I have had a DOH! Moment already
I have no way of checking the graivity as I didn't check to see what My hydrometer and refactometer can go up to
Hydro = 1.150 Refractometer = 1.132

Anyone know of a way of calculating it, using a set amount of Distilled water to dilute it Is it even possible

Only a guess here.

Water has a gravity of 1. So if you do 1 part wort to 1 part water, then double the reading this should work as it is a linear scale.

Same as I thought I have had confirmation too by Text from an old knowledgeable one, One part wort to one part dist water equals half of the gravity

Here goes..................
The Grain Bill




The Borrowed tun in place


Pre Heating Herms and Tun


Doughing in


I think we should stop

First runnings




Full and about to boil


The Hops all 460grm of them for 90 mins


The chiller coming out


A bit of break forming


Pouring in the yeast starter


Filling the Fv

Missed by a long way


Well Had a mixed bag today

Everything went well until the sparge that was stuck tighter than a yorkshire mans wallet ( no offense intended )
Really had to work to get the dam thing running.
My mash efficiency was down to 51% Really lower than I expected. Overall efficiency was around 56%.
So We ended up with 40 ltr ish at 1.130 not the 1.175 I wanted
But the mash did produce a 1.059 stout @ 25ltr that still needs to boil tomorrow. I have had a 12hr brewday from start to finish I'm Knackered. Eddie was hurting after the 20min no stop doughing in. But energy was restored with sausage sandwiches around 1pm and bacon butties around 3pm.
I'm done in now If i think of anything more I shall post it later

it was a good day lot of work lot of grains few hiccups but never the less a learning curve all round

Looked like a fun day

The old style brewers would have 'mashed' three possibly even 4 times for this sort of gravity and just boiled until it was the gravity they wanted . . . Or do your first runnings . . . and put to one side . . . run off again and boil that down to hit the gravity of the first runnings . . . combine both and then boil to hit your desired gravity.

well done chaps

An impressive and valiant effort MD!
I think AM's hit the nail on the head, either that, or use a very long, slow, fly sparge.
BTW, where was Eddie's mug shot?

Well I give up.
20ltr of head space in the Fv for it to ferment in and It decides to pull an mount st helen's on me.





It's destroyed several parcels ready to ship, Will now need to repackage them up. and have sent 2 hours cleaning the garage instead of boiling my next brew and making false bottoms and tuns

That's it I've had enough I'm going out to see something that will make me happy and calm inside

Thats a pita md. Not what you want on a Sunday morning.

Looks a right state! I hate having to clear up any normal wort, never mind treacle like wort!

Is it just sitting in the garden at the mo? You could call it a 'feature'.

Hopefully 'From great FUBARs, come great beers'.

Think perhaps rasputins got his own back mate
Dont blame the stirrer

Oh Nick . . . Just a quick warning when you pitch the yeast cake Watch out for the explosive ferment . . . Give it plenty of room in the FV

I thought 20ltr would of been enough Aleman, obvoiusly not

oh man md, sorry to see that mate!

wow thats really crazy - hope you haven`t lost to much

Really sorry to see this happening, having had the boil on my first brew the other day, I know that deep seated feeling of panic when you realise everything is covered in wort... only for the deep, chilling realisation that what's even worse- is that you've lost beer

Hopefully what's left will turn out superbly though! Give it time!