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Cold Grain/Mash Tun Temperature

BeerSmith

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Now that the cold brewing season is here (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere at least), it is useful to know how to adjust BeerSmith if your grains and mash tun happen to start out at a cold temperature...

Lets pretend its 45F garage, and your grains and mash tun are stored at this temperature.

Here's how to adjust the mash profile to account for the cold start...

1. Open the recipe you want to brew.
2. Press the "Details" button next to the Mash Profile name.
3. Adjust the "Grain/Tun Temperature" in the Mash Profile to be 45 F (or whatever your mash tun and grain start at).
4. Press OK
5. Make sure your equipment profile is set correctly
 See: http://beersmith.com/equipment_setup.htm
6. Check the block "Adjust Temp for Equipment" in your recipe's Mash Profile if not already checked.

Now BeerSmith will adjust the mash temperatures to compensate for the cold grains and mash tun.

Cheers!
Brad
 
Is there any situation where one wouldn't want the "Adjust Temp for Equipment" box checked? This, I believe, is where I had problems with the first AG batch in hitting the proper temps (not that my mash was at the right temp anyway--stupid thermometer!).
 
Colin,
Some people prefer to pre-heat their mash tun in which case the adjustment for equipment would be inappropriate.

Cheers!
Brad
 
I am still learning BeerSmith and have a question in line with this thread.

If I preheat my tun, should I set the tun temp to the water temp after I pour it in, and tick the adjustment option?
 
Yes,
  If you preheat the mash tun, you would try to heat it to your target temperature before mixing the mash.  If you don't preheat the mash tun you should check the "Adjust temp for equipment" box.

Cheers!
Brad
 
Hey, just a quick question.

If I add my strike water to the tun and let the temp settle at infusion temp before the grain how should I adjust the grain/tun temperatures and should I adjust temp for equipment?

Example - grain temp is 17C, step temp is 55C, water to be added should be at 64C (10.26L mashtun temp set to 17C).

So should I set the grain to 17C and the tun to 61.9C (if I set the temp to 64C it drops to 61.8C, 61.9 seems to be the equilibrium or something?), and what about 'adjust temp for equipment'?

Hope you understand what I'm asking haha.

Cheers!

 
In general,
  If you don't check the "Adjust temp for equipment" you should preheat your mash tun to the first step temperature.

  If you check the option, you don't need to preheat - as the thermal properties of the mash tun are rolled into the calculation.

Cheers!
Brad
 
So if I store my grains in the fridge (40F) and my plastic cooler MLT in the basement (65F), then I should enter those temps respectively and then tick the adjust for equipment box, the resulting "Add xx.xx qts of water at yy.yy degrees" should account for the temperatures of both items, along with thermal absorption properties, and equalize the mash at the step temp I have set.  Correct?
 
Yes,
  That is how it works - the grain temperatures are taken into account when doing the thermal correction for the mash (as long as you check the equip box).

Brad
 
Reviving this old thread because I just want to double-clarify what should and shouldn't be checked.  I now have direct fire capability under my mash tun so I want to make my process simpler.  My current/old way is:

[list type=decimal]
[*]Take milled grain temp
[*]Take mash tun temp
[*]Edit the mash profile for the recipe and enter the grain temp and tun temp in the fields and click 'OK'
[*]I make sure 'Adjust temp for equip' is checked and then follow the brew steps with the adjusted mash in water
[/list]

My proposed/new way is:

[list type=decimal]
[*]Don't take grain temp or mash tun temp
[*]Uncheck 'Adjust temp for equip' and then follow the brew steps with the mash in water temp
[*]I transfer the required amount of water over to the MLT and then recirc through it while direct heating to bring up to desired mash in water temp from previous step
[*]I add the grain into the water that is already in the MLT
[/list]

Based on the proposed/new way do I have to worry about the grain temp at all when adding it to the pre-heated tun/strike water?  The goal is to just have a simpler and repeatable brew day without measuring grain and tun temps.

-Cheers
 
I use a direct fired mash tun with a false bottom. I've never been sure of the calculations on initial strike temperatures as the "dead space" below the false bottom is assumed lost in BS2. Just to verify I use the Infusion Calculator under the Tools section.

Set the calculator to "Initial Strike."
Fill the fields with your information
"Infusion Water to Add" includes any water under the false bottom
Use your grain temperature in the "Initial Mash Temperature."
"Mash Tun Specific Heat" is set to 0.00 for direct fire.

My thermapen is never more than 0.1F off the Infusion Calculator.
 
I'm confused.  Are you saying that I ignore the brew steps and my mash profiles and use the "Infusion Tool" instead?  I imagine they do the same thing but am a little confused on how to best accomplish this.
 
I use this to verify my strike temps. I haven't used a "brew steps" in a dozen years or so. I do not like the fact that my false bottom is considered a dead space in BS2 and therefore unusable. Of 1.22 gallons under my false bottom, I get all but about 8 Oz back.
All water in your mash tun needs to be accounted for (including that under a false bottom) or you will find your dough in temperature to high.
 
Perhaps we can both get some ideas from others that see this thread on how to deal with this?  Ideally, I want to just have consistent mash temps while reducing complexity and be able to use the brew steps.  Anyone?
 
The brew steps assume a static environment: your mash tun is a particular temp and your grain is a particular temp. Any deviation from that will require you to recalculate.

Set your temps to the temp in your house and keep your tun and grain inside for a day before you brew then you'll be pretty close.
 
so back to my original question then but adjusted.

My proposed/new way is:

Don't take grain temp or mash tun temp
Uncheck 'Adjust temp for equip' and then follow the brew steps with the mash in water temp
I transfer the required amount of water over to the MLT and then recirc through it while direct heating to bring up to desired mash in water temp from previous step
I add the grain into the water that is already in the MLT

but just do

My proposed/new way is:

Don't take grain temp or mash tun temp
Take grain temp
Enter into the mash properties but Uncheck 'Adjust temp for equip' and then follow the brew steps with the mash in water temp
I transfer the required amount of water over to the MLT and then recirc through it while direct heating to bring up to desired mash in water temp from previous step
I add the grain into the water that is already in the MLT
 
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