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HOMEBREW Digest #1411
This file received at Sierra.Stanford.EDU 94/04/29 00:33:49
HOMEBREW Digest #1411 Fri 29 April 1994
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Rob Gardner, Digest Janitor
Contents:
5 gallon vs 6.7 gallon carboys for the primary ... (Chris Lyons)
Malt Extracts (Truth in Labelling) (Norman Farrell)
Don't try this at home kids (John Lenz) jel3@cornell.edu
Re: aeration (Jeff Frane)
Attenuation of #1968: Special London Ale Yeast (Mark Evans)
ORACLE SPEAK (Jack Schmidling)
O2 aeration of water before boil (HBD#1409) ("Christopher V. Sack")
Re: Welding O2 (Robert Schultz)
More on AmAleYeast... (RONALD DWELLE)
Saving H2O w/Chiller / Poor Extraction (npyle)
No Head in brew. (rnarvaez)
Spider mites on hops (Allen Ford)
Rehydrating Irish Moss (Al Marshall)
Europe (Bjorn Throstur Vilhjalmsson)
Hunter Airstats (Bob Jones)
HSA -- what is the critical temp? (Robert Schultz)
Any pubs/breweries in Williamstown, Mass? (BAIER_T)
Duvel Belgian Ale (Murray Knudson)
propane storage (Bryan L. Gros)
open ferment, pH, pizza stone (TODD CARLSON)
Madison, WI competition (brewing chemist Mitch)
separate beer digests for extract and grain brewers ("Joan Donohue" )
Cheapest Source for 3 Gallon Soda Kegs (hanna)
mashing specialty dark grains ("Mr. Dudley")
Recipe Request ("Robucci, Adam F.")
Re: IM and the EasySparger ("Mark B. Alston")
Re: Wort Chillers when water shortages are a problem (Bob Clancy)
What's in Extracts? (bronson)
KEGGING (JACK FORD)
(Haselhorst Brent A)
SHANDY THIS (JEBURNS)
brewpubs in Williamsburg, Va? (CHRIS KEITH)
multimediabrewing (BadAssAstronomer)
My $.02 (ambroser)
SATB / Adding Bitterness / Water Conservation (Alan_Marshall)
Toxic Zymurgy (Bob Jones)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 08:38:44 EDT
From: Chris Lyons <Chris.Lyons@analog.com>
Subject: 5 gallon vs 6.7 gallon carboys for the primary ...
Christopher Jackson writes in HBD 1409:
> I'm curious whether there's any sort of consensus on the best container for
> primary fermentation of a 5 gallon batch.
> (... 5 vs 6.7 glass carboys)
No consensus, but I'm sure you were actually fishing for thoughts. Most
will probably center around blowoff & head loss theories. I hope to add
a different consideration.
Just a thought about which carboy to get. I have both the 5 & 6.7 gallon
versions and now do my primary fermentation in the 6.7 & secondary
fermentation in the 5. Why? Because I reuse the slurry. If you read
back a few postings from yours in today's hbd you will find an article
that mentions that its important to use a large yeast count. What I do
is perform the primary ferment in the 6.7 gallon carboy. When the batch
is ready to be transferred to the secondary I brew another batch. When
the next batch is chilled and ready for transfer to the primary, I transfer
the contents of the 6.7 carboy into a 5 gallon secondary and leave the
"sludge" behind. This sludge is the yeast starter for the next batch. I
then dump the new batch onto the yeast sludge and fermentation is
evident within minutes. The reason I use a 6.7 gallon caboy for the
primary is that the yeast cake will increase in volume over several
batches (I typically repeat the sequence 6 times before I begin a
new yeast). I have done this using both liquid & dry yeast as the
initial yeast and have had excellent results.
Just something to consider in the decision process,
Chris
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 07:46:05 -0500
From: nfarrell@ppco.com (Norman Farrell)
Subject: Malt Extracts (Truth in Labelling)
Norm Pyle asks about malt extract contents:
>Is this too much? They could provide extract numbers, color numbers, and a
>whole slew of other information too, if they wanted. Anybody want to bend
>the ears of the guys at Briess or Munton&Fison, et. al.???
I agree completely. AHA has set up a project to boil and analyze
25 different malt extracts (both liquid and dry). Just Brew It.
club members will boil all the extracts under as similar conditions
as possible and take a 500 ml. sample. The samples will be sent
to Siebel Inst. for testing. I have not seen to full list of
properties for testing but I will try to find out. Results could
be published in the Winter zymurgy.
Best Regards,
Norman (nfarrell@ppco.com)
May your last beer be your best!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 04:54:10 -0400
From: (John Lenz) jel3@cornell.edu
Subject: Don't try this at home kids
Jim Busch <busch@daacdev1.stx.com> writes:
>. . . bit suprised to read that they didnt like cask hopping at
>"higher levels". They said they settled on 1/6th of an oz per keg,
>if I remember right, claiming a tinny effect. I have used up to 40
>oz in a 5 gal keg with no tinny effects, this is with East KEnt
>Goldings.
Well Jim, I think you have just created a new definition for the
term hop head. Were these pellets, plugs, or whole flowers? Did you
have to use a marble in the bag to keep it from floating? Has Mark
Garetz been in touch to get information for his forthcoming book?
Has Coyote been in touch for the recipe, in hopes that the critters
don't decimate his harvest this year?
Op uw gezondheid,
John
------------------------------
Date: 27 Apr 94 13:17:57 GMT
From: cssc!cong@scuzzy.attmail.com (brew )
Full-Name: brew
Subject: Attention N.J. Hombrewers
Attention N.J. Hombrewers
The Brunswick Brew Club is having a Homebrew Bar-B-Que.
Addmission will be $5.00. Please bring a couple of bottles of your
favorite Homebrew. We will be serving the usual Bar-B-Que fair.
Hamburgers, Hotdogs, P-Salad .....etc. For directions please
Email me at the above address.
The Date is Thursday May 19. We have meetings every third Thursday
of the month.
There will be an extract Brewing Demonstration for beginners.
You experienced Brewers will enjoy more advanced topics.
Chow Down and Drink Homebrews and Be Merry!
cong
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 06:45:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: gummitch@teleport.com (Jeff Frane)
Subject: Re: aeration
Jay Weissler wrote:
> Cold water from the tap is usually highly aerated. If you pour a
> partial boil into a primary 1/3 to 1/2 filled with cold tap water you
> should have sufficient aeration.
>
You might also have sufficent extraneous microorganisms to spoil your
beer. Extract brewers doing a partial boil should make sure that *all*
the water they're using is pre-boiled. Ask your local water bureau --
even they can't insure that *everything* has been kilt before it gets to
your warm, sweet, comfy wort (bacteria heaven) where they'll have plenty
of opportunity to multiply. And the water bureau makes that attempt
with chlorine (sometimes lots of it), and boiling helps drive off the
chlorine.
> I do not understand why anyone would want to pump air into their
> beer. I put an airlock on my fermenters to keep air out. Pumping air
> in makes little sense to me and those I know who tried it, saw no
> differences. If memory serves, yeast becomes anerobic soon after
> start up so continued addition of air may actually hurt.
Look up the section on fermentation in George Fix's "Principles of
Brewing Science" for an explanation of the necessity of oxygen in good
fermentation. No one is suggesting (as far as I've seen) adding oxygen
beyond the pitching stage. By the way, no one, NO ONE, wants to pump
air into their "beer" -- we're talking about cold wort, at the
pre-fermentation stages.
- --Jeff
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 08:34:40 -600 (CDT)
From: Mark Evans <evanms@lcac1.loras.edu>
Subject: Attenuation of #1968: Special London Ale Yeast
I wonder if anyone can relate their experiences with the new wyeast Special
London Ale Culture. I pitched it to a typical Pale Ale recipe that had a
average OG of about 1.048. Everyting about the mash was normal. I got a
good vigorous ferment, though not a real boiler. After six days in the
primary and four in the second, I expect to be at a target # for a FG.
However the reading is only about 1.018 and the ferment looks pretty well
done (oh maybe i could squeeze a point or two more out of it over the next
few days.
Question: the strain is promoted as rich, full, malty. Does this mean
low-medium attenuation and a higher than normal (normal in my book is
1.010-12) Final Gravity? The Raw taste check is okay, considering the
stage. Should I pitch in some dry yeast to squeeze out a couple more
points? My instinct and my worry level--which is low--says no. I've
heard great
things about this strain and I'm dying to get in the bottle and get it to
the summer table. Responez vous by private E-mail or to the list.
Thanks.
Brewfully yours, Mark Evans
<evanms@lcac1.loras.edu>
Dubuque, Iowa
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 09:12 CDT
From: arf@mcs.com (Jack Schmidling)
Subject: ORACLE SPEAK
>From: cole@nevism.nevis.columbia.edu
>Subject: Sparge water ph, Jack's contention
> In the last HBD Jack restated his claim that sparge water
does not need to be acidified as the "buffering" action of
the mash will keep the ph level up (paraphrased).
If you insist on using my name in vain, kindly read what I say carefully
before you use it as an excuse to satisfy your own ego.
I said no such thing and (paraphrased) does not get you off the hook.
It hardly seems worth once more, repeating what I said but I can probably
paraphrase it a bit more accurately and it certainly will be the last time I
try.
I said something to the effect that just because the pH of the sparge/mash
water is beyond the "normal" range, does not mean that it is necessary to
adjust it before using it. I suggested brewing a batch first to see if there
is a problem and as a reference point if adjustments are made in future
batches.
Your article is interesting in and of itself but to drag me into it to
bolster your own ego, is simply a waste of bandwidth.
> I welcome all technical comments on the above, especially from those
who REALLY know what they are talking about. Please direct all flames
to /dev/null.
I suggest you should of thought of that when you wrote your article. You lit
the flame by unnecessarly turning it into a personal attack. I get lots of
these kinds of lectures and it's kind of fun to practice what I have leaned.
js
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 10:26:25 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Christopher V. Sack" <cvsack@mailbox.syr.edu>
Subject: O2 aeration of water before boil (HBD#1409)
On Wed, 27 Apr 1994, Jonathan Peakall wrote:
>
> I have been folwing the aretion thread, and thought of another possible way
> to areate. What if I took a corny keg, filled it with water, and pressurized
> it for a day or so with O2 from my welding tank? Would the boil remove all
> the O2. I actually add most of my water during sparging, so I could get away
> with it anyway. It seems this method would have two advantages: The O2 would
> be sterile, and the amount of O2 could be controlled. What do you folks think?
>
> Jonathan (Lo-Tech Brewing, Inc.)
Johnathan,
Your method will oxygenate the water, just as force carbonation
carbonates it. But when the wort is boiled, *ALL* dissolved gas
is removed from the liquid. The only gas present in the boil is water
vapor (steam) which contains some of the organic components from the wort
that happen to dissolve into the water vapor bubbles as the bubbles rise
to the surface.
May I cautiously suggest using your method to oxygenate the wort after the
boil. Use the same procedure as force carbonation, but less pressure. Or,
a SS bubbling stone attached to your O2 tank (since you already have one)
would also work very well. The small bubbles increase the surface area
between water and gas, thus increasing O2 transfer. Within 15-20 minutes,
your wort should be at over 50% O2 saturation. Remember previous posts
said that over 25% O2 sat. did not improve the fermentation rate. The SS
airstone attached to an aquarium pump (with an inline charcoal filter)
will get you up to 20% O2 sat., (since the air is 20% O2, 80% N2) within
30 min. I personally use the air pump method and do two 20 min. sessions,
once before pitching, and then the next morning just for good measure.
___ ___
Sincerely, / ) | / / ) __ __ | Christopher V. Sack
Chris / | / (___ __ ) / )| / Chemistry Dept.
/ | / ) / / / | / S.U.N.Y.-E.S.F.
(____/* |/* (____/ (__\ (__/ |/ \ <cvsack@lor.syr.edu>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 08:25:33 -0600 (CST)
From: Robert Schultz <Robert.Schultz@usask.ca>
Subject: Re: Welding O2
I would think that boiling will drive off all of the disolved O2. Even
heating it to 170F for sparging will likely rid most of the O2(imho) -- not to
mention the full hour boil. However, as one is racking to the primary, it may
be a good idea to bubble your welding O2 into the sweet wort. This should be a
better source of oxygen than using an aquarium pump and pumping RAW air & all
the air-borne nasties through the wort.
Rob.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Robert.Schultz@usask.ca, Senior Research Analyst, University of Saskatchewan ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ "I'm going off half-cocked? I'm going off half-cocked? ... ~
~ Well, Mother was right - You can't argue with a shotgun." - Gary Larson ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 10:51:41 EST
From: dweller@GVSU.EDU (RONALD DWELLE)
Subject: More on AmAleYeast...
Regarding the several comments on 1056 American Ale yeast, lemme
try this idea out on you all: my impression is that 1056 is much
more temperature sensitive than other ale yeasts, especially on
the cool side. Seems if I pitch a little late, after wort temp
has fallen, 1056 is terribly slow to get going. Also, I just had
an over-prime problem with a batch (bottled during a Feb cold
snap), and I suspect the 1056 fooled me by quitting before the
ferment was done. Never seem to have these problems with Canadian
Ale yeast and English (Whitbread) which are the two other ale
yeasts I use most of the time.
What think ye, o learned ones?
Ron Dwelle (dweller@gvsu.edu)
How easy can the barley-bree
Cement the quarrel!
Tis aye the cheapest lawyer's fee
To taste the barrel.
--Bobbie Burns
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 9:22:43 MDT
From: npyle@n33.ecae.stortek.com
Subject: Saving H2O w/Chiller / Poor Extraction
I have to say right from the start that I think using cat litter in beer is
disgusting! Besides, I'm allergic to cats! ;O)
**
One solution to Brett Shorten's farmer friend's drought/chiller problem is a
recirculation pump. I don't have the details, but I believe John Palmer uses
one (palmer#d#john@ssdgwy.mdc.com). Bug him for the details; I'm sure he
won't mind... OR... He could collect the outflow (hot) water and use it for
other things like cleaning up afterwards (I do). He could even dump it back
into his tank; it's only been run through some copper.
**
As to Will Smith's extraction woes: the first batch, which you achieved 25
pts/lb/gallon is pretty normal, especially if the 5 gallons of 1.050 wort was
after the boil, etc. You have some lost wort in the kettle (I do) and in the
hops, which pulls the numbers down. I suspect before the boil you had 26-27
pts., which isn't bad at all, though you could push it up a little with
practice. The second batch I calculated 13 pts/lb/gallon. The only thing I
can think of here is that you didn't get full conversion in your mash (did
you do a starch test?). Maybe your temperature was a little higher than you
thought and the enzymes deactivated too quickly. As to soft water, get some
pH papers and check the pH of the mash. This could negatively affect
conversion if its not close to 5. Good Luck.
Cheers,
Norm = npyle@n33.stortek.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 11:32:02 -0500
From: rnarvaez@lan.mcl.bdm.com
Subject: No Head in brew.
Hello,
I am a novice brewer and just finished brewing my first batch of
homebrew. I read a couple of books and researched the brewing
process several weeks before I started to do any brewing. Well my first
batch of Pale ale (done with hopped extract) was done by the books. I
cooked it in a 8 gal enamel canning pot and used a two stage
fermenting process. After a few days I was able to bottle it into 25oz
champaign bottles. Well the waiting is all done and I opened my very
first bottle of homebrew last night and was quite disappointed. The beer
didn't have any type of head retention. There was good carbonation,
and a head did form but quickly disappeared. The beer tasted OK but
didn't have enough hoppy flavor, I did add some finishing hops 15
minutes before the end of boil, but I guess it wasn't enough.
My question is what should I do to increase the head retention in my
brew. I have read about Heading liquids but don't know anything about
them, should I use them. What is it in the brew that caused the head to
remain after pouring?
If any of you Pro Brewers could help me out I would greatly appreciate
it.
Ronald Narvaez
RNarvaez@lan.mcl.bdm.com
Never take life too seriously, it isn't a permanent thing. : )
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 10:29:40 -0500 (CDT)
From: Allen Ford <allen@darwin.sfbr.org>
Subject: Spider mites on hops
Coyote curses red spiders!
If spider mites are a problem in your garden, try spraying with
insecticidal soap. Safers is one brand. Follow directions on package.
I have had good sucess in getting rid of "red spiders" on my tomatoes
using this product. It is the environmentally friendliest traeatment I
am aware of. It also kills off thrips and aphids. Good luck.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Allen Ford <allen@darwin.sfbr.org> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
=-=-= Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research San Antonio, Texas =-=-=
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 08:43:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: alm@ibeam.jf.intel.com (Al Marshall)
Subject: Rehydrating Irish Moss
All:
This talk about rehydrating Irish Moss intrigues me. Could someone
please share the amount of water, time and temp you are using?
-- Al Marshall
alm@ibeam.intel.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 15:51:00 GMT
From: bthv@rhi.hi.is (Bjorn Throstur Vilhjalmsson)
Subject: Europe
My question concerns europe. I will be travelling all over Europe this summer
and wonder if anyone has a list of brewpubs or some great breweries that I could
visit. Planning on staying in Holland, Belgium and Germany so adresses in
those countries would probably be the best choice. Thanks in advance.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 08:57:03 +0900
From: bjones@novax.llnl.gov (Bob Jones)
Subject: Hunter Airstats
Where can the Hunter Airstat be purchased these days and what is the best
price? I know their discontinued, but I figured there probably are a few
left out there somewhere.
Bob Jones
bjones@novax.llnl.gov
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 10:21:32 -0600 (CST)
From: Robert Schultz <Robert.Schultz@usask.ca>
Subject: HSA -- what is the critical temp?
Brewers:
What is the critical temperature for HSA to start appearing? Is the
sparged wort as vulnerable to HSA as boiled wort?
As per my procedure: I sparge into a separate pail as I use my boil
kettle to heat the sparge water. Once I have collected most of the run-off (and
the kettle is empty) I pour from the pail into the kettle (read a reasonable
amount of aeration here -- I pour as gently as I can, but....). Generally, the
last 2 gallons of run-off are drained directly into the kettle.
Once in the kettle, the wort is not moved while hot.
Wondering....
Rob.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Robert.Schultz@usask.ca, Senior Research Analyst, University of Saskatchewan ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ "I'm going off half-cocked? I'm going off half-cocked? ... ~
~ Well, Mother was right - You can't argue with a shotgun." - Gary Larson ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 10:37:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: BAIER_T@SALT.PLU.EDU
Subject: Any pubs/breweries in Williamstown, Mass?
Will be in the Williamstown, MA area for a conference in August.
Would deeply appreciate any clues/hints about finding a good beer
while there.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Tom Baier
BAIER_T@SALT.PLU.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 10:40:47 PDT
From: Murray Knudson <murrayk@microsoft.com>
Subject: Duvel Belgian Ale
Does anybody have a receipe for Duvel Belgian Ale, or a close approximation?
I've Checked Cat's 2, but I'm not sure if any of what I see would
really be close.
Duvel, at least to me, has a taste like a combination of a Tripple and
a Wheat such as Paulaners Hefe-Weizen. Both extract and all grain
ideas welcome.
Reply to me directly, and I'll summarize in a later issue.
thanks much,
murray
murrayk@microsoft.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 11:40:37 PDT
From: bgros@sensitivity.berkeley.edu (Bryan L. Gros)
Subject: propane storage
COYOTE wrote:
>As for use of a Propane Cooker indoors: The responses I got dealt mostly
>with the hazard of storing/using PROPANE indoors. Leaks can become a
>SERIOUS fire/explosion hazard. I have mine RIGHT next to a window with
>a window fan pulling air & exhaust out. The room is FAR from airtight.
Is a leaky propane tank a common thing? If storing the tank in the
garage or basement is bad, where do you store it? Out in the backyard?
Should you build a little box to protect the tank from the weather
and keep it outside under the porch or something?
Also, how many batches do people get from a 20# tank? I'm usually right
around empty after four batches. So that's about $2 per batch for
propane (for you extract people that are counting cents).
- Bryan
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 15:03:31 EST
From: carlsont@GVSU.EDU (TODD CARLSON)
Subject: open ferment, pH, pizza stone
I have seen quite a few references in the past 2 weeks to
open fermentation. This is not a "thread" per se, as these
have been in unrelated postings, but the topic does come up
frequently. I no longer use a blow off tube (to avoid
losing too much beer). I use an 8 gal plastic primary
fermentor and rack to a 5 gal glass carboy secondary. I
start with 6 gal of water (partial mash recipe) so after
boiling, racking off hot break, and racking off trub, I have
just enough beer to fill the secondary to the neck. This
seems to give me more beer for the effort. But after
reading the nice series on cask ales, and seeing the open
fermentation vats in M. Jackson's book, I am considering
just leaving the top of my primary fermentor loose and
skimming the crud during vigorous fermentation. Do any of
you with open fermentation experience have any hints? Is
this really a good idea given the paranoia over
contamination and oxidation that is so prevalent in the
homebrew literature?
On water pH: I have little experience in the water
chemistry of brewing so I have stayed out the the pH
discussion. However I am a biochemist and some of the
comments made on water chemistry sound questionable. My
comments are from a chemist who brews, not a brewing
chemist. Water is buffered by the presence of weak acids
and bases. When the pH drops (H+ goes up), weak bases in
solution react with the H+ to become weak acids. When the
pH goes up (H+ goes down), weak acids lose H+'s to become
weak bases. These molecules act like H+ resevoirs --
soaking up extra H+'s and replacing lost H+'s. The
concentration of free H+ changes relatively little. Thus
the solution is buffered. Many moleucles in the mash are
acids that can potentially act as buffers. Amino acids,
phosphate, carbonate, even denatured proteins will buffer a
solution. Certainly many of these moleucles will not be
rinsed out by sparging. Diluting a buffer does not change
its pH. It seems unlikely that sparging with very soft,
distilled or deionized water will raise mash pH
significantly. I want to learn more on the water chemistry
in the mash. What are your favorite references?
Finally, someone mentioned using a pizza stone under a 33 qt
kettle on an electric stove. Could that person please
elaborate? Thanks
Todd
carlsont@gvsu.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 13:15:21 CDT
From: gelly@persoft.persoft.com (brewing chemist Mitch)
Subject: Madison, WI competition
Saturday, May 14 marks the date for the Eighth Annual BIG and HUGE homebrew
competition, sponsored by the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild, Ltd.
Homebrewed beers (beer only, please) of big and huge character will be
evaluated by experienced beer judges, and evaluation sheets will be returned
to every entrant.
Ribbons will be awarded for the top three entries in each category, and best
of show will receive the much-coveted Woolly Mammoth Plaque. Awards won in
the Big and Huge also apply to point scoring for Midwest Homebrewer of the Year
(for residents of appropriate midwestern states).
Categories:
Big Ale (OG 1.050 - 1.060)
Huge Ale (OG 1.060 and up)
Big Lager (OG 1.050 - 1.060)
Huge Lager (OG 1.060 and up)
If your OG was right at 1.060, you have the choice of which category (big or
huge) you would like to enter.
In each of the four classifications, beers will be evaluated based on the AHA
style category proposed by the entrant and will be in competition with all
others of different different styles in the same B&H class. For example, a
barley wine and a trippel will be judged according to their respective
style characteristics, but their numerical scores will be compared against
each other for possible awards in the Huge Ale category. Similarly, American
pale ales and robust porters can compete for Big Ale honors (provided they
qualify with respect to OG readings), but they will each be judged, of course,
according to their respective style characteristics. On your entry form and
bottle labels you must indicate both the AHA style category and the
appropriate big or huge category.
This event will take place Saturday, May 14, 1994 at 6 pm at the University of
Wisconsin Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St., Madison, WI. See 'Today in the
Union' for the assigned room, or ask at the information desk.
MHaTG members, including competition staff are eligible to enter the
competition; appropriate measures will be taken to assure anonymity and
fairness in judging. Judges will NOT evaluate beers in the categories of their
own entries (makes sense, eh?) Judging will be done the evening of the event
in strict accordance with AHA competition guidelines. Entries from
professional brewers and/or beers brewed on commercial premises are
ineligible.
Entry requirements: Three 10-17 ounce brown or green crown-capped
bottles (no swing-top Grolsch-style bottle) per entry. Bottles and caps must
have no labels an/or identifying marks, including raised lettering. Printed
caps should be blacked out with a permanent marker. You guys know the drill.
Attach one completed entry form to each bottle with a rubber band - no glue
or tape. Recipes should be packed with the beers, but do not need to be
attached to each bottle.
Fees: MHaTG members $3.50 per entry / Non-members $4.50 per entry before
5pm on May 13 - $5.50 day of show. $7.00 per additional entry for residents
of Midwest Homebrewer of the Year states.
If you cannot deliver them personally, you may send them to:
The Wine and Hop Shop
ATTN: BIG and HUGE
434 State Street
Madison, WI 53703
until 4pm the day of the competition. You may deliver them personally between
4:30 and 5:30 pm to the site. We are not responsible for the perils of
shipping homebrew.
For further info, you can email me or contact the hardest working man in the
club, Bob Paolino, at 608-249-7126. You can also write us at MHTG, Box 1365,
Madison, WI 53701.
Cheers,
Mitch
- --
| - Mitch Gelly - | Zack Norman |
| software QA specialist, zymurgist, AHA/HWBTA beer judge, | is |
| president of the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild, Ltd. | Sammy in |
| - gellym@aviion.persoft.com - gelly@persoft.com - | Chief Zabu |
------------------------------
Date: 27 Apr 94 15:30:21 EDT
From: "Joan Donohue" <DONOHUE@darla.badm.scarolina.edu>
Subject: separate beer digests for extract and grain brewers
I would like to make a suggestion that the beer digest be separated
into two parts:
1. notes of interest to extract brewers,
2. notes of interest to all grain brewers.
The homebrew digests are getting quite long and I would prefer to have
less to scroll through every day.
Joan Donohue
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 12:57:55 -0700
From: hanna@uclac0.chem.ucla.edu
Subject: Cheapest Source for 3 Gallon Soda Kegs
Hi Everyone,
I am interested in starting to keg my beer. While I have aquired most of
what I need, I would like to get 3 gallon soda kegs. These will fit in
my fridge without too much worry. So far I have not found them at the
low prices I can find the 5 gallon ones at. Does anyone know of where
these can be found (phone #s and addresses?). Also where can I get a
cheap CO2 tank (5 lbs). Any help would be appreciated, heck come drink
some beer with me
Steve Hanna
HANNA@UCLACH.CHEM.UCLA.EDU
------------------------------
Date: 27 Apr 1994 16:25:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Mr. Dudley" <S29711%22681@utrcgw.utc.com>
Subject: mashing specialty dark grains
Greetings,
In an attempt to recreate a "Bass" Ale with an all grain method I mashed only
6-row malt and Chocolate; 6# and 3 oz. respectively. What I ended up with was
practically stout. I had made a similar Ale long ago when I was still extract
brewing and used 1/2# of chocolate with remarkably good results (i.e. like
Bass). My question is should mashing these dark grains have had such a
significant effect? I've gotten differing opinions from fellow Zymugists in my
area. I use an oven mashing technique, single step infusion for about 90
minutes, standard 170 degree sparge.
Incidentally it made great dark and rich ale, not too thick but some bitterness
was evidently contributed by the chocolate since my hops schedule was aiming at
about 23 IBU.
Thanks for the help.
jeff
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 16:43:00 PDT
From: "Robucci, Adam F." <robuccad@dsoeng.sch.ge.com>
Subject: Recipe Request
Does anyone have a recipe for Anchor Liberty Ale? I tried this for the first
at the Capital District Micro Brewers Fest a couple of months ago and now
I'm hooked. Can anyone help???
Adam Robucci
robuccad@dsoeng.sch.ge.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 14:59:01 MDT
From: "Mark B. Alston" <c-amb@math.utah.edu>
Subject: Re: IM and the EasySparger
<Jim Busch wrote>
Seriously, I think what Jack has discovered is yet another reason why
counterflow chillers are better than immersion, trub removal. By combining
both the hot and cold trub, and by optimizing your trub precipitation, you
have overwhelmed the ability of your little home brewery to adequately
remove the trub. If you had used a false bottom as a hop back, the surface
area available to help separate the hot trub would have kept most of the
hot trub in the kettle. Cold trub is not nearly as significant a problem,
and is easily removed if you use open fermentation to skim, as Jack and I
do. Cold trub can also be removed somewhat by bubbling oxygen in the
fermenter, essentially making a crude floatation tank.
I have been using a stainless-steel screen in my kettle to separate
the hop cones from the wort. I have noticed that after chilling with
my immersion chiller and racking out from below the screen (with a
spigot drilled through the kettle) that the hops do a pretty good job
of filtering out the break material. I have switched from using
very-high alpha hops to low--medium alpha hops to increase the depth
of the hop bed that the wort must filter through. However, I am
somewhat uncertain as to how much of the trub I am removing. How much
volume should I expect to get from the hot and cold break material? I
have thought of "washing" the hops to see how much trub they actually
capture. Secondly, I have been thinking about recirculating the first
gallon or so from the kettle back through the hop bed. I believe that
this will give me better trub removal and do no harm. Has anyone
tried this? This method would seem to remove the trub removal
advantage of counterflow chillers.
Always experimenting,
Mark Alston
(yet another brewer behind the Zion curtain)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 18:28:21 DAYLIGHT
From: bclancy@hi.com (Bob Clancy)
Subject: Re: Wort Chillers when water shortages are a problem
Brett,
I'm a new brewer. I borrowed a friends immersion chiller for my
first batch. He moved before I brewed my second batch (he got his chiller
back before he left :-) ). I bought supplies to make a similar chiller that
hooks up to the faucet via a washing machine hose. When brewing my second
batch, I could only find the tubing and the bag of everything else had been
misplaced; so I had to improvise (which is the fun part of brewing).
To chill my second batch, I filled up a bottling bucket with water
and put in some blue ice. I attached 3/8" plastic tubing to the spigot and
attached the other end to the input of the immersion coil. I started cooling
my extract wort (~2gal H20 + extract). It was cooled in about 15-20 minutes
supprisingly only using about 3 gallons of water. The cooling time between
the first and second methods was about the same.
What suprised be was the small quantity of "COLD* water that needed.
Your mileage may vary.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 17:54:10 CDT
From: bronson@iexist.att.com
Subject: What's in Extracts?
In HBD #1409, Norm <npyle@n33.ecae.stortek.com> wonders if it is too much
to ask malt extract producers to provide detailed information about the
formulation and production of their products.
Well, coincidentally, I called Briess Malting Co. in Chilton, WI this morning
to ask that very question. I was told by the Director of Brewing Services
that the "formulations were proprietary" and that the difference between
thier various extract products was "the addition of crystal malt and/or
chocolate malt and/or black malt" and that the choice of ingredients was
"determined by the style of beer that the extract was designed to produce."
Not too informative, to say the least. When I asked her if she was willing
to tell me what I needed to know, she said that "she was being careful not
to tell me details." After a polite thank you, the conversation was over.
I was very surprised.
The extract products from Nothwestern Extract Company of Brookfield, WI
are simply repackaged and/or redistributed Briess products.
Briess, of course, distributes Product Information Sheets on their CBW
(Concentrated Brewers Wort; i.e. extract) products that include "Typical
Analytical Specifications." Data from these sheets are summarized below:
lbs/
Briess CBW malt solids color (1) O.G. gal. F.G. (2)
---------------- ----------- ------ ---------- ----- ---- ---------------
Brewers Gold barley 79 % 6 - 10 1.046 1.29 1.0064 - 1.0080
Sparkling Amber barley 79 % 10 - 15 1.046 1.29 1.0080 - 1.0104
Traditional Dark barley 79 % 15 - 20 1.055 1.48 1.0104 - 1.0132
Bavarian Weizen wheat+barley 79 % 6 - 10 1.046 1.29 1.0064 - 1.0080
(1) The color range given (Lovibond) is that which would be expected of the
final beer provided: specified O.G. is used, 1 hour boil, no scorching.
(2) The last three columns should be interpreted as follows: The original
gravity (O.G.) requires *approximately* X pounds of extract per gallon
(lbs/gal.) and will ferment to a final gravity (F.G.) somewhere in the
range indicated, where X is the lbs/gal. value from the table.
Details? Not really. The Product Information Sheets state the obvious:
the dark is darker than the amber which is darker than the gold and that
they all ferment. Oh, and the weisen extract contains wheat.
I agree with Norm. I would very much like to know more details about the
production and formulation of extract products and I don't think that it is
too much to ask. I know that the collective HBD conciousness probably knows
a great deal of this information. I suspect that all sorts of details have
been gleaned from conversations with more candid distributors and talkative
company employees during tours, from articles, and from experience.
Let's hear about it! Ed
Edward C. Bronson <bronson@iexist.att.com>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 19:24:01 EDT
From: IO91892@MAINE.maine.edu (JACK FORD)
Subject: KEGGING
I know this may seem very redundant, but my mail log became jammed yesterday
and I didn't get to read the responses to my question about using soda kegs
if anyone could respond directly to me I would be most gratefull
thanks
jack
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 18:29:53 -0500 (CDT)
From: Haselhorst Brent A <bah750s@nic.smsu.edu>
Subject:
Please add me to your list. I am a brewer with 150 gallons experience in
just under 1 1/2 years. thanks
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 23:24:11 EST
From: JEBURNS@ucs.indiana.edu
Subject: SHANDY THIS
Barq's Root Beer and Breckinridge Oatmeal Stout, Now Barq's ad
"...the one with bite.." is actually true!
I'm drinking a Miller Reserve Velvet Stout while driving on the
Info Highway, if you get a chance pick up a 6-pack. Pretty good
beer for $3.99.
Someone asked about not getting any blow-off from their ferment,
I believe the post said the recipe was for 4 gallons. If you try
a 5 gallon batch you will probably get some foam out the tube.
Dave Burns
jeburns@ucs.indiana.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 08:52:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: CHRIS KEITH <KEITH@TUNL.TUNL.DUKE.EDU>
Subject: brewpubs in Williamsburg, Va?
I will be in Williamsburg, Va. for a few days during the latter part
of May, and I would appreciate some information concerning good
bars/brewpubs in that area.
Thanks,
cdk
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 8:13:45 -0500 (CDT)
From: BadAssAstronomer <STOREY@fender.msfc.nasa.gov>
Subject: multimediabrewing
Does anyone out there know about any kind of multimedia products
that involve beer? It occurs to me that this is a niche that is
empty. But then again, I don't pay a lot of attention to what is
available on CD-ROM these days. It would be pretty neat to have
homebrew, brewpub, micro, and mega brewing type information on CD.
And these are just a few of the topics that could be covered.
cheers
scott
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 09:18:18 -0400
From: ambroser@apollo.dml.georgetown.edu
Subject: My $.02
Mark Stickler <mstickle@lvh.com> WRITES:
>Subject: Sam Adams Triple Bock
>
>-snip-
>as the "night cap", Sam Adams Triple Bock.
>-snip-
>I mean like an expensive vintage port!
>-snip-
>It was supposedly 18% ABV
>-snip-
>They expect it to be commercially available in the late summer in 6-8oz
>bottles at about $100.00 per 24 bottle case!
Sorry, I will not pay 50c per ounce for slimebag brew. There are very few
brews I will pay that much for. Off the top of my head, the first one I can
think of is Thomas Hardy's Ale. I think the SATB would be pale in comparison.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 09:21 EDT
From: Alan_Marshall <AK200032@Sol.YorkU.CA>
Subject: SATB / Adding Bitterness / Water Conservation
In HBD TMark Stickler <mstickle@lvh.com> writes:
Subject: Sam Adams Triple Bock
<comments about the "Beers of Spring" dinner and SATB omitted, but
Mark gives the SATB a nice, favourable review>
I trust Mark enjoyed himself. It sounded like a fantastic evening!
I was talking recently with a fairly well-known beer writer that
described SATB as "fowl". Mind you, there is a huge divergence of
opinion on superstrong beers like Samichlaus and EKU 28.
- --------------------
> From: Mark Garetz <mgaretz@hoptech.com>
> Subject: Adding bitterness, etc.
>
> Carlo Fusco asks about the best way to add bitterness
> to his under-bittered beer (in a post labeled "hop oils")
>
> First of all, you want alpha acids, not the hop oils. The
> hop oils are responsible for the hop aroma and hop character,
> but not bitterness.
>
> The easiest way to add bitterness to already brewed beer is
> to get some iso-alpha extract. These are alpha acids extracted
> from the hops that have been pre-isomerized. Add them at
> bottling (or even serving). Some products are calibrated in
> IBUs so you can figure out how many IBUs you want to add directly.
> Others are not calibrated, but for one batch you can add to taste
> to a small quantity of beer (say 6 ozs) and then scale up to the
> batch size.
I wish I had known about this. A researcher posted in alt.beer asking
if it was possible to suggest a series of beers that were identical
save for their bitterness level. This sounds like it would have been
the solution.
BTW, Carlo Fusco, who asked the original question, gave me an American
IPA at 49 IBU that was outstanding. It was not as bitter as I would
have expected for 49 IBU (maybe that's why he was asking the question)
but was full of hop flavour and aroma. I hope he didn't ask the
question to mess with his very wonderful recipe for this beer.
- ------------------------------
and finally,
> From: Richard B. Webb <rbw1271@appenine.ca.boeing.com>
> Subject: Wort Chillers when water shortages are a problem
>
> Brett Shorten, of that world brewing center Toowoomba, Qld, Australia
> (in the words of Michael Jackson, 'where?') Asks about the use of
> water for cooling the wort in a land where there's hardly any water to
> begin with. Water use should be on everyone's mind, no matter what
> their location, or how long the drought. (The tour guide for the Great
> Western malting plant in Vancouver, WA told us that the plant uses 10
> *MILLION* gallons of water a day.
It sounds like Great Western is being foolish as well as wasteful. I
toured Upper Canada Brewing here in Toronto. They were very proud of
their water and energy conservation measures. They used what seemed
to be a modified counter-flow system: The hot wort and unheated water
for the next mash flowed through a heat exchanger that simultaneously
pre-heated the mash water and cooled the wort. They claimed it was
extremely cost effective, saving both on water usage and energy costs.
- -- Alan Marshall "If a picture is worth a thousand
AK200032@SOL.YORKU.CA words, a taste is worth a thousand
York University pictures." - Charles Finkel, Pike
Toronto, Canada Place Brewery/Merchant du Vin
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 08:01:18 +0900
From: bjones@novax.llnl.gov (Bob Jones)
Subject: Toxic Zymurgy
I sent the following note to Karen Barela (AHA president), figuring it must
represent at least a few of us.
Dear Karen,
The latest issue of Zymurgy clearly is the foulest smelling magazine I have
ever smelled. I think it must be that mustard green insert. I start to
sneeze everytime I get near it! Once I get over the sneezing, headaches
start to set in. I sure hope you guys have a handle on the problem and don't
publish another issue like the last. I bet I'm not the first to comment on
this problem.
Bob Jones
bjones@novax.llnl.gov
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #1411, 04/29/94
*************************************
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