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HOMEBREW Digest #0723
This file received at Mthvax.CS.Miami.EDU 91/09/13 03:15:11
HOMEBREW Digest #723 Fri 13 September 1991
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Rob Gardner, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
International Beer, Wine and Food Show (MIKE LIGAS)
Thanks for replies (Kent Dinkel)
Re: Homebrew Digest #721 (September 11, 1991) (Nick Thomas)
Re: Homebrew Digest #722 (September 12, 1991) (Luke McCormick)
Alcohol tolerance of Red Star Ale Yeast?? (S94TAYLO)
718 where are you? ("DRCV06::GRAHAM")
Re: cloves? (Chris Shenton)
Sources for cheap glassware (eg: flasks) ? (Chris Shenton)
International Beer, Wine and Food Show (MIKE LIGAS)
P.Urquell taste test (Russ Gelinas)
wort chilling (mcnally)
Re: Immersion Coolers (Bob Jones)
Re: O2 deficient wort (Ken Giles)
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale - Jeanne Sova (John_Zettler.ADFMcLean_CSD)
Priming questions / recipe input wanted (Rich Lenihan)
Re: Hot break (Ken Giles)
questions: copper cleaning and old recipes REDUX (Thomas Manteufel 5-4257)
Yet Another Liquid Starter Comment (Tim Anderson)
Homebrew Digest #722 (September 12, 1991) (Richard P. Muller)
Easy bottling and How do you flame a yeast? (Steve Kirkish)
Chicha (MARC BECKER)
Bottles (James Carmin)
Homebrew mailing request (Kurt Ohms)
The Joy of Barleywine (Martin A. Lodahl)
The Famed Chico Yeast (Martin A. Lodahl)
Send submissions to homebrew@hpfcmi.fc.hp.com
Send requests to homebrew-request@hpfcmi.fc.hp.com
[Please do not send me requests for back issues!]
Archives are available from netlib@mthvax.cs.miami.edu
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1991 20:18:00 -0400
From: MIKE LIGAS <LIGAS@SSCvax.CIS.McMaster.CA>
Subject: International Beer, Wine and Food Show
******************************************************************************
Taken without permission from: THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR, Wed. Sept 11th, 1991.
Article written by: Dan Kislenko (Wine Columnist)
RARE BREWS SHARE STAGE WITH WINES
It's been a part of civilization for 6,000 years. It has its own patron saint,
Gambrinus. And the great epic poem of Finland, the Kalevala, spends more time
talking about it than about the creation of the world.
It, if you haven't guessed, is beer. And it will be in the limelight this
weekend at the International Beer, Wine and Food Show.
Several hundred of the world's finest and most unusual brews will rub shoulders
with wines and lots of good things to eat. Among the prize winners on hand will
be Zambezi Export from Zimbabwe, Grimbergen Optimo Bruno from Belgium, and some
of the new wave of premium microbrewery beers from across Canada.
Best of all, apart from simply tasting them, most of what's on show will be
available to buy to take home, through a liquor store on site.
The show runs this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14, from noon to 10:00 pm
and Sunday from noon to 6:00 pm. The place is the International Centre, 6900
Airport Road in Toronto (to get there head for the airport but exit on Dixon
Road, turn left onto Airport Road, and go a few kilometres along to Derry Road.
The centre is on the right, with lots of free parking).
Admission is $10 per person, plus you have to buy alcohol samples at cost (most
are under $1). Only folks 19 years of age or over are allowed in, so leave the
kids at home. Don't forget the designated driver either.
******************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 91 18:44:29 mdt
From: Kent Dinkel <dinkel@hpmtaa.lvld.hp.com>
Subject: Thanks for replies
Full-Name: Kent Dinkel
Thanks to everyone who replied to my problem (directly to me and via HBD)
about my "fast" fermentation. Is sounds like 3-4 day fermentations aren't
that uncommon. In addition, the consensus is that I should have paid more
attention when Papazian listed "hydrometer" as a necessary piece of brewing
equipment. It will eliminate the guess-work in determining when the brew
is ready for bottling. I'll try to pick on up tonight on the way home!
If the SG is still to high, how exactly do I introduce more yeast into the
carboy? My guess is that there won't be enough oxygen left for the new
yeast to complete it's respiration cycle. (Bad guess?) Therefore,
although I didn't notice Papazian explicitly addressing the problem of
stuck fermentations (other than "don't worry, have a homebrew"), I assume
that I should follow his instructions on culturing yeast (create a small
wort, let it cool, add the yeast and slap on an air lock, let it hang
around at room temp until active fermentation is visible, pitch the yeast
- -- all in the company clean room, of course!). Is my assumption correct?
Thanks again for all the help!
Kent
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 91 18:19:48 PDT
From: Nick.Thomas@Eng.Sun.COM (Nick Thomas)
Subject: Re: Homebrew Digest #721 (September 11, 1991)
>Date: Tue, 10 Sep 91 10:13:04 EDT
>From: Jeanne Sova (ASQNC-TABSM 5320) <jsova@APG-EMH5.APG.ARMY.MIL>
>Subject: Beer categories
>
>morning all,
>
>i hate to admit this, but i have had michelob... and enjoyed it. but since i
>started receiving this list, your appreciation for good beer and your desire
>to change americans' attitude toward beer has rubbed off. i've had this
>overwhelming urge to try new, "real" beers. so last night i had a sierra
>nevada big foot ale. and let me tell you, michelob is like water compared
>to it. now to me, the novice without much experience tasting real beer,
>i would describe it as strong, with a powerfull aftertaste. i mean, i had
>finished a sip and already put the bottle down when i was smacked in the
>face with the taste. my question is, to you coneseiurs, how would this beer
>be described? is it considered hoppy, fruity, or what? sorry to waste your
>time with such trivial questions, but if i'm gonna start brewing my own, i
>want to develop this appreciation, as well as the knowledge of what it is
>i may actuallybe brewing. thanks.
>
>jeanne
I'll bet you got a shock. The Bigfoot Ale is
a barleywine. Barleywine is to beer what Jolt Cola is to
coke. Most barleywine recipies call for nearly
double the ingredients
that a "normal" beer has, and a "normal" beer for this alias
is going to have more body and flavor than michelob.
If you want recommendations for good beer, this is
the alias. If you can get Anchor Steam, that's a great one.
Pilsner Urquel is a Czech. beer that's wonderful. If you're on
the West Coast, Red Tail Ale is also first rate in flavor.
Keep trying different brands. When you find one you like, ask
you local homebrew shop (or this alias) how to reproduce it.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 1:10:54 PDT
From: Luke McCormick <lukem@apple.com>
Subject: Re: Homebrew Digest #722 (September 12, 1991)
I got the digest!
(I hope this doesn't go to the whole list, I'm trying to do the "correct"
thing)
The headers say "verify address" -- is this the type of verification you
mean? Consider it verified.
In case this *does* go to the list (embarrassed grin) I'll ask a question
that I've been planning to post.
Is it possible to combine my 2 loves into one drink? Can I use coffee
to flavor beer? I wouldn't want it TOO strong mind you, but it would
nice to create a drink that brings you up and down at the same time!
luke
lukem@apple.com
partner in Mission Brewery ;-)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 07:20 EST
From: <S94TAYLO%USUHSB.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Alcohol tolerance of Red Star Ale Yeast??
I am wondering how much alcohol my Red Star Ale Yeast can stand. I understand
that your average ale yeast doesn't start to tail off until above 6%, but I
also heard that it doesn't actually die off until above 12%. Can anyone
verify this for me? I may need to toss in a little champaigne yeast to finish
off a batch of killer cider I've got going.
In case you're curious, the recipe is as follows:
1 gallon pasteurized apple cider
1 12 oz. can (Seneca?) 100% Granny Smith apple juice concentrate
1 cup white sugar
Pour out enough cider to make room in the glass jug for the concentrate and
the sugar and the pre-re-hydrated yeast (I would recommend using champaigne
yeast). Mix thoroughly and put an airlock on it. Come back about a week
later, check the gravity and if it bottoms out, prime it with 1/5 of 3/4 cup
of white sugar, then bottle it in two 2-liter plastic soda bottles, well-
cleaned, of course. Let it condition for about a week and...enjoy!
Al Taylor
Uniformed Services University
School of Medicine
Bethesda, Maryland
s94taylor@usuhsb.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: 12 Sep 91 08:07:00 EDT
From: "DRCV06::GRAHAM" <graham%drcv06.decnet@drcvax.af.mil>
Subject: 718 where are you?
Richard says to relax, that 718 will be in the monthly archive. Well, I
have found many of the monthly archives that were missing a digest or two.
Mr. Mossberg does a good job down there, but some slip through the cracks.
I have a small pile of requests here for 718. I still haven't received it.
If anyone did, (and I'm beginning to wonder), I'd appreciate a copy and
will be most pleased to send it on to the requests I already have and the
ones I'll probably get as a result of this posting.
On another subject: I talked to the folks at Catamount brewery in White
River Jct. in Vermont yesterday. They were going on at some length about
the upcoming Christmas Ale. I didn't discover this mocro until after last
Christmas. Sounds like it will be good. The brewmaster says it is his
personal favorite of all they brew. Those in the Northern New England
area, keep an eye peeled.
Dan Graham,
Beer made with the Derry air.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 91 10:00:25 EDT
From: darth!sps!system@sps
In HB 721 Russ Gelinas listed a bunch of brewpubs and micro breweries in
the New England area. Where did this list come from? And more
specifically is there a somewhat complete list out there that I can get?
I'm particularly interested in the PA, NY, OH area, but I figure a
listing for the whole country would be of general interest. (Although
probably too lengthy for publication here.)
....Kevin (darth!system@sps)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 09:45:08 EDT
From: Chris Shenton <chris@asylum.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Subject: Re: cloves?
On Wed, 11 Sep 91 16:21 GMT, "KATMAN.WNETS385" <6790753%356_WEST_58TH_5TH_FL%NEW_YORK_NY%WNET_6790753@mcimail.com> said:
Lee> Over the weekend I had Anchor's wheat beer. I liked it a lot, but I'm
Lee> not sure if it was all that clovey. Can someone suggest a beer that
Lee> tends to taste strongly of cloves so I can experience this for real?
Lee> Or is the Anchor wheat strongly cloved (cleaved?) and I just have a
Lee> high clove tolerance?
I also just tried the Anchor Wheat this weekend. Very disappointing --
lacks the full body and the smooth complexity of the South German Weizens
it tries to emulate. Bummer. No cloves to speak of, either.
For a good commercial example, you could try the Franziskaner Hefeweizen
(by Spaten). If you're in NYC, the Manhatten Brewing Co has (4 weeks ago,
anyway) a good Hefeweizen you should try... can't recall the
clove-coefficient, tho...
Bis spaeter!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 09:54:41 EDT
From: Chris Shenton <chris@asylum.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Subject: Sources for cheap glassware (eg: flasks) ?
Looking for stuff like small (100ml) and large (1l) flasks. Any ideas? I've
got an Edmunds catalog...
Danke!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 09:31:00 -0400
From: MIKE LIGAS <LIGAS@SSCvax.CIS.McMaster.CA>
Subject: International Beer, Wine and Food Show
******************************************************************************
Taken without permission from: THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR, Wed. Sept 11th, 1991.
Article written by: Dan Kislenko (Wine Columnist)
RARE BREWS SHARE STAGE WITH WINES
It's been a part of civilization for 6,000 years. It has its own patron saint,
Gambrinus. And the great epic poem of Finland, the Kalevala, spends more time
talking about it than about the creation of the world.
It, if you haven't guessed, is beer. And it will be in the limelight this
weekend at the International Beer, Wine and Food Show.
Several hundred of the world's finest and most unusual brews will rub shoulders
with wines and lots of good things to eat. Among the prize winners on hand will
be Zambezi Export from Zimbabwe, Grimbergen Optimo Bruno from Belgium, and some
of the new wave of premium microbrewery beers from across Canada.
Best of all, apart from simply tasting them, most of what's on show will be
available to buy to take home, through a liquor store on site.
The show runs this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14, from noon to 10:00 pm
and Sunday from noon to 6:00 pm. The place is the International Centre, 6900
Airport Road in Toronto (to get there head for the airport but exit on Dixon
Road, turn left onto Airport Road, and go a few kilometres along to Derry Road.
The centre is on the right, with lots of free parking).
Admission is $10 per person, plus you have to buy alcohol samples at cost (most
are under $1). Only folks 19 years of age or over are allowed in, so leave the
kids at home. Don't forget the designated driver either.
******************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 10:09:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: R_GELINAS@UNHH.UNH.EDU (Russ Gelinas)
Subject: P.Urquell taste test
Somehow, in the middle of an evening full of crying baby and bratty 2-year
old, I managed to do a side-by-side taste test of a Pilsner Urquell brought
back by hand from Czechslovakia, and one that had arrived in the regular
imported way. I wasn't able to set it up as a blind test; I was more
concerned with keeping track of which was which and not spilling. Here's
the results:
The bottles were slightly different. The Czech bottle was 11 oz., the US was
12 oz. The labels were similar, but had some small differences. The major
difference was that the Czech bottle had the words "Ur-Pils" and "Alc 4,1%Vol"
on it. The Czech bottled was dated "Oct 91", I couldn't figure out the US
date.
Unfortunately, the Czech bottle was slightly light-struck; medium skunkiness,
which went away about halfway through the glass. The Czech version was also
lighter in color. It also didn't have nearly the hops aroma as the US version,
but a non-light-struck bottle might have fared better. Both had a strong
malt flavor, but the US version was much sweeter. I couldn't tell if it was
malt sweetness or finishing hops sweetness, though. They both had about the
same amount of hops bitterness.
My wife chacterized the Cz. version as "more robust, more hearty", and I have
to agree. The US version seemed smoother, the Cz. version was more aggresive,
notably in the carbonation, but still very smooth too.
An interesting and enlightening session. 2 quite different and delicious
beers.
Russ
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 08:04:03 -0700
From: mcnally@Pa.dec.com
Subject: wort chilling
Chad Epifanio, in HBD722, says that using colder-than-from-the-tap water
with an immersion chiller is "a pain or impossible". Here's a
suggestion: throw a little money at the problem and buy a pump. Mine
cost about $70 at a local hardware store; you could probably do better.
I use my lauter tun (which has a garden-hose spigot) as a reservoir
of chilled water, and simply pump it through the chiller. In less than
an hour, atmospheric moisture begins to condense on the outside of my
boiler. I also save water, which in northern California is considered
a good thing.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike McNally mcnally@wsl.dec.com
Digital Equipment Corporation
Western Software Lab
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 08:52 PDT
From: Bob Jones <BJONES@NOVA.llnl.gov>
Subject: Re: Immersion Coolers
Comment on Chad Epifanio's recommendation on parallel coil immersion
wort cooler.
I indeed came to the same conclusion a few years ago with my 50 foot
long immersion cooler. I modified it to be two 25 foot coils in
parallel. You should talk with someone about balancing the flows in
each leg to maximize the efficiency. There are tables that indicate
equivalent tubing lengths for T's and L's. Find a mechanical engineer
and give him/her a few brews for some help designing. My parallel cooler
does indeed cool faster than the single long cooler. I can cool 11 gal
of wort in a 15 gal keg in about 20-25 min depending on tap water temp.
You can pre-cool your water before it goes to the cooler by running
your tap water through another immersion cooler placed in a 5 gal pale
in some ice water. This helps during those summer months when the tap
water temp. can be very high in some areas. Fast cooling is very important
in minimizes DMS in your final brew.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 09:03:38 PDT
From: keng@ic.MENTORG.COM (Ken Giles)
Subject: Re: O2 deficient wort
In HBD #722, R_GELINAS@UNHH.UNH.EDU (Russ Gelinas) says:
> you can duplicate the diacetyl buttery flavor of Sam Smith by pitching
> into O2 *deficient* wort.
I have not heard this before. I was aware that an oxygen deficient wort will
increase ester production. Could you be confusing the two? Or maybe I have
confused the two. It is my impression (from the books I've read) that diacetyl
production requires the presence of oxygen. I'm not trying to be quarrelsome,
but I genuinely would like to know what your source is for this statement.
kg.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 09:20:19 PDT
From: John_Zettler.ADFMcLean_CSD@xerox.com
Subject: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale - Jeanne Sova
IMHO, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale is extremely malty and hoppy. I guess a good
generic description is overpowering flavor, very strong.
It is truly a "Barleywine", and the local Safeway claims it to be "the
strongest beer/ale made in the USA". I have noticed no difference between the
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale purchased here in Virginia and that which I have
purchased and consumed in California. Apparently it travels well and "keeps"
for a reasonable amount of time. By the way, it retails between $8.00 and
$12.00 per six pack here, where the Commonwealth of Virginia takes a reasonable
attitude on sale of beer and wine (grocery stores, 7-11, etc.), and thus
fosters competition that allows good selection at reasonable prices (case sales
of premium american lawnmower beer at $10 - $12 per case).
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 12:20:17 EDT
From: rich@progress.COM (Rich Lenihan)
Subject: Priming questions / recipe input wanted
A couple questions on priming:
1. I've been brewing for a few years now, and I've never used
a bottling bucket when priming. I pour the boiled corn sugar
syrup directly into the carboy, cap, slosh it around a bit, wait
20-30 minutes, then siphon directly from the carboy. I get
pretty good carbonation with this method (sometimes too much).
The only time my beer was under-carbonated was the one time I
substituted DME extract for corn sugar (in equal amounts). I'm
not sure if this was due to my method or due to insufficient DME
(maybe both). My question: Is there a compelling reason why I
*should* use a bottling bucket? My method was born out of ignorance.
Until recently, I was unaware that anyone bottled this way.
2. DME vs. corn sugar for priming. The one time (see above)
I used DME for priming, my beer was under-carbonated. There was
some carbonation, but not much (much finer bubbles, too). This
may have been due to not enough DME (4oz, my usual amount for corn
sugar), but I decided using DME wasn't worth the effort. I'm not
a beer purist, so again, is there a compelling reason (ie. from
a taste or aesthetic standpoint) why I should switch to DME?
Finally, my birthday is approaching and I was thinking of brewing a
birthday bock to celebrate the occasion. This will be made with
probably 6lbs light DME, 1 can hopped Pilsener extract (I've had this
for a while and need an excuse to use it) and maybe 1 or 2 lbs. of
honey for 5 gals. This will be fermented warm (okay, so maybe it'll
be a barley wine). I'm looking for suggestions for other things to
add to this brew (hops, spices, etc.). I'm looking to make something
that's distinctive but not too unusual. Any pointers, suggestions,
or even recipes would be appreciated.
Thanks...
Rich
Rich Lenihan UUCP: mit-eddie!progress!rich
Progress Software Corp. Internet: rich@progress.com
5 Oak Park Real life: 20-I Brandywine Drive
Bedford, MA 01730 Shrewsbury, MA 01545
USA (508) 754-7502
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 09:37:21 PDT
From: keng@ic.MENTORG.COM (Ken Giles)
Subject: Re: Hot break
In HBD #722, Norm Pyle asks:
> What is this business called "hot break"? I assume from my reading that it
> has to do with quickly chilling the wort in order to pull trub out of solution.
You are describing the "cold break". The hot break happens in the boil. I've
found that the hot break is much more apparent in an all-grain brew than in an
extract brew. What happens is that the agitation of the wort, along with the
heat, causes complex proteins (albumins?) to collide and combine (coagulate)
into clumps. This forces them out of solution. Depending on the protein content
of the malt being used, the clumping appearance can vary from small particles to
small pieces of rags. The protein material settles out once the agitation stops
(i.e. heat turned off) and is usually left behind in the kettle. Some people
believe that the mechanical action of loose hops (not in a hop bag) encourage the
formation of hot break material. And in my kettle with an outlet at the bottom,
the loose hops act as a filter bed for the hot break material.
The cold break involves coagulation of less complex proteins (and other
materials) by chilling.
> If this is true, I also assume one would then rack the wort off of this trub
> before fermentation. Am I in the ballpark? Is it worthwhile (taste-wise) to
> risk contaminating your (my) wort for this? After all, it is a cooled vat of
> microorganism food just waiting to be eaten...
Is it worthwhile? My current opinion is that it's primarily a religious issue.
Will your beer be different? Probably. Will you notice it? Maybe. At any rate,
I believe it's a question that each brewer must answer for themselves.
kg.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 12:13:08 CDT
From: tomm@pet.med.ge.com (Thomas Manteufel 5-4257)
Subject: questions: copper cleaning and old recipes REDUX
In HD.720 I posted several questions re: wort chillers and old recipes.
Thanks to those that sent cleaning suggestions, and yes, those that
pointed out that 8 ft is just too short (actually the chunk of coil is
13 ft [as if it made a difference]). i hang my head in shame (notice
the lower case?). OK, so I have resigned myself to having to buy a new
50 ft coil. Now I don't have to worry about cleaning the chunk I have,
but the cleaning suggestions will help keep it shiny.
What size do I get? I did a few calculations in the classical physics class
style (ignore messy factors such as heat diffusion rates, densities, and
tube thickness) and compared 3/8" O.D. to 1/4" tubing. Given a 50 ft length
of tubing, 3/8" has a volume of 66.24 cubic inches and a surface area of
706.86 square inches. The ratio of volume to surface area is 10.67%. For
the same length of 1/4" tubing having a volume of 29.45 cubic inches and a
surface area of 471.23 square inches, the ratio is 16%. In theory, the
1/4" tubing has more surface area per volume, hence better cooling
efficiency. It costs less, is more readily available, is easier to work
with, and would displace less wort. (How much of a gallon is 29 cubic inches
anyway?) A disadvantage I see is that due to the smaller size, I will be able
to run only half the amount of water through it over time, so cooling time
will/may not be as rapid as with 3/8" tubing. Has anyone done even an
emphirical test of tubing diameters? Should I go ahead with the 1/4"
tubing, or is there something wrong with my assumptions?
I also posted a request for any leads on 1860's style american beer. The
only response (thanks, Jay) suggested the library, which I will do, but
without a lot of confidence. Second call for help. Anyone?
Thank You,
Thomas Manteufel
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 10:48:13 PDT
From: tima@apd.MENTORG.COM (Tim Anderson)
Subject: Yet Another Liquid Starter Comment
I've brewed only with Wyeast liquid yeast. At first, I didn't make a starter at
all, just pitched from the packet. Then, a few months ago, I started making a
starter in a wine bottle (as several have described). This cut lag time to
active fermentation about in half. For my last batch, I made a "double" size
starter: a 1.5 liter wine bottle nearly full for a 5 gallon batch. I had very
active fermentation in just a little over 4 hours! (I also go to great pains to
aerate) I'm convinced. Big starters and extreme aeration: The only way to go.
I made the starter in two steps, starting with a 750 ml bottle, then pitching to
the larger bottle. Next batch, I intend to skip the small bottle step and see
how that goes.
tim
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 11:26:11 -0700
From: rpm@wag.caltech.edu (Richard P. Muller)
Subject: Homebrew Digest #722 (September 12, 1991)
Please remove my name from the mailing list. Thanks.
- --
Rick Muller
rpm@wag.caltech.edu
(818)397-2722
(818)585-0918 FAX
"Things change, Alternatives exclude" -Grendel
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 13:33:07
From: kla!kirkish@Sun.COM (Steve Kirkish)
Subject: Easy bottling and How do you flame a yeast?
I've been reading the HBD for a while now, but haven't seen mention of this
method of bottling. I used to bottle using the familiar but messy siphon
technique, whereby you may get a good, air-bubble-free siphon going through
all the various tubes and sundry plumbing for your bottling if you start
trying when you pitch the yeast :-) But when I went out to buy my own
equipment, my local brewshop was selling 6 gallon plastic buckets with
plastic taps you could screw into the side of the bucket, down low. Now,
bottling's a cinch. I just rack to this bucket, put it up on the counter,
and draw off a flat one into the bottle. No muss, no fuss, cleaning out the
bucket is easy, and you don't have to fret about losing that precious
siphon (or beer!). I do try to minimize splashing when I'm filling, and had
no problem with the first batch I made this way (a tasty porter/stout-like
ale)
Now, then. John DeCarlo mentions in HBD #722...
>Then I flame the outside of the yeast package, cut open, flame
>again, and pour into the starter wort.
Maybe it's that I'm still just a novice, dry-yeast user, and not up on these
colorful terms used for liquid yeast, but pray tell, how do you "flame" a
yeast package? Do you insult it openly, in public ;-)? Actually, it's a
real question...I'd like to understand the terminology.
Lastly, great entries lately in the HBD, especially #722, the "special"
liquid yeast issue. Destined to be reference as much as the special Zymurgy
issue. One thing I like about this digest is that all the advanced
techniques encourage me to improve my process! Keep up the good work.
- -- Steve Kirkish, sun.com!kla!kirkish
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 16:38 CDT
From: MARC BECKER <MARC@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Chicha
Does anybody have a good receipe for Chicha, the ancient & sacred corn beer
from the South American Andes?
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1991 19:50 PDT
From: James Carmin <JCARMIN@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU>
Subject: Bottles
Homebrewers:
Having just uncapped a homebrew--very carefully--the top of the bottle
broke, making my ginger/pepper laden Tumultuours Porter good only for
drwoowing ning slugs in my gargarden.
As I have had an average of one bottle breaking every two batches
of homebrew, I'm wondering if others have htthis problem.
I (re)use a variety of bottles. Henry Weinhard Ale (green bottles;
screw catops) have had problems in the past been the only pbottles I've had problems with in the
past, but tonight it was a Negra Modelo bottle.
Does anyone know how many times commerciaial breweries reuse their
bottle?s?
Any suggestions?
James
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 22:28:40 PDT
From: ohms@sunrise.Stanford.EDU (Kurt Ohms)
Subject: Homebrew mailing request
Please add me to the mailing list for Home Brew Digest.
Thanks for your help
Kurt Ohms
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 15:28:36 PDT
From: Martin A. Lodahl <hpfcmr.fc.hp.com!hplabs!pbmoss!malodah>
Subject: The Joy of Barleywine
In HBD 722, our pal Algis addressed "No-Caps" Jeanne's question:
>jeanne writes:
>>overwhelming urge to try new, "real" beers. so last night i had a sierra
>>nevada big foot ale. and let me tell you, michelob is like water compared
>>to it.
>
>> ... my question is, to you connoisseurs, how would this beer
>>be described? is it considered hoppy, fruity, or what?
>
>SN Big Foot Ale is a Barleywine, which means it is brewed to be very high
>in alcohol. Personally, I dislike an "alcohol-taste" in my beer, which
>distracted me from all the other flavors in the SNBFA, so I'm afraid I
>cannot provide more commentary on it.
Barleywines, as a rule, are quite intentionally out of balance, in
the direction of malt. They are sweet (sometimes overpoweringly
so), both from their high alcohol content as Al. has pointed out,
and from the large residuum of unfermented sugars. They are very
heavy in body, and usually blonde to red in color, but rarely hoppy.
They sometimes have a raisiny or Madeira-like complexity. I love
them, but because they are such an extreme style, prefer them in the
little "nip" bottles of 6 or 7 ounces, at cool room temperature, on
a winter's night next to a warm fire, while reading a good book. In
that sense, they're the beer world's answer to vintage Oporto. The
first one I tasted was Young's "Old Nick" at a semi-formal tasting,
and like most of the others present, dumped most of my sample into
the spit-bucket. They take some getting used to ...
> ... I suggest you try SN Pale Ale (one
>of my favorite beers) for what *I* would consider a more "conventional"
>tasting beer. SNPA is flavorful and has a wonderful hop nose.
Each to their own taste. SNPA is, in my opinion, a world-class
beer, marred only by its cloyingly perfumey hopping. Heck, if we
all liked the same things, there'd only be one brand of beer! But
Jeanne, I imagine that bottle of Bigfoot pretty convincingly
demonstrated that Michelob represents one of the least interesting
corners of the beer world ...
= Martin A. Lodahl Pacific*Bell Systems Analyst =
= malodah@pbmoss.Pacbell.COM Sacramento, CA 916.972.4821 =
= If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, =
= Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me! 8-) =
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 91 15:46:02 PDT
From: Martin A. Lodahl <hpfcmr.fc.hp.com!hplabs!pbmoss!malodah>
Subject: The Famed Chico Yeast
In HBD 722, Kevin asked:
>Is Wyeast #1056 "American" the same as the "Chico Ale Yeast" that I've
>heard everyone talking about?
Yes.
>Is the "Chico Ale Yeast" really the same stuff that Sierra Nevada
>uses?
Reputedly. I haven't done any rigorous A:B comparison tests, but my
impression from using both 1056 and yeast cultured from a SNPA
bottle is that the cultures behave differently, but produce very
similar results. My bottle-cultures seem to give a more
vigorous-appearing fermentation.
>The fermentation was even somewhat different than I am accustomed to.
>The krausen never got really tall, but what was there was pretty
>dense. Fermentation proceeded at a moderate and steady pace of about
>80 bubbles per minute for about 3 days.
Dry yeasts lead a hard life. After living in a dilute molasses
solution, they're kiln-dried into dormancy, only to be yanked
abruptly from their torpor later, possibly in a sugar solution,
which subjects them to substantial osmotic stress. The survival rate
is not good, for most strains. I don't know this, but have always
suspected that dry yeast producers must select their strains with a
sharper eye to simple survival than to the final brewing
characteristics, a constraint liquid cultures don't impose. That
may explain why most dry yeast really seem to "get with the
program": the process selects for vigor. I was suprised and
uncomfortable with the leisurely pace of my first liquid-culture
fermentations. Now they seem normal to me.
= Martin A. Lodahl Pacific*Bell Systems Analyst =
= malodah@pbmoss.Pacbell.COM Sacramento, CA 916.972.4821 =
= If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, =
= Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me! 8-) =
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #723, 09/13/91
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