The Hot Liquor Tank
I had 3 couplings welded onto the HLT (Hot Liquor Tank): one for the valve, one for a thermometer, and one for a sight glass.
The sight glass was inspired by Marty Tippin, and would have allowed me to see how much liquid I had in the HLT for mashing, but since the construction of the brewery, I have never gotten around to adding it. I am tall enough that I can see into the HLT when I fill it, so it never became necessary.
The outer plumbing uses two 1/2" male NPT to 1/2" copper pipe adapters with a piece of 1/2" copper pipe to go from the pipe coupling to the valve. From the valve to the mash/lauter tun, I used a 1/2" male npt to 1/2" copper pipe adapter, a peice of 1/2" copper pipe, and a length of vinyl tubing.
The interior plumbing of the HLT uses a 1/2" male NPT to 1/2" ID copper pipe adapter that is screwed into the 1/2" SS coupling to which a length of 1/2" copper pipe is connected. At the end of this pipe, there is a 1/2" elbow with a shorter piece of pipe attached to it. This shorter pipe extends to just above the bottom of the keg and allows me to drain the HLT almost completely.
