Over-Engineering of my Beer?

OK guys.....my first all grain brew session is happening this wekeend......and I probably have thought to much about it....I should just RAHAHB....but I cannot....without confirming I am heading in the right direction.

I need a confidense boost....so here is my plan.....I know I may be a bit anal, but, I really want to make sure this is reasonable:

My plan,

1) Brewing Biermunchers All-Grain Blonde Ale

2) Using Beersmith for "the calculus".....

3) Mash grains (8.75 lb grain bill) for 60 minutes by adding 18 quarts of water at correct temperature (4.5 gallons). I have a 50 quart mash tun.

Note: THe reason for the 18 quarts for my mash is so that I end up with a first draining of 3.25 gallons (13 quarts). THis way my sparge will be an equal volume at 3.25 gallons for my final pre-boil of 6.5 gallons.

4) Add 3.25 gallons of water at correct temperature to result in a sparge temperature of 168F. Let sit for 10 minutes then drain.

Note: The 168 degree thing is just because tha tis what everyone says to do. I assume this is the right temperature to help extract as much sugar as possible...and avoid tannin leaching which happens if going above 170F???

Is this correct?

5) Boil my 6.5 gals of wort, add hops, etc and get down to my 5.5 gallon fermentation volume......and make beer.

What do you all think?

Any comments, advice, etc....??? I am fired up for this......

You should read my post: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/drunk-trying-figure-out-efficiency-247478/

hahah I already did.....didn;t you see my responce?

don't forget to drink plenty of beer in the process, other than that everything looks good.

turtle said:

don't forget to drink plenty of beer in the process, other than that everything looks good.

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x2

That will clear up any irregularities caused by overengineering.

A thick mash and thin sparge are your friends.

I usually shoot for no more that 1.25 quarts of water per pound of grain on my mash.

Then I measure what comes out of the mash and adjust the amount/temp of sparge water to batch sparge with.

I did it that way for a couple of years, now I am playing with mash out and fly sparge.

don't forget to drink plenty of beer in the process, other than that everything looks good.

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Oh yeah.....I always do that!