First Time Steeping Grains - Help

Stop. Get a copy of how to brew, or read it online for free. Then continue.

There's no reason you can't use the Mr Beer keg to make two gallon batches. Although I am brewing all grain, I still do small experimental 2-gallon extract or partial mash batches with my old Mr Beer keg.

Putting half your batch (4 quarts) of water into your fermenter is sub-optimal. Full boils are far better (boiling everything that is going into your fermenter)., There's no reason why you can't do a full boil for a two gallon batch. Full boils = much better beer.

2 lbs of extract is enough for a two gallon batch, with qualifiers. For an Irish stout with steeping grains, no problem, it can be done. BUT - I suggest you begin upping your game to reflect your newfound knowledge from reading how to brew, which of course you should obtain and read and follow the advice contained therein.

Give up the hopped extract, and start using unhopped. Unhopped extract can be found in cans, liquid (measured by the seller), or dry (usually in 1 lb increments). Dry is a little stronger than liquid,

BTW, so you'll need a good calculator. There are online recipe forumulators (i.e. brewtoad), or beersmith, or Vikeman's spreadsheet. I use beersmith. It's not perfect but it's worth the $27 if you're serious about brewing.

Use actual hops. They are nature's most amazing plant.

You could certainly use the grains you suggested as steeping or mini-mash grains for an Irish stout, but you need quantities, not just listings of types. Some grains must be mashed, so if I were you, I'd just get it in your head now, that since you're going to read how to brew, and follow the advice therein, you're also going to step up your game and do mini-mashes.

Mini-mashes aren't much different from steeping grains, except that you're going to use some base malt (i.e. 2-row, 6-row, golden promise, maris otter etc) in addition to your steeping grains. You're basically going to do the same thing, but pay a bit more attention. For two gallon batches, you can heat the water to about 160, add your mini-mash and steeping grains, which will bring it down to about 150-155, then stick the whole pot in your pre-heated oven on lowest possible setting. That's what I do, works fine, and I produce tasty beer from both full sized all grain batches, and 2-gallon extract/mini-mash batches.

Next, when the mini-mash is done, you'll strain the wort into a big boil pot, then add water and extract to bring it up to about 2.75 gallons (or so*). Then you will boil all of this**.

During the boil, you'll add hops as necessary. Most of us use some amount of a fairly high Alpha Acid hop at 60 minutes (start of boil), to give us the overall bitterness we want. Then we add hops late in the boil (15 minutes to flameout) for flavor and aroma. For a dry Irish stout, a typical schedule might be:

xx grams of hops at 60 minutes for bittering
xx grams of hops at 15 minutes for flavor / aroma

The exact hopping schedule you choose is very forgiving. In fact, hops tend to cover flaws, so there's nothing wrong with making an IPA or hoppy pale ale early in your brewing adventures. However, there's also nothing wrong wtih making a pure extract wheat beer that only has two ounces of hops either. What you need to focus on is fundamentals. That's why you'll read how to brew.

IMO, the most important things to consider are:

fermentation temperature
yeast pitching temperature
sanitation
full boils
KISS methodology

Get the book. You'll thank me later.

*trust me, if you're off by a little bit, it won't matter. If you're off by a LOT it will matter, of course. But hitting your OG exactly has never been a top priority of mine. Being within a few points yes, but if your 1.060 turns out to be 1.065 or 1.055, it won't make much difference.

**it is acceptable to add extracts in increments throughout the boil. You'll get to that after you read how to brew and make a successful batch or two.

 

I would further add that is is super important to main fermentation temps (Yes, it was mentioned before) but often the difference between good & bad beer is:

FERMENTATION TEMPERATURE!!!

Consider 65F ambient, no more than 70...