Bitter experiment ideas please.

[AdrianTrace]

Thanks Adrian I like the idea of your summer ales but I am new to this Could you explain dry hopping to me please.

Haven't actually tried it yet (ordered hops today), but it basically involves chucking some hops in the fermenter or the keg (preferably in a muslin bag or metal tea ball) to get extra hop aroma/flavours.

[AdrianTrace]

Adrian,
We may be at cross purposes.
I've just seen your first post, if your plan was to use both tins for a 5 gallon brew, then you are right, it will be stronger, darker and more bitter ( and arguably a waste of a tin, unless you like hoppy barley wine and your yeast could hack the fermentation). The figures on the tin are based on 1 tin for 5 gallons, in other words for the finished wort, plus, I assume, additional sugar (which wouldn't affect those qualities), so to maintain the balance a 2 tin brew would need 10 gallons. My apologies if I've confused you, having not seen your first post.
Roy

No probs.. I had been thinking of a 5gal batch - 2 tins like a 3.6kg kit - but as you say, it would be way out of balance.

Much better to do 2 tweaked brews

[dericboy1]

Just found the adapted kit recipe on here was a great help regarding dry hopping and other possible uses for the free kits from Jim.

[Brotherton Lad]

Not necessarily way out of balance, but certainly at the rich, malty and hoppy end of the spectrum. I agree, though, that you'll have more fun and learn more by tweaking the 2 tins into 2 different beers.