IowaStateFan said:
HB,
I usually boil about 1/2 my extract (generally 3 - 4 lbs) in about 2.5 - 3 gallons and then add the rest at flameout to steep. Are you saying that you only boil 1 pound in 1 gallon then add the rest (5 or 6 pounds) late in the boil?
If that's what you're doing, I'm sure it works well ('cause I've seen the pics of your brews) so I may switch to that method. My boil isn't the strongest even at 3 gallons. It would probably speed up the process (both reaching boiling and cooling to pitching temps), too.
Yes. What I actually do varies according to the recipe, but my general practice goes something like this:
(NOTE: I use mostly DME, but have been steeping 1-2 lbs of grain first.)
I actually start my water at 1.5 gals (because some of it will evaporate) with 1 lb of malt (NOTE: If I steep 2 lbs of malt that is equivilent of 1.2 lbs of DME so I don't add any DME to the boil, but my water is upped to begin at 2 gals - 1 for steeping and 1 for sparging) and whatever hops I will use.
I make a lot of Weizens and only use 3% AA for the entire batch.
If you are making an American Ale or a Stout just add all the bittering hops right after the steeped water starts boiling. That's when time (60 mins) starts.
At 45 mins I turn the flame off. Then I add the DME 1 lb at a time and let it dissolve before adding the next lb, and repeat. The amount of DME I add is usually 4.5 - 5 lbs. depending on the recipe.
After all the malt is dissolved then my final 15 mins starts.
My pre-brewing schedule involves a starter naturally, but I also place 4 - 1 gal water jugs of PUR filtered tap water in the freezer for 4-5 hours prior to brewing.
I'll pour 1 gal in the primary and put a nylon net on the bucket (held in place with 6 spring-type clothes pins to hold the weight of the wort while I'm pouring). I'll pour the hot wort into the bucket (the net captures the hops) then I'll pour another gal of water over the hops and remove the nylon net.
I top off to 5.25 gals and stir. Depending on if I use grains (2 gals) or not (1.5 gals) will affect the amount of freezer water added to top off. This also affects the final temperture in the primary. By topping off to 5.25 without grains the temp is usually anywhere from 63-68F, with 2 gals it'll go as high as 78-80F which is good enough to pitch your yeast in after the wort is stirred/mixed well.
That's basically it in a nutshell.