First all grain brew

[alpine85]

Completed my first all grain brew last night, and this is my first post here.
Found a simple stout recipe in a recent brew advocate.
Somehow managed to get a 74% efficiency.

However, I screwed up the mash temp pretty bad. I checked only the top of the strike water as it heated which did not reflect the core temp. When I checked the temp of my mash it was 178. Oops.
Do you guys pour your strike water in your mash tun and let the temp settle before adding your grain? Seems like a good double check.

Only other thing is I wish my brew kettle showed the volume for easy calculations.

 

[Dmlsys23]

I do pour my strike water in my mash tun and let It sit for 10 minutes before adding my grain. I mix thoroughly and then check the temp in the middle of the mash and on either side to ensure a consistent temp throughout the mash.

 

[andy6026]

178 is way to high, and without getting into science that I don't understand, screws up the mash (something with enzymes and proteins and the like...).

I usually don't pour the water in first, as I don't want to warp the plastic on my mash-tun and cause it to leach into the water (perhaps I'm over-paranoid). I put the grains in first and then the water. Either way you have to calculate/guestimate what temperature to heat the water to in order to reach your desired temp when the grains and water combine.

Others more knowledgeable will chip in, but given the very high mash temp, you might have some problems with this beer.

 

[Ski12568]

From this link:

"Conversely, a high temperature conversion step (154F-156F/68-69 C) emphasizing alpha amylase gives you more unfermentable sugars, resulting in lower alcohol content and a full bodied beer with a lot of mouth-feel. Moderate conversion temperatures (150-153F/65-67C) result in a medium body beer. In BeerSmith the mash profiles are labeled light, medium and full bodied to make this selection easy."

Sounds to me like the beer will be very sweet because there are more unfermentable sugars than fermentable. Your FG might be really high.

 

[sky4meplease]

After botching a few mash temps due to not mixing the strike water well enough, I stir like a mad man for the last 5-7 degrees now. Seems to have solved the problem.
Between stirring strike water and then doughing in my forearms are burning and I'm ready for a home brew once I get the mash started.