bluesman88

Recipes 

When I mash I have always added the grain first then the water. Is there a preferred method or does it even matter?

Bluesman

Yooper

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In his book, How to Brew, John Palmer says to add the water to the grain, never vice versa. However, I always add the water first. I put about 1.5 gallons of strike water in the MLT, and then add the grain while stirring. This reduces my doughballs, and then I add more water, more grain, etc.

I also do this because I add hotter water than called for, and let it cool in my cooler MLT. That preheats my mashtun.

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brrman

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I do the same (water to grain). I would guess It all depends if you preheat your tun first, or you adjust your strike water temp for heat loss...l

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big supper

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I heat my strike water a few degrees too hot, pour it into the Mash tun, close it up to preheat for 5-10 mins. At that point i check the temp of the water. Sometimes I have to leave the lid off a bit to let the temp lower to my strike temp. Then I add the grains about 1/3 at a time, stirring well.

Got this from Bobby M. Thanks Bobby!!

Revvy

Recipes 

I think it's really a matter of preference, actually...I used to do water do grain

But it actually seems to make more sense to add grain to water, in a cooler mash tun, since you can do like Bobby M said, and preheat your mash tun.

Some people (including the basic brewing podcast guys, claim that doing water to grain encourages doughballs as well.)


I was wondering if the chubby comment would be sig worthy, thanks Yoop!

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doubleb

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I just want to point out that Palmer's reasoning behind adding water to the grain is so you don't shock the starch converting enzymes with lots of warm water all at once.

I'm planning on using the grain first method, but actually prefer adding the water first. My methods aren't set in stone yet so I may in the end go for something like yooper describes.

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Gordie

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Much of what I've read suggests doughing in by adding a little water to wet down the grain at around 95-100 deg to aid in distributing enzymes and to gelatinize some of the starch to aid conversion later. After you make the oatmeal, you add your strike water.

I've got a direct fire MLT which makes is a bit easier to step up the temps, but most of the time I just heat my water to strike temp and throw my grain in and stirstirstir because it’s easier.

WBC

Recipes 

For new brewers I suggest the water first a few degrees higher and in the quantity called for in this recipe to preheat the mash-tun and when the mash-tun has stabilized (does not change temperature any more) at the strike temperature you can stir in the grains (stir well). Once that mash has stabilized (lid on) you should be spot on mash temperature. Always stir the mash before taking the temperature in several places. It's a mater of thermal dynamics, if you add a given temperature (grain temperature - measured quantity) to another temperature (strike water - measured quantity) you will be at the calculated temperature exactly once it has stabilized again.

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GilaMinumBeer

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I am a grain to water brewer. Have to be. My batches are usually too large for my keggle HLT (without re-filling and heating mid brew) so I direct fire my strike water in the MLT. That leaves me with plenty of sparge water and usually some warm cleaning water.

Although Yooper does raise my curiosity. It's been a while since I read Palmer and I am wondering what the logic is behind "always water to grain". Gonna have to open that book up and have a look see. Either way, it won;t change my practice cause it works best for me but, it does raise an eyebrow.

wildwest450

Recipes 

What's the difference between adding grains warm water, or adding warm water to the grains? IMO it's way easier to gradually add your grains to the water, zero dough balls.

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