17 replies to this topic

[nealperkins]

I usually use my larger system but I've just added this Gott Cooler to make 5 gallon batches. I'm not that good with it yet.And, I've discovered that I can miss my mash temp by a large margin. So, . . . . The question is: Does anyone have a good idea for adding, say electric, heat to the mashtun? I have a 120v bucket heater already.[If you use more hot water and stir, I'd bet I lose just about what I add. Or, maybe I should just plan on over-shooting and stirring till I'm down to the target?]What do you think?

[MyaCullen]

I usually use my larger system but I've just added this Gott Cooler to make 5 gallon batches. I'm not that good with it yet.And, I've discovered that I can miss my mash temp by a large margin. So, . . . . The question is: Does anyone have a good idea for adding, say electric, heat to the mashtun? I have a 120v bucket heater already.[If you use more hot water and stir, I'd bet I lose just about what I add. Or, maybe I should just plan on over-shooting and stirring till I'm down to the target?]What do you think?

I always pre heat my cooler with hot tap water before I dough in.I have some metal parts in it, and if I don't warm them up first it is hard to attain my mash temp.The faq has a good tutorial about figuring your thermal mass in promash also.When I do need to boost the temp, I just add boiling water though.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I just put all of my mash water in the cooler hotter than it needs to be and wait until it drops down to the right temp so that when I add the grain I hit the right mash temp. This makes the cooler and the mash water all about the same temp prior to adding the grain.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I have a 10 gallon Rubbermaid round cooler and I always heat up a gallon or two of water to around 160 degrees. I add that in and leave int sealed up till about 5 mins before my strike water is heated up. Then I know to go around 12 degrees in my strike over my mash temp and I am good to go. I would rather dough in too hot than cold. Its easier to cool the mash than heat it up if you ask me. Try to preheat your mash tun see where that gets you.

[DaBearSox]

I can't remember who suggested this but it has worked wonders on my mash temp the last few batches. Heat your strike water up to 170-172 and dump it in your cooler. cover it for a few minutes to let the cooler absorb whatever heat it is going to. Uncover it and let it cool down to the strike temp that you want. Add grain - stir

[DubbelEntendre]

I have a 10 Gallon Cooler that I mash in and I preheat as suggested above, then I add part of my grain and part of my strike water and the rest of my grain and the rest of my strike water and I hit my mash temps dead on every time. I use the calculations Palmer presents in How to Brew for calculating mash infusion temps.

[ncbeerbrewer]

DaBearSox Posted Today, 04:47 PM I can't remember who suggested this but it has worked wonders on my mash temp the last few batches. Heat your strike water up to 170-172 and dump it in your cooler. cover it for a few minutes to let the cooler absorb whatever heat it is going to. Uncover it and let it cool down to the strike temp that you want. Add grain - stir

Just a question and sorry BearSox trying to under your procedure but how do you get your grain and water to come in at your mash temp if the temp of the strike water is already at your mash temp. You are saying if you are mashing at 150 you let your strike water cool down to 150 then add in your grain? I say this as how would your grain come in at 150 it would absorb and lower your strike water temp, thats why you heat up and strike higher than your intended mash temp. Maybe I am missing something can you explain further please.

[DubbelEntendre]

Just a question and sorry BearSox trying to under your procedure but how do you get your grain and water to come in at your mash temp if the temp of the strike water is already at your mash temp. You are saying if you are mashing at 150 you let your strike water cool down to 150 then add in your grain? I say this as how would your grain come in at 150 it would absorb and lower your strike water temp, thats why you heat up and strike higher than your intended mash temp. Maybe I am missing something can you explain further please.

BearSox says Strike Temp, not mash temp.

[Recklessdeck]

I usually use my larger system but I've just added this Gott Cooler to make 5 gallon batches. I'm not that good with it yet.And, I've discovered that I can miss my mash temp by a large margin. So, . . . . The question is: Does anyone have a good idea for adding, say electric, heat to the mashtun? I have a 120v bucket heater already.[If you use more hot water and stir, I'd bet I lose just about what I add. Or, maybe I should just plan on over-shooting and stirring till I'm down to the target?]What do you think?

I agree with those who say add strike water to the tun at a temp above strike temp, then wait for the whole thing to cool to your strike temp before adding grain. I don't think it worthwhile to bother calculating thermal mass.If you still want a mechanism to heat the mash, say for multiple rests, I'd look into steam infusion mashing. like this guy does. My next big project (after the kegerator) is a system like this.

[ncbeerbrewer]

Thanks Dubbel. I got it now. I still say just heat up some water a bit higher than your mash temp and let it sit while you heat your strike water. It works like a charm but the gist of this is just heat the mash tun use this heat up cool then strike or just heat some water and strike the tun before your strike water or grains hit the scene.

[CoastieSteve]

I've got to admit, I can't believe I haven't tried this method yet. I always heat up 3 to 5 gallons of water to preheat the tun (cooler). I then dump this water that took the better part of 45 min between the heating and resting... could be saving a bit of time once this is dialed in, but more importantly- probably a pound or so of propane.

[3rd party JKor]

I can't remember who suggested this but it has worked wonders on my mash temp the last few batches. Heat your strike water up to 170-172 and dump it in your cooler. cover it for a few minutes to let the cooler absorb whatever heat it is going to. Uncover it and let it cool down to the strike temp that you want. Add grain - stir

I think that was me, I'm probably not the only one using the method though. I heat my water up to ~175-180 in my kettle. By the time I transfer to the MLT it's in the low 170s, let it stand for 10-15 minutes to preheat the MLT, then stir it till it cools to the strike temp. Dump the grains in and voila. I rarely miss a temp, I'll say that.

[DubbelEntendre]

I've got to admit, I can't believe I haven't tried this method yet. I always heat up 3 to 5 gallons of water to preheat the tun (cooler). I then dump this water that took the better part of 45 min between the heating and resting... could be saving a bit of time once this is dialed in, but more importantly- probably a pound or so of propane.

Recycle it and use it for your sparge water. That's what I do and it holds temp fairly well during the hour sach. rest.

[Deerslyr]

Here is something I did a few times... I used my heat stick to bring the strike water to temp directly in the mash tun. Worked like a charm. A few weeks ago, I had more heat loss than expected using a more conventional method and used the heat stick to raise the temp back up.

[nealperkins]

Recklessdeck, that was a GREAT post. Which led to the 'Palmer' cooling chamber . . .The ideas about 'over heating' the strike temp and waiting for the proper temp make sense.The heat stick was what I was wondering about for adjustments. I was concerned about scorching the mash. Perhaps if I just keep stirring it when power is on, I'll be OK??(It's a 120v type.)Thanks

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I think that was me, I'm probably not the only one using the method though. I heat my water up to ~175-180 in my kettle. By the time I transfer to the MLT it's in the low 170s, let it stand for 10-15 minutes to preheat the MLT, then stir it till it cools to the strike temp. Dump the grains in and voila. I rarely miss a temp, I'll say that.

I do the same thing - I think the first time I saw it was MtnBrewer but I think this would become a logical step after doing a couple AG batches and getting used to the process.

[3rd party JKor]

I do the same thing - I think the first time I saw it was MtnBrewer but I think this would become a logical step after doing a couple AG batches and getting used to the process.

Yeah, it's definitely not something revolutionary.

[Deerslyr]

Recklessdeck, that was a GREAT post. Which led to the 'Palmer' cooling chamber . . .The ideas about 'over heating' the strike temp and waiting for the proper temp make sense.The heat stick was what I was wondering about for adjustments. I was concerned about scorching the mash. Perhaps if I just keep stirring it when power is on, I'll be OK??(It's a 120v type.)Thanks

You should not experience any significant/noticeable scorching. It may depend a bit on how thick your mash is, but at worst what I've had is a trace amount of grain sticking to the element. Really not a problem at all. And yes, you do want to stir it while the power is on because you want to be sure to distribute the heat.If your stick is powerful enough for the job, try heating the strike water with the stick in the tun. The few times I did that it worked like a charm. I've since picked up a second propane burner, so i can pump the water into the tun.