tranceamerica
Well-Known Member
I do all grain, with a 5 gallon rubbermaid container for my mash tun.
I use beersmith to help me figure my temps. I have a nifty digital thermometer with a remote sensor, so I can get good temps.
However, lately I realized that I wasn't really sparging correctly. Beersmith was leading me astray. I was mashing, then sparging with 168 deg water, but realized that I'm supposed to be RAISING the grainbed temp to 168-170, then sparging with 168 deg water.
Used a different setting in Beersmith to find the change temp. (used mash profile of "single infusion, medium body" instead of "single infusion, medium body, batch sparge")
by doing this, i effectively do a mashout, then sparge.
my problem is that I can't seem to hit the right temps. For example:
1) at mash in, it appears that the TOP of the mash tun is at the right temp, but if I take a sample running, the BOTTOM seems to be much lower. (for example, top at 154, bottom at 145)
2) at mash out, I add the required amount/temp of water, yet only hit 164-166 for the TOP. The bottom (tested by doing a sample running) will be something again like 150.
Yes, I do stir the crap out of it when I put in the hotter water. Or any of the water for that matter.
How the HECK do I get the grain bed to 168 and hold it at 168 for the duration of the sparge? I batch sparge, in two equal amounts, BTW.
I'd say it's a matter of dialing in my equipment, but the temp difference top to bottom is really worrying me.
I use beersmith to help me figure my temps. I have a nifty digital thermometer with a remote sensor, so I can get good temps.
However, lately I realized that I wasn't really sparging correctly. Beersmith was leading me astray. I was mashing, then sparging with 168 deg water, but realized that I'm supposed to be RAISING the grainbed temp to 168-170, then sparging with 168 deg water.
Used a different setting in Beersmith to find the change temp. (used mash profile of "single infusion, medium body" instead of "single infusion, medium body, batch sparge")
by doing this, i effectively do a mashout, then sparge.
my problem is that I can't seem to hit the right temps. For example:
1) at mash in, it appears that the TOP of the mash tun is at the right temp, but if I take a sample running, the BOTTOM seems to be much lower. (for example, top at 154, bottom at 145)
2) at mash out, I add the required amount/temp of water, yet only hit 164-166 for the TOP. The bottom (tested by doing a sample running) will be something again like 150.
Yes, I do stir the crap out of it when I put in the hotter water. Or any of the water for that matter.
How the HECK do I get the grain bed to 168 and hold it at 168 for the duration of the sparge? I batch sparge, in two equal amounts, BTW.
I'd say it's a matter of dialing in my equipment, but the temp difference top to bottom is really worrying me.