Have only watched this one so far: Brew Day Part 1 - 2.5 Gallon BIAB - HBW - Homebrew Wednesday
I'm just throwing out some observations/questions while I'm watching:
You mention you don't use a strike temp above your desired mash temp. Instead you adjust the mash's temp after dough in to account for temp loss during dough in. The reason was you didn't want to denature enzymes due to having too high a strike temp, correct? In the small amount of time before the strike temp water drops to mash temp during dough in, do the enzymes have time to activate and then denature?
You dough in at 151F, stir and let it sit - 5 mins.
You note that mash temp is ~145F.
Turn on TOP and pump, let it come back up to mash temp - 15 mins (stated in video that 15 mins had passed, but didn't say if mash temp had just arrived back at 151F at the 15 min mark, so could be < 15 mins).
So ~15-20 mins of mashing at less than 151F (desired mash temp). Then mash at 151F for 60 mins (guessing, you didn't say in video).
Quite a bit of conversion can happen in the first 15-20 mins (what %, I don't know).
How big an effect does denaturing enzymes (for the brief dough in period) have? Would having a strike temp halfway between desired mash temp and "normal" strike temp denature fewer enzymes (than at "normal" strike temp)? That would put you that much closer to desired mash temp after dough in and you wouldn't have to mash for as long a time at a lower mash temp (until it comes back up to desired temp). Also, what effect does mashing at the lower temp have
in comparison to having some enzymes denatured?
As I said, just throwing out some observations and questions.
Thanks for the videos. Off to watch some more.