Hot Liquor Tank with no tap

[djackal]

Hi guys,

I recently purchased the majority of a new brewing setup, a 100L kettle and high pressure gas burner, a 55L converted Esky (with plastic manifold and tap), and a march pump that is used to circulate the liquid in the kettle.
I don't have a HLT to heat the sparge water but was going to borrow the father in laws massive stock pot and burner. But the stock pot has no tap.
The setup in it's current format would need to be 3 tier gravity fed so I'm open to suggestions on
a) is there a way to safely syphon the water from the HLT to the mash tun, say with the pump and silcon tubing?
b) should i install a weldless tap and temp guage into the pot? I suspect the metal won't be too thick although it was used to deep fry turkeys in oil!
c)what other options would I have to convert this into a system less reliant on gravity (e.g.. Can I get plastic disconnects that I could connect to the mash tun to pump the liquid to the kettle?)

Also any suggestions on making/buying a cheap brew stand would be appreciated. In Perth my mate welded me up a two tier set up using pallet racking but I have no tradie friends in Canberra!

Thanks in advance and happy to elaborate on any of the less clear details above.

Cheers
Carl

 

[fdsaasdf]

I'd suggest just installing a 1/2" ball valve in the base of the pot.

You could just go straight for a Little Brown Pump which would remove your need for a 3-level brew stand (they get quite tall and unsafe quickly). I'd just use the LBP off the ball valve at the bottom of the HLT but I guess you could avoid drilling and just use the pump to transfer out of the HLT by sitting it on top and having a line into the LBP (they work better when being primed by gravity but I've had them successfully draw from beneath them as well).

Little brown pumps if you're unfamiliar with the pump.

CBR is not a cheap place for tradies or scrap unless you know someone. I'd suggest going to a light industry area / Bunnings loading dock to look for hardwood pallets if you wanted to DIY something on the cheap.

 

[djackal]

Thanks for the response.
I have a $150 kk voucher that I got for xmas and see they have a MkII pump at a pretty reasonable rate. Might grab that.

In regards to weldless SS fittings, does anyone know if these are safe to use in this context https://www.keg-king.com.au/robobrew-ballvalve.html.html ?

And finally is it safe to connect the following tab to a SS camlock fitting so that I can pump the wort to the kettle? If not, any suggested alternative?

Cheers Carl

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Thanks for the response.
I have a $150 kk voucher that I got for xmas and see they have a MkII pump at a pretty reasonable rate. Might grab that.

In regards to weldless SS fittings, does anyone know if these are safe to use in this context https://www.keg-king.com.au/robobrew-ballvalve.html.html ?

And finally is it safe to connect the following tab to a SS camlock fitting so that I can pump the wort to the kettle? If not, any suggested alternative?

Cheers Carl
What size HLT are you looking for? Maybe KK could have some going cheap.

 

[djackal]

G'day WEAL, I haven't really thought too much about that option. Saying that my mash tun is 55L and Kettle is 110L.
I'll be doing double batches to start with. Open to suggestions if KK have some going cheap

I am considering turning a pot into a Still at some stage but that's a stretch goal!

cheers
Carl

 

[wide eyed and legless]

G'day WEAL, I haven't really thought too much about that option. Saying that my mash tun is 55L and Kettle is 110L.
I'll be doing double batches to start with. Open to suggestions if KK have some going cheap

I am considering turning a pot into a Still at some stage but that's a stretch goal!

cheers
Carl

Well I am sure if you drop Will a line there could be something that could suit your needs for a dual purpose still and the lauter tun, at a very reasonable price.