so I have made 2 batches of the same pale ale and I screwed up my strike water temp both times. Both were 5 gallon batches I am using a 10 gallon igloo cooler with a false bottom 1st time without beersmith 2 11 lbs grain 50 F mash tun 67 F grain 152 F target temp 163 strike water temp 146 mash in temp It was windy and 48 Degrees in the garage 2nd attempt with beersmith 2 11 pounds of grain 66 F mash temp 66 F grain temp 152 F target temp 170 strike water 162 F mash in and rested at 158 after stirring and adding some cold water I don't know why beersmith 2 had my strike temp so high. I am a little frustrated because I want to get this right. I didn't preheat the mash tun either. I am looking for a simple direction to get me near my 152 target, I plan on brewing again this weekend to get it right.
7* warmer strike water won't cause a 16* increase in mash temp. What kind of thermometer are you using, and could you describe your process of doughing in and taking the temperature?
I find you generally lose 10-12f in temp (depending on the water to grist ratio) from strike temp to rest temp. As for beersmith, are you using a default equipment profile, or did you create one for your specific set up?
I am using a thermapen, I heat my strike water up to the desired temp and I scoop out 2 gallons as my son slowly adds the grains and stirs. I then lift my 15 gallon kettle and pour the rest of the water in. We stir for a few minutes and then take the temp
Were your water ratios the same both times? How much water (in quarts/pound of grain) did you use? I usually go with 1.25qt/lb of grain. I preheat my mash tun with water that's 180F--too hot, I know. I let that heat the tun and add a few ice cubes until I'm 14F above my desired mash temp. I dough in within about a degree of where I want to be. If you increase the amount of water ratio, the temperature on that water will drop a little. 1.5qt/lb of grain I'd expect it to be more like 12F higher than my desired mash temp. Get a few batches under your belt and take lots of measurements and notes. You'll learn your system, and what you need to do to make it work. Have additional boiling water and ice cubes on hand to adjust on the fly. Heating a little extra water won't hurt because you're going to need to heat more water for sparging anyway.
1.25 *11lb = 13.75 quarts needed 13.75 quarts/ 4 quarts in a gallon 3.43 gallons needed. Not quite 3.69, but it shouldn't break the bank either. If it were me, I'd try to hit a middle of the road mash temp next batch, like 154F. That will give you room on both ends to error. I'd rather be high than low, because when you're low, you have to add more water to get up to temp. You'll lose efficiency because you have less sparge water to work with. If you're high, a little cool water, or ice cubes goes a very long way and are easy to work with. The two temps that matter the most are your grain temp and your strike water temp. Preheating the cooler removes a variable. Add your whole strike water volume to the cooler before you stir in your grains. You should lose 5-10 degrees preheating your cooler, so plan for this. Outside temps shouldn't factor in so much during your dough in, as much as they may change how many degrees you lose during a 60 min mash.
It's somewhat confusing because your numbers aren't consistent. 163-146 = 17 170-162 = 8 The colder mash tun on the first try shouldn't make that much of a difference. Maybe 2-3 degrees. Regardless, your strike temp is going to be somewhere between 163 and 170 assuming the grain and tun are in the mid 60s. This is what I do. It works every time. Don't preheat the tun. Dump all the strike water in the tun. Gradually mix the grain (2-3 minutes). Check the mash temperature 3-4 minutes later. Boom, the mash temp is within 1 degree of the intended mash temp.
