Hey all,
I'm 6 AG batches in and I've made huge progress in my technique thanks mainly to HBT. I feel like I've got a pretty good hold on my AG process except for one recurring issue around mash temperature.
After struggling to hit my strike temps, I started preheating my strike water to about 5 degrees above strike temp, pouring into my 42 quart rectangular mash tun, and waiting till it dropped to strike temp to dough in. I also built a styrofoam insulator to minimize headspace. Both these moves helped me keep temps within a reasonable range but I'm still struggling.
On my last brew I waited till my water hit strike temps (also preheated my mash tun with about a gallon of boiling water) and then doughed in. I used brew365.com to calculate temps and the mash tun was indoors. After quickly stirring everything up I tried to take the temp to get an idea if I had hit my mash temp. However, I experienced big temperature swings with my instant thermometer (like 130-160) and I think I left the mash tun open a bit too long as a result. I struggled to maintain temps throughout the mash and had to pour some hot sparge water in to keep the temperature above 148.
So I have a few questions I'm hoping the veterans can answer:
-Should I just have faith in the calculations and hold off on taking the temp until 30 minutes in? And just shut the cooler as soon as possible after stirring?
-Is there a better way to monitor temperature (without going crazy) than to try to get a quick reading while stirring occasionally? I have considered buying a long thermometer and sticking it through my styrofoam insulating layer so I can get a temp read without totally exposing the grain bed to cooler air..good idea?
Thanks!
I'm 6 AG batches in and I've made huge progress in my technique thanks mainly to HBT. I feel like I've got a pretty good hold on my AG process except for one recurring issue around mash temperature.
After struggling to hit my strike temps, I started preheating my strike water to about 5 degrees above strike temp, pouring into my 42 quart rectangular mash tun, and waiting till it dropped to strike temp to dough in. I also built a styrofoam insulator to minimize headspace. Both these moves helped me keep temps within a reasonable range but I'm still struggling.
On my last brew I waited till my water hit strike temps (also preheated my mash tun with about a gallon of boiling water) and then doughed in. I used brew365.com to calculate temps and the mash tun was indoors. After quickly stirring everything up I tried to take the temp to get an idea if I had hit my mash temp. However, I experienced big temperature swings with my instant thermometer (like 130-160) and I think I left the mash tun open a bit too long as a result. I struggled to maintain temps throughout the mash and had to pour some hot sparge water in to keep the temperature above 148.
So I have a few questions I'm hoping the veterans can answer:
-Should I just have faith in the calculations and hold off on taking the temp until 30 minutes in? And just shut the cooler as soon as possible after stirring?
-Is there a better way to monitor temperature (without going crazy) than to try to get a quick reading while stirring occasionally? I have considered buying a long thermometer and sticking it through my styrofoam insulating layer so I can get a temp read without totally exposing the grain bed to cooler air..good idea?
Thanks!