strike temperature

[brewjohn]

I have 2 mash tuns both homemade and find both have the same problem. If I fill with water at 72c ( after heating the tun) adding the grain brings it down to about 63-64 and have to add hot water to get it back up to 66C I find I have to start at about 75-76 and then add grain to get a mash of 66c. Apart from that they keep the temp steady over 60mins does anyone else find they have to start the strike bit hotter . PS the grain is allways at room temperature.

[Jim]

An important variable is the ratio of water to grain. Less water or more grain will mean a lower mash temperature for the same strike water temperature. Andy has produced a neat little calculator to help you work this out - here.

I find I have to use a strike temperature of 73C to get the mash to start out at around 66C. That's using about 3l of water per kg of grain.

[brewjohn]

Thanks JIm. I used 2.5Ltr to each Kg of grain as in Graham Wheelers book but it most likely ended up as 3Ltr by the time extra hot water was added

[AceMcAce]

Count yourself lucky. My mash tun is made from a sanke keg and my strike water needs to be 85 degrees to get the mash at 67.

[Jocky]

I add strike water to my mash tun to warm it. If it's still above strike temperature I can just leave it a few minutes with the lid off to cool to where I need it.

Keep lots of notes and you'll figure out the right volume and temperatures before long.

[Fil]

my old trusty viking coldbox tun out on the patio in all weather, needed a single kettle of boiling water in for 20mins to preheat and a strike temp of 71.7c according to my controler and probe to hit a mash temp of 66-67 with a grainbill of 4.5- 5kg.

then i upgraded to a bigger SS thermopot inside a dedicated brewshed , Now i add 3-4 kettles of water to preheat and underlet my strike liquor at 74-5C.. took a couple of brews and a few thin mashes to hit the sweetspot..

[Capped]

I got my mashtun, a Coleman Extreme together with all the necessary plumbing for a tenner off the 'Barnsley Brewer' (eyup John!) about six years ago. Got to be the bargain of the century, if not all-time. Anyways I mash on the high-side these days so strike temp is 75C, mash ends up at 68-69C and it'll hold that temp for longer than I'll ever require it to.