Hot spots in Mash tun?!?!

**Dgonza9** · 10-17-2010, 10:27 PM

I was mashing away 10 gallons of Centennial Blonde. After doughing in, my temp was 148 instead of 150. So I took my trusty heat stick and used it to increase the temp to 150 or so. Took a lot longer than I thought, though.

I stirred a bit, then let it mash away. After about half an hour I noticed the temp had risen to 152. I decide to release a bit of heat by stirring.

Well, hot damn, as I stirred the temp soared almost to 160. I used some ice and stirring to bring it back down. It was at 144 before I knew it and I had to use the heat stick again.

I'm wondering if my thermometer is malfunctioning or if I need to do a better job stirring. Things is, I try to be cautious of bumping the thermometer stem too much. It's mounted thru a drilled stopper and I once bumped it and it began leaking and I had to stop and get it seated right again.

So what do you think? Hot spots? Poor stirring? Faulty thermometer?

Can anyone recommend a digital thermometer to me? When I'm trying to really dial in the temp the dial thermometer makes it rough on my eyes.

Hope the beer turns out!

**snowveil** · 10-17-2010, 10:41 PM

definitely not stirring enough.

**RLinNH** · 10-18-2010, 12:20 AM

Here ya go...

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/splashproof_thermapen.html?gclid=CKXtmvaR26QCFeFM5 QodijTMLg

I have used this thermometer for 4 batches now, and I love it!!! And yes, I still have hot spots in my Mash. Stir and stir and stir. You'll still get them.

**Dgonza9** · 10-18-2010, 01:22 AM

I like the thermometer, but price is steep for me.

I'm thinking of going RIMS in part because it's damn hard to stir a square mash tun with SS braid and 4.5" thermocouple sticking into it.

**wilserbrewer** · 10-18-2010, 11:51 AM

As said above, stir more and wait a few minutes for the temp to stabilize. I never bothered mounting a thermometer, as I find it helpful to move it around the tun to check several spots for consistent readings. I have several of the inexpensive digital sticks available most anywhere and they seem pretty darn accurate.

ian-atx · 10-18-2010, 12:13 PM

Stir more. Also if possible use another thermometer to take readings around the mash. Also what I usually do is dough in a few degrees hotter than what I should, as it will lose heat as I am stirring. I do infusion mashes in a cooler, so I dont direct fire the tun.

Also, just got a thermapen as a gift...looking forward to trying that out in the mash.

If you don't want to drop the cash on a thermapen, the taylor brand of digital instant read thermometers are pretty good. You can usually find them at target. usually 10-20 bucks.