Measuring Biab Temp

[radearling]

Hi brewers,
I brew BIAB with a 40lt pot, brewed a larger on the weekend using 4.5kg pils, once I got my 16lts of strike water up to 73 (I sparge and dunk), I noticed temp differences depending where I put my temp prob, 65 on the side of the pot and on top where the liquid has no grain floating, but closer to 70 in the middle where the grain is more concentrated. Wondering if other people have noticed this and where they measure from

Cheers

 

[Noxious]

Give the mash a big stir before your take the reading, that should help a bit.
:icon_cheers:

 

[RdeVjun]

Perhaps tell us when you are measuring temperature, then when you stirred this batch. What I'm getting at is that with such a temperature difference, I'd be giving it a stir for sure, then remeasuring.

As far as where is best to measure, you probably won't know for sure until you've run a few batches through and then decided on somewhere that is convenient and repeatable, then whether you prefer the subsequent beers. Deciding on somewhere consistent is a matter of preference, it is up to you to then stick with it and record results, compare that with the the apparent sweetness of the beer noting your mash temperature. It won't take long to dial your own technique in, sadly there's no agreed method or protocol in HBing.

Also, is the pot insulated? If so, if you're stirring well and it is still so variable then try measuring the temperature after 10 minutes, thereby giving it time to equilibrate. Adjust it then if need be.

Edit: i) Beaten... ii) and clarity.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

like noxious said - stir stir stir. Its almost pointless otherwise, nobody's mash tun, BIAB or otherwise is the same all the way through. You either have to stir, or always measure from exactly the same spot and learn what the temp at that spot means for your brews.

In BIAB... I always measure temperature while I am actually stirring the hell out of the mash. Mash paddle in one hand, thermometer in the other.

TB

 

[Bribie G]

stir stir stir?

Ballocks.

pump pump pump

but don't do it with your back turned to observers as they will reach their own conclusions about what you are doing with your right fist :blink:

 

[Thirsty Boy]

abso-ma-bloody-lutely

Those things are great mash paddles for the loose BIAB mashes -- heaps better than any silly lump of wood. Actually, I don't even use a lump of wood of my mash tun mashes... just a stainless spoon. Got a wooden mash paddle... just don't much care for it as a brewing implement so it stays on the trophy shelf.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Actually, I don't even use a lump of wood of my mash tun mashes... just a stainless spoon. Got a wooden mash paddle... just don't much care for it as a brewing implement so it stays on the trophy shelf.

It would have been just fine if you hadn't gone and put all them holes in it...

I can now happily add my wooden mash paddle to the list of things I use in my brewery that are wrong:

Fabric bag.
Aluminum pot.
Barb-tail hose fittings.
Marga mill.
Plastic fermenters.
PoR hops.

Perhaps I should just give up...

 

[Nick JD]

I actually use a masher to mash with. Up and down like Bribie. I never used to, but I noticed an increase in efficiency (once when I forgot to dough in from a height and had one ... massive ... doughball); might be from the agitation speeding the initial conversion. I've had to up my strike by 1C (~3kg mash in 14L) to allow for the heat loss though.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

It would have been just fine if you hadn't gone and put all them holes in it...

I can now happily add my wooden mash paddle to the list of things I use in my brewery that are wrong:

Fabric bag.
Aluminum pot.
Barb-tail hose fittings.
Marga mill.
Plastic fermenters.
PoR hops.

Perhaps I should just give up...

You are also ugly... The ugly molecules get into the beer and spoil the taste. You should put a bag on your head whenever you have your pot uncovered to avoid this issue.

 

[radearling]

I stir and check temp every 20mins or so and do notice the temp at a normal level, but I've been using a plastic spoon. Going to make myself one of those super mashers like BribieG

 

[felten]

Upgrading from a coopers spoon to a wooden mash paddle is one of the best things I've done so far! Although those giant potato mashers look handy...

I'm a cheap arse so I just made my own from scrap wood lying around.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Upgrading from a coopers spoon to a wooden mash paddle is one of the best things I've done so far! Although those giant potato mashers look handy...

I'm a cheap arse so I just made my own from scrap wood lying around.

Someone bought me mine as a gift. Can't say cheaper than that.

As for ugliness molecules and beer... It's just occurred to me that beers brewed with Thirsty Boy are certainly more *cough* 'tasty' *cough* than those brewed by myself. I'm also thinking about the relative merits of the (arguably) absolutely vast majority of the beer he brews.

 

[WarmBeer]

You are also ugly... The ugly molecules get into the beer and spoil the taste. You should put a bag on your head whenever you have your pot uncovered to avoid this issue.

Pot. Kettle. Black.

(I've seen the photos)

 

[argon]

I use the belt and braces approach for temp monitoring. I have a weldless dial therm that sits below the cake rack at the bottom of the mash tun/kettle. Seems pretty accurate but don't fully trust it. I always stir before measuring temp again with a big old stainless paddle i picked up from Ross and an digital therm in the top of the mash. When both therms show the same i know i'm golden.

As said before the key is to stir it all up before taking temps, no matter where from

 

[Scruffy]

If it'll help the OP, I've just measured my mash. It's 64C.

Feel free to use this info...

 

[.DJ.]

I stir the mash with a big paint stirrer from bunnings.. works a treat. Look pretty similar to Bribies one...

 

[bcp]

I have a $1.50 hong kong probe thermometer on a long lead which sit at the bottom under the bag, & another digital one that i use at the top hand held. So I can tell when it needs a stir! The probe gives me a constant temperature reading right through the mash. Maybe once i get to know my rig i won't bother, but it was helpful through winter to get a constant reading to see whether i would lose too much temperature.