Couple of Firsts - Wish Me Luck

[Aaron1983]

Today is brewday yet again. I bottled up my Coldsnap Maple Ale, cleaned up, and i'm about to mash-in a milestone ale. I call it a milestone because this brew includes a lot of firsts for me.

This is my first time crushing my own grain, my first time making a yeast starter (Trappist High Gravity) 1.8L starter with 1lb DME, and this will be my first "big beer".

Here are my ingredients:

18 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 92.3 %
8.0 oz Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 2 2.6 %
8.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.6 %
8.0 oz Candi Sugar, Dark (275.0 SRM) Sugar 4 2.6 %
1.00 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 10.5 IBUs
2.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 12.9 IBUs
1.0 pkg Trappist High Gravity (Wyeast Labs #3787) [124.21 ml] Yeast 7 -

If I get the same efficiency I did with my last brew I should be getting 1.090 or so for an OG, any better and I may peak 1.100. I got me a brand new 7.5 gallon fermenter so I will have the headspace required for the impending blowoff, and a 3/8" blowoff tube ready to go.

Everything has been planned out well, i've done my homework, and will be mashing-in here in about 10 minutes or so. I don't forsee any issues, but if anyone has some advice or things to look out for, it would be much appreciated.

Wish me luck, and cheers!

 

[Aaron1983]

Ended up with 76.2% efficiency, OG pre-pitch was 1.091.

All went well with the calculations for sparge water, I ended up having to boil down 10 gallons of wort instead of 7.5, a few adjustments and I was back in business. Now I get to witness the carnage this yeast will bring to the table...hopefully not literally.

 

[naga77777]

I guess im too late, but had this thread open from yesterday and wanted to wish you luck.

Glad everything turned out well