determining mash water temp

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TaylorBrewed

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So last Sunday I brewed my first AG biab and I was using beer smith to determine when I should dough in. It told me 161 degrees should make my mash water 154 degrees when my grain was 68 degrees. My kettle measurments are 15 x 15 inches and holds 13.25 gallons. Was using 8 gallons at the time. Long story short when I doughed in my water temp only dropped to 159 and held there for like 30 mins before finally dropping lower. What calculations should I use in the future so this is more on the money ? Or is it one of them things that bc it was my first time using the equipment, that I have to get it dialed in and start predicting what the temp out come will really be ? Also might I need to look at different settings on beer smith as I'm also new to that. Or might there be a better sight to help calculate this for biab style ? Thanks
 
What are you using for your MT? Converted cooler? What I do and I believe others do this to is to heat up your strike water and then add it to you MT. Then wait until it drops. Cause your gonna lose some heat initially. Then add your grain. It took me a few brews to figure out how my equipment works. Just play around with it next time and see..
 
I do brew in a bag so I use my kettle for it all

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Ahh..missed that part.. Maybe add a little cold water after dough in if your mash is a little higher.
 
I had the same problem. I don't BIAB but I heat the water in MLT and add grains to that. Using beer Smiths infusion tool, what you have to do is set mash tun weight to 0 (zero) because it's already preheated.
Still I think the water should have dropped more than 2 degrees, maybe you need to stir a little more at mash in?
 
Yeah I think that setting your MT mass to 0 will take care of it. Beer smith is smart enough to take that into account. I overshot my temp a couple times before it dawned on me. Now my temps are spot on
 
I dont want to sound like a dar dar here but I entered 0 for mash tun weight and its still giving me bogus numbers. Could someone play around with their beersmith and see if you get the same information as I? I guess I dont understand this whole beer smith thing. Can you explain for the values that I have entered? And wouldn't the tempeture of the grains play into what the temp of the water would be after I add the grains? Would I want Infustion Step or Strike Step

Desired Strike Conditions
Target step temp = 154
Infusion water added= 0? because that water is already added.
Starting Conditions
Starting water volume= 32 quarts because I had 8 gallons of water
Initial mash temp? 161
Grain weight= 10 lbs
Mash tun specific heat= .12 for stainless steel
Infusion water to add
Infustion water= 152.7
Mash tun volume need= 13.14qts
water/grain ratio= 1

Thanks I know I'm being a pain in the ass but I just dont want to have the same issues next brew day.
 
It should be on inital strike in drop down box not infusion step . Then..Infusion Water to add-32 Qts . Initial mash temp= Grain Temperature (68 degrees etc.) . Starting water Volume will be grayed out. Tun weight 0 . My specific heat is .30 for keg/kettle.

Using your specs it gives me 158.9 degrees for strike water (grain at 68 deg.) . But that's also 3.20 Qts. per. Lb. I don't BIAB but, is that right?
 
thanks that makes it easier . The water/ grain ratio is about right. I am still dialing in my process . It took about a gallon with grain absorbtion. Gallon boil off in a hour and trub in bottom of kettle. Ended with like 5.25 gallons
 

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