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Homebrewer newsletter #3

Released on December, 1986 (Circulation: 129)

eZine lover (@eZine)

Published in

homebrewer newsletter

· 7 months ago

Hello. Let me start by wishing everybody a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year. Newsletter readership has doubled since the last issue, and it seems to be reaching a plateau. I have received many contributions for the newsletter, and have written a few more things myself, including the article on additives that I promised. Due to circumstances _within_ my control, there probably won't be a newsletter in January, but I hope to get going again in February and keep to a monthly schedule.

In this Issue

A Porter Puzzle
Additives: Pro & Con
Stuff From Readers

Beer Taxonomy
Hop Growing
Bottle Washer Improvements
Homebrew Storage
Blow-by Misunderstanding
Boulder Christmas Stout
Sugar Requirements
Grolsch Gaskets again
Oktoberfests again
Cheap Kits
Hop Pellets
Refrigeration

Plastic Fermenters vs. Glass
Rotokeg Update
It's a Party!
Standard Request
In Future Issues

What's going on with this Porter?

Here's something that has me puzzled. I bottled a recent batch of porter in 16 oz swingtops (Rauchenfels Steinbiere bottles, if it matters) with 2/3 cup priming sugar, about 6 weeks ago. The beer is chilled to 45F, and when opened, a glorious 'pop' is heard, like a champagne bottle. When the beer is poured, a thick, tan head results, but the beer itself does not seem to be very carbonated. It tastes fine, but I can only feel slight bubbling on my tongue. Now, I'm sure I used enough priming sugar, as evidenced by the impressive opening fireworks. It seems like little of the CO₂ became dissolved in the beer as it should have, but instead just sat in the neck of the bottle. What's going on here? Here's the recipe:

    3.3 lb Edme DMS light malt extract 
    1 lb light dry malt 
    1 lb amber dry malt 
    1 lb crushed crystal malt 
    1 lb crushed chocolate malt (a little old) 
    1/3 oz Burton Water Salts 
    1 oz Eroica Hops pellets    \ 
    1 oz Wilhamette Hops         }- bittering (yes, I like hops) 
    1 oz Northern Brewer Hops   / 
    1 oz Kent Goldings          - finishing 
    7 gm Old Danish Ale Yeast

The usual procedures were followed: grains added to cold water, brought to boil, grains strained out, extracts added, boiling hops added, boiled for 1 hour, finishing hops added, strained into carboy, fermented with blow-by, bottled 1 week later with 2/3 cup sugar.

If anyone has any ideas on this, or any explanations, feel free to write in. I only have one idea, and I'm afraid it's probably a bit silly. It's the excessive chocolate malt. Perhaps it adds too much "body" and makes it difficult for the CO₂ to dissolve. The beer is quite thick, and is a little reminiscent of Guinness Stout (which is thick, not very fizzy, and has a dense, foamy head.) The other curious ingredients are the water salts and the DMS extract. Does anybody know of any unusual effects these might have?

Additives - advantages and disadvantages

The subject of additives in brewing is a controversial one. Some people refuse to use any, insisting that only malt, hops, yeast and water are necessary to brew a superior beer. Others say that some additives are vital to produce good beer in some circumstances. I tend to side with the purists, but nonetheless find myself using additives occasionally as "insurance." I also like to experiment, and I advise others to do the same, as that's really the only way you'll know if a certain additive is useful to you.

Additives fall into several categories: finings, which help clear the beer or help its appearance in some way, nutrients and chemicals that create a better environment for the yeast to grow, and adjuncts (non-malt fermentables). I shall try to outline the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular additives, give any experiences I've had with them, and discuss in what situations they are likely to be of use.

1. Finings

Finings are used to clarify the beer, and so are used mainly with light-colored beers.

Gelatin is probably the most widely used fining. It is usually added after primary fermentation is completed, and works by dragging down suspended particles as it settles to the bottom. I have tried it several times and have gotten fairly clear beers. The use of gelatin finings will certainly not harm your beer.
Irish Moss is another popular fining. Its purpose is to coagulate proteins, which can cause hazy beer. Irish moss is added to the wort during the last few minutes of boiling. It is quite a bit easier to use than gelatin finings, especially for single stage fermentations. I generally use it in all light-colored beers.
Isinglass is similar in function to gelatin, but has not achieved the widespread use in beermaking that it has in winemaking. I have never used it, but several sources indicate that it is difficult.
I have also never tried Polyclar, which is a synthetic substance similar in function to gelatin finings. If you do not want to use finings, the best way to encourage your beer to clear is to boil the wort for at least 15 minutes, which will precipitate many haze-causing proteins. Boiling with hops will also aid clarification. Fermentation temperature and sanitation may also cause problems with beer clarity. Bacterial infections can cause a hazy beer, and high fermentation temperatures encourage bacterial growth. Keeping the wort clean and the temperature below 70F will minimize risk. A fermentation temperature of 60F will almost eliminate the possibility.
Heading compounds fall into the category of improving the beer's appearance, but are not finings. Many commercial brewers use heading compounds to improve head retention and size, but for the modern homebrewer, these additives are almost certainly unnecessary. Any beer with a high percentage of malt content should produce a good head, and most homebrew is all malt. Soap, grease, and detergents tend to ruin the head, so be sure to rinse your beer glasses well. I simply don't use any soap on mine.

2. Fermentation environment

A general rule of thumb is that ale yeasts (top-fermenting) like more alkali worts and lager yeasts (bottom-fermenting) like more acid worts. Following this rule, many people like to add _gypsum_ to ale worts and _citric acid_ to lager worts. I don't subscribe to this idea, but tend to use gypsum to harden the water for stouts and heavier ales. Acidity is of far greater importance when mashing or when making wine, but does not play a great role in extract brewing.

_Epsom Salts_ or _Burton Water Salts_ can also be used to change the mineral composition of the water, the idea being to simulate the water used to brew a particular style or brand of beer. Once again, this is an prime area for experimentation. My general philosophy is if the water tastes OK to begin with, then it is likely to produce a good tasting beer, and vice versa.

_Salt_ is a controversial additive. Some claim that a pinch of salt can help bring out flavors better, but I have never found any noticeable difference. Remember, if you try it, use only non-iodized salt, as iodine tends to inhibit yeast growth.

_Ascorbic acid_ (Vitamin C) is sometimes used to prevent oxidation. Before fermentation starts, oxygen is needed in the wort to ensure healthy yeast reproduction. But after fermentation begins, oxygen can react with alcohol (or just about anything else) to produce off flavors in the beer. The ascorbic acid tends to react with the oxygen before anything else, and oxidized ascorbic acid does not harm beer. Oxygen is frequently introduced into the beer when siphoning or stirring, so care should be taken not to cause too much "splashing." Obviously, ascorbic acid falls into the category of "insurance."

_Yeast Nutrients_ are generally chemicals such as phosphates that yeast uses in small quantities. In an all malt wort, there are plenty of nutrients present, so none need to be added. If many adjuncts (see next section) are used, then nutrients must be added in order for the yeast to work properly.

3. Adjuncts

An adjunct is a fermentable other than barley malt which is added to the wort. By far the most common adjunct is _sugar_ because it is cheapest. It contributes alcohol to the finished beer, but very little else. Most homebrewers agree that sugar should not used in the brewing process, only for priming. If the sugar is replaced with an equal amount of barley malt, a superior brew is certain to result. There are some who even use dry malt for priming, but the amount used is so small that it doesn't make all that much difference. If sugar is used, be sure to use brewing (corn) sugar, as this has been refined to the point of being almost 100% fermentable, whereas table (cane) sugar is a more complex sugar, not totally fermentable, and often contributes cidery flavors to the beer.

Other commons adjuncts used by commercial brewers are _corn_ and _rice_, since they are usually cheaper than barley. Unless you are trying to duplicate some American beer taste, there is very little reason for the homebrewer to use these, since in small quantities, they are as expensive as barley malt, or more. I have had good results with _honey_ and _brown sugar_, but have not tried _molasses_ or _maple syrup_. If you wish to experiment with these, I suggest you start with small quantities until you are sure you like the flavors produced.

_Lactose_ is an unfermentable sugar which is used to add sweetness to a beer. I have had good results with lactose in a sweet stout, a typical use for it. _Malto-dextrin_ is another unfermentable sugar. It is used to add sweetness and body, and is said to improve head retention, but I have never had reason to try it. Once again, an all malt beer should not need such an additive. On the subject of unfermentable sugars, it is these sugars which really give beer its flavor and body. Sometimes a lighter, dryer beer is desired, and _enzymes_ may be used to break down some of the complex sugars into simper ones. This results in a less sweet, lighter bodied beer, but with more alcohol. This is how the European "Diet" beers are made, which have nothing to do with the American "lite" beers. _Amylase Enzyme_ is most commonly seen, but its use in homebrewing is rare, probably because the benefit is arguable.

For a definitive description of things you might want to add to your beer, not just "additives," see Charlie Papazian's "Complete Joy of Home Brewing." He's thought of just about everything, from chocolate to garlic, and even chickens! (Cock Ale, page 92)

Stuff From Readers

This sections consists of contributions from readers. Some items are questions, and some are comments, hopefully informative. Wherever you see comments in square brackets, those are my [editorial] interjections.

This from JMELLBY%ti-eg.csnet@csnet-relay (John Mellby)

I don't know if this is appropriate, but as part of a beer-tasting party I wrote three articles called "What is Beer?" (Part 1 was malt, part 2 hops.) The following was the last article on describing various kinds of beer. Since I am by no means an expert I would appreciate any feedback on things I may have gotten wrong. Notice that I "cribbed" freely from Michael Jackson's books, and from the "CAMRA Dictionary of Beer".
Remember that the audience for which I intended this is not overly sophisticated when it comes to beer. On the tasting table for varieties of top-brewed beers, instead of "Guinness" one person wrote "That Black Stuff!"

What is Beer?
Kinds of Beer
John R. Mellby
September 11, 1986
When asked what kinds of beer you like, most of you will reply something like: "Budweiser", "Coors", or "Lone Star". We will ignore debates on whether Lone Star is really a beer, or expressions of disgust from those who don't like beer in the first place, you will proceed to be enlightened on what kinds of beer there really are. (Yes, you will be enlightened whether you like it or not! And pay attention! There will be a test later!)
The general American attitude towards beer types is exemplified by the following conversation which I really didn't have but am using to bring up the subject of beer types. (Those in the military will recognise that American Generals really seldom drink beer. Instead they drink Scotch, or Bourbon, or other liquids used to kill unwanted plants.)
Me: What kinds of beer do you like?
Dull-witted-person-used-as-a-foil-for-my-rapier-like-wit: Oh, I kinda like Miller and Coors.
Me: But don't you ever drink imports, or specialty beers?
DWPUAAFFMYLW: Oh shore! I like a good Stroh's now and again! And when my wife yells about drinking too much I'll switch to Miller Lite! Boy I love those commercials!
Me: But what about Ales? Or Stouts?
DWPUAAFFMYLW: Ah was at the doctor and he said Ah was fine so nothing ails me and if ya'll think I'm fat I'll have to rearrange your face!
We could go on from here but I think you get the picture (and it's certainly not a pretty one). In actuality almost all American beers are light, generic lagers (except "lite" beers which are watered down light generic lagers).
Basically there are two major differences in the kinds of beers. There are Ales and Lagers. The difference is in the YEAST! The older form, ale, is yeast which does its fermentation on the top of the liquid. Thus Ales are Top-Fermenting beers. Lagers are bottom-fermenting because the yeast is on the bottom of the liquid.
Most of the other differentiations between kinds of beers are in the type of water, the amounts of hops and malts used, and other fermenting ingredients. Many of the more quality-minded brewers add minerals and 'salts' to the water, especially gypsum. This is called Burtonising, after Burton-upon-Trent, one of Britain's great brewing towns because of the good water supply. Of course this can be taken to extremes. A Pittsburgh brewer, for example, produces a beer which can satisfy 10 times the minimum daily requirement for Iron! (I'll give you a hint. The beer isn't called Iron City because of all the steel mills in town!)
Lager: In 1842 in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, they discovered that if a certain yeast was used which fermented on the bottom of the vessel, the fermentation was at 50 degrees, and it was then put into secondary fermentation at 32 degrees for a long 'resting' period, the result was a clear beer. The resting is LAGER so the beer because a lager. [Huh? Try: the word "lager" means to store/rest.] Before all beers had sediment. Because of the low temperature [required], it wasn't until later in the 19th century that lagers became prevalent. [Refrigeration had not been invented yet.]
There are numerous kinds of lagers, mostly associated with various regions in Germany.
Pilsner - Started in Czechoslovakia. A Golden beer with lots of hops tending to make a dryer beer with lots of aroma. Most of the American beer is either a weak generic lager, or a bland variation on Pilsners. Let's face it, American beer is watered down Pils. Pilsner Urquell remains about the best Pilsner, although Wickuler has a very distinctive Pils as well. In the USA, I found Shell's Pilsner which was a very faithful Pils, but it is only found around Minnesota or Wisconsin.
Munchener - A very malty beer, low in alcohol for Germany (4 percent). Originally this was always dark, but it's now often found in the pale (Helles) form. Don't expect a USA brewer to produce this. I really cannot recommend any German beer [of this type] strongly here, but you might try Ayinger or Hofbrauhaus (HB).
Dortmunder - A pale, medium dry beer, somewhat high in alcohol (5 percent). Examples are Kronen Export, and maybe DAB or Dortmunder Union.
Marzen - Copper-coloured beer, full-bodied and 5.5 percent alcohol. This began in Vienna and became Munich's March (Marzen) beer. Munich's style became less copper-coloured and more malty. These were brewed in March, fermented over the summer, and drunk during Oktoberfest.
Bock (Bok) - a strong, dark beer (6.5 percent) meant to be served during fall or winter.
DoppleBock - an even stronger bock. We can get here the Paulaner Salvator, which is reputed to be the classic dobblebock.
Eisbock - Take a dopplebock, partly freeze it and skim the ice. This makes a very strong (12 percent) rich beer. Kulminator is about the second strongest beer in the world. Would that it were available here.
Dark - And now, a word about American 'dark' beers. Take a normal beer then add dark colouring, or soot, or whatever dark stuff the brewer happens to have around and you have the American 'dark' beers. While these are advertised occasionally as bock, very few really taste different than common beer. I am less than impressed by American dark beer (if you didn't figure that out by now, you might consider going into politics, since you're probably not that bright). Note that some German imports label themselves Dark (such as Becks). Dark isn't the same thing as Bock, but some bocks are still labeled dark. I would suggest for a dark beer to try San Miguel Dark, from the Philippines.
American malt liquors - This is really some class of beer made in the USA. I can't tell what it really is because the stupid beer laws tend to use this as a name for any beer which is high in alcohol. For example, lots of ales or porters have to be called malt liquor.
Lite beer - A flavored water foisted onto a gullible public by some conspiracy too terrible to mention. I, for one, do not subscribe to the view that the communists are behind lite beer in an effort to weaken America's will to fight. (Of course if you view the typical celebrity advertising 'lite' beer it seems to be weakening the brains.) Instead I believe the Illuminati are behind it somewhere. The real secret is that the 'Western' nations are built upon a foundation which began with and is supported by a tradition of brewing. If the brewing of good beer is destroyed (which seems to have happened in America) the only eventual result is the destruction of the nation. (Forget the loud fundamentalists when they say America's problems are from moral decay. Its all because we aren't brewing good beer anymore.)
Top Fermenting generates Ales. These are fermented at a higher temperature (around 60 degrees) and typically are served warmer.
Note that it is NOT true that Britains drink warm beer! The proper temperature is around 50 degrees, whereas lager should be at 42. Remember to beware of places like Judge Beans in Addison where they try to serve beer in dewers. I seriously think they would freeze-dry the beer if they could! [A local reference, I gather.]
Ales typically have a little less carbonation that lagers. Again in the USA laws tend to make a beer with alcohol over 4 percent into an 'ALE'! Another reason why lawyers should be shot! (You know, this could be one good thing about having a Constitutional Convention! We could get all the lawyers in one place and get rid of them once and for all!)
In Britain the term Real Ale means a 'live' ale which is when the yeast remains in the cask (or bottle) and continues to ferment. For this reason, ales are compared to red wines (which age longer in the bottle) while lagers have the yeast taken out.
Ale - what more to say about ale in general? Cooper's Real Ale (from Australia) is one of the better real ales you can get here. I also recommend Young's Ram Rod, and Young's Special London Ale. Sam Smith's Old Brewery is not bad if you can afford it. Just remember to serve it above normal refrigerator temperature!
Bitter - A bitter is an ale which has lots of hops. To my mind, this is the best kind of beer. Alas it cannot be found in Dallas. Go To England. Do not pass Go. Do not Collect $200. Drink some bitter!
<Because I'm getting tired, and you are probably getting tired, I'll cover the other ales quickly. Also few good versions are available in the USA.>
Brown Ale - a dark-brown, sweet ale. Try Newcastle Brown!
India Pale Ale (IPA) - Originally a high alcohol, highly hopped beer, to survive the journey to India. Now it's basically a premium ale. Bass IPA can be found here. It's alright, but the Draught Bass (or Bass in a cask, a bitter) is excellent. One of the few great beers the massive Bass company is supposed to produce. (I have tried the Draught Bass and it is one of the best. That other Bass'es are questionable I'm taking on faith.)
Light Ale - a bottled bitter. Since these are seldom live beers, they are not as good as Real Ale.
Mild - lightly hopped ale. Either copper-coloured or dark. Lots of body, but 3 percent alcohol.
Old Ale - dark. [Also generally quite strong, and meant for aging.]
Scotch Ale - Malty ale from Scotland (I guess it's lucky that it's called 'Scotch'!) Try a Belhaven Ale. Remember, this MUST be drunk from the 18 oz. bottles!
Porter - When you roast the grains and allow them to 'brown' slightly, you have a porter. Try Sam Smith's Porter ($12 a 6-pack)!
Stout - Highly roasted malts! In Britain these are usually sweet. In reality, what can one say but GUINNESS, a very dry stout. Go to Dublin to drink this. It's best there!
Altbier (German) - Ale from Dusseldorf. [Unusual top-fermenting lager.]
Kolsch (German) - Ale from Cologne.
Wheat beer - A distinctive, very light beer. It really is made from wheat! The foam is starkly white. There are several Weissen beers available here, and a few US brewers are trying this. Try a Paulaner Weissen.
Well, that's about it for beer. I've skimmed a lot and borrowed freely from Michael Jackson's books, and the Camra Dictionary of Beer. Now I think it's time to go do some more research.
P.S. In case you didn't know, Budweisser really did come from a specific style of beer in Budweis, Czechoslovakia! I don't think it retains any of its original character, though.
Cheers!

This from ihnp4!mb2c!tfn (Tom Napolitano)

Has anyone had any experience in growing hops? I have a decent size garden plot and want to give it a try next season. Here in the fertile midwest we do have a short growing season that limits certain crops while encouraging others. What kind of soil is preferred? A pointer to good texts would be welcome as most gardening books ignore these crops.

This from mikec@rtpark.RTP.GE.COM (Michael Clark)

Here's an accessory which makes the (indispensable) bottle washer easier to use: Sears sells a quick-connect device for attaching portable dishwashers to the kitchen faucet. It replaces the existing aerator, and has a flange to which you attach the connect device. The connect device has garden-hose style threads, so the bottle washer screws right onto it. So, when you want to use the bottle washer, you simply snap it onto your faucet, instead of removing the aerator, and screwing all of those small fittings and washers onto the faucet.
A friend of mine has taken it a little further: he has installed a swivel fitting between the faucet and the quick-connect. He claims that this makes it much easier to clean out his carboys, since you can direct the stream of water, rather than moving the carboy around on the bottle washer.
Relax, don't worry, use a bottle washer...

This from hplabs!rutgers!lll-crg!styx!twg-ap!bae (Brian Ehrmantraut)

I have just bottled my first batch of homebrew. The product is a fairly well-bodied ale, like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Palo Alto Brewery's Real London Ale. The alcohol content is ~5.8%. I have bottled it in old Grolsch and Real Ale bottles, the kind with the wire trap holding a gasketed plug. My question is: how long should I expect this beer to last (assuming I do not immediately consume it) under the following storage conditions:
dark
65 degrees F
25% humidity
What are the optimum storage conditions?

[A strong brew like that should last a long time- a year should be no problem. You didn't mention the hop rate, which affects the longevity of the brew (hops also give preservative qualities to the brew.) Your storage conditions are fine; a little cooler than 65 would be better, i.e., 55. However, there's one thing you are overlooking. In all likelihood the beer won't last very long at all - you'll probably drink it all before it gets a chance to go bad :-)]

This from hplabs!hpfcla!hpcnof!thj (Thomas Hjellming)

I started my first batch of Homebrew this past weekend. Nothing fancy, just the Continental Light beer recipe given in "The New Brewer's Handbook". All went fine during the initial process (as far as I can tell).
My question is this: I used the carboy method described in the second newsletter. However, I only filled the carboy up to 3 inches below the neck of the carboy. After 4 days, I still have only seen about one inch of foam building up in the carboy. The blow-by tube was emitting bubbles at a fair rate but not much more, and has slowed down considerably. Is this normal, or have I successfully screwed up my first batch?

["Worrying can ruin your beer." I guess my article was not as precise as it could have been. I meant fill the carboy to several inches from the _extreme_ top. Since you have filled it more than several, perhaps 5 or 6 inches from the top, not enough foam built up to be forced out of the carboy. 4-5 days after starting, enough foam will never build up, so it's history. I mean, there's nothing you can do now, not that it won't turn out well. It will be no worse than if you had used the "plastic pail" method, and probably better since the carboy doesn't have a large air space. Summary: you didn't screw it up, don't worry, and relax. ]

This from hplabs!hpfcla!hpfcmt!jimh (Jim Haselmaier)

Over the weekend I was in Boulder and by total chance (:-) I happened to end up at the front door of the Boulder Brewing Company. I wonder how that happened! Anyway.....
Their Christmas Stout is out and it is fabulous! I didn't happen to have any last Christmas season so I'm not sure how it compares. But it has LOTS of flavor and is a good sipping beer.
Some other notes:
They made five batches of the stout. I think the guy also said that means 5000 cases, but I'm not sure. It has been in the distributor's hands for the last 3 to 4 weeks so if it isn't already in your favorite neighborhood store it will be soon.
They still have ~60 cases of the Festival Special left. I hope this is not an indicator of whether they will do another batch or not. The guy told me they don't have plans to do another batch.
Jim 'I can feel that malt going to my waist already' Haselmaier

This from hplabs!hpfcla!hpcnof!thj (Thomas Hjellming)

Just a quick question about homebrew. I was reading through "The New Brewer's Handbook", when I found several recipes for beers in the back of the book. Several of them listed only 1 cup of brewer's sugar for priming and did NOT list 2-3 cups for fermentation.
Is this possible? If this is not a misprint, then do some of the extracts have the required sugar? Thanks for any insight you might have.

[The important point here is: sugar is *not* a required ingredient in beer. In recipes that call for sugar to be added to the wort, the sugar's only purpose is to boost alcohol content of the final brew. If dry malt is substituted for this sugar, a better beer will almost certainly result. Recipes for beginners frequently specify added sugar, both to keep the cost down and to raise alcohol a bit. Now, the 1 cup of sugar for priming is different- that's necessary to produce the carbonation. Once again, though, this sugar may be replaced by dry malt of slightly higher quantity. I generally use no more than 3/4 cup priming sugar, as I don't like my beer that fizzy. In some very rare cases, more than 1 cup or less than 1/2 cup priming sugar may be specified. I brewed the Munton and Fison Old Ale kit a few weeks ago, and it called for no priming sugar! The idea is that in this strong ale, there will be plenty of unfermented sugars left at bottling time to carbonate the beer slightly, as this style of beer requires. (It worked!) I hope this answers the question.]

This from hplabs!hpfcla!g_kussmann (Gregg Kussmann)

In issue #2, you asked for inputs on the Grolsch bottle gaskets. From my experience, these gaskets will last through quite a few bottlings, provided that after each time a bottle is emptied it is rinsed well under hot water (to remove any of the beer that had inadvertently splashed onto the stopper and gasket). I'm using my oldest batch of bottles on their fourth brewing and the gaskets still look like new.
Getting a good seal is also important. I've been in too much of a rush to get a batch of beer bottled and not taken the time to carefully align the stopper (and therefore gasket) with the top of the bottle. A little care here will save a lot of disappointment later on, as well as a possibly big mess.
There was also a question raised on where, in North America, a real Octoberfest could be found. Well, coming from strong German stock and growing up in the Mid-West, one good place to try is Milwaukee. In fact it's one of the best! Real German beers, sourbrauten, kilbausa, and sweets that'll do any good homebrewer's homebelly a treat. If you happen to be in the area, try to at least stop into Mader's restaurant down on 4^th St. Yum, Yum, Yummmmmyyyyy food and drink (even at other times of the year.)
Homebrewably yours,
Gregg

This from ihnp4!watmath!watdragon!emneufeld (Eric Neufeld)

To contribute to the newsletter, if this is interesting. There is a beer kit called Can-Brew, which is the cheapest kit available and it makes an extra 10 bottles (for a total of 60) compared to many others. The kit is ideal for the first timer. There is a syrup which is added to boiling water, but no other preparation is required. I tasted it 10 days after bottling, and as I said it was flat, but this appears to be because I didn't use enough bottling sugar, or because it was too soon. Bottles I have opened since have been fine.
At 10 days the beer smelled gluey. This was far too early. At about 17-20 days the beer was fizzier and better tasting.
I like these easy kits, because I can learn about the beer-making process piecewise, and reduce the likelihood of getting stuck with 5 dozen yuck beer with my first try, [which would be] a big disappointment.
Eric

This from hplabs!seismo!mcnc!rti-sel!bdrc!jcl (John C. Lusth)

I've been using the same Grolsch bottles (and gaskets) for 3 years now for making ginger ale and beer. No problems yet.
Two ounces of compressed hop pellets is too much, I think, for 5 or 6 gallons. If I am using the pellets, I generally use 1/2 an ounce. Otherwise the hops overpower the beer and it becomes bitter. If I am using leaf (sic) hops, I'll use the recommended amount.
Refrigeration is the key. Top brewing or bottom brewing yeast aside, throw the beer after it has been bottled into the refrigerator. It yields a much better product. This is probably why breweries age their beer at low temperatures. For those concerned about their yeast shutting down, I have food in my fridge fermenting all the time. By the way, unless beer is your primary and only source of nourishment, you'll need to purchase a special purchase beer fridge, which can be obtained for about $100. Check your local classifieds.

[On hop pellets: I love bitter beers, and I'll generally use both pellets and "fresh" hops together. Pellets do have more bitterness than fresh per ounce, I think about 30%. It also depends on the type of hops, so I just do a lot of experimenting. On refrigeration: I agree, and I even have a second fridge. But there still isn't enough room for all my bottled beer and fermenting beer. I keep most of my bottled beer below a window - that not only keeps it cool, but the ales are already at drinking temperature!]

Plastic Fermenters vs. Glass

One of the most common questions I hear has to do with the advantages and disadvantages of fermenting in glass carboys instead of plastic pails. I have used both, and I feel I understand at least a few of the merits of each. I have come to prefer the glass carboys for several reasons. Most important is cleanliness - first, the fermentation is totally closed and so locks out beer souring organisms. Second, plastic tends to scratch easily, thereby making excellent homes for these organisms. Even strong bleach cannot weed them out. Of slightly less technical importance is...you can see through glass: You can watch the beer ferment. It's fun!

In favor of plastic, they're lighter and cheaper. But how important is this really? With five gallons of beer in it, a plastic container weighs, say, forty pounds, and the glass, say sixty. A moderate difference, but I don't think it'll break anyone's back. The carboy handle I mentioned in the first newsletter helps a lot. Price? The plastic container is about $9, the glass about $17. The difference, 8 dollars, is amortized over many batches of beer and many years. I would say that for J. Random Newsletter Reader, the money is not a factor.

Also consider that you can get used glass carboys for a lot less. (As pointed out to me by Roy Broeren (hplabs!hpfcla!hplvla!hpmtla!roy) - thanks!) I recently found out that bottled water suppliers will sell you an identical carboy for the cost of the bottle deposit, about $6. If the glass isn't cracked, then the carboy is good as new. On the other hand, I've never seen used plastic pails, and I don't think I'd want to buy one if I did.

Reader Chick Webb (hplabs!hpfcla!ckw) had an interesting idea:

What I was considering was very similar to a water bottle used on a water cooler. These are identical to your standard carboy, but made from plastic. You can see through them (a must!), and they shouldn't get scratched since the only thing that gets inside of them is the siphon, which is also plastic. They'd be cheap, since I think I know where I can get at least a couple for nothing. Is this a viable alternative?

I'm not sure - I'd have to see them. But I still think that if it's plastic, it will scratch. If you've never fermented (beer) in a carboy, then you've never had to clean one. Some of the "slime" left over from the fermentation process can be pretty hard to clean, and you sometimes have to use a brush stuck inside the carboy. That might scratch plastic. Also, alcohol attacks some plastics. Your plastic carboy might be made only to hold water, but may be damaged by alcohol. On the other hand, these plastic things may work just fine. I was just trying to think of anything that might conceivably be a problem. The best test is probably to simply try it. Has anybody had any experiences with these?

Rotokeg Update

If you have not been following the Rotokeg Saga, here is a brief synopsis: Last Spring I purchased a "Rotokeg," manufactured by Wines, inc, which is a thick plastic container that holds 1 gallon of beer and dispenses it draft-style. After wasting several gallons of beer with it through various failures, I found out that it was defective. I spoke with the manufacturer and they agreed to send me a new one. This is where the saga left off. It picks up again about 10 days later when the new Rotokeg arrives. First, I'm impressed with the service I've received from Wines, inc. They were very concerned with my problems and seemed dedicated to help. Second, after 24 hours of being filled with primed beer, the new Rotokeg has not malfunctioned in any way that I can discern. The old one would have been leaking badly by now. So, the major problem that I experienced seems to be cured. Now all that remains is to let the beer age a bit, so I can't yet report if the Rotokeg is 100% successful. Next newsletter will hopefully contain the final chapter of the saga.

Of Interest to Northern Colorado Homebrewers

I am considering organizing a homebrew tasting party in the Spring. It would be held somewhere in Northern Colorado: Denver-Boulder-Loveland- Fort Collins. Of course, anybody who is willing to travel here is welcome. I have no idea where or when it would be held. I would like to solicit ideas on where/when, and I'd also like to get an idea of how many people are interested. Please send mail, and include the word "party" in the subject.

Standard Request

Once again, I invite anyone or everyone to share their experiences with newsletter readers by writing an article. Article content will not be edited, but commentary may be added to it. Suggestions, recipes, questions, advice, or anything you think might be of interest to homebrewers is welcome. Please don't be intimidated by the word "article." As you can see, most of the "articles" I've received are simply letters containing ideas or questions. Also feel free to suggest articles that you'd like to see, and perhaps I will write on the subject.