First AG, not really equipped but going ahead anyway

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turbojet307

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Kittery Maine
Greetings all,

I'm kind of an inexperienced homebrewer. I've got about 11 extract batches under my belt 3 not quite ready yet. All of them drinkable but only couple were actually something I looked forward to drinking. I'm on a quest to make something I really like or give up.

Anyways, I bought all the ingredients to do my first all grain, but didnt really research this out very well. I did try to keep the grain bill small. But I guess I should have gone smaller. For example: I'm limited by my electric stove (right?) and my kettle size so I have no intention, right now, of boiling any more than 4 gallons and it sounds like I should be boiling somewhere around 6 since I'm working with about 8.5lbs of grain.

From a practicality standpoint, I'm planning on mashing with about 1.5gal and batch sparging with maybe 2gal? From what I read I will lose efficiency here so I may just throw in a pound of dme.

I made a yeast starter saturday morning and need to get the show on the road. Any advice would be appreciated. I guess if you have any insight to my approach dont hold back!

It is what it is, and its kind of what I have to work with so rather than stressing out I'm going to go for it. We'll see what happens.
 
you would need to mash ~1.5q per lb of grain so thats a little over 3 gallons of water plus grains will absorb some water ~.5q per lb so thats about 1 gallon of water. Then you have to take into account your evaporation rate ~15% and that will give you the total boil volume which is ~ 6.5 gallons. So 4 gallons in the mash tun with 3 gallons to drain then 3.5 gallons to sparge with for a total of 6.5 gallons then after the 60 min boil you will have ~5 gallons. Can you use 2 pots to boil in?
HTH

EDIT: Also can you do 2.5 gallon all grain batches, this is what I did until I got all the right equipment. I got a 2 gallon cooler and did brew in a bag method, I mashed then lifted the bag poured the wort in the boil kettle put bag back in and poured sparged water stired waited then repeat
 
Otherwise, mash in with 10.5 quarts and you should get out about 1.75 gallons of wort. Sparge with what you need to reach your boil volume. Measure it, so you know exactly how much you have. Stir it well, then take a sample. Cool the sample, then check your SG. You can then calculate the amount of extract and water you'll need to get your recipe. (We can help you with that).
 
Greetings all,

I'm kind of an inexperienced homebrewer. I've got about 11 extract batches under my belt 3 not quite ready yet. All of them drinkable but only couple were actually something I looked forward to drinking. I'm on a quest to make something I really like or give up.

I just want to point out, since its been a topic hotly debated around here, that going All-Grain may not be the best way to make something you "really like." I know a lot of people think it's the magic bullet to instant homebrew satisfaction, but I've heard too many stories that say otherwise.

Good luck to you, and I hope you find that beer you're looking for, since I'd hate to see anyone give up on such a fun (and rewarding) hobby!
 
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