brewing/ordering for extract recipies

So I've finished my first 2, 5 gallon batches I received with my Starter kit.
They were basic extract kits with Steeping grains(pre-crushed) & hops.

Now being from Canada I think it would be cheaper and quicker to brew from recipies I've gathered rather than ordering ready-to-go extract kits from the US. Plus I'll feel more like a real brewer putting all the indgrediants together myself. :rockin:

I have to admit though reading these recipies and figuring out what to order has me completly confused. Some are easier to understand than others but for the sake of conversation lets use an easy example. Say I want to brew this:

Summer Lager O.G. 1.045
4.5lb Pale malt extract
2.5 lb Liquid Invert Sugar OR 1 KG dextrose
5 AAU Mt. Hood or Cascade - 45 mins
1/2 oz Mt. Hood, Hallertau or Saaz
Finnish Lager Yeast or Nottingham Ale Yeast

Now a couple things. First off...ordering Malt extract typically comes in 1-5lb bags. So taking in account the above example, I would order 5lbs of Pale Malt extract. How would I store the remaining .5lbs?

Next is the part that has me completly confused. Ordering the Hops. I understand that AAU's is a measurement of bitterness, I however do not see the connection between AAU's and just how much Hops I should order.

..then the Hallertau Hops doesn't even mention AAU's and goes by Ounces? So confused on how much to actually order and use in this recipe.

and the yeast part is easy enough to understand.

I'm not sure if you are talking about liquid or dry malt extract, so I'll talk about liquid malt extract first.

I usually don't use leftover liquid malt extract-- it usually won't work with the next beer I want to brew, and I just don't feel like obsessing over storage of another beer ingredient. If I were to store liquid malt extract, then I'd store it in the original container to avoid the hassle of transferring it, store it in the refrigerator, and, if possible, remove as much air as I could from the storage vessel. If you're going to use the leftovers soon, though, you could just not worry about removing the air.

Another option is to use dry malt extract, which stores much better than liquid. You don't need to refrigerate it, and as long as you keep it sealed up and dry, you should have no worries about long term storage. If you want to convert a recipe that calls for liquid malt extract (LME) to dry malt extract (DME), then use 20% less DME since it is more concentrated than LME.

As for the hops, AAU is an acronym for alpha acid units, which is the product of the weight of the hops in ounces and the percentage of alpha acids (relates to amount of bitterness) in that particular batch of hops. For example, your recipe calls for 5 AAU of Cascade. You need to find the combination of weight and alpha acid percentage that, when multiplied, equals 5. If your Cascade hops are rated at 8.4% alpha acid, then you would need 0.6 ounces to get to 5 AAU (8.4% x 0.6 oz. = 5 AAU). This way of specifying hops allows for changes in alpha acid percentages in crops from year to year.

Here's a longer explanation by someone who knows more about brewing than I do: How to Brew - By John Palmer - Hop Measurement

The Hallertau hops are probably not given in AAU because they are meant to be used at or near the end of the boil and will contribute very little to the bitterness of the beer-- they're meant for adding flavor and aroma.

-Steve

The prior reply seems to have covered all the bases. I would just also suggest you try out some brewing software like beersmith. Once you play around with the number and see the results in real time you will get a better idea of all these things and how they impact your resulting beer.

I would also ditch the invert sugar in favor of more malt.

that helps alot.. Thanks!