Ok - not to sound noobish... and my threads/replies should probably be still in the 'Beginner's Forum', but I have been reading a lot about AG and really want to do it. my problem is that I've seen recipes in the AG forum that confuse me...
Correct me if I'm wrong, from what I have read/heard, AG is is using all grains and no extract (dried or liquid). Am I to assume that if you AG, by the time you begin your boil, you are done with the grain part. Once you begin your full boil, the only thing you add to the wort is the hops... correct?
The reason i ask is because i thought i saw some recipes listed as AG, but I still saw acronyms such as 'DME', and Light DME... which I take means dried malt extract and such... which wouldn't be all grain.. correct?
My next question is this: I saw some tutorial on AG brewing, where the initial mash called for 3.5 gallons of water to be heated to 160 degrees, then poured into the MLT for a 60 minute mash. After the 60 minute mash, the water is recirculated until clarification, then drained into the kettle. After that, another 4 gallons was heated to 170 degrees, and poured into the grains for sparging purposes.. This water was recirculated until clear, and then drained into the kettle.... Now.. in the tutorial, it says that you will have 6 gallons in the kettle to be boiled for a 5 gallon batch. Ok -- now im confused... 3.5+4 = 7.5... right? Does 1.5 gallons of water disappear or does it remain soaked into the grains in the MLT? If thats the case... then I understand where the 6 gallons come from. Now, for a 5 gallon batch... does a gallon of water evaporate during the boil?
Any answers to my confusion will be appreciated.
Thanks!