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Poll

Are you brewing exclusively all-grain (BIAB included) or extract? Poll

All Grain
52 (86.7%)
Extract
1 (1.7%)
Both
7 (11.7%)

Total Members Voted: 59

Author Topic: How are you brewing?  (Read 4509 times)

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #30 on: December 09, 2014, 07:53:27 am »
My 10 gallon igloo has warped and cracked in one section. I have temporarily sealed it with food grade silicon until I can replace it.

really? that sucks. i've got about 60 mash cycles through mine and looks as good as new. i'll use up to 185F sparge water.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
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Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #31 on: December 09, 2014, 08:01:45 am »
My 10 gallon igloo has warped and cracked in one section. I have temporarily sealed it with food grade silicon until I can replace it.

really? that sucks. i've got about 60 mash cycles through mine and looks as good as new. i'll use up to 185F sparge water.

Yeah kind of a bummer. I too go up to about 185F for sparge water. I have been waiting to find a replacement on sale or craigslist but my temporary fix seems to be fine for now.
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #32 on: December 09, 2014, 08:04:37 am »
might seem silly, but do you preheat your igloo before hitting with strike water? I always have used my hot tap water to warm up the cooler before.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #33 on: December 09, 2014, 08:11:04 am »
might seem silly, but do you preheat your igloo before hitting with strike water? I always have used my hot tap water to warm up the cooler before.

I don't. The quick temp change could definitely affect the warping it seems.

I try to leave the bagged crushed grain in the cooler overnight then get a temp reading of both before I brew so that I can hit my mash temp more accurately. I think I preheated a couple of times but it threw off my calcs. May be worth revisiting.
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #34 on: December 09, 2014, 08:13:38 am »
might seem silly, but do you preheat your igloo before hitting with strike water? I always have used my hot tap water to warm up the cooler before.

I don't. The quick temp change could definitely affect the warping it seems.

I try to leave the bagged crushed grain in the cooler overnight then get a temp reading of both before I brew so that I can hit my mash temp more accurately. I think I preheated a couple of times but it threw off my calcs. May be worth revisiting.

not sure if its the answer-just jumped out at me. with preheating, my strike water is usually about 9-10F higher than desired mash temp.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline theDarkSide

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #35 on: December 09, 2014, 08:27:04 am »
might seem silly, but do you preheat your igloo before hitting with strike water? I always have used my hot tap water to warm up the cooler before.

Depends if I remember or not and the time of year.  I store my brewing equipment in the basement which in the winter gets down to 45F or so.  I'll usually just boil up a couple quarts of water and dump that in the mash tun.  I typically go about 12-14 degrees above target mash temp on my system regardless of water Beersmith tells me.  It's a lot easier to cool off the mash than it is to raise it up, especially when all your strike water has been used.  Most of the time I can get it down just by stirring.
Seacoast Homebrew Club - Portsmouth, NH
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #36 on: December 09, 2014, 08:28:57 am »

  I typically go about 12-14 degrees above target mash temp on my system regardless of water Beersmith tells me.  It's a lot easier to cool off the mash than it is to raise it up, especially when all your strike water has been used.  Most of the time I can get it down just by stirring.


+1
Jon H.

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: How are you brewing?
« Reply #37 on: December 09, 2014, 08:33:04 am »
might seem silly, but do you preheat your igloo before hitting with strike water? I always have used my hot tap water to warm up the cooler before.

Depends if I remember or not and the time of year.  I store my brewing equipment in the basement which in the winter gets down to 45F or so.  I'll usually just boil up a couple quarts of water and dump that in the mash tun.  I typically go about 12-14 degrees above target mash temp on my system regardless of water Beersmith tells me.  It's a lot easier to cool off the mash than it is to raise it up, especially when all your strike water has been used.  Most of the time I can get it down just by stirring.

agreed. i'll do the same thing if its anew recipe and or i need to mess around with PH and might loose heat. if its a regular brew, 9-10 F is all i need to be dead on target.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest