Let's say I want to shoot for a mash temp of 152. I have a regular, glass, stick-type thermometer. At what depth do I take the reading? Near the top? Half-way into the mash? At the bottom of the tun? (not sure thermometer is long enough for that!) I've never been real sure about this, and a fellow brewer was wondering the same thing. We would appreciate your help since we are both fairly new to all-grain brewing.
Determining mash temp
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Stir like crazy and stick the thermo in...that's my procedure...lol
BrewChron
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The best way I know of is to give the mash a stir before taking the temp, then stick the thermometer in at least a few inches, and maybe halfway between the centerpoint of the pot and the wall. The temp really can vary a lot in diff areas if you haven't stirred it.
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Look at the therm itself. Most stick therms have a minima/maxima (either or. sometimes both) mark or line for proper immersion.
Right. And if there IS a variation in temperature in different places in the grain bed, stir some more. I have a digital thermometer and I love it- I stir like crazy, check the temperature in a few places, and then end up stirring again when the temperature varies by a couple of degrees. Once you check the temp in about three different places (about as deep as you can, without submerging your thermometer, and it's the same, then it "counts" as the mash temp.
Don't adjust the mash temp until you do this- it might be 156 in one spot, but only 152 in another. If you adjust based on one reading, you'll be adjusting up and down like crazy! Once you get the same temp throughout, THEN you can adjust it if needed.
Oh yes, I like to stir!
So if it takes a while to get this temp set, it's ok? I figure I need to get the water in, warm the tun, dump in the grain, stirstirstir, plunk in the thermometer, close the top, wait a couple minutes, check the temp, start the clock. Too much of a rush?
I don't call it Worry Wort Brewing for nothing.
So if it takes a while to get this temp set, it's ok? I figure I need to get the water in, warm the tun, dump in the grain, stirstirstir, plunk in the thermometer, close the top, wait a couple minutes, check the temp, start the clock. Too much of a rush?
I don't call it Worry Wort Brewing for nothing.
Oh yes, I like to stir!
So if it takes a while to get this temp set, it's ok? I figure I need to get the water in, warm the tun, dump in the grain, stirstirstir, plunk in the thermometer, close the top, wait a couple minutes, check the temp, start the clock. Too much of a rush?
I don't call it Worry Wort Brewing for nothing.
Well, the cheap digital instant thermometer definitely helps me with this! I do the same- preheat the cooler MLT. Add the grain, stirstirstirstir, check the temp while stirring with the other hand, and stir and check the temp in a new place. It's about 5 minutes total for me. Then, I check it in a few minutes again in several places, just to make sure it's ok and not changing.
