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HOMEBREW Digest #0155
HOMEBREW Digest #155 Sat 20 May 1989
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Rob Gardner, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
re: Rheinheitsgebot (Darryl Richman)
HB DIG #153, Rheinheitsgebot (Darryl Richman)
Short boil OK? (bstar4!qa)
Reinheitsgebot (uiucdcs!att!iwtio!korz)
Growing Hops (Monty Wood)
Send submissions to homebrew%hpfcmr@hplabs.hp.com
Send requests to homebrew-request%hpfcmr@hplabs.hp.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 May 89 08:02:14 PDT
From: Darryl Richman <darryl@ism780c.isc.com>
Subject: re: Rheinheitsgebot
From: John S. Watson <watson@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
"Do homebrews meet the Reinheitsgebot (German beer purity) Laws?
"Does anyone have a list of them?
The original Rheinheitsgebot demands that you put only barley malt, water,
and hops into your beer. It had been ammended to allow for yeast as well.
Wheat beers may have, of course, wheat added.
"What are some of the things that are commonly done to violate them?
"(Like, what is it the Bud puts in the beer to give you a hangovers.)
There are lots of possibilities. Any form of fermentable not derived
from barley malt is a biggy (e.g., corn, rice). Adding extra enzymes
(like Miller Lite) and clarifying agents, which technically don't stay
in the beer, are still prohibited. Heading and coloring agents are a no-no.
"And lastly, would my homebrew meet the Reinheitsgebot laws? (I brew
"with a generic "California Light" extract syrup, with some specialty grains,
"flower hops and spring water.) I don't put any chemicals in my beer.
"Are there any pesticides or herbicides lurking in my extract or hops?
Do you use priming sugar? Uh-uh. Are you using unmalted barley? Do you
know that your extract supplier is following the rules as well? (Might
be some caramel color in that extract.)
I don't know what German law says (or said) about contaminants obtained with
the primary ingredients. Although not as prevalent as it once was, hops are
often sulfured, and I wouldn't doubt for an instant that there are pesticides
used in the industry that make there way into the final product.
--Darryl Richman
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 May 89 08:18:03 PDT
From: Darryl Richman <darryl@ism780c.isc.com>
Subject: HB DIG #153, Rheinheitsgebot
From: florianb%tekred.cna.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET
"I believe more important than the ingredients are the contents of
"the brewing water and the brewing process. I hold that one reason
"why American beers are so awful is that strict attention is not
"paid to the proper temperature processes during the brewing.
I believe that you are mistaken on this point. If there is one thing
that the major American brands have, it is process quality control.
You can debate all you like about whether you like the product they
make, but they are world renowned for their consistent ability to make
it.
"This leads to nasties developed in the fermentation that come back
"to haunt you after drinking. I also believe that the poor brews
"I had in Germany were a result of sorry water or inexpensive
"brewing practices by certain Brauereis.
Save for man made contaminants in the brewing water, it seems very
unlikely that the water brings on hangovers. I think you were much
closer to the mark in discussing fermenting practices; many have
attributed hangovers to the content of higher alcohols and fusel oils,
which often result from runaway fermenting temperatures.
I once made a beer in the middle of a typical LA summer, trying out an
idea I had about cooling the beer. It didn't work. The beer smelled
and tasted of soap and had a very harsh, hot character. It was
difficult to drink one of them, so I never was able to gather the
necessary information on hangovers ;-).
"In short, it's possible to brew excellent beers without being
"confined to only the four basic ingredients. And just because
"one follows the Reinheitsgebot, it doesn't mean one is
"guaranteed of good brew.
Absolutely. In fact it is necessary to violate the Rheinheitsgebot
to make many classic styles. (Want to make a dry stout? You need
roasted barley to get the flavor--but it's unmalted and therefore
verboten. Many British and Belgian styles use a variety of sugars
to get their character. And you can't make an American lager without
corn or rice.)
--Darryl Richman
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 May 89 14:26:51 edt
From: prcrs!bstar4!qa@uunet.UU.NET
Subject: Short boil OK?
I am very new to home brewing and recently had a conversation
with a person at a home brew mail order establishment concerning
all extract brewing. He had some suggestions which I have not
heard or read before. I recently read two books on home brewing:
(exact titles/authors?)
Brewing Quality Beers - Byron Birch
The Complete Handbook to Home Brewing - Dave Miller
We were discussing the single stage vs. two stage fermentation. From
what I have read, it sounds like the best way to go is two-stage
fermentation. (I have the equipment; food grade fermentor, glass carboys).
The idea is to seperate the trub from your beer after the initial foam
settles down (1-2 days).
This gentleman stated that he felt that single stage was better and the
goal was to reduce the amount of trub formed. He stated that if you
limit your boil to 20 minutes their would not be as much chance for the
protein to coagulate; thus less trub.
Does this sound reasonable? Has anyone used this method and if so
could you pass on a recipe? Budweiser, Bass, Heiniken (sp?) are beers
I typically purchase.
Also, in Miller's book he said to stay away from using aluminum as a
boiling pot. I have a new 6 gallon aluminum pot and wonder if I should
heed his advise.
Thanks
John Link
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 May 89 13:31:10 CDT
From: hplabs!uiucdcs!att!iwtio!korz
Subject: Reinheitsgebot
Whoa!
In Digest #154, florianb writes:
>I believe more important than the ingredients are the contents of
>the brewing water and the brewing process. I hold that one reason
>why American beers are so awful is that strict attention is not
>paid to the proper temperature processes during the brewing.
>This leads to nasties developed in the fermentation that come back
>to haunt you after drinking. I also believe that the poor brews
>I had in Germany were a result of sorry water or inexpensive
>brewing practices by certain Brauereis.
>In short, it's possible to brew excellent beers without being
>confined to only the four basic ingredients. And just because
>one follows the Reinheitsgebot, it doesn't mean one is
>guaranteed of good brew.
I agree with the first sentence and the second paragraph.
I also agree that most *commercial* American beers are
awful, but your reasons for this "awfulness" are way off-base!
The flavor, body, etc. of the major commercial breweries'
beer is historical. Prohibition and WW II changed the diversity
and kind of beer that was popular in the U.S. and only recently
(partly thanks to homebrewers (wishful thinking)) is diversity
coming back to beers (micros and brewpubs and even some of the
majors). As a matter of fact, the majors use all kinds of
computer control to make sure their beer comes out very consistent.
Sloppy brewing practices generally will cause bacterial infections
which produce "gushers" and (usually) sour tasting beer.
Of all my complaints about the major brews, bacterial infections
cannot be blamed for any of them.
Al.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 May 89 16:21 CST
From: Monty Wood <WOOD%ADSY05.USask.CA@CORNELLC.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Growing Hops
RE: Growing Hops
I found addresses for hop rhizomes (roots) in 'Zymurgy' mag. for those
that want to grow their own:
Freshops
36180 Kings Valley
Philomath, OR
97370
and
Marysville Oast
866 N.E. Thousand Oaks
Corvallis, OR
97330
Monty
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #155, 05/20/89
