So got the brew going yesterday - kind of "lowest common denominator" equipment. One burner, three pots (one on the stove for the parge water, one a keggle), and siphon for getting into the first carboy.
Only 5g - wanted to start a bit smaller on the first solo run. Mash started good. Got water up to about 155, grain dropped the temp so I added some heat. Temp gauge was sticky and didn't have a floatie so didn't notice the temp spike up to just under 170. . . panic. . . added some cool water to drop it back down to about 150-155. Continued with the mash. . .
Forgot to up the temp to 170 at the end of the mash - does that matter?
Sparge went well. Gravity fed, manual pour sparge water over a stir-fry spoon-thing. . . nice sprinkle.
Don't think I got a full 5g out before I stopped (thinking I had gotten too much. . . I'll be marking my own equipment! heh heh
Boil went very well. Hops in at beginning, at 30, and at 45 with moss going in at 50.
Cool-down went very well. Got the temp down fast, pulled the cooler, then swirled it a bunch before siphoning it into the carboy.
It's now bubbling away nicely.