[rhcpfan4002]

Finally making the leap to AG. Decided to make a Southern Brown Ale since that was the first recipe I created to get away from kits. I have been googling and searching for an answer to a question and I don't know if I'm using the wrong words but I can't find anything on this subject that I trust. For AG what is the proper water temp for dough-in? I am basically going to do a simple one-step Saccrification mash for my first batch, so I can learn how to use the equipment and the the like, and don't know were the dough-in temperature comes into play?

Also, has anyone else looked at an old recipe and said to themselves "what the hell was I thinking?!" while remembering how proud you were of that said recipe?

[m.a.hummel]

It depends on what your target mash temperature is, how much grain you are using, and what the temperature of your grain and mash tun are. 
Do yourself a favor and download a brewing calculator. You can get a free trial of beersmith. That has good tools on it. There are a multitude of others too.

[theDarkSide]

+1 for Beersmith, but there are plenty out there to get you started.

[garc_mall]

I use an app for my android phone called Brewzor. It has some stuff to work with beersmith, but I really use it for all of the calculators. It has a strike water temperature calculator, IBU calculators, and all of that.

Remember that you need to preheat your cooler if you are using one, I usually heat my strike water up 3-5 degrees above the calculated temperature. When I add it to the cold cooler, I give it a couple minutes, and it is right at the proper strike temperature. I then add my grain, and I am right at my proper rest temperature.

[lazydog79]

Another +1 for Beersmith!  I know I am math-impaired, so I made purchasing Beersmith part of the package when I went AG.  For $20, you can't beat what it can do for you.  The 2.0 version is even better, I'm just too cheap to get it.  I couldn't imagine brewing without some kind of software, but plenty of people do...just know one with a Social Sciences Ed. degree   

[tygo]

Another +1 here for Beersmith.  However you can calculate your strike water temperature yourself using the following formula:

Strike temp = (0.2/R)*(T-G)+T

R = Water to grain ration
T = Target mash temp
G = Grain temp

Gets pretty close to what beersmith or other calculators will tell you.  Keep in mind though that you need to take into consideration the thermal mass of your mashtun, which will absorb some heat.  If you're using a cooler as a mash tun that amount of heat can be significant.  I usually add 12 degrees or so to my strike temp to preheat the tun.

[rhcpfan4002]

O.K. Now I remember reading about this. Thanks everyone; apparently I just needed a little memory jump start. Now I can begin creating my mash schedule. Thanks for the advice on getting software. Def going to do that instead of using a spreadsheet.

[euge]

Bear in mind that these factors will change due to the season. If your cooler is from an ice-cold garage it will need more pre-warming than in the spring or summer. I like to recirculate hot water from the HLT until it warms up then bring it to the desired strike temp.

[ccfoo242]

If your cooler is from an ice-cold garage it will need more pre-warming than in the spring or summer.

I've had good luck keeping my mash tun and grain the house the night before I brew and then I just set my grain temp in Beersmith to my indoor temp.

[DrewG]

I quit preheating. I drop a therm into my empty mashtun, get a temp, same for the grain. plug that into beersmith. I  hit my mash temps reliably and it saves me a step.

[Mark G]

If your cooler is from an ice-cold garage it will need more pre-warming than in the spring or summer.

I've had good luck keeping my mash tun and grain the house the night before I brew and then I just set my grain temp in Beersmith to my indoor temp.

Same here. Once you dial in the thermal mass of your mash tun in Beersmith, you hit your numbers within a couple degrees every time. No preheating required.

[denny]

I quit preheating. I drop a therm into my empty mashtun, get a temp, same for the grain. plug that into beersmith. I  hit my mash temps reliably and it saves me a step.

Pretty much what I do, too.

[tubercle]

I just about got my tun figured out. I pre heat with 20*+ my water target temp and stir until the water gets to the pre-grain temp. Add grain and I'm usually within 3 degrees of mash temp. 3* is within the tolerence of the Tubercle. Thermometers are only within 2*.

[jds357]

For AG what is the proper water temp for dough-in?

I like to Dough in ten degrees above my saccrification target temperature (+/- 1 degree).  I do this to allow for the temperature differences between the grain and water.  The final temperature is my target temperature and I go right into saccrification.  My results have been very consistent doing it this way.  But that's what works for my system...

+ 1 for Beersmith!  Before I bought it I downloaded multiple free trials of brewing software.  I found that beersmith was user friendly and the best for the price.