First All Grain This Saturday

I am embarking on my first AG this Saturday and was wondering if there is anything that any of you may have overlooked your first AG batch. I could use some tips too.

Don't underestimate the time it takes for your first one. The last thing you want to do is rush the process so make sure you have enough time set aside. You'll get much more efficient over time, but no sense in stressing out over a time crunch. Other than that, it's pretty easy

Make sure you have at least 6 hours of uninterrupted time.

Watch your temps and time your hops. It's better to overshoot your mash water temp and let it preheat your MLT and cool down to your strike temp than not get it hot enough.

Sanitize everything post boil, including the nipple on the kettle valve if you have one. Starsan in a spray bottle works best.

Relax and enjoy the day.

I'm brewing on Sunday, my day.

don't forget your irish moss. i was so wrapped up thinking about the mash that when I finally got wort in the kettle to boil, I relaxed a little too much and screwed up the familiar part!

+1 on going a few degrees over with the strike water. Soooo much easier to stir it for an extra few minutes to drop it down a degree or two than try to bring up a mash that is under target...

dont forget to drink while brewing. Very important.

Watch your boil. They say "A watched pot never boils, but an unwatched brew pot will boil over!".

Relax, have a brew and enjoy.

Good luck.

Salute!

+1 boil overs. I've done my first AG last week, everything went fine, hit OG dead on, volume wasn't what I expected due to boilovers (violent! ~0.5gal lost).

Have two thermometers.
+1 to drink your previous homebrew beer while brewing.

Be as prepared as possible ahead of time. This goes for all brewing, not just AG though. Have it all set up before you start.

+1 on striking a bit high and cooling. You do NOT want to have to pull some off and heat up and add back in...

But mostly RDWHAHB! It's not as difficult as many think.