OVHA Chat

Ok so Im doing my first non-BIAB batch today, using an Igloo cooler as the mash tun. I crushed my grain last night and kept in in the house so that it wouldn't be so cold. I checked the temp this morning and it was 72F. I input that into Beersmith and it said to prep water to 161.6F. Since the cooler was outside I took the water up to 170F. I put water into cooler and let set about 10 min to warm the cooler.
I then stirred the water to get temp down to 162/163F. I mashed in, checked temp and it dropped to 150. I needed a mash temp of 152. I put lid on and let sit about 10 min and checked temp again, hoping it would rise to 152F. It didn't..... I still showed a temp of 150F. Its to late to fix it now, but for future batches, how would I fix this issue? I know I could mash in at a little higher temp, and stir to get to mash temp. But How do I fix it if Im under mash temp?
BTW this is an American Brown Ale. How much is mashing 2 degrees lower going to throw it off from style?

Brandon

As I said on the phone... 2 deg might make is finish a little drier then 152 but shouldn't be enough to make too much difference. You can go in to BeerSmith and change your mash temp on the profile and see what it does to your FG if you are really concerned.

I have a nut brown that I mash @ 152 and finishes @ 1.013. If I change it to 150 it drops to 1.011. You can always crash cool and stop the fermentation when you hit your expected FG if you want. Depending on the yeast it might not clean some of the fermentation by-products if you do.

Personally I would let it eat. It will make good beer... relax and have a homebrew!

Again thanks for the call and the info, I always appreciate your help!

You can always add some boiling water -- with lots of stirring -- to raise the temp.

I wouldn't sweat 2 degrees, non of my thermometers are accurate enough to believe a 2 degree difference from what I wanted anyway.

Peter