Hello I use a cooler like a lot of people for a mash tun I just need some tips on pre-heating it so when i am mashing i can hold my temp were i want them ???
The way I do it.
Start with room temp cooler and grain.
Bring your mash water up to 175-180*. Add to cooler. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. By then it should stabalize above 160*. Add grain and stir. This should bring it down close to 152-153*. Stir as needed to bring the temp where you want it.
If the cooler has been outside in less than room temp, fill with hot water from the shower/tub.
+1 to above
i always start a little high, then wait till it cools a bit to add the grain.
Or just keep good notes on the ambient temperature, strike water temperature, and infusion temperature. No pre-heating required.
+1. Preheating is a waste of time.
I dont preheat any more either to much time. I heat about 7 or 8 degrees more than it says to mash in at as my temps were alwasy a little off. I stir until I hit my temp usually 4 or 5 mintues. Rarely maybe have to add some ice
I don’t pre heat my mashtun either. I use 175-180* strike water :roll:
This is what I do too.
So do I, but without the 5-10 minutes of unnecessary waiting. 
Thermal mass of tun + promash = FTW
willharden, chances are the thermal mass for your cooler is already known. There’s also freeware for this stuff.
[quote=“zwiller”]Thermal mass of tun + promash = FTW
willharden, chances are the thermal mass for your cooler is already known. There’s also freeware for this stuff.[/quote]
thats in beersmith to, although it gets me close I have found heating a little bit warmer than what is says fro strike water alwasy got me better results
It’s a really simple calculation. Not that there’s anything wrong with letting the software do it; I’d just hate to see anyone buy software just for this.
I wouldnt call it a simple calculation.
4.180.972(T_strike - (T_mash - 1.5))V_H2O = ((T_mash - 1.5) - T_amb)(1.67m_grist + V_tunrho_tunc_tun)
Assuming that the tun and grist both start at the same T_amb. All you need to do is carefully measure the volume of the tun and google its specific heat capacity.
The extra 1.5°C accounts for the slaking heat of the malt.
4.180.972(T_strike - (T_mash - 1.5))V_H2O = ((T_mash - 1.5) - T_amb)(1.67m_grist + V_tunrho_tunc_tun)
Assuming that the tun and grist both start at the same T_amb. All you need to do is carefully measure the volume of the tun and google its specific heat capacity.
The extra 1.5°C accounts for the slaking heat of the malt.[/quote]
you have that on hand, I am just saying go tell that to a guy who is having issues with his temp (which is probably a newer person to brewing if it isn’t dialed in) he might not think that is an easy thing to do when you start talking about thermal mass and such
Well, my point was that you don’t necessarily need to know or understand the physics. To get good results, it’s just a matter of plugging values into a simple equation.
true, but that equation is not something simple to a lot of people (assumption)
Simplicity has to be defined relative to other, similar, constructions. I wouldn’t be able to read a sentence in Laotian, no matter how simple. The fact that I don’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s complex.
I try to save money as much as the next guy, but $20 for brewing software is a no brainer…
You measure thermal mass once and plug into your defaults. That’s it. No more guessing, no more math. Do it right first time and forget about it. I have.
If you are not hitting your temps with software, the thermal mass figure is off. There are a few rare exceptions for brewing outside in 99F vs. 20F weather, but .
Thermal mass figures for the rubbermaid/gott products are known as well as others. IE - My 50qt Igloo Ice Cube is (.23). It is a little high but it IS WHITE…
[quote=“zwiller”]I try to save money as much as the next guy, but $20 for brewing software is a no brainer…
You measure thermal mass once and plug into your defaults. That’s it. No more guessing, no more math. Do it right first time and forget about it. I have.
If you are not hitting your temps with software, the thermal mass figure is off. There are a few rare exceptions for brewing outside in 99F vs. 20F weather, but .
Thermal mass figures for the rubbermaid/gott products are known as well as others. IE - My 50qt Igloo Ice Cube is (.23). It is a little high but it IS WHITE…[/quote]
I disagree about the software being a no brainer. If you want it great, go ahead and use it. But there’s nothing wrong with doing the math on your own and/or setting up your own recipe formulation spreadsheets etc. The software is hardly a necessity or even a preferred option for everyone.
