I'm looking into designing and building my own brewing sculpture. I would like to stick with a three tier system, preferably something modular for the sake of later transportation, and gravity feed for simplicity (may consider buying pumps at a later time). Does anyone have any suggestions on where to start? Are there any good books or online publication I could gather different designs from? Cheers!

Andrew

Look at Blichmann Top Tier and MoreBeer! gravity (can't remember the stupid number) systems.

Not a three tier system but the Brutus 10 design is easy to find and plans are pretty detailed.

I'd suggest thinking about a single tier system. The cost of a pair of pumps and some tubing is negligible when you consider it within the total cost of building a sculpture.

The biggest downside to a gravity-fed system (imho) is lifting heavy shit to a location over your head. You're just asking for an injury.

I'm in the process of building a HERMS single tier system and was lucky enough to find a local welder who does amazing work. Between his ability to fabricate, existing plans on the interwebz and my spin on what I need we are coming up with something pretty nice. I was actually able to use the HLT/heat exchanger with my existing Gott cooler mash tun over the weekend to brew a BoPils. I used to have to do a triple decoction in order to get through my mash schedule, with this setup I was able to step through my mash temps very quickly and easily and hit my temps dead. That was with me manually controlling the burners and pumps. Once we finish the stand and I add the automation to the gas control side, this thing is going to be great.

Single tier, all the way.

~widget

Not really an issue. I have the Morebeer 10 g gravity system - 1000. The empty pots are placed in the locations, HLT filled from the ground with a hose, and the mash tun is at chest level. Heaviest thing to lift is the empty mash tun or the grain when doughing in.

I'll have to weigh my mash tun after sparging to see where it comes in weight-wise. I will be mashing in a keg, so it will certainly be heavier than a cooler. Also, I use RO water that I build myself. That being the case I would either need to lift or pump the water to the top tier anyway.

I'm sure your system is fine, but I would submit that a single tier system is superior to anyone looking to get one. Of course, there may be other constraints that the OP hasn't mentioned, but I am a single tier believer.

~widget

I am actually buiding a combination of the two, singel tier and multi tier. I do not have much garage space, but the celings are 15 feet. So, going up minimizes floor space and utlizes the head space I have.

Still running 3 pumps
-HLT recirculation to reduce Temp Stratification and to deliver Mash Water (240V/4500W)
-MLT and RIMS pump (110v/1500W)
-BK CIP and recirculation pump for CFC and delivery to conical and O2 stone tee (210K BTU Bayou)

It looks more like an HLT moutned above Mash tun and then BK and MLT in the same level. 4 feet square, 7 feet high. I do all this now in a setup that is 4 feet high and 8 feet long by 2 feet deep.

This can all be done by the Blichmann Tier system, or other suppleirs out there of extruded AL structural framing, or, as the other poster stated, a friend that welds.