mgable
Well-Known Member
Wich way is better? To add the hot water to the grain or the grain to the hot water and what differance does it make?
Mash in question?
- Thread starter mgable
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I think most people add hot water to the mashtun a few degrees over the strike temp then wait for the temp to equalize and cool a little before dumping the grain in. this helps insure a perfect rest temp that isnt screwed up by the thermal mass of the mashtun.
EamusCatuli
Well-Known Member
Yeah most people put the hot water in first as a way of pre-heating the tun, then getting it down to strike temp, then add the grains. Not sure if any other way would make a huge difference though....
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mgable
Well-Known Member
so far I have been using hot water 190 degrees to preheat my mash tun then I dump this water and either add my grain then water or water then grain. I havent noticed any real differance in my beer so far but was wondering what the preferred methode is?
WBC
Well-Known Member
+1 what they said. It gives you a very accurate strike temp that way. Also pay attention to grain temp because it does affect the mash temp.
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mgable
Well-Known Member
I do add water that is higher than my mash temp. I use brewsmith and add the the water acording to the program. It does tell me to preheat the mash tun first.
WBC
Well-Known Member
That's correct. Just go a few degrees higher and let it sit with the lid on to stabilize and then check it. I find after a few times doing this you will be able to know how many degrees over the strike temperature you have to go to get it almost dead on stabilized strike temp.
I don't know that it makes a difference but I go water first. I preheat with a gallon of 180 deg, dump it and then add my strke water. The calculators in various brewing software are pretty accurate to figure strike temp.
WBC
Well-Known Member
You are just wasting propane to heat extra water. You get the same thing done by going a few degrees higher than the strike temp as I said in my last post. Water first.
justbrewit
Zythos Conisseur
i add about a quart of water, then add grains until it looks a bit dry, add more water and keep going back and forth until all grains are added. i heat up to 180 and hit my mash temp every time. i read somewhere about dry spots and that its best to add a bit of water, then a bit of grains and keep stirring in between each addition. i haven't had any problems but what works for me might not work for you.
WBC
Well-Known Member
If you add grain and all the water is already in there the grain floats until it is wet enough to sink. It is fairly hard to get a dry spot if you constantly stir while pouring the grain in a bit at a time. I have dumped in half of a 23 LB grain bill and stirred and then slowly added while stiring. No problems with doughballs.
cee3
Well-Known Member
For what it's worth, John Palmer's book recommends adding the grain first, then adding the water a gallon at a time, stirring between additions (careful not to aerate). He also recommends preheating the tun with a gal of boiling water. That seems a bit hot for the plastic coolers (which he's using). Seems like the majority here add water first. Probably not a lot of difference.
