Can a clever clogs check my method please?

[Befuddler]

I'm shortly going to be embarking on my first extract brew and I'd like some of you clever people to look over my recipe and method please, if it's not too much trouble..? Thanks. :p

I only have a 7 litre stock pot which I would guess can boil a maximum of 5l safely, so I'm going to be boiling in 2 batches with the fermentables divided between them. The idea is to start the boil with roughly 25% total fermentables in each pot, so I'm boiling close to the predicted OG of 1.054 and don't have to do any bothersome calculator nonsense with the hops.. then to top up the sugars with DME at the end of the boil. Anyway, on to the technicals:

Recipe:

5x 5litre bottles of cheap tesco spring water (my tap water is horrible and tastes noticably of bleach if it's not put through the brita)

1.5kg Coopers Light LME
1.5kg Muntons Light DME
500g Crystal 60L

60 mins: 30g Cascade
10 mins: 20g Northdown
5 mins: 10g Northdown, 10g Cascade
Dry hop: 10g Cascade

Yeast: Danstar Windsor

20L brew length
target OG: 1.054
target FG: 1.013
ABV 5.3%


Method:

Freeze 2 5l bottles of the spring water a couple of days in advance (remembering breathing holes so they don't go bang).

Chuck 5 litres of water in the stock pot along with the crystal malt in a grain bag, bring to 65C and steep for 30 mins.

Remove crystal malt, bring to boil and add 500g (1/3 can) of LME, stirring well.

Bring back to the boil and add 50% of hop amounts to schedule, topping up with boiling water periodically to stay around 5 litres.

Remove from the heat and stir 750g DME into the hot wort. Keep stirring it. Stir it a bit more.

Release massive 5 litre ice cube by caesarian section, lob it into the FV and pour the hot wort over it, cackling wildly as the ice cracks and breaks apart like a polar ice shelf, withered and destroyed by the ceaseless evils of man. Pause to ponder the poignancy of this image. Regain composure and seal the FV 'til later.

Bring another 4l of water to the boil in the stock pot while boiling a further litre in the kettle.

Add the other 1kg of LME to the pot and rinse out the can with the litre of water from the kettle, then add that too.

Bring back to the boil and add the rest of the hops according to schedule, remembering to top up the water periodically.

Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the DME. STIR IT. STIR IT MORE YOU FOOL.

Birth another iceberg and add it to the FV along with the wort.

Wait for the ice to melt fully.. possibly have a nice relaxing poo, remembering to wash my hands and avoid poop in my beer.

Top up to 20l if necessary, aerate, take OG, check temperature and pitch yeast.

After 3 days, add 10g of cascade in a hop bag.

Leave until awesome.


So.. How does this look to you fine people? Any major problems with my recipe or methods that you can see? Have I totally overcomplicated something that could be much simpler? Is my post too long and you couldn't be bothered to read it? Am I just an idiot and you don't like me much? All feedback is welcome.

[jubby]

It looks OK, but i would be tempted to boil the extract after it has been added to be sure any nasties are dead. Also I would avoid adding bottled water post boil as it's not chlorinated like tap water, so it might have a few beer loving bugs in there. Probably a bit over cautious........maybe, but i wouldn't want to take the chance personally.

I would get a bigger pan also.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

as it's not chlorinated like tap water, so it might have a few beer loving bugs in there.

Organisms which can survive in water cannot survive in wort and vice versa.

[jubby]

Organisms which can survive in water cannot survive in wort and vice versa.

I stand corrected. Didn't know that, ta.

OSB, would it be correct to say that it's safe to use any source of water for topping up post boil? That's not loaded by the way, just interested to know.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

OSB, would it be correct to say that it's safe to use any source of water for topping up post boil? That's not loaded by the way, just interested to know.

Assuming it's safe to drink then yes. I do that all the time. As do all those thousands of kit brewers. Just de-chlorinate it first.

[Befuddler]

Thanks for the replies.

Would I be better off adding the DME with the final hop addidtions for the last 5 minutes of the boil then? and would that significantly impact the flavour/aroma power of those late hops?

[OldSpeckledBadger]

Would I be better off adding the DME with the final hop addidtions for the last 5 minutes of the boil then? and would that significantly impact the flavour/aroma power of those late hops?

SG has more effect on the bittering hops.

[dedken]

Also I would avoid adding bottled water post boil as it's not chlorinated like tap water

Erm, yes it is actually. Next time you buy mineral water read the chemical/mineral analysis on the label! You'll probably find Cl listed with a figure between 6.0 and 10.0.

[jubby]

Erm, yes it is actually. Next time you buy mineral water read the chemical/mineral analysis on the label! You'll probably find Cl listed with a figure between 6.0 and 10.0.

OK, that maybe so for some bottled waters. My bottled water contains Chloride (CL) which is a compound of Chlorine.

Before we disappear up our own backsides on the pro's and cons of bottled water, lets not forget that were not doing poor old beffudler any favors. My original advice was that i personally, would avoid using bottled water post boil.

Probably a bit over cautious........maybe, but i wouldn't want to take the chance personally.

My reasons for this opinion is that bottled water contains bacteria and we have no idea how much or what types without testing it.

[Befuddler]

Well I'm going to be brewing this tomorrow morning so we'll soon find out if the bottled water works out ok!

This will be my first extract brew and my first self-made recipe.. wish me luck!

[floydmeddler]

Sounds good Befuddler. I reckon you'll be all grain brewing before you know it. You've got too much feisty passion not to be!

Good luck with the brew!

[steve_flack]

Organisms which can survive in water cannot survive in wort and vice versa.

Am I the only one who thinks this is bollocks?

I'll give you one example that proves this not to be true - yeasts. And there's plenty more besides.

[Befuddler]

Well. this has just gone in the fermenter. The method worked really well, by some incredible fluke the ice melted completely when I added the second pan of wort and I ended up at precisely 19c ready to pitch. I've got 21 litres instead of 20 due to some overzealous topping up, putting the SG at 1.050, which seems about right. I tasted the sample jar and I think I've overdone it a bit with the bittering hops.. i dont think my 4 quid from the stoner shop scales are very accurate. That's what experimentation is all about though.. I'll know better next time.

[Thirsty Paul]

Nice one Befudlder its a slippey slope from here in. I wouldn't pay too much attention to how bitter your trial jar tastes at the moment you will be surprised at how much it will mellow as it ferments and conditions.

[Befuddler]

Just to update.. I'm pretty pleased with how this is coming along. Just kegged it at 1.015, a shade above the predicted gravity but I did use Windsor so that's about right I think. I modified the above recipe to use 250g crystal and 250g caramalt instead of the 500g crystal.. I fancied something a little paler, and I think I made the right choice. Just tasted the sample jar and its coming together nicely, the bitterness I was worried about has taken a back seat and the hop flavour is coming through nicely. I think this is gonna be a pretty sexy little pale in a few weeks.