Appropriate Partial Boil Plan?

[NTL]

I am planning on doing a Brown Ale LME (4lb) kit tonight. I also have 2lb's of DME which was recommended as a good idea by someone at my LHBS.

I only have a 12q brew pot so I was thinking that I will do a 2 gal (think I could do 2.5 without boil over?) boil and add the 4lb LME in at the beginning of the boil. Then should I add the 2lb's of DME with about 15 minutes left?

Before pitching the yeast I think I then add my wort to cold water in my fermenter (5gal - wort size of cold water) and let it cool to room temperature.


Does this sound like a good approach?
Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

I'd reverse that- add the DME at the beginning, and the LME at the end. DME clumps like a SOB and it's hard to break it up at the end of the boil.

 

[NTL]

I'd reverse that- add the DME at the beginning, and the LME at the end. DME clumps like a SOB and it's hard to break it up at the end of the boil.

Okay thanks. Does the volume seem good?

 

[Yooper]

I'm not sure. I guess it's a good place to start! If you end up having tons of room in the pot, you could add more water. In my opinion, the bigger boil the better but you don't want a boilover! So go as "big" as you can without stopping a full boil.

 

[Calder]

2 lbs of DME in 2 gallons = 1.045. That's a good gravity for getting the hop oils isomerized to provide the bittering.

If that's the biggest pot you have, then the volume is fine. If you are going to continue with this hobby, get a bigger pot.