BIAB Mash Temp Question

[Craigerrr]

Hey Guys
As I mash in my kettle it is not possible for me to attain and hold a mash temp. I do wrap the kettle up in blankets, but it is innevitabe that I lose degrees, moreso when it is cold out in the garage...
My last batch, a Lagunitas IPA clone with double the boil hops additions. Starting mash temp was around 153. After 15 minutes I unwrap it, give it as stir, and take a sample for a pH reading. At this point temperature was around 152.At the end of the mash the temp had fallen to about 147 or so. Target mash temp was 151, expecting to lose degrees, I planned for 153 starting temp.

Was shooting for a starting mash temp of 153 a good move?
Should I start with the target temp, and accept that temp may drop, in this case, as low as 145?
Should I be taking greater steps to insulate the kettle?

TIA for the input.
Craigerrr

 

[Nosybear]

Hey Guys
As I mash in my kettle it is not possible for me to attain and hold a mash temp. I do wrap the kettle up in blankets, but it is innevitabe that I lose degrees, moreso when it is cold out in the garage...
My last batch, a Lagunitas IPA clone with double the boil hops additions. Starting mash temp was around 153. After 15 minutes I unwrap it, give it as stir, and take a sample for a pH reading. At this point temperature was around 152.At the end of the mash the temp had fallen to about 147 or so. Target mash temp was 151, expecting to lose degrees, I planned for 153 starting temp.

Was shooting for a starting mash temp of 153 a good move?
Should I start with the target temp, and accept that temp may drop, in this case, as low as 145?
Should I be taking greater steps to insulate the kettle?

TIA for the input.
Craigerrr

A few degrees generally doesn't matter. You get most of your conversion in the first 15 minutes or so. I'd shoot for at most a degree over but hey, there's so much temperature variation inside the mash tun that the degree is at best notional. At risk of being a bit flippant, RDWHAHB.

 

[Craigerrr]

Not at all flippant, thank you Nosy!

 

[GFHomebrew]

Only way to get better uniform mash temp is through and immersed electric element on a temp controlled wort recirculation set up my 2c.

I get a few degrees celcius drop in mash and I'm happy with this.
One day I'll get one of those fancy smancy setups will it make my beer any better I dont think so...

 

[Mark Farrall]

I've bought a sous vide stick and just slide that down the side of the bag and put a big slotted spoon in front of the vents to stop it dragging the bag in when it's running. It's wonderful. Turn it on, it brings it up to temp and beeps at me. Drop the bag in, set the alarm and read a book. Mashing is now actually relaxing.

 

[J A]

In a cold garage you might have to make some accomodation to add a little heat. Something as simple as monitoring the temp and bumping a hot plate on occasionally can give you just the boost you need. You do have to stir it around to keep from getting hot spots.
If your pot will fit in your oven and it goes low enough, it'll hold beautifully. I had an oven that would only go as low as 170 but I would hold a low-150s mash in there for 45 minutes or more without much change by taking it out and stirring and checking it. Never went down and didn't rise more than a degree or two. It allowed me to start low and avoid overshooting.

 

[BOB357]

I do MIAB with a batch sparge during the colder months. Only do BIAB when the outside temps. get into the 90s and above.Actually thinking about just sticking to the former all year long. Outside of the added 10 minutes or so for the sparge the only other added task is hosing out the MLT.

 

[White Haus Brews]

I made a double layer reflectix jacket with single layer for bottom and lid for my kettle similar to as shown here:
http://fermware.com/reflectix-insulation-jacket-for-your-mash-tun/

With that alone I'll lose about 2-3 degrees in an hour. If I then wrap it in an old synthetic sleeping bag I'll only lose 1-2. I once did an overnight mash for 14 hours and it only dropped 16 degrees with no added heat (157-141) while sitting in my garage overnight (ambient temp in the 50's-60's)

As Nosybear mentioned most of the conversion is done in the first 15-20 min so these days I don't really worry about it and just throw the jacket on it since it's easy and call it a day.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Hey Guys
As I mash in my kettle it is not possible for me to attain and hold a mash temp. I do wrap the kettle up in blankets, but it is innevitabe that I lose degrees, moreso when it is cold out in the garage...
My last batch, a Lagunitas IPA clone with double the boil hops additions. Starting mash temp was around 153. After 15 minutes I unwrap it, give it as stir, and take a sample for a pH reading. At this point temperature was around 152.At the end of the mash the temp had fallen to about 147 or so. Target mash temp was 151, expecting to lose degrees, I planned for 153 starting temp.

Was shooting for a starting mash temp of 153 a good move?
Should I start with the target temp, and accept that temp may drop, in this case, as low as 145?
Should I be taking greater steps to insulate the kettle?

TIA for the input.
Craigerrr

Do you like how your Beer comes out? If so, then the temp drop is repeatable.
I know some will get on a stump about maintaining an exact temperature and I'm OK with that if that is your thing, but...
Beer has been made for a long time without temperature control and a concern over maintaining it.
Being able to repeat what is happening will give you a repeatable product.
If your BIAB system drops X degrees over a certain time, that's how your system works.
So the bigger question is " Do you like your beer?"
If the answer is yes, and you can repeat it, then no problems.
Cheers,
Brian

 

[KC]

There's nothing inherently wrong with temperature drop. It can help conversion if it drops from the alpha range to the beta range, opposite a step mash schedule.

If your pot will fit in your oven and it goes low enough, it'll hold beautifully. I had an oven that would only go as low as 170 but I would hold a low-150s mash in there for 45 minutes or more without much change by taking it out and stirring and checking it. Never went down and didn't rise more than a degree or two.

Turning off a preheated oven at the beginning of a rest can hold temperature for hours.

 

[Nosybear]

There's nothing inherently wrong with temperature drop. It can help conversion if it drops from the alpha range to the beta range, opposite a step mash schedule.



Turning off a preheated oven at the beginning of a rest can hold temperature for hours.

True, but I don't have an oven in my brewing area. Insulating the mash tun or using a cooler can limit the temperature drop. The biggest effect I see from it is if I'm doing step mashes, I have to account for the mash being at a lower temperature. Best is a way to add heat, I sometimes use a sous vide stick in my 3-gallon mashes, a RIMS or HERMS system works, heating the pot carefully from the bottom works as well. But it's not all that critical to good beer. As Mentor says, repeatability is key.

 

[J A]

Yeah, a few degrees here or there isn't going to ruin a beer. IMO, overshooting temp will cause more problems than dropping, unless it cools a lot and drops out of the conversion range which isn't too likely.
We all find our own level of geeky obsession in terms of process. I like my system in it's current iteration with temp probe at the exit of the HERMS coil. It seems to hold within about 1.5 degree range. That precision isn't necessary but it allows me to trust the temp and work on controlling other variables.

 

[Nosybear]

Yeah, a few degrees here or there isn't going to ruin a beer. IMO, overshooting temp will cause more problems than dropping, unless it cools a lot and drops out of the conversion range which isn't too likely.
We all find our own level of geeky obsession in terms of process. I like my system in it's current iteration with temp probe at the exit of the HERMS coil. It seems to hold within about 1.5 degree range. That precision isn't necessary but it allows me to trust the temp and work on controlling other variables.

The sous vide stick approach keeps me +/- 2 degrees at the point of the stick, so I don't worry about it, either.

 

[Hawkbox]

I have a Coleman cooler I use that has maintained a stable temp for easily 2 hours so I don't worry to much.

 

[Craigerrr]

I really appreciate all of the input, thanks to all!

Some of my beers have turned out exceptionally good, and others, not so good.
There are so many variables, and I am learning as I go.
The thirst for knowledge is equal to the thirst for great beer!

Cheers all
Craigerrrrrr

 

[J A]

There are so many variables, and I am learning as I go.

You'll find that what happens during fermentation will probably have more impact on the overall quality of your beer. Perfect mash temperature is far less important than very good temperature control during fermentation.

 

[GFHomebrew]

And yeast count.

 

[Craigerrr]

You'll find that what happens during fermentation will probably have more impact on the overall quality of your beer. Perfect mash temperature is far less important than very good temperature control during fermentation.

Fermentation temperature control is a recent upgrade, I have my second batch in temperature controlled fermentation at 67f plus or minus 1 degree.
Thanks