Coopers Brew A + mini-mash

Type: Kit + Mini Mash Brew
Sugars: 1 Coopers Brew A IPA, mash liquor as per schedule.
Yeast: CML US Pale Ale Yeast, re-hydrated as per packet instructions.
Hops: 23g Bobek 15 mins, 50g Cascade flame out, 50g Cascade hop tea at packaging.
Additions: Lidl bottled mineral water, 1/4 protofloc talet @ 15 mins.
O.G. 1042
Volume in fermenter: 20L

Mash Schedule;

2Kg Golden Promise, 200g Medium Crystal, 200g Torrified Wheat. Strike water 73 degrees C. Mash at 63 degrees C 50 mins, raised to 73 degrees C, dunk sparged 10 mins.

First of two brews to use up my last two Coopers kits before going fully all grain. This was the first time I'd used my Burco Cygnet 30L boiler, and it went really well. It heats up water much more quickly than a pot on the stove. The grain bag I purchased is too small really, but it will do until I either buy a bigger one or make a mash tun; and that will have to wait until I have made an immersion chiller to allow me to do full volume boils.

I used 8L of water for my mash, but was a bit worried towards the end of the boil due to loss to steam ~ it was getting a bit shallow in the boiler. Once topped up to 20L in the FV, the wort temp was 26 degrees C, so if I use more water in the boil next time I am going to have to chill the wort somehow, perhaps by sitting the FV in an ice bath for a bit.

Brewers Friend predicted an OG of 1049 with an efficiency of 65%, I hit 1042, which gives me an efficiency of 47%, which isn't very good, but I'm not that worried at this point. I just want to get used to the general technique. Sample tasted really good, and not very 'kitty'. 

The yeast was pitched at 26 degrees, which is high, but as it was re-hydrated in 'tepid' water, as per the instructions, of 36 degrees, I thought I'd pitch it, then get the FV in the brew fridge set at 20 degrees C. The good news is that the 'cooling' part of the fridge got it down to 20 in pretty short order ~ the brew fridge had only been called on to heat brews up to this point so its good to know that part of its functionality works well. Its presently holding at 20 with no heat or cooling inputs, due to the exothermic reaction of the yeast.

The Crossmyloof yeast took off like a rocket; it was going like the clappers after 4 hours. Pretty impressive.

Now its just a waiting game. Will I get the kit 'twang' or will the mash disguise it? We shall see.