Consistently low on my mash temps (Beersmith)

I'm using Beersmith and here's my process:

Adjust temp for equip [checked]
Single infusion, batch sparge
10 gallon round cooler
CDN DTQ450X thermometer (calibrated to ice water)
5 gallon batches

I add 7-10 degrees to whatever Beersmith tells me for strike water, and dump it into my cooler, close the lid, and let it sit for 5 mins to preheat. Then I take off the lid and stir for a few minutes until I am 3 degrees higher than what Beersmith says the strike water should be. Then I start adding my grains, but I slowly add them while stirring, over the course of 2-3 mins.

I check the temp, and I am anywhere from 2-5 degrees low.

Now, I could just add my grains at +7 degrees, and stir like mad to my desired temp...but what is everyone else doing? It seems people are hitting the temps exactly following Beersmith's temps. Am I over stirring?

I usually add about 2 gallons of hot water to my cooler to preheat while my strike water is heating up. I empty the tun and add half my grain. When its at the temp, what ever my calculations are for the style. I had half of the strike water and grain and stir, easier to stir half then the hole thing(dough balls). Then I add the rest of my grain and then the rest of my water. I hit it everytime.

Do you have Mash Tun Specific Heat set at 0.30? It's in equipment profiles under your mash tun. Those round coolers usually will require 10-12 degrees over mash temp if preheated. It's easier to cool the mash than raise the heat, so I'd shoot for 11-12 degrees over with a 5-10 minute preheat prior with separate hot water. Put the preheat in, close the top, let sit for 5-10, then open, dump water, add your mash water and grains to 12 degrees over desired mash temp, stir it up, take temp, adjust with ice if needed, then cover and mash.

I don't dump my preheat water, just add all strike water at 185*, wait 10-15 mins then when the water hits 169* I dough in. My old Coleman cooler looses about 13* with dough in so I usually hit 156-157. From here I either button it up or keep stirring until I hit my target temp

The only way I have figured out how to do this with BeerSmith is to set up additional mash processes.


Good luck
Toy4Rick

Yeah, something is off. I do have the mash tun specific heat set to .30.

Last batch Beersmith told me to use 168.4* strike water to hit a 153* mash temp. That's 15* over desired mash temp, and you guys are saying 10-12*.

I added 3* for good measure (171*), and still ended up 5* too low.

I admit I didn't take the grain temp this time, but they had been in the 75* house for a few days, I just put down 72*.

I don't get the point of dumping pre-heat water, unless it has cooled.

I heat my strike water to about 175 for 153 and I hit it every time (no preheat and Rubbermaid mash tun). I don't follow Beersmith. I just do what works for me. I suggest doing the same.

Toy4Rick said:

I don't dump my preheat water, just add all strike water at 185*, wait 10-15 mins then when the water hits 169* I dough in. My old Coleman cooler looses about 13* with dough in so I usually hit 156-157. From here I either button it up or keep stirring until I hit my target temp

The only way I have figured out how to do this with BeerSmith is to set up additional mash processes.

Good luck
Toy4Rick

Click to expand...

I've got to second this procedure although I add strike water at about 180 and leave the top up until it drops to about 168.Then dump all the grain and stir it like crazy.

From my experience: 5 min isn't enough to preheat a cooler. 15 is better.
I don't do any calculations on the mash tun. It's just blank in BeerSmith. If it's preheated to the same temp at the strike water, it should make much/any difference.
If I make sure the amount of strike water is right, the temp of the strike water is right, the temp of the grain is right, and the tun in preheated, then BeerSmith is exactly right. It might be off by 1 (one!) degree, but usually isn't.

So I suggest: check your thermometer. Preheat the tun for 15+ min. Double check the water volume Check the grain temp. Try again - it might work.

Really there aren't that many variables. If the math is right and the temps are wrong, then you're messing up one these things.

L

I also agree with letting the cooler preheat longer. I too had a prob with low mash temps till I let the cooler sit longer with the lid on before I stirred to get to strike temp. Now I preheat for at least 20 min then i dough in 12 deg over mash temp.

I have been adding my strike water at the number that Beersmith says. I take a gallon or two of water at 110+ to preheat. I usually end up a couple of degrees high and stir well for a minute or two and close the tun when I reach my strike temps.

I guess I have my setup numbers about right on.

This time of year - 168 degrees and no preheat = success. Fall and winter, preheating required.

I dump the preheat water back into the sparge water because it's not part of my calculations for the mash in. Since I preheat for 10 minutes or so, I use that time to make sure my mash-in water is at the right temp.

It is strange you are having to go so hot to get the temps right, since the setup is pretty much the same for all of us here using 10 gallon rubbermaid coolers. The average adjustment is going to be 12 degrees above desired mash temp.

Note that the problem with saying "just strike at 12 degrees over mash temp" is that you have to always be using grains of the same temp with the same ratio of grain to strike water (qt/lb). If you vary these things, the necessary temp of the strike water will also change. If you don't, then you should be fine once you figure out what the number is with your setup.

L

I'm having similiar issues with my coolor. I use a Coleman 70qt extreme cooler as a mash tun. Today I made a Maibock with 15# of grain and, after preheating the cooler with 4 gal of water for 20 min, I mashed in 22qt (5.5 gal) at 170F. Beersmith calculated that this strike temp would get me to 155F. http://www.brewersfriend.com/mash/ was even more conservative and said I only needed the strike water at 161F to get the desired 155F. Well I heated it to 170F, drained the preheat water, added half my grist, then half the strike water and stirred before adding the rest of the grist and then the remaining strike water. After stirring for about 5 min my thermometer only reads 150F. So I get 2qt of water to a boil and dump that in 10 minutes later and stir some more. Thermometer STILL reads at 150F. I used the same thermometer for heating the strike water and measuring the mash temp, I even confirmed the readings with another, digital thermometer. I'm not sure where the discrepancy is coming from as I am trying to be very careful to nail my volumes and temps as close as I can. I even mashed with the cooler indoors to prevent too much heat loss from outside temp but heat loss is not an issue, I can maintain temps for an 1+ hrs without losing more than a degree but I seem to consistently undershoot my mash temp.

tl;dr: Used Beersmith to calculate strike temp, mash temp was 5 degrees too cold. Added 2 qts of boiling water and the mash temp is unchanged.

Huge oversight on my part when it comes to pre-heating the cooler. I live in Colorado springs and the temperature Sunday when I mashed in was probably around 34 degrees... I mashed in with 172 degree water and ended up with a temp of 140.. I decided to add 190 degree water in to reach at least 150 and I hit 152. In the future I will definitely pre heat the cooler as everyone suggested, seems like a great idea. Also leave your grains in the house or near a heater so they dont suck your heat away as well...

If you are going to heat beyond what BeerSmith projects and then allow it to cool to strike temperature, then why don't you just unclick the 'adjust temp for equip' and heat your water up to around 168F to 170F, pour it into your mash tun and stir until it is at the strike temperature BeerSmith calculates for the grain addition only.

You will need to make sure that your grain temperature indicated in BeerSmith is close to your actual grain temperature.

The equipment set up for my mash tun in BeerSmith took a couple of iterations to get it right on. I did need to adjust the specific heat from the recommended .30 down to around .27 to get the strike temperature correct to meet my target mash temp.

Oginme said:

If you are going to heat beyond what BeerSmith projects and then allow it to cool to strike temperature, then why don't you just unclick the 'adjust temp for equip' and heat your water up to around 168F to 170F, pour it into your mash tun and stir until it is at the strike temperature BeerSmith calculates for the grain addition only.

You will need to make sure that your grain temperature indicated in BeerSmith is close to your actual grain temperature.

The equipment set up for my mash tun in BeerSmith took a couple of iterations to get it right on. I did need to adjust the specific heat from the recommended .30 down to around .27 to get the strike temperature correct to meet my target mash temp.

Click to expand...

+1 on this. Uncheck 'adjust temp for equip' and add your strike volume of water at least 10-15 deg hotter than target. Close the mash tun and let it preheat 15-20 min. Open and check temp, if it's still high just stir until you get to your target and mash in. Also, as Oginme said, make sure temp of your grain is as close to what you plug in as possible. I would imagine that is the main reason your coming in low.

You also need to keep in mind that the longer you stir your grains in the water, the lower your temp will get.

Do you have a good equipment profile set up, and are you entering grain temperature?