water first or grain first?

[Jack]

Which do you add to your MLT first?

I believe John Palmer says that you should add the grain first, but I don't remember why.

A lot of homebrewers I talk to in real life say that you should add the water first because then you can add the grain at exactly the strike temperature you want (i.e. there's no risk of your calculation being off).

I've been doing grain first, but I've been thinking that water first could be better.

 

[Sea]

I add H20 first, because I heat it up a bit above my strike temp and let it heat the tun as it cools. As long as you mix your mash well enough, I can't see why it would matter that much which you do first though.

 

[eddie]

I heat the water to about 15F over my strike temp and add it to my MT. Then I close the lid and let the water preheat my MT for 20 min, check the temp and leave the lid ajar until the water comes down to my strike temp and add the grains to the water. I lose less than 2F over my mash time doing it this way. Also, I seem to have fewer doughballs adding the grain to the water rather than the other way around.

 

[Yooper]

Yes, I always do water first for a couple of reasons. First, as was stated, it easier in a MLT cooler to hit your temperatures that way. Secondly, I fill with about 1/2 the water, then open the ballvalve and run a tiny bit of water into the tube. I close it, and add some grain, more water, more grain, etc, stirring all the whole. One time I had a vacuum and found that if I drain a little water like this first, it lauters better.

I read that Palmer says to always add water to grain, never the other way, but I've never discovered his rationale for it.

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

+1 on water first. I dirrect fire my MLT, so I heat my strike water up before I add my grain.

 

[ajf]

I do exactly what Yooper said, and for the same reasons, plus it's easier to mix if you don't have too much water or too much dry grain all at once.

-a.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I've done both, and have never had a problem hitting temp. I find it a bit easier to add the grain first though. Now that I've got my own mill (which fits nicely over the mash tun) I'll certainly be adding grain first.

 

[bru-er]

I've done both, and have never had a problem hitting temp. I find it a bit easier to add the grain first though. Now that I've got my own mill (which fits nicely over the mash tun) I'll certainly be adding grain first.

+1 I have done both.

As for adding water first then grain - I hit temps this way by allowing the MLT to come up to temp. Last mash lost 1 degree over 90 min. This is my preferred method, although I have had more doughballs this way.

As for the other method I find it is easier to stir the grain due to all the air being released. I have read that this method reduces the risk of overheating small portions of the grain - but since it is only a short amount of time and if stirred I don't think that is really a concern.