Mash Tun dead space

So I moved up to a herms system with a mash tun with a false bottom. If I am using 1.31 quarts per pound of grain I am assuming I add the water in the dead space to the starting 1.31 quarts per pound to get my beginning water volume.... Can someone verify this? Thanks

 

You are correct. Whatever your dead space volume is must be added into any water calculations for that vessel. Otherwise you'll be short that dead space amount every time.

 

I've heard both ways.

For me, I mash at a standard schedule, as all of my "dead" water is removed from the tun ... Not quite sure on how to account if liquid is left behind

 

I think that you need to add the volume below the false bottom to the water/grain ratio to keep the mash thickness where you calculated it. The volume left in the mash tun after sparging should be an addition to the sparge volume, and doesn't make much difference as it ends up with very little sugars in it.

 

Liquid below the FB isn't technically "dead space" for that is a term reserved for the amount of liquid left after fully draining. I've been calling it "slack space" figuring it's as good as any other term. I add slack space volume to my total strike calculation, AFTER figuring for 1.4 qt/lb.

 

If you're recirculating do you need to worry about, uh, slackspace?

 

Thanks for all the help.

 

Worry? No. But it's liquid that doesn't add to the fluidity of the grain bed like it would if it were in something like a cooler. It forces you to mash a bit thinner than you normally would.