Help: Low Mash Temperature

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alfista

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Hi All,

I am 30 minutes into a mach of 13lbs of grain for a Victory Hop Devil clone. The temp looked good (153) for the first 10 mins, but now appears to be steady around 147. I am mashing in a 5g cooler and added some boiling water but have no more room to add additional water to raise the temp. Any thoughts on what I should do?

Thanks,

Jason
 
The only real option you have here is to draw off part of your mash water, heat it up and pour it back in and then just mash a little longer. I don't have software handy right now to tell you what temp to heat it up to.
 
The only real option you have here is to draw off part of your mash water, heat it up and pour it back in and then just mash a little longer. I don't have software handy right now to tell you what temp to heat it up to.

This should work fine. I had to do this a few times with my crap old MLT, had no issues with the final product.

I'd look into why your temps fell so fast, did you account for the fact that the grain would lower your temps? Did you preheat the mlt?
 
I think the temp variation is due to user error (circulation) or a bad thermometer. Temp went back to 155 after I removed about a gallon. Thanks all.
 
You could have even taken some of the mash--grain and all and boiled it. It's better to take it as thick with grain as possible so you don't boil as many enzymes. It will darken the mash with melanoidins.
 
Next time just preheat the mash tun by using strike water that is hotter than you want by a few degrees. Pour in the correct quantity that Beersmith calculates and put on the lid. 5 minutes later remove the lid and stir well and take the temperature. It should be real close to your intended strike temperature if not right on that temperature. If just a couple of degrees over then stir until it gets to the strike temperature and then quickly stir in the grains. Put on the lid and check again in 5 minutes (Stir well before taking the temperature). It should be right on if the grains were at the grain temperature that you used in Beersmith's calculations. With practice you will be mashing right at the temperature you wanted every time.
 
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