Taking Partial Mash Pre-boil OG Reading

Hello all,
I'm planning a partial mash brew for my next batch and in all of the tutorials I've checked I can't seem to answer one question. After the mini-mash and sparge, do you cool down the wort sample to a reasonable temp for taking a hydro. reading or read it hot and add a point for each 10 degrees F?

Before anyone mentions that it's not necessary to take a reading when just getting into the partial mash, I'm aware of this; however, I'd like to be able to quantify my efficiency and more or less prove that I did something right.

One other minor question - I'm planning on mashing my 3.75 lbs. of grains using muslin bags rather than the jumbo nylon bags due to the cost of the jumbo bags. Does anyone have experience doing this? I was thinking of splitting the grain among maybe 2-3 bags as the muslin bags are smaller.

Thanks

1. I would not waste my time cooling down the wort. Read it hot.
2. I use 5 gallon paint strainer bags for my grains. You can get a package of two for 3 or 4 dollars at Lowes or Home Depot in the paint section. Bought a new package today. Works perfectly.

I wouldn't read it hot as temperature corrections of wort at > 100F are notoriously inaccurate.
Either take a small sample and cool it in the freezer, then add it back to the main body after you have taken the reading, or get a refractometer.

-a.

ajf said:

I wouldn't read it hot as temperature corrections of wort at > 100F are notoriously inaccurate.
Either take a small sample and cool it in the freezer, then add it back to the main body after you have taken the reading, or get a refractometer.

-a.

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+1 On my 1st real PM (my last batch) I figured I could just correct for temp and tried a hot reading after mash. The hydrometer basically disappeared. I didn't have anything clean to cool a sample and had to go without that reading. Was planning on doing what ajf said next time.

Thanks for the advice guys! I guess I'm gonna take a sample and put it in the fridge when the time comes. Sounds simple enough.

i keep a small ice bath handy for this and put the sample in an 8 oz measuring cup and set it in there until cooled. it only takes a few minutes. i tried putting the sampling tube in the fridge but it takes too long for my taste.