Strike water should be maintained at what temperature above the mash temperature?

The correct answer is based on the principle of achieving temperature equilibrium when adding strike water to the grain bed during the mashing process. Generally, strike water should be heated to a temperature that is higher than the desired mash temperature to account for heat loss during the transfer and mixing process.

The recommended temperature range of 10-15°F above the mash temperature is sufficient to ensure that the mash reaches the desired temperature effectively. This range helps to mitigate excessive heat loss encountered when the hot strike water meets the cooler grains, which can lead to a more efficient enzymatic process during mashing, thus resulting in better sugar extraction.

Heating the strike water within this specified range aligns with best practices in brewing science and is widely accepted among brewers. It provides enough buffer to achieve the target mash temperature without risking overshooting it significantly, which can disrupt the enzymatic activity necessary for transforming starches into fermentable sugars.