Would I be able to brew something in time for Xmas?

[GazzaW57]

I was hoping to have at least begun another IPA beer kit in time for Christmas, but having my appendix removed as an emergency two weeks ago, has put paid to that as I’m not allowed to pick up anything remotely heavy (I’m ok with a kettle and that’s about it) and have to take it easy. I’m sure if this has happened twenty or thirty years ago, I wouldn’t have been so bad, but I’m 62, so I doing nothing daft! I’m looking to start another kit some time middle of November, but I think I’m not going to be drinking it until mid to end of January at the earliest.

At least I’ve still got about 30 bottles of the Range IPA I did a while ago, so I think I’ll just have to save those for Christmas!

Que sera eh?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Have you got any family or friends that could help?

 

[Empty bottle]

Could you not put the fermenting bucket up high to begin with,like on the kitchen worktop etc and fill it up there then you wont need to move it once its ready to bottle?

 

[GazzaW57]

I’m working on solutions for this as we speak. The first thing would be to get the kit, and I think I may go for the Range IPA again. I was really nicely surprised how well that turned out. I’ve already got brewing sugar in my cupboard, so I may ask my girlfriend to help me in starting it off. My thinking is that if I leave it for another two weeks, we can start it off, so that when it comes to the bottling, I’ll be able to do that myself.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I was hoping to have at least begun another IPA beer kit in time for Christmas, but having my appendix removed as an emergency two weeks ago, has put paid to that as I’m not allowed to pick up anything remotely heavy (I’m ok with a kettle and that’s about it) and have to take it easy. I’m sure if this has happened twenty or thirty years ago, I wouldn’t have been so bad, but I’m 62, so I doing nothing daft! I’m looking to start another kit some time middle of November, but I think I’m not going to be drinking it until mid to end of January at the earliest.

At least I’ve still got about 30 bottles of the Range IPA I did a while ago, so I think I’ll just have to save those for Christmas!

Que sera eh?

a wheat beer doesn't take long before its drinkable. from fermenting to drinking in 4 weeks should be easy to fit than in by early november for december.

ps best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

[GazzaW57]

Thank you. I’ve never even drank a wheat beer before, so I may very well give that a try.

 

[Bosch]

+1 for a Wheat beer.
Hope you get better really quick

 

[GazzaW57]

+1 for a Wheat beer.
Hope you get better really quick

 

[eyuptm]

How about using Kviev yeast, not had experience myself, but people have had full ferments done in 3/4 days, at higher temperatures (up to 35°c!!)

 

[GazzaW57]

I’m not sure how it would work with the Range IPA, but I’ll do so investigating. Thank you.

 

[The Baron]

Change the yeast out for Kveik to speed things up, it will be ready to keg/Bottle in a week that gives plenty of time for Xmas

 

[GazzaW57]

Thank you all for your responses and advice. I’m slowly getting mobile and walking short distances, so I’m being taken Range at the end of the week to get the IPA kit (I’m not carrying it though!) and I’ve got Kveik yeast on order and it should be delivered this week.

 

[An Ankoù]

Might be time to pop down to Asda and stock up with "research" beers. Increase supply if bottles, too.

 

[GazzaW57]

Might be time to pop down to Asda and stock up with "research" beers. Increase supply if bottles, too.

Thank you. My ’order‘ is already in for those

 

[Jim Brewster]

Got myself a Wilko IPA kit to do at some point. Should be nicely conditioned by Christmas. I've not had good results with can kits to be honest, but giving them another chance.

To avoid lifting it might be worth getting a pump to raise the liquids rather than lifting, similar to when brewing on a big 3 vessel system

 

[GazzaW57]

I’ve not tried the Wilko kit, but can recommend the Range IPA kit.

 

[Knuckles]

I’ve not tried the Wilko kit, but can recommend the Range IPA kit.

Has anyone tried any of the new Lovebrewing kits? I'm thinking of getting the Old Reptonian IPA as it has a blackcurrant taste apparently. Siren do an IPA called undercurrent which has a blackcurrant taste and it's really nice, so I'm hoping it's similar to that.......?

 

[peebee]

Might be time to pop down to Asda and stock up with "research" beers. Increase supply if bottles, too.

Spot on! I keep trying to tell myself I can do that, but there's this overwhelming (and irrational) need to do it myself.

(You don't have to "pop down to Asda", it's quite remarkable what you can get sent to your home these days. Which is handy if most of your neighbours have limited vocabularies. ... Baa!).

 

[fireworkmaster]

a wheat beer doesn't take long before its drinkable. from fermenting to drinking in 4 weeks should be easy to fit than in by early november for december.

ps best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Any recommendations on a wheat kit?

 

[dad_of_jon]

Any recommendations on a wheat kit?

Never brewed a wheat kit but this is pretty simple:

2.5kg of dried wheat extract(dwe)
mangrove jack's m20 or fermentis wb-06
100g tettnang hops.
I put the whole 100g of tettnang in with 6 litres of dechlorinated water boil for 10 mins let it stand for another 10 mins.

strain thru a muslin or nylon mesh into the fv add 10 litres of dechlorinated water and stir in the extract then top up to 21-22 litres with dechlorinated water.

Should pretty much be at pitching temp. I use half a campden tablet these days to treat the water but used to used 2 litre bottles of chase spring water available in most supermarkets.

it turns out that treated tap water where i live is pretty similar to chase springs bottled water profile.

ps stirring dme is good exercise for your arm.

If you brew in the next week you'll still be able to package and drink tasty wheat beer for Xmas or even on the run up to Xmas. Wheat beer goes down well with rich Xmas food,its a great counterbalance.