1 can (3.3 lb) of Light LME, 2 lb of Pilsen DME, .5 lb of wheat DME, 1 lb of ExtraLight DME, plus steeped .5lb of Crystal 40 and .25 carapils. According to BeerAlchemy, I was looking at about 1.055 and 35 IBU, much of which comes from later hop additions
Brought a gallon of water to 165° and added the steeping grains, placed covered pot in the oven to hold the heat, for 30 minutes.
While that was steeping, I started heating up the 5.5 gal of water in my brew pot out on the burner. After 30, I added the gallon from steeping and continues to bring the whole 6.5 g toward a boil, gradually mixing in all the DME. Once the boil started, I started the hop additions (60, 20, 10, 1, and flameout). Put in the immersion cooler about 10 minutes (it had been sitting in the fermenting bucket in star san), started up after the flameout hop addition. THEN, AND ONLY THEN, do I realize that the can of LME is still in the kitchen, sitting in hot water. I had sanitized the can opener already, so I opened it up and dumped it in, mixing as it cooled.
Finally got it into the bucket and took a reading... what should have been around 1.055 was more like 1.045. not sure if the low reading is simply due to the LME being added so late and not properly mixed in. Pretty bummed out. First attempt with so many different hops/additions and I got caught up in that and blanked out on the LME (which I planned on adding late, but more like around 15 minutes to go, not after the chiller had started!
Just pitcthed the Wyeast 1056 and now it's wait and see. Supposed to have dry hops added (I would do after the heaviest activity over the first several days)
**Update: about 12 hrs after pitching, no activity in the airlock yet. I know that doesn't mean it isn't working. I did not make a starter. Used the Wyeast whack pack (burst the nutrient pack inside, let it puff up for a 2-3 hrs, and then pitched. Considering adding some Safale 05 dry yeast, but will wait until I get home from work tonight to see if the airlock is bubbling. If it is I'll leave it be. Got the bucket in a tub of cold water holding the temp around 63, assuming the fermenter will want to warm up once the yeast starts working.
Brought a gallon of water to 165° and added the steeping grains, placed covered pot in the oven to hold the heat, for 30 minutes.
While that was steeping, I started heating up the 5.5 gal of water in my brew pot out on the burner. After 30, I added the gallon from steeping and continues to bring the whole 6.5 g toward a boil, gradually mixing in all the DME. Once the boil started, I started the hop additions (60, 20, 10, 1, and flameout). Put in the immersion cooler about 10 minutes (it had been sitting in the fermenting bucket in star san), started up after the flameout hop addition. THEN, AND ONLY THEN, do I realize that the can of LME is still in the kitchen, sitting in hot water. I had sanitized the can opener already, so I opened it up and dumped it in, mixing as it cooled.
Finally got it into the bucket and took a reading... what should have been around 1.055 was more like 1.045. not sure if the low reading is simply due to the LME being added so late and not properly mixed in. Pretty bummed out. First attempt with so many different hops/additions and I got caught up in that and blanked out on the LME (which I planned on adding late, but more like around 15 minutes to go, not after the chiller had started!
Just pitcthed the Wyeast 1056 and now it's wait and see. Supposed to have dry hops added (I would do after the heaviest activity over the first several days)
**Update: about 12 hrs after pitching, no activity in the airlock yet. I know that doesn't mean it isn't working. I did not make a starter. Used the Wyeast whack pack (burst the nutrient pack inside, let it puff up for a 2-3 hrs, and then pitched. Considering adding some Safale 05 dry yeast, but will wait until I get home from work tonight to see if the airlock is bubbling. If it is I'll leave it be. Got the bucket in a tub of cold water holding the temp around 63, assuming the fermenter will want to warm up once the yeast starts working.