Where did the term "strike" come from in "strike water"?

kal · Sep 27, 2011

Historically speaking, where did the term "strike" come from in "strike water"?

Is it because we "strike" the grain with the water when it's time to mash?

(Just one of the silly things that keeps me up at night... brewing terms drive me nuts).

Kal

windbreaker123 · Sep 27, 2011

Great question Thanks it will probably keep me up all night. :drunk:

How about historical terms? Strike it rich. striking the mother load or rich. Could it be because we hit the temp with our water? We wanted 152 and once we struck it. We then proceeded to mash our grains. Best I could pull out of my posterior

SankePankey · Sep 28, 2011

Maybe it's something to do with baseball (pitching strikes).

or doesn't a blacksmith strike something hot?

passedpawn · Sep 28, 2011

Probably an americanization of a german brewing term (i.e., der Schtrikzewader, meaning "the hot water"). (I made that up

)

Kaiser might know, but he hangs out at the AHA forum now.

winvarin · Sep 28, 2011

I'll toss in my .02. How about the fact that we're striking a balance between the temp of the water and the temp of the grain in order to achieve a desired final temp?

I as well, just made that up

frailn · Sep 28, 2011

The older meaning of "strike" was "pass over lightly, stroke, smooth, rub" - not to hit something as it means today. It comes from the Latin word strigil which was ancient tool for scraping the skin after a bath.

My guess is that one is "smoothly stroking" the sugar out of the grain.

bob1852 · Sep 28, 2011

passedpawn said:
Probably an americanization of a german brewing term (i.e., der Schtrikzewader, meaning "the hot water"). (I made that up )

Kaiser might know, but he hangs out at the AHA forum now.

Dammit. You had me!

Bradinator · Sep 28, 2011

Doesn't anyone else imagine their grain entering the strike water like a comet hitting the earth and exploding beer goodness into the atmosphere? Anybody? No?

Seven · Sep 28, 2011

It's a great question. I can guess... but I'm looking forward to hearing the answer.

passedpawn · Sep 28, 2011

frailn said:
The older meaning of "strike" was "pass over lightly, stroke, smooth, rub" - not to hit something as it means today. It comes from the Latin word strigil which was ancient tool for scraping the skin after a bath.

My guess is that one is "smoothly stroking" the sugar out of the grain.

While I have been known to to smoothly stroke my wife, I've never struck her. I say this one is a stretch.

[now, where's that wife.... ]

davejr · Sep 28, 2011

Dang it. Never really thought much about it but now it is going to keep me up at night.

ajf · Sep 28, 2011

Ditto, and I really need my beauty sleep right now.

-a.

kal · Sep 28, 2011

frailn said:
My guess is that one is "smoothly stroking" the sugar out of the grain.

I like it... and I'm not sure why...

Kal

joelmole · Sep 29, 2011

Along with the definition of a blow or impact, I think a more subtle implication is that this impact is the beginning action of a process, like "striking out on your own", or "striking into song", "stricken with illness", or the phrase "the initial strike". Usually it doesn't specifically refer to an action that is done in the middle of a process, it can be the first of several actions, or the initial penetration or blow. So in the case of strike water, it is the initial measure of water that is added to the grain.

passedpawn · Sep 29, 2011

joelmole said:
Along with the definition of a blow or impact, I think a more subtle implication is that this impact is the beginning action of a process, like "striking out on your own", or "striking into song", "stricken with illness", or the phrase "the initial strike". Usually it doesn't specifically refer to an action that is done in the middle of a process, it can be the first of several actions, or the initial penetration or blow. So in the case of strike water, it is the initial measure of water that is added to the grain.

Strike a match? I see your point.

knightbeer39 · Sep 29, 2011

joelmole said:
Along with the definition of a blow or impact, I think a more subtle implication is that this impact is the beginning action of a process, like "striking out on your own", or "striking into song", "stricken with illness", or the phrase "the initial strike". Usually it doesn't specifically refer to an action that is done in the middle of a process, it can be the first of several actions, or the initial penetration or blow. So in the case of strike water, it is the initial measure of water that is added to the grain.

Damn. I think that pretty much answers it. :mug:

bob1852 · Sep 29, 2011

joelmole · Sep 29, 2011

knightbeer39 said:
Damn. I think that pretty much answers it.

Thanks! Also, an "oil-strike" fits into the same meaning. To strike oil is to hit it for the first time, same with striking gold.

GilaMinumBeer · Sep 29, 2011

To inflict, deliver, or blow, is to strike.

Where did the term "strike" come from in "strike water"?

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