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Mash Temperature consistantly 4 to 5 degrees low

rjfvt

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hello, I have entered the proper equipment weight and volume for my mash tun. I've entered the actual temperature of the grain and mash tum into Beersmith 3. my mash temperature has been consistently low by 4 to 5 degrees. this is frustrating because it changes the type beer I'm trying to make. how can I fix this.


Thank you,
Rick
 
Can you provide a recipe with your brewing equipment profile?

What are you using to check the temperature of the water, grain, and equipment? is it calibrated?

you say "consistently 4-5 degrees low", Fahrenheit? Celsius? how are you mixing your mash and checking the temperature? how many batches have been 4-5 degrees low?
 
I enter the temp of the grain and mash tun just prior to brewing so I have an accurate temp for the software to do its calculating. I also use a digital Fluke Meter with a heat probe.

Mash Tun: 15 gallon plastic cooler mash with a copper pipe drain. 15 Gallon, 15LBS, Mash Tun Specific Heat 0.30 Cal gram degree C

Maple Imperial Stout rev.C  (5.5 Gal Batch) 
10% ABV
56.9 SRM
71.4 IBU
19.75 Lbs. Various grains
1.7 oz Warrior Hops
1.081 OG "OG" Pre Boil Original Gravity after Mash
1.072 SG "SG" Starting Gravity post boil
1.022 FG "FG" Final Gravity after fermentation is complete
6.36 Gal Mash in volume
160.5? F Mash starting temperature to compensate for equipment and grain temperatures  160?F
19.75 Lbs. Grain
150? F Mash Temperature  144.2? F
XX Grams AddWater additions
10 Min At Ten minutes into the mash check PH 5.4(The Required PH is 5.4)
75 Min Mash steep time
50 Min Mash drain
3.48 Gal Batch sparge Volume
XX Grams Add Water additions
170? F Batch Sparge temperature 170?F
30 Min Batch Sparge steep time
30 Min Batch Sparge drain
6.47 Gal Pre Boil volume, add water if needed  (Pre boil actual amount 8.5 Gallons
1.081 OG Pre boil SG reading at 70? F  1.081OG
90 Min Boil time
90 Min Add 1.70 oz Warrior Hops
10 Min 2 Tablets Whirlfloc
10 Min Add 1lb Non-Fermentable Lactose Sugar
10 Min Add 2.5 tbsp Yeast Nutrient
Flame Out Add 12 oz's Grade B Maple Syrup
1.072 SG Post boil SG reading at 70? F  1.099 SG
5.50 Gal Post Boil Volume needed (Post boil actual amount 6.4 Gallons
2 pks Wyeast Labs #1332 Yeast. One package per carboy

Water additions Mash Batch Sparge
Gypsum 2.5 Grams 1.4 Grams
Chalk 3.2 Grams 0 Grams
Calcium Chloride 1.9 Grams 1.0 Grams
Lactic Acid 2.6 0 ML

Water Target Profile: Ca: 100 Mg: 5 Na: 35 Cl: 60 SO4: 50 HCO3: 260
RO Water End Profile: Ca: 99 Mg: 0 Na: 29 Cl: 59 SO4: 68.3 HCO3: 185.2
 
The easiest way to fix this is to first make sure your thermometer is calibrated using an ice bath and boiling water.  Next, I would recommend making a copy of your brewed recipe in BeerSmith. 

Now go to the mash profile in the recipe, edit and change the  target mash temperature to match your actual measurement.

Go to the design tab and adjust the specific gravity of your equipment.  You can access this in the recipe by clicking on the check mark button next to the equipment profile on the design tab. 

Make an adjustment until the recommended strike temperature matches you actual strike temperature.

Once you have this set, save the equipment profile by clicking on the disk icon next to the equipment profile.  You will need to update all your recipes with this new profile so I recommend giving it a new name to make it differentiated from your old profile.
 
16 degrees of temp loss seems a bit excessive to me, i generally see around 10F on my system which I'm sure is different than yours.

make sure you're mixing and measuring in your initial water accurately, and mixing your grain and water thoroughly as well. If you're just checking the water temp at the top of water that's being heated it will be different than the average temperature of the water.

as a side note, 150 v 145 will only result in a slight (1-1.5%) change in attenuation. So it shouldn't change the profile of the beer drastically.

Oginme's "work around" will work, as long as the issue isn't in your process or inaccurate measurements.

I was hoping you'd post a .bsmx file as that provides all of the data of your setup as well.
 
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