What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[Chris Banks]

You could borrow them too!

[jt]

Yea, but it wouldn't be the same would it ?

[Reviled]

Im intrigued now JT, what are you brewing in at the mo? Surely your existing kettle would boil higher gravity wort?

[Reviled]

"Or maybe add LME to get the 1.060"

Dont do that, whatever you do lol - Are you restricted to mash tun or kettle size JT?

Id go with what Stu says and make it more of a sessionable ale, drinking 6% PKB all night could get messy pretty quickly!

[jt]

mash tun or kettle size

Everything . 20 litre pail mashtun, 28 litre kettle (to the brim) 15 litre warehouse pot for HLT

All works famously for the usual 1.040 quaffer but struggles to produce more volume and gravity

[Reviled]

Ahhh, it all makes sense now, I allways wondered why you brewed small beers all the time...

If you borrowed a mash tun you could still boil in your existing kettle, the HLT may be a bit of a pain, but guess it depends how badly you want to get to 1060

[jt]

Pretty much I brew with what I have because it's just fallen together that way - and now it works ok.

I have considered upgrades from time to time, but in the scheme of things it's not really a big enough deal for me to lash out on more kit.

The 1.040 beers are good, because I can fill the four kegs in the fridge - and have a pint from each one and still be in good nick afterwards.

So 1.060 or 1.046 ?

Well the 1.060 would be more authentic for the intended purpose - but maybe I could enjoy 1.046 for awhile longer ...

[Reviled]

"So 1.060 or 1.046 ?"

Pretty personal question there mate ;o) lol, do what you feel is best!

[jt]

Pretty personal question there mate

Yea, you're right, that's not one answer I should be sharing here ;-)

[jt]

But it's all gone ok, did the 1.050, nice 1cm krausen and 16c, probably work it'self up a bit I'd say - and considering I need to think dry hop in a few days, yea ?

I was considering the fabled lint free stockings, being mindful of volume
and loss in the fermenter - worth it or not - could just do the regular rack and dry hop ?

[vdog]

Won't you lose the same volume whether you dry hop in primary or secondary? Or were you planning to dry hop in the keg?

If you're doing it in primary, you could just chuck the pellets in, then rouse after a few days, crash cool and let the yeast settle the hops out into a nice cake on the bottom. Job done!

[jt]

Your right, I guess it's more of a 'throw 'em in' or 'lint free stocking' question.

Lint free's were very popular at the start of last year from memory