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HOMEBREW Digest #0613
This file received at Mthvax.CS.Miami.EDU 91/04/11 03:09:39
HOMEBREW Digest #613 Thu 11 April 1991
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Rob Gardner, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
Broken carboy (TSAMSEL)
Re: Goofy wort chiller (Michael Zentner)
Airlock contents (Peter Karp)
Crystal Malt and Counterintuitive Recipes (Eric Pepke)
Greetings ("John E. Lenz")
Priming with Malt (Will Allen)
Wodka, Da! (Rad Equipment)
Jamaican Stout (Tim Anderson @ APD x2205)
Dry Hopping (Doug Dreger)
Ireks and Weizen ("William F. Pemberton")
Re: Weizen Extract (Kurt Swanson)
Re: cracking/crushing/grinding grains... (Kurt Swanson)
A Canadian Sending Beer to USA (Mike Charlton)
Brewpubs in Minneapolis/St. Paul (Lanny Hoff)
Rotokegs going flat (Thorn Roby)
Any Brewpubs in Evanston, IL??? (dredge)
Carl Hensler - contact Ye Olde Batte (Carol Botteron)
Request for information (Gene Schultz)
re: airlock contents (lg562)
Countercurrent wort chilling (Bill Thacker)
Re: Weizen extract question (Algis R Korzonas +1 708 979 8583)
Brewpubs in Cleveland? (Jeff Chambers)
Green glass (CONDOF)
Send submissions to homebrew%hpfcmi@hplabs.hp.com
Send requests to homebrew-request%hpfcmi@hplabs.hp.com
[Please do not send me requests for back issues]
Archives are available from netlib@mthvax.cs.miami.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1991 6:45:43 EDT
From: TSAMSEL@ISDRES.ER.USGS.GOV
Subject: Broken carboy
Last Saturday (the 6th of April), I brewed my first partial grain-mash
batch. That was fine, but Sunday night I was bringing up laundry from the
basement and checked the carboy with its blowout tube. It was bubbling
merrily away. Five minutes later, I came down toget another load of wash
and smelled wort. Beer was all over the floor. (Praise Florian and Gamrinus that
we have adrainhole in the basement).
There went the rest of my evening, cleaning trub.
Upon inspection, my NEW carboy was cleanly broken, leaving the base as a
lipped disk. I had tempered the wort by hving two gallons of cold 40-45F
H20 in the carboy so the glass would not crack.
Should I assume i just got a bum carboy? Has this happened to any one else?
I do not think this was a pressure problem because blowout was functioning
perfectly five minutes before.
Cemments?ts?
Ted (TSAMSEL@USGSRESV.BIT)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 09:07:10 -0500
From: zentner@ecn.purdue.edu (Michael Zentner)
Subject: Re: Goofy wort chiller
"ASK ME IF I CARE..." aka dr. d aka V057P673@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu writes:
> straighten out about a 20' length of copper tubing, and shove it inside about
> 23' of garden hose, starting at the end I cut off of the garden hose. Then I
> cut a hole in the garden hose about four feet down from the connector end of
> the hose, pushed the end of the copper tube through, and made sure there was
> about 6" sticking out of the end of the hose and also through the hole I cut.
> Then I sealed the hole with RTV silicone, and coiled the whole mess back up
> again. Here is a simplistic diagram:
>
> <---3'----><--------------------20'--------------><-6"->
> __ \\ <-- copper tubing
> |||\______\\_____________________________________
> ||| \\ |------ <-- copper tubing
> ||| _____________________________________________|------
> |||/
> ^-- garden hose
This has to be about the best character schematic I've seen :-). For anyone
considering this design, another option in lieu of slicing into the hose is to
go out and buy one of those Y type hose adapters for each end of the garden
hose, so that the copper tubing can come out of one of the ports on the Y.
Regardless of the length of copper tubing you use, you'll probably have to
adjust the length of the garden hose (there are adapters for this again at any
hardware store). Make the cut close to one of the ends, so you can already
have the Y screwed into the small piece of hose before joining the hose
together. That way, you don't have to keep bending the copper in a circle to
screw on the Y. Now, the other advantage of using a Y is that you no longer
need to use silicone sealer. Get a hose nipple which has an ID larger than the
OD of the copper and which has hose thread, so it will screw onto the end of
the Y. Then, a small 3" section of vinyl tubing that fits over the hose
nipple. Get successively smaller pieces of vinly tubing that fit in the big
one concentrically until the ID of one matches the OD of your copper. Secure
the whole thing with hose clamps and wa-la, you have a seal that would even
hold up to pressure (sometimes there is pressure in my chiller, since I have
installed a cooling water control valve at the outlet end).
> 1) This thing does NOT need 20' of copper tubing. Maybe an immersion cooler
> might need that length, but I was barely running the tap water, and getting
> wort out at ~60F. I would think 8-10' would suffice. I may split mine into
> two wort chillers.
While certainly true in some cases, this is NOT a good general rule. The
length of tubing needed is greatly dependant on the diameter of the
copper being used. I agree that for 1/4" OD copper, 10' is probably a good
guess, but I think you'll really have to rush the water through if you go with
3/8" OD. Another variable is the ID of the garden hose. The water flow rate
will be either faster or slower depending on this as well. I don't doubt the
measured results of the author, but, as they say, mileage may vary, and I've
had experience now with two of these chillers. Anyone wanting more detailed
descriptions of how I built mine, I can email them to you if you're really
interested. There is no "right" way to build one. My comment about diameters
and flow rates is based on the fact that your flow will most likely be laminar,
with well developed stream-lines. When this is the case, the wort near the
edge of the copper tubing will lose heat quickly, but it must carry heat from
the center streamlines outward, which is not an instantaneous process in
laminar flow. Same goes for the cooling water. And as far as 1/4" tubing,
anyone thinking about it...think hard, because you may run into very long cool
times.
> 2) My question: Everybody I know who uses a device like this uses a
> counterflow, that is, cold tap water running in an opposite direction to the
> wort flow. However, it just made intuitive sense to me to send both in the
> same direction: The hottest wort will exchange the heat with the coldest water
> and some sort of equilibrium will be reached by the time you reach the end
> of the chiller. Why would the chiller be more effective with counterflow?
> Which method makes it easier to regulate temperature? Enquiring minds just
> GOTTA know!
If your outlet wort was at 60F, and you were using a mere trickle of cooling
water flow, your water must have been quite cold. If you used parallel flow,
both in the same direction, then the cooling water cannot have exited at a
temperature above that of the wort, that is, as soon as the wort and water come
to the same temperature, the wort can be cooled no further. Unless you have a
very fast flow rate, with such a system, the wort can never reach the
temperature of the water coming out of the tap. However, with counter-flow,
the outlet wort is in "contact" with water at tap temperature, allowing the
wort to reach that temperature (again, depending on lengths, rates, etc).
Again, I am not trying to flame the original author as I'm sure what he/she
measured is fact, but building one of these things is nothing to be totally
blase' about. You can end up wasting a bit of money with a failed attempt... I
know :-). There are a lot of variables to think about.
Mike Zentner zentner@ecn.purdue.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 09:15:18 EST
From: Peter Karp <karp@cs.columbia.edu>
Subject: Airlock contents
I read about using vodka in airlocks and it has more to do with the
fermenting wort bubbling up through the lock and getting contaminated
then with bacteria making their way down through the lock. Also with
a plastic sealed primary the airlock water can be sucked into the fermenter
if you lift it to move it. Perhaps it better to add a little vodka to the
beer then some bacterial unknown.
Peter
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1991 10:47:24 EDT
From: PEPKE@SCRI1.SCRI.FSU.EDU (Eric Pepke)
Subject: Crystal Malt and Counterintuitive Recipes
Mark Roleau writes:
> I've not seen any recipes calling for as much as two pounds of
> crystal malt. That certainly doesn't mean that they don't exist
> and are not wonderfully tasty, but the ones I've seen all call for
> a pound or less.
I tasted a beer that a friend of mine made a while back, an extract/grain
beer. It was delicious. It tasted much more like the ordinary bitter I
drink by the gallon when in England than nearly all homebrews I have had
over here. I asked for the recipe and was astonished to find out that five
gallons called for *three* pounds of crystal malt, and if that weren't
enough, it also used Cascade hops. It didn't taste anything like an
oversweet West Coast ale.
Also, about a year ago I made a lager with pale malt, Munich malt, and
Bullion hops. It completely lacked the harshness that one would expect
from Bullion hops. It came out incredibly smooth in flavor, a crystal-clear
bright red in color.
Does anybody else have any counterintuitive recipes?
> Also, cracking two pounds of crystal malt with a
> rolling pin will take you a long time -- I have found it to be a
> rather tedious job.
Not as long as cracking 9 pounds of 2-row with a rolling pin does. I used
to start two days in advance. Now I use a meat grinder with a sort-of-Corona-
like blade, and it does quite a good job.
Eric Pepke INTERNET: pepke@gw.scri.fsu.edu
Supercomputer Computations Research Institute MFENET: pepke@fsu
Florida State University SPAN: scri::pepke
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4052 BITNET: pepke@fsu
Disclaimer: My employers seldom even LISTEN to my opinions.
Meta-disclaimer: Any society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 10:29:13 EDT
From: "John E. Lenz" <JELJ@CORNELLA.cit.cornell.edu>
Subject: Greetings
I have been on the distribution list for about a week now and though it
about time that I weigh in with some comments and a subject for discussion.
First the comments (all on items in today's release, Apr 10):
>Jeff Shelton asks "Why do people use green bottles?"
I guess the snide response would be "to contain their beer," but seriously,
I don't think the color of the bottle is much of an issue if you keep your
beer out of direct sunlight. I have bottled in brown, green, and clear bottles
and have never detected any significant differences in the end product. If
you are able to keep your beer in a cool dark place I don't think that you will
experience any problems. I have a few bottles of Weizen which are about two
years old and showing no signs of any lightstruck character.
>Craig (flowers@csrd.uiuc.edu) asks about the typical OG for Weizen
I think that the 1.032-35 stuff is probably the Berliner Weisse, all the info
I've seen regarding Bavarian Weizens indicates that they are of a more
respectable OG, on the order of 1.045-50. I too would be loathe to add corn
sugar to my Weizen, though if the Ireks extract is straight wheat you might
consider combining it with a can of something like Alexanders Sun Country
light extract, which I believe is an all-malt extract made from 2-row Klages
and is the lightest available US product.
>Dave Beedle writes about the hydrogen sulfide odor of his fermenting beer,
>and the sweetness of his barley wine.
Dave, I wouldn't worry about the odor, it seems to be a common thing, I've
experienced this with several brews while they were fermenting but have never
noticed anything remotely like it in the finished product. As to the Barley
Wine, if it is truly a Barley Wine (with an appreciable OG) it is certainly
well under the age of consent if it is only two weeks in the bottle. This
stuff is meant to have (in fact requires) a lengthy fermentation and aging
in the bottle for at least 6 months before being consumed. I'm not familiar
with the kit you mention, but if it is a high gravity brew you should sit on
it for several months, as it will certainly improve with age. I'd keep a close
eye on those bottles, if the caps start bulging you may consider recapping so
as to blow off the pressure in the head space (in fact you might have to do so
several times). I hope you went light on the primings.
And finally, I'd like to kick off a discussion on dry hopping. I made a
Pale Ale on Sunday and plan to dry hop it with an ounce, or more, of Goldings
leaf hops when I rack it into the secondary. I would be interested in hearing
of other brewers' experiences with and procedures for dry hopping. I'm
planning to simply put the hops, which are in compressed half-ounce plugs, into
the carboy and rack the beer onto them. It seems to me that letting the hops
have unrestrained contact with the beer should achieve the best result in terms
of extracting the desired compounds. Will they eventually sink to the
bottom? Or am I opening myself up to a racking nightmare at bottling time?
I eagerly await your responses.
Cheers,
Dr. John (jelj@cornella.cit.cornell.edu)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 08:36:25 -0700
From: Will Allen <willa@hpvclwa.vcd.hp.com>
Subject: Priming with Malt
Howdy:
Usually, I prime with corn sugar. I wanna try priming with either liquid
extract or dried. I'm looking for a loose conversion from corn sugar
to the malts. Usually I use 1/2 to 3/4 c corn sugar, depending on the
amoung of fizz I want (I never weigh anything -- relax, don't worry, just
measure volume).
. . .Will
Will Allen
HP Vancouver Division
willa@vcd.hp.com or ...!hplabs!vcd!willa or Will ALLEN / HP5400/UX
------------------------------
Date: 10 Apr 90 09:08:34
From: Rad Equipment <Rad_Equipment@rad-mac1.ucsf.EDU>
Subject: Wodka, Da!
Reply to: Wodka, Da!
In HBD #612, "DRCV06::GRAHAM" <graham%drcv06.decnet@drcvax.af.mil> writes:
>...use a mixture of vodka and water in the airlock. This seems like >overkill
to me, since bacteria cannot travel up a loop anyway. Has anyone >done this
and noted any different results from just using water?
I always use straight vodka in my airlocks. I uy a bottle of the cheapest I
can find and keep it in the basement with my fermenters. Bacteria should not
be able to get through, or survive in the high alcohol level. The advantages
to using vodka over water or some anti-bacterial solution include the fact that
if for some reason the contents of your airlock should contact the brew,
nothing will be imparted to the batch (either bugs,toxins, or flavors) which
would cause a problem. Any high alcohol solution will do but vodka is cheap,
easy to use, and clear which makes it easy to monitor. I use a bleach solution
for my blow-off hose airlock. I don't worry about sucking up that stuff since
I use 4' of 1" tube.
Russ Wigglesworth <Rad Equipment@RadMac1.ucsf.edu>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 08:48:23 PDT
From: tima@apd.MENTOR.COM (Tim Anderson @ APD x2205)
Subject: Jamaican Stout
> Date: Fri, 05 Apr 91 09:57:58 EST
> From: Steve Thornton <NETWRK@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU>
> Subject: Re: Homebrew Digest #611 (April 05, 1991)
>
> Lee Katman's theory about ganja in the beer is interesting, but Dragon
> Stout, which the original post specifically named, is a fairly widely
> available product in the US. It's made by the Red Stripe people, and I
> very much doubt that it has ganja in it either in Jamaica or the US.
>
> steve t
Damn.
tim
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 09:12:42 PDT
From: Doug Dreger <dreger@seismo.gps.caltech.edu>
Subject: Dry Hopping
Hi,
The lager that I am making is in the primary in the fridge. I want to
dry hop it and was planning to add about 0.75 oz hops to boiling H2O in
my erlynmeyer (sp?) flask, quickly cool it in an ice bath and add this
to my secondary before I rack in the beer. Is all of this necessary ?
Do I take a risk with infection if I simply add the hops directly with
out the boiling H2O?
Anyone familiar with Triple Rock Brewery in Berkley? Their beers generally
have a very hoppy nose and taste that I really enjoy. Do they dry hop their
beers? I just can't seem to get the same kind of flavor and aroma by adding
the hops after the boil.
Thanks Doug
------------------------------
Date: Wed Apr 10 12:36:41 1991
From: "William F. Pemberton" <wfp5p@euclid.acc.virginia.edu>
Subject: Ireks and Weizen
Craig Flowers asked about Weizen extract, specifically Ireks...
I have used Ireks before and I seem to remember that it is 100% Wheat
Extract. So, using a little dry malt wouldn't really change the ratio
of anything. Adding some barley extract would actually be better in
creating a more traditional Weizen recipe.
As for the gravity of Weizens, all the recipes I have seen come in at
around 1.050. One can of Ireks in 5 gallons gets me around this point.
Bill
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 12:02:19 CDT
From: kswanson@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Kurt Swanson)
Subject: Re: Weizen Extract
Craig, (flowers@csrd.uiuc.edu), has a can of Irek's Weizen extract (6.6 lbs),
and would like to make 5 gallons of Weizenbier, w/o adding corn sugar. This
can be done. While the extract is all-wheat, it has approximately the same
amount of fermentables as an all-barley malt extract. Thus, considering 2
normal size cans of barley malt extract in 5 gallons of beer yields an OG
of around 45, he should have no problem. But one thing Craig should worry
about, is the fact that Irek's extract is ALL-WHEAT --- no barley. Personally,
I'm about to make a Weizenbier using Ireks, but plan on using a bunch o'
crystal malt to balance the wheat. Note that it has already been discussed
that commercial Weizenbiers contain ~1/3 barley malt.
Kurt.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 12:05:13 CDT
From: kswanson@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Kurt Swanson)
Subject: Re: cracking/crushing/grinding grains...
Does anyone use a home coffee grinder to crush grains? If so, how effective is
this? I have one of these things, and granted one can't grind too much at a
time, it would be nice to use this thing for something, as I don't drink coffee.
Kurt.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 12:10:42 CDT
From: Mike Charlton <umcharl3@ccu.UManitoba.CA>
Subject: A Canadian Sending Beer to USA
Hi all. My brewing partner and I decided that we would enter the AHA
contest this year. There is only one problem: How to get it there.
I realize it is now probably too late for suggestions, but here are
the problems we were having. We went to UPS. Unfortunately, they demanded
that they know *exactly* what was in the package for customs. This meant
that we had to tell them it was beer. Despite our insistence that it was
alright to send it for analytical purposes, they refused to ship it.
We next tried Canpar. They had no trouble with shipping it, but said
that they will only ship things to the US if you have an account with them.
We next tried Federal Express, but they wanted about $80 for the two
packages that we wanted sent. Finally, we went to Canada Post, but
apparently they can't ship alcohol for any reason. Furthermore, the
customs officials mentioned that even if you send it by courier, you have to
clear the package with US customs before you send it. So, are there any
Canadians out there who have successfully sent an entry to an
American competition? How did you manage it?
Thanks,
Mike
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 12:48:51 CDT
From: lhoff@stolaf.edu (Lanny Hoff)
Subject: Brewpubs in Minneapolis/St. Paul
Bobb Menk wrote a fairly complete article on this subject in #612, but
I must add my comments.
Taps is, indeed, out of business, so don't even try to go there.
Sherlock's Home (Sherlock's in his article) is a wonderful place with
wonderful beer and wonderful woodwork behind the bar. Overall I would
say that the place is pretty nice:-).
Summit Brewery has put its tour schedule on hold for a while. I talked
to the guy who runs the place and he said that they are doing some
construction and won't be giving tours for another few weeks. If you
are in Mpls, however, find a sixer of their porter (Great Northern Porter)
and enjoy. I will post when they resume touring, as it is very interesting
and the free beer is plentiful, fresh and very tasty.
There is another micro in town. James Page Brewing also gives tours, but
only on the first Saturday of each month. His is an interesting approach
since he uses wild rice as an adjunct in his brews. Tasty.
Good luck, and welcome to Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Lanny Hoff
lhoff@stolaf.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 12:49:22 CDT
From: lhoff@stolaf.edu (Lanny Hoff)
Clarification time.
In Digest #611, I wrote in suggesting that people look into using bottled
water. I found a place in MPLS which deals in both plastic and GLASS for
spring and distilled water. Of course, the obvious choice is to get a
glass carboy, and that is what I did. JaH (J. Hersh, I believe) pointed
out, and rightly so, that we should only consider glass. I had said that
before, however.
Another submission in #612 suggested that I could get bottled water cheaper
at the supermarket. This is very true, but the added convienience of getting
a clean carboy (i.e., doesn't need to be sanitized->No POSSIBLE worries)
for only $1.50 is a steal in my book. (to recap: I could go out and buy
bottled water for only about $3 at the store, in the carboy it costs $4.55)
As to the quality, all I can say is that the spring water from the bottlers
tastes, smells, and even looks better than tap water. The beer I have made
from the bottled water has also been excellent. How can you argue with
success?
To summarize: bottled water offers quality and convienience at a low price.
I challenge anyone to find a GLASS carboy for less than $6, and I am sure
that nobody has ever worried less about sanitation in his/her fermenter.
Thanks,
Lanny Hoff
lhoff@stolaf.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 11:41:57 -0700
From: troby@carl.org (Thorn Roby)
Subject: Rotokegs going flat
I've brewed something like 20 batches over five years in three Rotokegs
and I think only two have gotten through the keg without needing
additional carbonation. I keep upping the priming corn sugar (lately I've
been using about 12 oz, about three times the recommended amount) and the
initial pressure is great but it only lasts about half way through (over a
two to three week period). Typically I add two or three little CO2
cartridges to get the rest out. Still, at a carbonation cost of about $1 a
keg, I'm reluctant to do anything more serious about pressurizing. Anyone
know any intermediate solutions short of a full CO2 tank? Seemed like it
was going to cost me about $80 to do that.
- --
Thorn Roby troby@diana.cair.du.edu
CARL Systems, Inc. troby@carl.org
777 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203 (303) 861-5319
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 13:58:23 PDT
From: dredge@Centric.COM
Subject: Any Brewpubs in Evanston, IL???
I've got a trip to Evanston next week. Does anyone know of
a brewpub (or two :^) in the area?
Thanks,
dredge
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 17:47:58 -0400
From: botteron@bu-it.bu.edu (Carol Botteron)
Subject: Carl Hensler - contact Ye Olde Batte
Morgiana P. Halley [Ye Olde Batte] asked me to post this because she
has been unable to get mail to Carl Hensler. (Apologies to others,
but she'd like to hear from other friends too.) She has a couple of
LONG postings for you, Carl, and would like to hear from you if you're
still interested/accessible. If you have more than one email address
please include it.
Her email address: EG2MH@primea.sheffield.ac.uk
And here are the other addresses she's sent along:
From: Morgiana P. Halley
[Ye Olde Batte]
c/o CECTAL
The University
Sheffield, UK
S10 2TN
Phone: (0742) 509860 Home
(0742) 768555 ext. 6296 Message
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 15:29:53 PDT
From: gschultz@cheetah.llnl.gov (Gene Schultz)
Subject: Request for information
I hope that I haven't missed any postings on this topic recently, but
I'm intested in making a beer that tastes like Samuel Adams Beer. Does
anyone out there have a good recipe?
Also, does anyone know of a West Coast supplier who can sell me dry
malt for less than the going rate at homebrew stores around here,
$8.50 for 3 pounds? I'd like to buy about 50 pounds.
Thanks,
---Gene Schultz
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
gschultz@cheetah.llnl.gov
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 15:55:27 PDT
From: lg562@koshland.pnl.gov
Subject: re: airlock contents
Date: 5 Apr 91 14:05:00 EDT
>From: "DRCV06::GRAHAM" <graham%drcv06.decnet@drcvax.af.mil>
One of the things they recommend is to use a mixture
of vodka and water in the airlock.... Has anyone done this and noted
any different results from just using water?
I use gin in the airlock. But I don't think it makes any difference.
If I add a little more gin after bubbling through for a while, I
notice the Schlieren patterns which tell me the liquid in the airlock
was no longer gin (probably mostly water).
Michael Bass
Molecular Science Research Center, K2-18
Battelle - Pacific Northwest Laboratory
Richland, Washington 99352
lg562@pnl.gov
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 13:08:52 EST
From: Bill Thacker <hplabs!hp-lsd.cos.hp.com!cbema!wbt>
Subject: Countercurrent wort chilling
> From: "ASK ME IF I CARE..." <V057P673@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu>
(Description of tube-in-a-tube wort chiller)
> 2) My question: Everybody I know who uses a device like this uses a
> counterflow, that is, cold tap water running in an opposite direction to the
> wort flow. However, it just made intuitive sense to me to send both in the
> same direction: The hottest wort will exchange the heat with the coldest water
> and some sort of equilibrium will be reached by the time you reach the end
> of the chiller. Why would the chiller be more effective with counterflow?
> Which method makes it easier to regulate temperature?
I started to write the long answer, but my fingers started to hurt, so
briefly:
Countercurrent heat exchangers are more efficient in certain ways, most
notably coolant utilization; it takes less water to reach the desired
temperature. Unless you live in a drought region, though, this isn't a big
consideration for homebrewing.
The gist of it is that in countercurrent operation, your coolest beer
(exiting) meets your coolest water (incoming) and so can match its
temperature. In co-current operation, the coolest beer sees the warmest
water. In order to get the beer as cold as the incoming water, you have to
use a very high flowrate of water.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bill Thacker AT&T Network Systems - Columbus wbt@cbnews.att.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 18:16:07 mdt
From: hplabs!hp-lsd.cos.hp.com!ihlpl!korz (Algis R Korzonas +1 708 979 8583)
Subject: Re: Weizen extract question
Craig writes:
>I've got a can of the Ireks Weizen extract (6.6 lbs). One set of
>directions calls for 1 lb of corn sugar (for 5 gal) which, of course, I
>don't want to add. I also do not want to add any dry malt as it may
>imbalance the intended amount of wheat to barly.
You're starting with an imbalance, if you have the same type
of Ireks Weizen extract as I did. On my can, I believe it said
the only indredients were Malted wheat and water. This would
be 100% wheat.
>I have a 3.5 gal
>fermenter and was wondering if anyone thought it would be better to make
>the smaller amount? Would it end up too strong? Weizens, if I remember
>correctly, should propably have a starting gravity of 1.032 - 1.035. Am I
>better off making a 5 gal batch (with no additives) or a 3 gal batch (with
>no additives)?
I made a 5 gallon batch with nothing but 1 oz of Hallertauer pellets
in the 60 minute boil and 1 more oz of Hallertauer pellets for the
last 5 minutes of the boil. The result was strange. I think that
I may have burned the malt (damned electric stove, damned enamel
brewpot!) because it came out dark red, like a dunkel lager. The
flavor was definately burnt, but mellowed out after a month in the
keg at 45F. I suggest you make a 5 gallon batch. My intuition
says: "6.6 lbs of liquid extract in 5 gallons of beer should result
in an OG of 1.042 to 1.050" since Papazian says 1 lb of liquid extract
per gallon gives you 1.032 to 1.038. I used Wyeast Bavarian Wheat
yeast.
Please post how it turns out and what you ended up doing.
Al.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 15:13:14 CDT
From: motcid!red!chambers@uunet.UU.NET (Jeff Chambers)
Subject: Brewpubs in Cleveland?
Does anyone have any information on Cleveland and Northern Ohio BrewPubs?
I will be traveling there in the upcoming months and would like a place
to exercise my palate.
Thanks,
Jeff Chambers (uunet!motcid)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 91 18:45 PST
From: <CONDOF%CLARGRAD.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Green glass
In HBD #612, Jeffrey Marc Shelton <js8f+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes about green
bottles. Do they let the nasty green light through?
Well, it is green light that causes the "skunkification" (that's a technical
term) photochemical reaction of the iso-alpha hop acids. But you can't tell
just by looking at a bottle whether it transmits or blocks green light,
unless the bottle is clear. Even a brown bottle may be blocking no green
light. A green bottle may be transmitting either green light or equal
portions of yellow and blue light. Your three-color visual system can't tell
the difference: both look green. The only way to know for sure is to use a
spectrometer.
Since most of us don't have access to spectrometers, I'd suggest just
keeping your bottles, whatever their color, in a dark place. I even have a
couple clear bottles, and they've never skunked up, because I keep them in
the dark. This doesn't mean I keep them in a light trap. I keep them in a
closet while they carbonate and in a fridge thereafter. The brew gets
consumed fresh enough that photochemistry is never noticeable.
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #613, 04/11/91
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