[srnoel]

Yesterday during my mash I noticed something.  I always poke my temperature probe into all different parts of the grain bed before I close the cover for the mash.  Except yesterday I kept getting slightly different temperatures in different spots of the mash.  I stirred more thinking that would fix it.  But no, I couldn't get it all even.  The temperatures were only off by a 1-2degrees.  Target temperature was 151, and I got temps in spots from 149 to 153.  I eventually gave up and figured it would even itself out.

Is this something normal or did something...funky...happen yesterday.

And yes, my thermometer is accurate.  I ran some tests with it to make sure it was working properly after that happened.

[jmcamerlengo]

Hot spots can be pretty common in the mash but if you stirred considerably and it was only small 1-2 degree fluctuations Id say youre totally fine!

[euge]

How deep are you taking your readings? It has to be deep within the bed I've found.

[dmtaylor]

Totally normal.  Don't sweat it at all.  Take the average, and that's your mash temperature.  Averages are fine for this.

[bluesman]

Totally normal.  Don't sweat it at all.  Take the average, and that's your mash temperature.  Averages are fine for this.

+1

After doughing in, I like to stir the mash for about 2 min then take several readings around the mash. Variations +/-2 degrees are ideal....+/-1 degree is better but not necessary.

[srnoel]

Good to know all is well, I wasn't too worried about it to begin with.

As for the depth in the grain bed I take the reading - I try to vary that  as well by trying to take readings from top, middle and bottom sections of the bed.  I didn't pay attention at the time to see if the temperature differences lined up with the how deep the thermometer was in the grain bed.

[bluesman]

What are you using as a mash tun...cooler?

[srnoel]

I use a coleman xtreme cooler for my mashtun.

[oscarvan]

What color is it?

[srnoel]

Blue...of course.  I got the blue one for the improved efficiency.

[denny]

Blue...of course.  I got the blue one for the improved efficiency.

Yep...blue will get your efficiency up to 137%!

[bluesman]

Blue...of course.  I got the blue one for the improved efficiency.

Yep...blue will get your efficiency up to 137%!

...but only if you mash on Sundays. 

[bluesman]

The reason I asked about the type of mashtun is because a cooler is probably the most thermally efficient. I typically get about 1-2 degrees of temp loss over the course of an hour in my blue Coleman Ultimate Extreme...which is bluish-gree btw. 

[bonjour]

I find that the yellow of my igloo cooler, being a warm color, helps to lessen the temp drop of my mash.

[dmtaylor]

I get almost identical efficiency when I mash in a bag in my stainless boil kettle with a tiny bit of added heat and occasional stirring compared to when I use my blue cooler.  And now I got one of those orange cylindrical coolers so I'm wanting to try that sometime to see if it makes any difference.