Add water to grain or grain to water

[blowmax10]

In my MLT does it mater if I add the water to the grain or the grain to the water?

 

[BarleyWater]

Grain to water, you are more likely to get dough balls the other way.

 

[Bullbythehorns]

Grain to water, you are more likely to get dough balls the other way.

+1

I have a lot less doughballs to break up when I add the grain to the water. Also, I let my MLT absorb some of the heat of the water before adding my grain, saves the step of preheating the Tun in my process.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

+1 on doughballs. Also, for me at least, it is easier to hit the right strike temp if the water is already in the mash tun.

 

[brrman]

I usually add water to grain - but this past brew I added grain to water and thought it mixed in better with less doughballs. I'll be doing grain to water from now on.

 

[chefchris]

I do grain to water. This way I heat up the strike water about 10 degrees higher than my strike temp so it preheats the tun.

 

[CaptYesterday]

I add the grain and water together in increments and stir like like a madman with a whisk to break up any clumps and prevent dough balls.

The thing I like about doing it this way is I know I am getting an even temp distribution throughout the mash and I can rest assured that I will not lose any efficiency to dough balls.

 

[blowmax10]

Thanks everyone

Great feedback!

Looks like adding the grain to the water is the preferred method

 

[jdinger29]

This is interesting... I have always added water to grain and haven't had a problem with doughballs, but I am doing small batches which I am sure makes a difference. I may have to try it the other way next time I brew... Good info, thanks!

 

[dasein668]

This is interesting... I have always added water to grain and haven't had a problem with doughballs, but I am doing small batches which I am sure makes a difference. I may have to try it the other way next time I brew... Good info, thanks!

I find that I get far worse doughballs adding the grain to the water.

 

[MultumInParvo]

I have never even thought of this. I have always just put the grain in first, haven't thought of it the other way. I guess I'll have to give it a try.

 

[RighteousFire]

i stick my mixer ( a paint mixer attached to a drill) in and mix up the water as I add the grains in portions at a time. works well and requires less mixing i feel.

 

[Q2XL]

I asked the same question, also with a poll. Here it is.....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/do-you-add-water-grain-grain-water-118366/

 

[weirdboy]

I have done both. Never had a doughball either way, so I dunno what you other guys are doing. Lately I have been doing grain to water because of the process I've been using to preheat my MLT with my strike water.

 

[EvilGnome6]

I add grain to water. I have Mrs. Gnome drop in one scoop at a time while I stir.

 

[rico567]

I add water to grain, and get no doughballs; just dump in the entire grain bill, and put the strike water on top, and stir, stir, stir. I don't think it matters, given my methods. My mash ratio is high enough, and I mix long enough, that I don't think I'm going to get doughballs unless I step it up to a really big grain bill / low mash ratio. I've not been doing AG that long (6 batches) to speak categorically, and am always open to new information, but so far, so good.

 

[dasein668]

...I mix long enough, that I don't think I'm going to get doughballs....

That's the key. When I said earlier that I get more doughballs with grain to water than the other way around, I meant, I have more doughballs to break up before the mash is well mixed. You and I seem to be in the minority in finding water to grain to work better. Interesting.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

That's the key. When I said earlier that I get more doughballs with grain to water than the other way around, I meant, I have more doughballs to break up before the mash is well mixed. You and I seem to be in the minority in finding water to grain to work better. Interesting.

I've never even tried water to grain. I suspect that most of us here are using the water to preheat the mash tun and letting it cool to strike temperature. This would possibly be the main reason that we do grain to water.

 

[dasein668]

I've never even tried water to grain. I suspect that most of us here are using the water to preheat the mash tun and letting it cool to strike temperature. This would possibly be the main reason that we do grain to water.

Yeah, that makes sense. My process includes preheating the tun with just a couple quarts of hot tap water to take the edge of the chill off then pouring that off. My brewing software does a good job of calculating the correct strike temperature based on my process now that I've got all my vessels calibrated, so it works ok for me.

 

[rico567]

I've never even tried water to grain. I suspect that most of us here are using the water to preheat the mash tun and letting it cool to strike temperature. This would possibly be the main reason that we do grain to water.

This would be more efficient than what I do, but I'm not that good at hitting the exact (or close to) temperatures yet. I made the mistake of thinking that formulas, tables, or brewing software was going to somehow let me do this, but I discovered by trial and (mostly) error that the only thing I could do was to discover how my particular rig behaved.

Once I discovered the other thing (that the mash must be stirred A LOT before the temperature becomes equalized throughout), I had a handle on it. My last batch (my 6th), I put in the strike water and nailed the mash temperature. Maybe soon I'll put these parameters to use, and think about reversing and go to grain into water

 

[lamarguy]

Either way is perfectly fine. The only caveat is, if you add water to grain, be sure your strike water is less than 140F (below the starch gelatinization temperature).

Otherwise, the likelihood of dough balls goes up exponentially.

 

[nostalgia]

I do grain to water. This way I heat up the strike water about 10 degrees higher than my strike temp so it preheats the tun.

Preheating the tun is really the only reason I add the grain to the water. It takes one variable out of the strike temp equation - I don't have to care about how much heat my MLT absorbs because it happens before the grain gets added and can be ignored.

-Joe

 

[rico567]

Either way is perfectly fine. The only caveat is, if you add water to grain, be sure your strike water is less than 140F (below the starch gelatinization temperature).

Otherwise, the likelihood of dough balls goes up exponentially.

My strike water for my last two batches has been 164 and 163, respectively. Nary a sign of a doughball. I suspect that my rather large water / grist ratio (1.5 qts. / lb.) prevents that gelatinization from being a problem.....

 

[DeathBrewer]

Water, grain, stir, water, grain, stir, water, grain, stir, etc.

I sometimes pour the water for 5 gallon batches, or I simply have it pouring from the hot water tank into the mash tun for larger batches.

If I'm doing BIAB, I just heat up the water by itself, then add in the grains a bit at a time while I stir.

 

[lamarguy]

My strike water for my last two batches has been 164 and 163, respectively. Nary a sign of a doughball. I suspect that my rather large water / grist ratio (1.5 qts. / lb.) prevents that gelatinization from being a problem.....

And, I quote:

When mashing in at or above the gelatinization temperature of barley starch (between 140 and 150 *F / 60-65 *C) the grains should always be added to the strike water rather than the strike water to the grains. This minimizes the formation of dough balls. Such dough balls form when the starch around them gelatenizes which provides a barrier for mash water. If they are not broken up during dough in, they can later release unconverted starches into the mash.