wondering if anyone out there has a dough-in method better than the one i’m employing which is to tip my 5-gal bucket and slowly pour in my grains while stirring so i don’t get any air pockets.
i know there’s gotta be something better out there. any tips would be greatly appreciated. (my back thanks you too!)
I put the grains in and THEN the water… 1.5-1.8 qts/pound which is thin enough for a good stir to get any lumps out, then close the lid and have a home brew…
I dump the grain into the liqour (water) all at once and stir until all the dough balls are mixed in thoroughly. Then temp check, then pH check.
This is the way I’ve seen it done at most of the small commercial breweries, too, although some spray water in while dumping and stirring the grain.
Grain to water all at once, stir, go.
I have a heated MT so when water reaches temp- dump all the grains in and grab the drill with the paint mixer attached and about 30 seconds later am done.
I use a cooler and found the best way is to put the water in a little bit hot and let it sit a few minutes. If necessary I add some ice cubes to get the exact strike temp. Then I pour in the grain and stir until there are no dough balls and it’s at the mash temp.
Water at the correct strike temperature then I pour the grain in, while my assistant brewer (the wife) stirs. Very few dough balls dion it this way.
I’ve done it both ways and have found that adding grain to water allows for ease of doughing-in. It’s easier and faster to get a uniform consistency in the mash this way. Using a cooler mash tun, I target a higher mash temp because it’s easier to cool down the mash than it is to heat it up.
The best method is the one that works with your system. ;) I mill my grains directly into my mash tun, so I add the water to the grains. It’s nice to have someone else around to stir while I dump the water.
I mash in a Denny-style cooler, and I’ve recently started pushing hot liquor in through the out hose. So I have a cooler full of grain sitting on one stand and a hot liquor tank sitting on a higher stand with a hose running between the spigots on each. I open the valves and the mash tun fills with hot liquor. A friend pointed out this technique (on his very different system) results in fewer dough balls, and so far it works for me.
I’ve been thinking about doing something like this method on my next batch. I would normally waste a bunch of hot water to preheat my tun, dump it then add my strike water and grain at the same time. Now, I’m thinking about shooting for about 10 deg higher, waiting 5-10 min then adding my grain to it and adjust as needed.
-J.K.L.
Yes, and use the calculator here to figure the water temp: Green Bay Rackers--Mash Calculators
Thanks for the link!! I should’ve known there was calc for that.
-J.K.L.
No need to dump MT preheat water. Just determine your strike water volume , heat it 8- 10 degrees above strike temp(you’ll determine how much by doing it a few times), add to mashtun, and mash in when it’s at your desired strike water temp. I like to mash in 1 or 2 degrees high, stirring the mash to bring it down to my desired temp.
*Smacks self in forehead * Such a simple solution to the waste of the preheat water makes me wonder why I never thought of it. Thanks for the tip, I’ll be implementing it Sunday.
Same - mostly. I add half/most of the grains and then add the rest just after turning on the line from the hot liquor tank.
Basically, very little water is in by the time all my grains are in - then I add the water & stir w/ a mash paddle a few times like you to ensure no lumps/dry spots.
I do the same of the OP. I dump my mash water in to the cooler, making sure it’s a few degrees higher than what my strike temp is, then add my grains fairly slowly whilst stirring. Seems to work pretty well. I used to scoop the grain in with a 2 cup measuring cup and stir each scoop in. I was having troubles hitting mash temps (too low) so I started adding the grain a little quicker. I tried heating my strike water higher, but still seemed to hit a low mash temp.
Add the water to preheat tun. Dump in half the grist in if it is more than #10. Stir. Add the rest. Stir. Often, with thick or big mashes the grist will float. I scrape the top and then come from underneath the mass to lift the grain and break it up. If one pushes the floating grain down it will certainly form dough-balls.
My second/third sparges I break the compacted grain-bed up before adding more water. Mixes easier that way.
I put in maybe 1/4 of my water. Then I put in like 1/3 of my grain and mix it up until it is good and thick. Then I add probably 1/2 of the remaining water and mix. Then 1/2 of the remaining grain and mix. more grain to get it thick. Then the rest of the grain and then the rest of the water.
I used to preheat but I decided it was one extra step that I didn’t need to do. I just took about 3 batches to experiment and find out how much hotter my water had to be if I didn’t. I hit my mash temps within a degree.