Mash Temp

[joebejeckel]

Does anyone use a tempmate probe and electric element to maintain a stable mash temp?

My reservation would be the grain around the element would reach higher temps when the heat kicked in,

and the unwanted issues along with it,

any thoughts on this,

joe

 

[mika]

Mash temp really ain't critical enough to bother with this, unless you wanted to go a recirculating system like RIMS or HERMS.
Just insulate the mash tun, if your drop is only a couple of degress over the hour mash... move on, concentrate on the next bit of the process.

 

[browndog]

Well...................mash temp is pretty well the most critical part of mashing so I'm not sure what Mika is on about there. However, as he said, you idea won't work unless you go HERMS or RIMS and that means removing your element from the mash tun. I don't know where you are at with mash brewing, but the best bet is to start out with a well insulated mash tun doing single infusion mashes and working out exactly what temp strike water you need for a mash at XXc.

cheers

Browndog

 

[mika]

Clarification: Yes Mash temp is critical, but not critical enough that you need to try and control it as you would ferment temp over the course of the hour(ish) mash. A degree or two drop over the hour isn't going to hurt you unduly.

 

[bcp]

In a BIAB in an urn system it could possibly work, because there is higher water volume to circulate the heat. I have experimented turning the heat on in my urn with the grain in. Even though i use a colander i lifted the grain bag. But circulation is still an issue. From various tests i did i still had heat difference underneath the colander took a while to get to the top. This didn't at all feel like control of the heat other than - too cool - damn - give it a blast - yep that's pretty close.

But where would you put the probe given the heat variance?

 

[Screwtop]

In a BIAB in an urn system it could possibly work, because there is higher water volume to circulate the heat. I have experimented turning the heat on in my urn with the grain in. Even though i use a colander i lifted the grain bag. But circulation is still an issue. From various tests i did i still had heat difference underneath the colander took a while to get to the top. This didn't at all feel like control of the heat other than - too cool - damn - give it a blast - yep that's pretty close.

But where would you put the probe given the heat variance?

Considering enzymatic conversion ceases at or around 77, what happens in the wort in contact with/in close proximity to, the element. Granted this takes some time which is why a mash out step rest time is generally in the order of 10 min. But..............how will the temperature of wort in contact with/in close proximity to the element alter the brewers desired mash profile.

Went down a similar path during direct heating mashtun experiments carried out in 2006.

Cheers,

Screwy