First Time Extract Brew

[daveyk]

Dear all,

I have been brewing with kits for a little over a year now and want to embark on the next step in my brewing career and have a go at my first extract brew.

For the reciepe I have plumped for the Newcastle Amber reciepe from David Lines book.

So I have all my ingredients sat at home and waiting for the brew day, (perhaps tomorrow night but we'll have to see).

As I'm making this step, I'm wanting to do so with as little extra investment as possible.... and this leads nicely onto my first, (I'm sure of many) quesiton.

In the absence of a boiler I was hoping to get away with using a large jam pan to do the boiling in. I will calculate the volume this will hold before I start but I'm thinking about 10l as an estimate. Am I right in thinking to do the boiling in this volume then water down with spring water just as a kit will suffice as a sensible method? Also approximately how much space will I need in the top of the pan when the boil starts foaming up?

I was also thinking that to water down the hot brew, with cold water will help when needing to cool it ready for the yeast.

Please let me know if I'm wasting my time or if this will produce a decent result for my fist time.

Many thanks,

Dave.

[daveyk]

I've checked out my 'big pan' and it will hold 13 litres. But that is full to the brim so i will need to leave space for boiling.

So what do people think? is this going to be a suitable method?

Dave.

[daveyk]

Thanks for the reply.... i'd forgotten about my idea of reducing the brew length.... or perhaps boiling in two goes. the problem with reducing the brew length is that the cans of malt are sold in set sizes.

As for cooling, will this be a good method? Adding cold water the FV after the hot liquid is added?

dave.

[daveyk]

Well sorry for the delay in the update, but i got the brew underway on thursday. All seemed to go as planned. Took a while to get the temp down from 32 degs to pitching temp so left that for the morning.

Fermentation has been progressing over the weekend so to follow the instructions to the letter, (as I'm trying to to do for my first attempt), i need to rack off into another FV, and add gelatine. Will get on with that tonight or tomorrow.

Fingers crossed.

dave