Strike water temp?

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telebrewer

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Below I listed my plan in the "need help with calculations". I guess what I really need is to know the strike water temp. My grain bill is
13 # 2 row
.5 # crystal 10
.5 # crystal 40
1 # carapils.
I want to mash at 152-154F
Can anyone HELP. I'm starting this right now...first all-grain
I'm not too worried, I've been studying this big time. I have a three tier using kegs with burners. So I can heat up or cool down as needed. Thanks...
 
The cooler MLT guys have to shoot a little higher than direct-fired keg MLTs, so don't listen to them if they tell you +11º. ;)

If you're heating your strike water in the keg you're mashing in, shoot for ~160º. You'll have to stir longer than you think to let the temps stabalize because the keg skirt holds so much temperature.

BTW - programs like beersmith really help with these calculations. They'll even do adjustments for equipment temp. I usually set that to 230º to account for the heat the keg is holding. I don't have beersmith here w/ me at work, or I'd run it through there for you.
 

That's what I was trying to say. That calculator doesn't take into account the temperature (and material) of the MLT. In fact, even if you use a cooler, and you preheat it, you'll probably overshoot your target. For 1.25 qt/lb grist is says you need 169º to reach a mash temp of 152º. I guarantee if you heat a keg MLT to 169º, your mash will be > 160º.
 
That's what I was trying to say. That calculator doesn't take into account the temperature (and material) of the MLT. In fact, even if you use a cooler, if you pre-heat the cooler, you'll probably overshoot your target. For 1.25 qt/lb grist is says you need 169º to reach a mash temp of 152º. I guarantee if you heat a keg MLT to 169º, your mash will be > 160º.

So your saying if you have a strike temp that beersmith gives you that does not take equipment into consideration, and that it will be incorrect because of absorbtion of tun material. But what about overshooting strike temp in tun and then waiting on it to come down to actual strike temp beersmith or any other software gives you?

Your statement about pre heating is confusing, are you talking about what I am stating above?
 
I'm saying you have to take into account the MLT material and temperature. A lot of cooler MLT users on here complain that they don't reach their mash temps and it's usually because they didn't preheat the MLT. The thermal properties of a sanke keg and and a plastic cooler are also considerably different, so any calculations would need to take that into consideration.

The calculator in the link doesn't allow you to set those variables, so you really don't know WHAT it's using as a formula. Beersmith does, and if you set things up right, you'll probably be really close to your target temps. Even in beersmith, though, if you don't set things up correctly, your temps may be off by several degrees. Play with some of the settings and you'll see how the strike temp it gives you will change. If you take good notes on your brew day, it'll help you dial in those settings.
 
i just assumed the op wanted a general strike range since he says he can cool down or heat up as needed and wasnt looking to be dead on... sry if i was wrong :drunk:
 
Generally go to about 165*-175* because you can always stir it to get it lower, but hotter is a lot more difficult. I was told by the guy that gave me my HLT to get the water to 165* and then put my grain in and I would sit around 154*. Works every time.
 
Generally go to about 165*-175* because you can always stir it to get it lower, but hotter is a lot more difficult. I was told by the guy that gave me my HLT to get the water to 165* and then put my grain in and I would sit around 154*. Works every time.

... with your setup. ;)
 
i just assumed the op wanted a general strike range since he says he can cool down or heat up as needed and wasnt looking to be dead on... sry if i was wrong :drunk:

I wasn't knocking you, but having to raise/lower your mash temp because you missed it is a pain, no matter if you have the means to or not. I just wanted to point out that all systems cannot rely on the same simple estimate, and that you can actually nail your mash temps if you know your system and have some software to help you with the calcs.
 
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