Also, what size keg? I was assuming a full size (15.5 gallon) keg.

@m00ps After cutting the top off my keg I wouldn't have wanted to ferment in that thing, it was pretty nasty inside. It was a good thing it was cut open too because I don't think I would have been able to clean it up if I wasn't able to get in there and physically scrub it.

 

[puddin]

i currently only boil about 3 gallons of water to make into wort. then add the last 2 to it when moving it into the carboy.

i dont know how many gallons the keg is.. its the old big ass college "throwin a kegger party" size keg. haha

and i know for a fact it needs a good cleaning. it still has some old stuff sloshing around in it, that has been in there for a few years!!!! yuck. my buddy gave it to me, as he had it in his backyard for ever

 

[thekraken]

In that case I would use the keg as a brew kettle to do full boils. Will it fit on your propane burner? My burner required modification before the keggle would fit on it.

 

[puddin]

okay. thanks for the replies and help

 

[tmendick]

I would cut the keg and BIAB in that with a bag from wilserbrewer...wait that's exactly what I did. It's really easy to transition from extract.