McCoy
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- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
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I have lately been brewing some more unusual batches, and have been limiting them to 3 gallons so I don't get stuck with too much undrinkable beer if they don't turn out. I have been doing BIAB with them since the grain bill is very manageable at that size. I noticed that I was losing a lot more heat when doughing in than BeerSmith was predicting I should: while BeerSmith was predicting I should lose about 8-9 degrees F, I would be seeing a drop of 15-20 degrees. I started to compensate, but tonight I noticed something after I doughed in (about 5 minutes ago).
I usually actively stir while doughing in, pouring the malt with one hand with a big spoon in the other, but I don't usually stir as much while taking the temperature of the mash. Most importantly, it seems, I don't stir up the mash from the bottom of the pot.
While I read 153 degrees F after doughing in, once I stirred up the mash a bit, I was reading more around 167 degrees F. Way too hot, but putting me more or less in line with BeerSmith's prediction. I added some cold water to bring the temp down and everything seems fine now, but it left me wondering if this is common knowledge and I'm just a dummy. Have you observed inhomogeneities in your mash temp throughout the vessel?
I suspect this is more of a BIAB issue since the vessel is heated from one side rather than being homogenously heated by the strike water itself.
I usually actively stir while doughing in, pouring the malt with one hand with a big spoon in the other, but I don't usually stir as much while taking the temperature of the mash. Most importantly, it seems, I don't stir up the mash from the bottom of the pot.
While I read 153 degrees F after doughing in, once I stirred up the mash a bit, I was reading more around 167 degrees F. Way too hot, but putting me more or less in line with BeerSmith's prediction. I added some cold water to bring the temp down and everything seems fine now, but it left me wondering if this is common knowledge and I'm just a dummy. Have you observed inhomogeneities in your mash temp throughout the vessel?
I suspect this is more of a BIAB issue since the vessel is heated from one side rather than being homogenously heated by the strike water itself.