First Brew Soon(TM) - Plan Validation

[Wyphy]

Planning to do my first brew next weekend and I’m looking for a sanity check on my plan.
I’m brewing a MoreBeer American Ale (kit 135) that came with the deluxe starter kit, and doing a cross between MoreBeer’s instructions (which are pretty generic), and Palmer’s wort A/B method with steeping the Crystal in wort rather than just water.
I’ll be using RO water for the boil and fermenter top up, but spring/mineral water for the yeast.

Post-flameout times are just general estimates; like the chill should be faster since the IC chilled 190*-70* in 10 minutes sitting in the kettle with no agitation in a test run, so I’m thinking more like 5-7 minutes.
I’m trying not to overthink everything, and the times are really just to make sure I’m not missing any steps and to help me figure out when it’s going to be busier vs slower.

Does it seem like I’ve overlooked anything?
General timeframes look believable?
Any specific tips?

Cheers.

7 lbs Ultralight LME
1 lb Crystal 15L

1 oz Magnum 60 min
1 oz Cascade 5 min
1 oz Cascade 1 min

SafAle US 05

3 gal water and 3.5 lb LME to kettle and heat
Bag Crystal and into kettle; steep 30 min at max 165*, kill heat if 165* before 30 min
Pull yeast from fridge
Remove grain and bring to boil
60 minutes - add magnum hops
Mix sanitizer - fermenter, bucket, tubing, airlock, yeast flask, etc.
15 minutes - add chiller to boil
5 minutes - add cascade hops, whirlfloc, start yeast hydration
1 minute - add cascade hops and remaining LME
Flameout - remove all hops
+2 minutes - start chiller, first hot water to sink for cleanup
+4 minutes - add 1g water to fermenter
+12 minutes - remove chiller, swirl yeast
+13 minutes - pour wort into bucket, transfer to fermenter, top with water to 5g
+14 minutes - aerate for 10 minutes
+24 minutes - take sample for gravity, pitch yeast
Day 4-6 - move to warmer room (~ +5*) for yeast to clean up
Day 13-14 - bottle

 

[Wyphy]

Also, on rehydrating yeast, I found several suggested methods between Palmer’s book, the kit instructions, and the yeast data sheet, and I’m just curious on opinions. Okay, I know this is the internet and opinions are like… well, never mind; still, curious as to what everyone does with their dry yeast.

I’m mostly leaning toward A, but can see where B could be a good plan; C is out as I’ve no way to stir for 30 minutes, which otherwise makes it the same as A.

A - Add yeast to 4 oz water and leave for 15 minutes, stir gently and leave for 15-30 minutes, pitch.

B - Suspend yeast in 4 oz of warm water. Do not stir. Let stand for 15 minutes. Stir gently. Add an equal amount of wort to your solution. Cover, let sit for five minutes, and pitch

C - Sprinkle the yeast in 110ml/4oz sterile water or wort at 25 to 29°C (77°F to 84°F). Leave to rest 15 to 30 minutes. Gently stir for 30 minutes, and pitch the resultant cream into the fermentation vessel.

 

[SEndorf]

Since this is your first brew experience, I'd go "by the book" which is "A".
Just know that Safale 05 can be a slow starter. Don't be overly concerned with no activity for up to 24 hours.

 

[brewing_clown]

Looks good. Couple of things I might change.

Whirlfloc at 15 minutes - That's what the instructions on my bottle say anyway
Chiller at flameout - I've always done this and never had worries with infections, etc. Chiller sitting in there so long will just get in your way and make things more cumbersome.

Best of luck. Don't stress it, just roll with it.

 

[Wyphy]

Thanks for the thoughts.
I can see where a chiller would be in the way, especially trying to stir in the rest of the LME.
Hadn't read the packet for Whirlfloc yet, it's still in the sealed kit bag (LME in the fridge though).
Like I said, the A plan for yeast is what I was leaning to, maybe next time I'll try something else.

Whenever I start something new I try to read as much info as I can so I have a plan and know what the hell I'm doing.
Definitely no stress involved; it'll be beer, and hopefully it'll be tasty beer.

 

[brewing_clown]

I would go with C for the yeast. Chris White’s book suggests yeast will perform better when rehydrated at the higher temperature