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Mash In, Mash Out, Rise... Guidance Needed - Please

Nwilson92

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I have decided to make the move from extract to all grain and in reading one of the recipes in Beersmith.com, I'm left with questions:

For Mash/Steep, the last part of the recipes reads:
  1) 0 min - Mash In (156.0 F for 45 min, 2 min rise)
        Add 27.56 qt water at 167.8 F
  2) 47 min - Mash Out (168.0 F for 10 mins, 2 min rise)
        Add 10.63 qt water at 203.5 F

As I read this, I think for:
  Step 1, I need to Mash In at 156.0 F for 45 mins and then add 27.56 qts of 167.8 F water for 2 mins to raise the temp. Is this correct?
  Step 2, I do not understand step 2.... help?

Thanks in advance for your guidance.
 
Close but no cigar...

So your mash has two steps:
At "minute zero", add 27 qts of water at 167.8 to your tun... then after adding the grains, which will cool the water down, you'll hopefully be at 156.  This process will take you 2 minutes.

(personally I have found this takes more like 5 minutes and I need to heat my water above the 167.8... I'd suggest you overshoot, then if after mashing in you're above 156 stir until you hit the target)

Hang out and heat water until "minute 47".
Add 10.6 qt water at 203.  This will take you 2 minutes, and at the end you'll hopefully be at 168.  (personally I have found this step to be dead on)

Hang out for 10 minutes, then move on to vorlauf and sparge!!
 
You said all grain but are you traditional or BIAB?

I have done both and the earlier advice for traditional is accurate.

For BIAB, I recommend going 5 degrees above target mash temp and then mash in.  If you wrap the pot in something to insulate it a bit you drop 4-5 degrees over the course of an hour.  I usually just watch the temp and goose it as necessary to. Ain't akin the temp your looking for.  Usually mash for 60 mins though.

For mash out I start about 5 mins before times up with heating the mash.  I'll push it to 168-170 and cut off the heat.  Leave the top off.  I mash out for 10 mins and pull/drain the grain bag.  I'm usually within 2-4 pts of target OG.
 
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