First Mash Cluster F#*!

[Tvc15]

I was expecting lots of problems but I was not expecting LOTS of problems!

Makini a Stone IPA clone from Brewsmith

1) Outside tem was 28 and I was brewing with the garage door 1/2 open. Everything was hard to keep at temp

2) Bought a new Boilermaker and assumed the thermo was already calibrated- WRONG

3) Used a pump to get 168 strike degree water into the cooler, looks like I lost 5-10 degrees in the process to getting it to the tun

4) Have 10 gallon cooler and cut out a slot for a old Blichmann thermo I had on hand- after I added the grain it was reading -140 but another therm I had said 150- WTF I did a HERM thing and tried to raise the temp... in the end I mashed for 75 min rather than 60- First running was 1.059

5) Sparge seemed to go OK

6) Preboil was only 1.040 so I added a bound of light DME to get it back to mid 1.055 ish

7) added a hop rocket- that is another story- Need to calibrate ALL thermos!

Tips... at least the fermentation is alive

 

[forstmeister]

Easy way to make sure strike temp is good is to add the water at around 10 degrees higher than you need for strike. That way it preheats your mash tun. Just let it cool to desired temp and add grain.