first full boil!!

[Tdawg]

This Sat. I am ging to attempt my first full boil! I have a 15 gallon keg and a wort chiller. I am a bit confused. I am reading to cut back on the hops but my LHBS has said in the past dont worry about it. What should I do?

Also how much water should I start with?
Can I use canned pumpkin?

Here is the recipe


7 lbs. light malt extract
1/2 lb crystal malt 40 L
1/2 lb Munich malt
1/4 lb toasted malt

1 oz Galena hops (at first boil)
1/2 oz Mt. Hood (w/ 25 min left)
1 oz Tettnang (w/ 5 min left)

1 pkg Witbread ale yeast

1.5 tsp Nutmeg
1.5 tsp Allspice
..5 tsp Cinnamon
1 whole clove

 

[nickmv]

That doesn't sound like a full boil to me. And you're sparging with COLD water????

Sparging is a process that usually involves pouring very hot water (~170-190F) over the grains that you already mashed. It gets the last bit of starches and out and stops the mash process. Then the boil comes. I've never heard of sparging with cold water, and I've certainly never heard of sparging at the end.

Im no expert here, but perhaps that recipe's not right?

 

[Yooper]

That doesn't sound like a full boil to me. And you're sparging with COLD water????

As nick said, that recipe doesn't make sense. At least where the pumpkin is concerned. Add pumpkin after boiling? Then sparge?

I wonder if it is supposed to be an AG recipe, and the pumpkin is supposed to go in the MASH? It's still a goofy recipe, but it might make more sense.

 

[nickmv]

When you say full boil, what do you mean? The way I'm thinking is that you'd use all your water in the boil, but it looks like you're just topping off, like a standard extract recipe calls for.

 

[Tdawg]

Unlike what the directions say I would just like to use the ingredients from this recipe and boil 5-6 gallons of water at once.(no sparging)

Should I cut back on the hops or go ahead and add all.
Any other suggestions?

Thanks

 

[nickmv]

I think your best bet would be to mash the pumpkin with the other grains (in a grain bag) and do ~ 5 gal boil. It certainly can't hurt to sparge, so you could alternately do a 2.5-3 gal initial mash, then sparge with 150-160F water, bringing it to around 5 gals for the boil. You might be able to go higher, but just don't use so much that you undercompensate for water lost to evaporation.

I personally go for around 4 gals after the boil, then top off to get my gravity right

After reading the recipe again, it looks like it's just a basic extract recipe with pumpkin and spices added.

 

[Tdawg]

Thanks! I didn't get a reply on the amount of hops. Just keep the same as I would on a partial boil?