Pre-heating a mash tun..

[richbrew99]

I preheat about 5 to 10 minutes. I just over heat my strike water, pre heat then stir it till it gets to the temp i want.

 

[Judochop]

I preheat about 5 to 10 minutes. I just over heat my strike water, pre heat then stir it till it gets to the temp i want.

And you notice practically no loss after 60 min?

By how much do you overheat?

 

[richbrew99]

Depends on the temp outside, i brew in the winter in the garage here in wisconsin. Now ill prob heat to 10 degrees over for about 5 minutes. Then stir it down to temp.

 

[Judochop]

Well, I wonder if a sleeping bag is the key for me then? Will try next week...

 

[spokaniac]

I am setting up for my first AG, using a 5 gal round igloo cooler. When doing the pre-heat, then adding the grain and strike water, is it better to add the grain into the hot water or to drain the cooler - add the grain and put the water back in.
Thought I had read somewhere that it was better to slowly add the water to the grain (letting the grain cool the water) than to add grain to the hot water (exposing the first bit to water that was too hot).

 

[Judochop]

Probably better for your mash to mix grain and water simultaneously. But that does add an extra step. Many many foiks just add grain to the hot water and get great results.

 

[brettwasbtd]

I thought I was getting the cream of the crop with this coleman xtreme. I didn't think it'd take that long.

Calling all Xtreme users, for how long do you preheat?

I preheat with water about 15* over just to be safe, but I take notes every time. I use a 2 qt pitcher to pour my 15* higher strike water and pour it down around all the sides. I lose about 6-8* tops. I stir down til temp. but now that I know I am always like 6-8 degrees over I am just going to start doing 8 over.

In my coleman xtreme 52, i throw a blanket over it and I don't lose a degree at in the grain area. If I have a thin mash and there is a clear amount of wort on top that will be a little cooler, but only a few degrees. the main portion in the grain is the correct temp. Stir it all up and it reads a degree or two low

 

[tre9er]

Wondering has anyone measured the efficiency differences between mashing thinner and losing a degree vs. mashing thicker and not losing? I've been mashing thinner (1.3-1.4) for more soluble sugars, since I was BIAB...now I have hose braid and was thinking perhaps I would mash thicker, add a mashout addition to thin, then drain, batch sparge.

 

[Stauffbier]

I came here because i"m having major issues with my mash temps. Not my strike temps, mind you. [As others here do, I heat my mash water 10-12 degrees beyond my target strike temp and let the cooler preheat about 10 minutes. Then I wait and/or stir until the water reaches strike temp, and I dough in.]

I use a 52 qt rectangular Coleman XTREME, and I'm losing 6-7 degrees over a 60 minute mash! WHY?!!?

Er... I mean, why? Please?

I've progressed quite a bit in my process since first posting this thread. I also have a 52 qt Coleman Xtreme that I use as my MLT now. I pre-heat it with about 2 gallons of 185F water that I drain and re-use as sparge water. I only let it pre-heat for 15-20 mins. Two weeks ago I mashed an Imperial Stout in it for an extended 3 hours. I mashed in at 156F and only lost 6*F in that time. I did employ a few tactics to maintain the temps by wrapping the cooler with saran wrap where the lid meets the body. This way the hot, steamy air can't escape as easily. I also covered it with a couple blankets...

 

[Stauffbier]

Wondering has anyone measured the efficiency differences between mashing thinner and losing a degree vs. mashing thicker and not losing? I've been mashing thinner (1.3-1.4) for more soluble sugars, since I was BIAB...now I have hose braid and was thinking perhaps I would mash thicker, add a mashout addition to thin, then drain, batch sparge.

I usually mash thick (1.15-1.25), do a mash-out, and batch sparge and get about 75-78% efficiency. Tomorrow I'm going to mash thin (1.34) and skip the mash-out, then batch sparge. I'm curious to see how it changes my efficiency, if at all..

 

[lord byron]

I have the 103 extreme and preheat with around 15 gallons of ~140 tap water. I do this before I start heating the mash water and milling grain so ends up being around forty minutes, and I never have more than a degree or two change over sixty to ninety minutes. I did notice if I left the cooler on the ground it lost more so now put it up on a table.

 

[BrewJob87]

dump in hot water let it sit a few minuets. Dump it out, proceed as usual.

x2

 

[richbrew99]

I just put my water in once, little higher than your strike temp let it preheat then stir it so it cools down to your strike temp and then dump in your grains. Why are some of you preheating then draining then putting your strike water back in again? not knockin, just curious.

 

[djt17]

I just put my water in once, little higher than your strike temp let it preheat then stir it so it cools down to your strike temp and then dump in your grains. Why are some of you preheating then draining then putting your strike water back in again? not knockin, just curious.

That's how I do it too. I put my strike water in at 10° over strike temp. Close the lid & wait until it reaches strike temp. (Usually about 10 minutes). I don't like wasting water.

 

[stikks]

I use a 10 gallon igloo.I just hold back 1 quart of my strike water.Heat the rest to
180 pour it in MLT ,swirl and dough in.If the mash temp is to high I slowly
add the remaining 1 quart of cold strike water until I hit my exact mash temp.Works
everytime.

cheers

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have found that three charcoal briquets wrapped in aluminum foil works great to preheat the MT.....works best for rauchbier...sorry just being silly, but WOW! Six pages, 55 posts to get the mash tun preheated, at this pace it will take weeks to pitch some yeast...

 

[Stauffbier]

I just put my water in once, little higher than your strike temp let it preheat then stir it so it cools down to your strike temp and then dump in your grains. Why are some of you preheating then draining then putting your strike water back in again? not knockin, just curious.

To be honest, I haven't done it like this because I worry my MLT will absorb too much heat and leave my strike temp too low. I just haven't experimented enough to know. I guess on my next batch I'll give it a try. Maybe I'll start around 12*F higher just in case...

 

[squiggy]

I have a 60qt ice cube. I mounted a hot water heater element in the side of it. I plug it into a ranco, I plug the ranco into a timer. I fill my mash tun with strike water the night before I brew. An hour before I wake up the water starts heating. When I wake up my mash tun is pre-heated and my strike water is ready to go. I just add grain...
Folks mashing in kegs could do this the old fashioned way.
:rockin:

 

[tre9er]

I usually mash thick (1.15-1.25), do a mash-out, and batch sparge and get about 75-78% efficiency. Tomorrow I'm going to mash thin (1.34) and skip the mash-out, then batch sparge. I'm curious to see how it changes my efficiency, if at all..

What were your findings? I AGAIN got low efficiency on my oatbier last weekend. In the 60's. I mashed around 1.25 and did a mashout, vorlauf, drain, sparge, vorlauf, drain...but I noticed my absorption was way higher, made my volume lower. I think the deadspace in my tun affected volume, too. When I realized volume was low I should have added more sparge water and done another batch sparge. As it was, I added water to the boil which had 0 sugars in it. Thinking that's the reason.

 

[Wobbegong]

Similar to others, this is my process. I use a 10 gallon Rubbermaid Round Cooler:

-Cooler comes inside the house from the garage the night before brewing if its cold.

-Use beersmith to determine strike water temp. I check grain temp and use zero weight for cooler, since Im heating it.

-Strike water heated 8 to 10 degrees above needed temp.

-Fill Mash Tun and cap.

-Wait 15 to 20 minutes. Open and stir until instaread thermometer shows required temp.

-Add grains slowly while stiring. Mix well. Check Temp. Cap cooler.

-Place a bed pillow on top of cooler and cover with a blanket. Wrap metal valve with part of blanket. These are the two places you loose the most heat (Lid and valve).

With this method, I usually nail my temps and only loose a half to one degree after 60 minutes.

 

[tre9er]

I've recently converted to the "heat way over strike temp and wait, then stir down to mash temp" method, too. Much easier than adding water because you're too low.

 

[thetragichero]

here's how i do it (and get 75+ efficiency):
heat 2-3 gallons of water until boiling or near-boiling (usually do this as soon as i get home from work so i'm doing other things while it's heating: gathering equipment from the spare bedroom that's ended up with tons of brew equipment in it, finding something good on tv to listen to, etc) it usually ends up boiling so i remove it from the burner and let it sit a bit while i wash the mash tun and make sure the valve on it isn't leaking
fill the mash tun (5g rubbermaid beverage cooler that will soon be replaced with a 10g), close the lid and throw a couple towels on top of it
bring water to strike temp, empty mash tun right before mash in

 

[goosegrease]

+1 on the 10 degree hotter strike water to pre heat mlt. I drilled holes in my rubbermaid lid and filled them with foam, let that dry, then filled the surface holes wit a dab of caulk. It seems to retain heat very well with no blankets or towels.

 

[Stauffbier]

What were your findings? I AGAIN got low efficiency on my oatbier last weekend. In the 60's. I mashed around 1.25 and did a mashout, vorlauf, drain, sparge, vorlauf, drain...but I noticed my absorption was way higher, made my volume lower. I think the deadspace in my tun affected volume, too. When I realized volume was low I should have added more sparge water and done another batch sparge. As it was, I added water to the boil which had 0 sugars in it. Thinking that's the reason.

I mashed in at 1.34 qts/lb like I mentioned and I got 79% efficiency. I can't say that it helped anything to go thin, since I've gotten 79% efficiency on batches as thick as 1.15 qts/lb before. I also lost more to grain absorption this time for some reason. Usually my predictions are right on, so I'm not sure what happened with this batch. I have a friend who likes to mash real thick (1qt/lb) on his dark beers, and he always makes exceptional beer. I might try a real thick mash next time to see what happens...

 

[tre9er]

it's interesting because other tests would suggest there is efficiency to be gained by mashing thin.

 

[Stauffbier]

it's interesting because other tests would suggest there is efficiency to be gained by mashing thin.

I agree. I've read it on many occassions, but I've also heard people say the opposite. There are just too many variables when it comes to efficiency from one brewer to the next. I like to experiment with different things to see if I can raise my efficiency, but I think more importantly it's better to achieve consistancy. I'm pretty happy with my consistant 75-79% range, so I don't feel overly compelled to improve it. That doesn't mean I won't keep experimenting, but if I never do any better I'm fine with that...

 

[Mindhop]

I am surprised that this has not been mentioned yet. I stopped preheating my mashtun. I just mash in around 168ish in a cold cooler. I leave my last gallon out until my temp reaches 152ish. If it is to high I add cold water. I will lose a degree in an hour. I usually get 80% efficiency. I'm not saying my way is better but just different.

Cheers

 

[Stauffbier]

I am surprised that this has not been mentioned yet. I stopped preheating my mashtun. I just mash in around 168ish in a cold cooler. I leave my last gallon out until my temp reaches 152ish. If it is to high I add cold water. I will lose a degree in an hour. I usually get 80% efficiency. I'm not saying my way is better but just different.

Cheers

You must be the exception to the rule then. If I did that my mash would end up in the mid to low 140's.. My cooler absorbs way too much heat to do that.

 

[ChemE]

I spent some time when I first set up my MLT playing around with my equipment settings in BeerSmith. Specifically for me I added the weight of the MLT and had to change the heat capacity from the default 0.3 cal/g°C to 0.525 cal/g°C (this based on initial observations of my first few strikes and the resulting temperature of the mash). Once I fixed these two things BeerSmith nails my mash temp within 1°F every time. To me preheating is just one extra step on brew day and really is only a band aid applied to the wound of imprecision. Another trick that I didn't see mentioned was placing aluminum foil under the lid. Not only does it stop convection as the saran wrap mentioned but it also stops virtually all the radiation losses which is VERY significant.

Regarding thick/thin mashing and efficiency a huge benefit to a thick mash is you have much more sparge water to lauter with. My finest beer is an oatmeal stout that I nailed 92% efficiency on and sparged down to 1.003 during the lauter. pH never rises because I carefully work my salt profile and mash salts so I do not fear tannin extraction.