Big (and first) brew day...

[Francois]

Right. Folks, the time is upon us... Having only done extract before, I'm throwing myself in. This Tuesday...

Equipment:
Peco mash bin, 32l
Fermbin 26l
A metric [censored] of voile (probably a big square draped over peco and secured with a bungee cord) as I don't have time for sewing currently, and can always make material into a proper bag when I have time...

Grain bill:
3.6kg crushed pale
150g chocolate malt
150g crystal medium (original recipe said less, but I'm wanting a chocolate digestive feel, so want more sweetness)

Hop bills;
Depends... Still working it out vs. what I've got...

And now the potentially contentious bits...

Sparge grain bag in a couple of litres of water at 70ish to add back into boil wort to make up for evaporation...

And the potentially very contentious bit...

I have some lme to use up (hence reduced pale bill, accounted for it using the 75% equation..) gonna add it to the sparge liquor and then smash into the boil. Which brings us back to the desired gravity I think, for said boil, which was originally a 5kg base.

Any feedback is appreciated. I realise I may be oversimplifying perhaps, or doing some taboo stuff here, but if so, please point me right where needed because I really want to make something wonderful, and you know better than me.

Cheers, Francois

[jimp2003]

Hi Francois!

I don't think you are doing anything controversial there. You have some extract to use up so sensibly you have factored it into your recipe.

I presume that when you say you will be adding the extract to the sparge liquor, you will be adding it after you have dunked the grain bag.

Good luck on Tuesday - keep it simple and take plenty of notes and measurements at the right stages. That way you will be able to improve your method for the future.

Let us know how you get on!

Cheers!

Jim

[RdeV]

No, not verboten at all, advise use of LME in a partial mash for one of your most memorable beers! However I'd suggest, seeing as it has already been converted to sugars and doesn't play any part in mash dynamics, adding it either at pitching for the most efficient use of it or else just before the boil end. You don't need it in your sparge liquor, seeing as you're largely rinsing left over sugars from your mash it should be plain water to avoid retention of any of your LME's dissolved sugars within the mash, preferably not retained in the kettle trub either, hence recommend adding at pitching if you can possibly manage it.
Hope that helps!

[simco999]

Only suggestion I have is to make sure your volumes work out.

You don't want to end up with too much wort after the boil. You can always add water - it takes for ever to take it away by boiling.

[Francois]

Cheers for the input folks! The Bugger's doing it's thing in the cupboard as we speak... I reckon secondary at some point next week (gonna bash this one straight into keg as soon as FG stabilises...) Dark brew though so how long do you reckon for conditioning?

[Redimpz]

Recipe and method all looking good, I would tend to put the lme in the pot for the last 10 mins of the boil just so it has been boiled. As you say, it is a dark one so I would condition for a month before getting into it too much, however, as you are kegging, you should be able to do some taste tests after 2 weeks.

[Francois]

...and here it is! Couple of weeks in keg and tastes really drinkable! Couldn't be more pleased, especially for a first attempt bottling the IPA I made the same week tomorrow, hope that's turned out nice as well... But then if not I suppose I can console myself with Ruby mild...