Water to grain question

[narl79]

So im wondering what the difference is to adding the water to the grain or adding the grain to water in the mash tun.

 

[dmashl]

I always add the grain slowly to the water and stir while I pour the grain in, to prevent dough balls

 

[vincentAlpha]

if you stir hard enough it doesn't make a difference as far as I can see, I like to sprinkle the grain on top since it keeps the steam in and helps prevent dough balls. I've also just dumped the whole bin in at once and stirred like heck and still wound up with 80+% efficiency and a good flow through the manifold.

 

[andy6026]

The only differences for me is that since I'm using a plastic cooler as a mash tun I am a little over-paranoid that hot water in the tun before the grains will warp the plastic and then leach into the wort. By putting them in first I also have a place to put the grains as they come out of the mill.

 

[vincentAlpha]

@andy6026 unless the plastic is really really soft stuff I wouldn't worry too much about hot water and plastic. I routinely use a plastic bucket as my mash tun and the weakest part is where I attached a ball valve so I could hook up my manifold and it is still plenty sturdy and I've yet to get any off flavours. If anything the bucket I use might be a bit thinner than a homer bucket, though can't say as I've ever compared side to side since I don't own any (nothing against them, I just like white plastic so I can see colours easier and not have my beer tinted construction orange when looking into the bucket).

 

[dmashl]

I use my empty fermenting bucket to catch my milled grain. i have my own grain mill, which saves money buy allowing me to buy my base grain in bulk(full bags). I rinse the bucket before I fill it with the cooled wort.

 

[helibrewer]

So im wondering what the difference is to adding the water to the grain or adding the grain to water in the mash tun.

I add grain to water because it allows me to get my RIM's and MLT up to temp with the strike water before adding my grain. I have contemplated pumping the water in through the bottom of the MLT filled with grain but it doesn't seem worth the extra effort.

 

[masonsjax]

It doesn't matter which order you add them, as long as they end up together at the right temp.

Personally I add strike water first several degrees above strike temp and let it preheat the cooler as it cools to exactly where I need it. Then I dump in the grist and stir like a madman.