Partial Mash: detailed method instructions

There are a few examples of partial mash instructions on the web, and when I get around to it I'll post some helpful links. But there are subtle varations and here's my excruciating details, which may help other beginners like myself.

· Put grains in nylon mesh bag. Tie at end.
· Heat 7 qt of water to 170F
· Add water to a modified 5 gallon Igloo cooler, modified according to the excellent instructions @ http://members.shaw.ca/Fly_Guy/mlt.htm except I had to get larger sized parts because my cooler's hole diameter was 1/8" larger
· Lower grains into cooler (measured temp 155F), poke to wet thoroughly , and mash (set) for
60 min. Temp will drop ~6 degrees during mash
· While mashing, heat 6.5 qt water to ~180F (no hotter, but slightly cooler is fine)
· When mash is completed, collect wort directly into 5 gal boil pot. No need to “recirculate”the wort to clarify
· Add the 6.5 qt of 180F water to cooler. Let sit for 10 min (temp dropped to ~165F)
· Drain into the boil pot to provide a total of ~ 3 gallons.
· Bring the wort to a boil
· Add bittering hops in a mesh bag and begin 45 min boil
· After 45 min (15 min remaining), remove bittering hops and add dry malt extract
· 10 min after adding DME, add flavor and aroma hops in a mesh bag
· Afer 5 min remove brewpot from heat and put in sink.
· Cool until 95F by gently stirring and draining multiple water baths from sink. Removed aroma hops bag after cooling.
· Do not let anything non-sterile touch the wort from now on!
· Sterilize (Star-san) fermenter, pitcher, strainer, yeast packet, ladel
· Add 2.5 gallons filtered water to fermenter
· Pour wort through strainer (to remove pellet hops) into fermenter to make ~5.5 gallons
· Aerate the wort by pouring back and forth between fermentation bucket and pot
· Pitch yeast
· Remove sample with sanitized ladel and measure Original Gravity
· Bubbler should be active by next afternoon
· When bubbling stops, remove sample with sanitized ladel and measure Final Gravity
· Rack to secondary, if desired, and condition for additional week or two to clarify
· Bottle: Sanitize autosiphon, bottling bucket, bottle caps.
· Clean bottles with jet washer
· Sanitize bottles in dishwasher (water only- no detergent!) for 45 min on heavy duty cycle (140F water)
· Boil 2c water and add 6 oz. corn sugar (high carbonation level). Add to bottling bucket and
then rack beer to bottling bucket. Stir after racking to make sure sugar is well mixed.
· Bottle and condition for 1 week @ ~70F.