A Cold Mash Tun - how do you guys warm it prior to mash?

Hey people!

I did my first brew session on my RIMS system this past Monday. I have keggles as my pots. I got my water in my MLT up to 170, transferred it to my Mash Tun, stirred in my grains, and took a temp reading. It was around 120! I immediately knew my error: It was cold outside, and my kegs were cold.

So, how do you experts warm up your keggles prior to adding grains? Do you just recirculate water through them, or do you have another technique?

Thanks!

When I use my cooler MLT I just fill it with hot tap water while I heat the strike water. When I use my keggles I'll throw some water in (not full) and preheat while I heat strike water. I don't necessarily get it to mash temp, but raise it enough to minimize heat loss.

Also do you use reflectix? That really helps insulate during the mash.

Nice & thanks!

Reflectix is exactly what I use to insulate. It works a-mazing!!!

I give mine a kiss and tell her she is absolutely the most ravishing tun I've ever mashed in. That warms her up nice.

Beersmith adjusts my strike water temp for cold grain and cold mash tun. Works like a charm.

Strike water goes in extra hot, then wait.

Bobby_M said:

Strike water goes in extra hot, then wait.

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Yeah, this...I put my strike water in maybe 10 degrees hotter, and let the extra heat warm up the MLT for 10-15 minutes. Once it cools down to the target strike temp, I dough in.

I boil 2 liters of tap water in my electric kettle while my mash and sparge water are heating. Dump it in the cooler mlt and leave it until I am about to mash in.

I get my mash water ready for the appropriate temp then it it up another ~10F. I pour this into my mash tun and stir it up. The temp should be higher than my mash-in temp. Then I stir the water until it is at my mash-in temp and add the grains.

I boil 3 gal of water on my stove and place it my tun prior to starting my strike water.

I bring 2 cups of water to a boil and dump it in my 10 gallon mash tun, then slosh it all around to hit all the surface. This method usually will bring my tun up to about 90 degrees.

I would heat my strike to about 185F, dump it in a close the lid. 15 minutes later it would be around 170F. Add grains and your right around 152F.

When I first started using a cooler I would heat tap water for pre heating while heating up my strike water, then would dump it out when the strike water was ready. It took about five batches before I actually thought about what I was doing and just heated the strike water a little more.

TonySwank said:

I would heat my strike to about 185F, dump it in a close the lid. 15 minutes later it would be around 170F. Add grains and your right around 152F.

When I first started using a cooler I would heat tap water for pre heating while heating up my strike water, then would dump it out when the strike water was ready. It took about five batches before I actually thought about what I was doing and just heated the strike water a little more.

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I thought about doing this as well, but was a little concerned about the heat from the water on the plastic and decided against it. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

My method is similar to the one you used before. The only difference is just adding hot water straight from the tap instead of heating it.

What a bunch of different methods. Thanks everybody!

BrewingRugger said:

I boil 3 gal of water on my stove and place it my tun prior to starting my strike water.

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^^This

I use an igloo as a mash tun and heat the water in it with a heat stick with a temp controller. When the water reaches strike temp you are ready to mash in. I experience virtually no temp loss during the mash

I just put water in, about 13F higher than my strike temp, then let it equilibrate at strike temp after 30min or so, venting with the lid to remove any excess heat. Easy day.

This is one of the reasons I use a stainless steel kettle for my mash tun. I heat my strike water right in the tun. Warms it up nicely.