RIMS, HERMS? 10-gallon AG system

[TimmyR]

I recently had a milestone birthday and as my gift for that event I have been "approved" to upgrade my brewery. I wanted to buy a sculpture, but cannot bear the shipping and may have to move in 3 years. So, I am piecing together a 10-gallon capable AG system. I picked up 2 heavy-duty 15-gal pots from MoreBeer recently and hapenend across a 50-qt Igloo cube at Target for $20. I already have 1-30K burner, 1-60K burner and my current partial-extract equipment which includes a 10-gallon Polarware pot with false bottom and 5-gallon Igloo round cooler with false bottom (both with ball valves).

What next? Pot and burner for mash tun (along with pump), just build the copper manifold for the Igloo Cube and see how that works out? I am wide open to suggestions and have PLENTY of time to design as I am deployed for a few more months.

I am thinking RIMS with cooler is best place to start, but would gladly invest in a 3rd pot and burner if there is an advantage. I know there are posts all over on this.

Thanks.

[ApresSkiBrewer]

Do you want the rims/herms system to do step mashes? otherwise, your cooler should do just fine for single infusion.... esp. at that volume/thermal mass.

[Herms]

HERMS

[ApresSkiBrewer]

HERMS

+1

RIMS sometimes runs the risk of scorching/lots o' maillard reactions, depending on your heating element, and if you use it for step mashes.

[foomench]

+1 on the HERMS

Note: This image likely will disappear in Feb '09 as my ISP gets out of the web hosting business.

[TimmyR]

Thanks all. Still researching. Looking at HERMS set-up, MB 15-gal HD pots, Igloo Cube cooler. Still have 4+months to research my design until I return home....