First All Grain help

[urbrainwashd]

So I did my first all grain the other day and I think I might of used too much water? I did the correct amount of water, but while I was waiting for mash the temp kept going about three degrees lower so I kept putting hot water in each time I stirred, when I was draining wort into pot it came out dark and towards the end it was clear and cloudy... I also had extra water I dumped... Is this ok?

American cream ale from Northern Brewer, the extra water was just boiled water w/o grains, I never boiled the wort I was waiting the hour for 150 degrees, it got to about 147, I stirred every 20 mins and it'd the degree would drop so I had a boiling kettle I kept putting in to put the temp up... I never tested the OG

 

[patthebrewer]

What are you using as a mash tun?

Adding water during the mash may or may not hurt your efficiency, depend on how much water you use total (both infusion, and sparge). You need to calculate the water you'll need for your grain bill. Brewers friend is a good way to do that.

You also say that you didn't test your wort? If you don't have the OG you're flying blind, not only will you not know what your mash conversion was, but you won't know how much alcohol is in your beer.

In any case goodluck, and don't be disappointed if your first batch doesn't come out the way you think it should (It could be great also!) Remember practice makes perfect

 

[charliehorse]

Pat raised a good question: what are you using for a mash tun? If it's a kettle, insulate it. If you're loosing 3 degrees over 90 minutes, you're either spending too much time mashing in or you're not getting your strike water hot enough.

But, let's look at the meat of your question:
"I did the correct amount of water... I kept putting hot water in each time I stirred"

First of all, get a probe type electronic thermometer (they run about $15 at Wally World) and put a few inches of heat shrink tubing where the cable goes into the probe. That way you can leave your mash tun CLOSED. Secondly, once you mash your grains in, leave the mash tun CLOSED.
Thirdly, once you have your grains mashed in, don't open the mash tun to stir the grains and check the temperature. Leave your mash tun CLOSED.

Every time you open it, you're letting heat out. The only time you need to open your mash tun, except to vorloft or sparge (that these times, you don't care what the temperature is) is if the thing is on fire and since it's water, that ain't gonna happen.