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HOMEBREW Digest #1945
This file received at Hops.Stanford.EDU 1996/01/26 PST
HOMEBREW Digest #1945 Fri 26 January 1996
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Rob Gardner, Digest Janitor
Contents:
Re: Rye Beer (Keith Frank)
Add me to your mail list (Eddie Snipes)
gas (Andy Walsh)
Dr. Baloney (Dan McConnell)
Another Question about Soldering CU (Karel Chaloupka)
Unexpected High Gravity (Barry M Wertheimer)
Electric Brewery (Matt_K)
RE: Help needed on building masher/boiler. (SAMES)
Stealhead ale yeast (PatrickM50)
Re: Unexpected high gravity reading (Douglas O'Brien)
stirrers, siphoning,heat (Charles Wettergreen)
Poisons (Pierre Jelenc)
Re: high worts and foolish medicos (Jeff Frane)
Steeping grains (Steve Armbrust)
CO2 Corney Keg Leak (Bob Knetl)
when to pitch ("Tracy Aquilla")
The batch from hell... (Michael A Yehle)
rock candy (Roel ten Klei)
aeration/new brewers (Nigel Townsend)
why aerate?, "second opinion" ("Tracy Aquilla")
Lager yeast with Ale recipe? (Russ Snyder) (J.D. Baldwin)
(Michael A. Genito)
Re: Unexpected high gravity reading (Jack Stafford)
Urban Legends of Homebrewing (John W. Braue, III)
Belgian White (Steve Comella)
Growing Hops (dludwig)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 1996 22:32:30 -0600
From: Keith Frank <kfrank@brazosport.cc.tx.us>
Subject: Re: Rye Beer
>I'm looking for a rye beer recipe using extract, if that's possible. None=
in
>SUDS imports. Can anyone help me out? Also looking for your favorite
>porter (extract) recipes too. Please email me too. Thanks
>Mark Miller, Seattle
I can't take credit for this one. One of the brewers in our club (Ray=
Plepys)
did this, in fact it was his first beer! Turned out pretty good. Note the
recipe=20
is for 1.5 gal.=20
"Old Country Rye Ale No. 1"=20
=20
1 lb 6 row malt=20
0.5 lb rye flakes =20
1 lb light malt extract (bulk)=20
0.3 oz Willamette Hops (AA 3.7%)=20
0.3 oz Cascade hops=20
John Bull brewers yeast (8 oz starter with malt extract)=20
=20
Grains mashed out in 2.5 qt LJ water at 150=B0-160=B0F for 1.5 hrs. After=
sparging,
extract was added and the wort was diluted to 6 qts. Willamette hops were=
=20
added, and boiled for 30 min. Added 3 qts. water and Cascade hops and=
boiled=20
10 min. Cooled and pitched yeast starter. =20
Fermented 2 weeks in the primary (70=B0-75=B0 F) and 2 weeks in the=
secondary=20
(70=B0-75=B0F). Primed with 1 oz corn sugar and bottled. O.G. 1.060, F.G.=
1.010=20
Keith Frank Lake Jackson, TX
kfrank@brazosport.cc.tx.us
"They that drink beer will think beer" - Washington Irving
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 1996 23:38:20 -0500
From: esnipes@mindspring.com (Eddie Snipes)
Subject: Add me to your mail list
Please add me to your mailing list,
Thanks,
Eddie
esnipes@mindspring.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 21:29:26 +1100 (EST)
From: awalsh@crl.com.au (Andy Walsh)
Subject: gas
Michael Arau sez:
>the simple truth is that the gas you are
>emitting is carbon dioxide.
I for one have seen somebody set fire to a fart, and believe me, it was
impressive! I guess there is a fair bit of methane there.
This brings to mind "the dangers of propane" thread. (remember all the
leaking propane from gas bottles collecting into a pool which gets ignited
by the unsuspecting brewer?). I guess the only thing that saves us as a
species is that methane is lighter than air...
Andy.
*************************************************************
Andy Walsh from Sydney
email: awalsh@world.net (or awalsh@crl.com.au if you prefer)
I still don't know what a Wohlgemuth unit is.
*************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 06:34:42 -0500
From: danmcc@umich.edu (Dan McConnell)
Subject: Dr. Baloney
From: Chris Storey <cstorey@mail.peterboro.net>
>My wife works at a hospital as a medical secretary. I don't know how the
>subject came up about homebrewing, but this doctor of internal medicine said
>this to her. He asked my wife if I drank my beer before a month old. She
>said yes. I do. I try it at different stages to see how it is doing. I think
>>everyone does this. He said that it can be poisonous. I can't believe it!
>Something about the yeast and alcohol at early stages. I really don't think
>so, but I thought I would ask the collective to see if anyone out there
>knows of people DYING to try their beer early. Maybe he thought I was making
>moonshine! Any comments on this?
Baloney at best-I can think of a few far more descriptive comments. He
knows nothing about beer. I think this is a clear example of someone
presenting uneducated, false opinion as fact. Rather dangerous when you
are a Physician, I'd say.
DanMcC
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 07:21:34 -0600
From: Karel Chaloupka <kchaloup@coyote.lsis.loral.com>
Subject: Another Question about Soldering CU
I know another question about soldering copper.
I am currently working on a RIMs system. My temperature sensor will be
digital and will be epoxyed in a 1/4" OD piece of copper tubing which will
be mounted and soldered perpendicular through a 1/2" OD piece of rigid
copper tubing. What I would like to know is; What is a safe cleaning
procedure to remove the flux from the soldering and any machine oil which
might accumulated inside the tubing?
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Who ever named it near beer was
a poor judge of distance.
Mark Twain
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Karel Chaloupka
Loral Space Information Systems
Hardware Development Section
1322 Space Park Drive
Houston, TX
(713)335-6798
EMAIL: KCHALOUP@coyote.lsis.loral.com
FELIX@ghgcorp.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 08:45:55 -0400 (EDT)
From: Barry M Wertheimer <wertheim@UTKVX.UTCC.UTK.EDU>
Subject: Unexpected High Gravity
Jack Stafford wrote about his unexpected high gravity (1.102) when
brewing the Sun has Left us on Time recipe. The fermentables in this
recipe consisted of 8 lbs. of Alexander's Pale Extract and 1/2 lb. of
crystal malt.
I have not brewed this recipe, but it would be impossible to have a final
gravity this high with these ingredients, assuming a 5 gallon batch. I
have used Alex. Pale Extract, and find that it delivers about 33 points
per pound. Even assuming 35 points, and throwing in a little something
for the crystal, you would be under 1.060. At an unheard of 45 points
per pound, you are still nowhere near 1.102. There must be some
other explanation. Try your hydrometer in H2O and see what it reads.
Barry
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 09:23:04 est
From: Matt_K@ceo.sts-systems.ca
Subject: Electric Brewery
The thread about electric brewing is great. With all this talk about
designing/building fancy controllers for hot water heater elements, I
wanted to re-state something which was mentioned a few days ago but
seems to have been forgotten.
Controllers for stove top elements work just as well for hot water
emelents. They are cheap (<$20), readily available at Hoem Depot etc.
(or off old stoves) and easy to install. Just make sure that the
amps drawn by the element aren't too high. The controllers I found
were rated to 20 amps at 220V, so they should be good up to 4400W.
I have been using one on my keg for the last 1.5 years and it works
great.
Matt
in Montreal
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 16:45:24 +0100
From: sames@is.co.za (SAMES)
Subject: RE: Help needed on building masher/boiler.
I posted a question about a masher/boiler in one. A kettle element
would be inside the container.
Various people send me a reply and almost all of them said I could boil in
it easily but to mash in it would be bad. The grain that is near the element
will get burnt.
Thanks very much to everybody who replied,
This digest works very good !
Chow
Braam Greyling
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 09:59:10 -0500
From: PatrickM50@aol.com
Subject: Stealhead ale yeast
Greetings! I'm making a starter from the yeast in a bottle of Stealhead Pale
Ale from the Mad River Brewing Co. in Blue Lake, CA. Anybody have an idea
what strain of yeast it is? I'd like to use it this weekend so even wild
guesses are welcome!
Thanks!
Pat Maloney, Sonoma Co. Calif.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 10:17:41 -0500
From: Douglas O'Brien <Douglas.OBrien@ccrs.emr.ca>
Subject: Re: Unexpected high gravity reading
Jack Stafford wrote,
>Yeasterday I brewed the "Sun Has Left Us On Time" Steam Beer
>from the NCJOHB recipes. I got an OG of 1.102 at 74 deg F.
>
>I think there is an error in this recipe:
>1/2 lb Crystal malt (40L)
> 8 lb Alexander's pale malt extract (two 4lb cans)
> 2 oz N.Brewer hops (7.8 AA)
>1/2 oz Cascade hops (5.8 AA)
>1-2 pk Lager yeast (Yeast Lab Euro. Lager)
>
>I followed the recipe to the letter expecting to get an
>OG reading in the 1.045 range, as published in the book.
>
>Next time I'll use only 4lb Alexander's malt extract and
>see what kind of reading I get. I think 1.102 is a little
>too high. Anyone else ever make this beer? Any advice?
The 1.102 reading is too high, it is likely caused by some form of
measurement error, i.e. improper mixing. From your recipe I would
expect a OG of 1.059 for 5 US gallons. 4lb of extract would definately
give you a light beer.
Considering the number of threads we see on problems with gravity
readings I propose the following reasons why NOT to use a hydrometer:
- you can't get an accurate starting gravity anyway
- if you break it you get bits of glass in your beer
- too many adjustments and calculations need
- it takes too long to wait for the bubbles to disappear off hydrometer
- you always record too high a final gravity
- trying to do all that mixing to get an accurate starting gravity is tiring
- all this causes worry
- hydrometrs are phallic and that's not manly in a male dominated hobby
:-)
Doug
- --
Douglas J. O'Brien Douglas.OBrien@ccrs.NRCan.gc.ca
Canada Centre for Remote Sensing tel: (613) 947-1287
588 Booth Street fax: (613) 947-1408
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0Y7
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 09:54 CST
From: chuckmw@mcs.com (Charles Wettergreen)
Subject: stirrers, siphoning,heat
To: homebrew@hpfcmgw.fc.hp.com
In HBD #1943, John Palmer <palmer@ssdgwy.mdc.com> talked about:
L Paint Stirrers: I have seen these at Home Depot - a simple propeller on a
L shaft that feels to be plain steel with a yellowish coating on it.
These might be nice, but the Cole-Parmer catalog has stainless stirring
rods that are designed to produce no aeration. I remember seeing these and
thinking that they'd be perfect for a RIMS setup; the rod was well sized
(3/8" ?) and the "propellers" (there were several different kinds depending
on what you wanted to stir) were bolt-on to the rod.
John Boshier <john.boshier@telops.gte.com> had problems siphoning wort off of
spent hops:
L I must be doing something wrong because the solids did not settle into the
L center of the pot in a conical pile. Basically all the hops came through the
L cane, I still had a mess and no better aeration. Suggestions and advice would
L be appreciated.
I find that siphoning with the racking cane inserted inside a nylon grain
bag does wonders for separating liquids from hops, fruit pulp, spices,
fruit peels, and various other solid and semi-solid ingredients. But the
best and easiest method is, by far, to have an installed EasyMasher (TM)
in your boil kettle.
Russ Snyder had problems maintaining fermenter heat in a cold house.
I use the carboy in water-filled trashcan with aquarium heater method.
It maintains whatever temperature I dial in on the heater with no problems.
Cheers & beers,
Chuck
* RM 1.3 00946 *
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 11:01:34 EST
From: Pierre Jelenc <pcj1@columbia.edu>
Subject: Poisons
In HOMEBREW Digest #1943
aesoph%ncemt.ctc.com@ctcga.ctc.com (Aesoph, Michael) asks
>
> A freind of mine mentioned that the addition of certain substances
> to any fermenting beverage could produce Methyl alcohol. If I recall
> correctly, this is the poisonous variety. He specifically mentioned
> potatoes, other vegetables and certain grains. Is this true, or is he
> full of nonsense? I always assumed that the homebrewer was perfectly
> safe under all circumstances... Sorry if this is in the FAQ somewhere, I
> simply don't have it.
Fermentation does not produce significant amounts of methanol. However,
pectin, which is present in all fruit and much other vegetable matter,
does contain methanol, in the form of a methyl ester. This ester can be
hydrolyzed during the brewing process to produce free methanol. Some
wines contain considerable amounts of methanol, BTW; to the point that
they may be banned from distribution.
On the other hand, pectin can be hydrolyzed in the gut. Thus, if you can
eat it, you can also drink it.
Chris Storey <cstorey@mail.peterboro.net> asks
>
> My wife works at a hospital as a medical secretary. I don't know how the
> subject came up about homebrewing, but this doctor of internal medicine said
> this to her. He asked my wife if I drank my beer before a month old. She
> said yes. I do. I try it at different stages to see how it is doing. I think
> everyone does this. He said that it can be poisonous. I can't believe it!
> Something about the yeast and alcohol at early stages. I really don't think
> so, but I thought I would ask the collective to see if anyone out there
> knows of people DYING to try their beer early. Maybe he thought I was making
> moonshine! Any comments on this?
That's why everybody suddenly died throughout Britain, I suppose? With
doctors like this, who needs fairy tales?
Pierre
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 09:48:40 -0800
From: jfrane@teleport.com (Jeff Frane)
Subject: Re: high worts and foolish medicos
Jack Stafford wrote:
>Yeasterday I brewed the "Sun Has Left Us On Time" Steam Beer
>from the NCJOHB recipes. I got an OG of 1.102 at 74 deg F.
>
>I think there is an error in this recipe:
>1/2 lb Crystal malt (40L)
> 8 lb Alexander's pale malt extract (two 4lb cans)
> 2 oz N.Brewer hops (7.8 AA)
>1/2 oz Cascade hops (5.8 AA)
>1-2 pk Lager yeast (Yeast Lab Euro. Lager)
>
Jack, there's no way you could get five gallons of 1.102 beer
from 8 lbs of malt. There has to be an explanation, and it's
probably something to do with your measurement process. A
common problem is thermal stratification: the wort and water
haven't been adequately mixed, and quite possibly your sample
was drawn from an area where it was mostly the concentrated
wort from your kettle. Agitate the wort thoroughly and
check it again. You *did* make 5 gallons, didn't you?
Chris Storey wrote:
>
>My wife works at a hospital as a medical secretary. I don't know how the
>subject came up about homebrewing, but this doctor of internal medicine said
>this to her. He asked my wife if I drank my beer before a month old. She
>said yes. I do. I try it at different stages to see how it is doing. I think
>everyone does this. He said that it can be poisonous. I can't believe it!
>Something about the yeast and alcohol at early stages. I really don't think
>so, but I thought I would ask the collective to see if anyone out there
>knows of people DYING to try their beer early. Maybe he thought I was making
>moonshine! Any comments on this?
>
Oh, you'll get comments all right. Either your wife's associate was pulling
her leg or he's an idiot. Tell her to ask for citations. I've never
met a homebrewer who could wait a week to taste his/her beer, and I often
drink mine 10 days after I brew -- in fact, if this guy was right there would
be a lot of sick or dead microbrewery customers out there.
- --Jeff Frane
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 10:57:00 PST
From: Steve Armbrust <Steve_Armbrust@ccm.jf.intel.com>
Subject: Steeping grains
Last week I asked the collective whether anyone had experienced
astringency in their extract/specialty-specialty grain batches when they
heated the specialty grain mash up to boiling.
The consensus, from six respondents, was that temperature does matter.
Most said that when they started brewing, they heated their specialty
grain water up to boiling and then strained into the brew kettle. But
when they stopped boiling (resting between 160 and 170 F), their beer
was less astringent and the flavor improved.
Thanks to all who responded. I hope I paraphrased your comments
accurately.
Steve Armbrust
Steve_Armbrust@ccm.jf.intel.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 15:26:43 -0500
From: knetlb@smtp-gw.spawar.navy.mil (Bob Knetl)
Subject: CO2 Corney Keg Leak
I have kegged beer for the last 4 yrs. and a just started
experiencing a problem with CO2 leakage. I use previously
driven Coke kegs. I have a 3 keg manifold setup and have
experienced a leak (you can hear a hiss after the connector is
locked in place) between the gas fitting and the keg. It
matters not which of the 3 connectors or the keg (I have about
7 kegs) I have never changed the o-rings on the keg connector.
Could that be it or the maybe the gas side manifold
connectors are the problem. Anyone experience this problem?
Bob
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 15:41:01 CST
From: "Tracy Aquilla" <aquilla@salus.med.uvm.edu>
Subject: when to pitch
In Digest #1942:
danmcc@umich.edu (Dan McConnell) wrote:
[snip]
>From: Tracy in Vermont <aquilla@salus.med.uvm.edu>
>>I think the best time to pitch is when the culture is at
>>or near the peak of the log phase (after high kraeusen,
>>but before activity slows),
>
>Theoretical is fine, but if peak of the log phase occurs at 10 AM on a
>Wednesday, I'm sorry, but I have commitments until 6PM. Oops, I missed
>it! Is my beer ruined?
Good point (actually, I wrote this in a later post). Agreed, it usually just
isn't practical to pitch at the 'optimal' time and usually, the beer's fine.
>I think that it is counter productive to worry too much about theoretical
>details when practical details rule our lives. In any case I think, and
>agree 100% with Tracy, that the PRIMARY concern is ....
>
>>What's much more critical is the SIZE of the culture (i.e.
>>number of cells). Pitching a 'big enough' starter will help to overcome many
>>common problems and it's generally difficult for homebrewers to overpitch.
>
>Absolutely! The one with the biggest starter wins.
>
>Now consider this: Breweries that repitch their cultures (all) over many
>generations, consequently ALWAYS use yeast that has completed its work.
>Since the fermentation is complete, this is certainly WELL past the log
>growth phase.
This is one of the many reasons homebrewers can make better beer! ;-)
Then "Dulisse, Brian" <bbd4@CIPCOD1.EM.CDC.GOV> wrote:
[snip]
>it seems to me there's a tradeoff involved here. pitching soon after high
>kraeusen seems to imply that you are pitching the entire starter, and if
>following the 10:1 "rule", means that you are adding liquid equivalent to 10
>percent of your wort volume by adding the starter.
[snip] a more
>subjective way of putting the question is does adding the yeast at the
>optimal point in the starter cycle offset the addition of the "alien" wort
>to the fermenter?
Good point! The short answer is, there probably isn't that much difference
and I basically pitch what I've got on hand, although I'd opt to wait a
while rather than pitch a truly "alien" wort, if I had a choice. This partly
depends on the strain you're using. Some of the more floculant strains
settle fast enough that one can pitch near HK without including all of the
"alien" wort. However, this isn't the case with most strains, so we get back
to that issue of practicality. It also depends on what kind of beer you're
making. I prefer to pitch a big, active starter when making a very strong
beer, and in this case, the starter wort probably won't have a major impact
on the flavor of the final product. I generally make my starter wort very
similar in composition to the beer I intend to brew, but this isn't always
practical either. If I have HK and the yeast hasn't settled yet when I need
to pitch it, I add the liquid; if the yeast has settled, I decant and pitch.
Centrifugation is another option, but generally isn't practical for
homebrewers. What some brewers prefer to do is feed frequently enough to
keep the yeast growing, let the yeast settle just prior to brew day, then on
brew day, drain the spent wort and add the first of the cold wort directly
to the starter culture. Then, while cooling and aerating the rest of the
wort, the yeast can adapt and begin growing in the fresh wort. I guess maybe
the point of all this discussion is that it's almost never practical to
pitch at the 'optimal' time! Fortunately, I don't think it's necessary anyway.
>a related question: when we add yeast to a starter, is the size of the
>starter the limiting factor determining the "goodness" of the resulting
>material pitched into the wort (assuming an appropriate temperature, etc.)?
[snip]
Another interesting point. I think the size of the starter (number of active
cells pitched into the wort) is the most critical parameter, and the more
cells you start with, the more you'll have at HK (or after).
AND, while we're on this subject, I have something more to add. After
emailing my HBD post to Al Korzonas yesterday, he asked me to make a
follow-up post clarifying a few points, so here it is. First, I don't want
anyone to get the wrong idea; it was certainly not my intention to discredit
Al and, in fact, I was very careful not to say "you're WRONG" and "I'm
RIGHT". What we have here is a simple difference of opinion; neither one of
us is wrong or right. I didn't mean to "discount" the citations Al made, but
rather pointed out that there is also a dissenting view (i.e. there is
evidence to support BOTH positions) and, based on what I've read (and my own
experience), glycogen levels in pitching yeast have little to no impact on
the quality of the beer produced, particularly if the yeast is handled
properly and optimal pitching rates are achieved. In fact, as I mentioned
before, I'm currently reviewing the literature on glycogen metabolism in
yeast and so far, it seems that glycogen reserves may not be utilized to any
significant extent during most 'typical' brewery fermentations. It also
appears that glycogen synthesis commences well before the yeast approaches
the stationary phase in batch culture. So in fact, glycogen reserves may not
play as important a role in (all or most) brewery fermentations as one might
gather from certain experimental results. However, I agree with Al that when
possible, it would probably be best to pitch yeast with high glycogen
reserves, but this is just very difficult to implement for most homebrewers
(it ain't practical!). I must also admit that I haven't been able to obtain
the article Al cited as I don't have a source (our library doesn't get many
brewing journals). Unfortunately, it's hard to disagree and agree at the
same time!
Tracy in Vermont
aquilla@salus.med.uvm.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 16:26:09 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael A Yehle <r3may@dax.cc.uakron.edu>
Subject: The batch from hell...
While brewing an English Brown lager last month I:
1)Boiled over for 5 minutes while I was,
2)re-tying the cheesecloth hop bags which dumped on the floor
3)burned my fingers while warming water to hydrate yeast (the
glass gets hot when on top of the stove???)
4)broke 22 12oz bottles necessitating a trip to the grocery store
and drinking a case of ,ick, non-homebrew...
5)bottled two grenades???
Oh well, next weeks wheat should go better..
******************************************************************
* Once in a while you get shown the light *
* in the strangest of places if you look at it right. *
* R. Hunter *
* *
* Mike Y. *
* r3may@dax.cc.uakron.edu *
******************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 23:45:53 +0100 GMT
From: roel@ichthus.lifenet.nl (Roel ten Klei)
Subject: rock candy
Hallo All!
Data for purchasing rock candy.
Belgian exporter:
Ravico S.A.
64 Rue Tilmont
B1090 Bruxelles-Begium
tel.32.2.425.13.75
fax.32.2.425.26.01
ask for Mr.Michel Vanderkerken.
US importer:
Mr.Joel Miller
Wilkinson Spitz Ltd.,
705 Bronx River Road
PO Box 65
East Station
Yonkers NY 10704
phone 914.237.5000
faX 914.6931634
Hope you have something about this information
==> Groeten, Roel ten Klei, Veenendaal, The Netherlands
==> internet-adress: roel@ichthus.lifenet.nl
==> : roel.ten.klei@tip.nl
==> \|/
==> keep the whole @ @ world singing
==> \------------oOO-(_)-OOo----------/
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 10:09:17 +1000
From: nigelt@delm.tas.gov.au (Nigel Townsend)
Subject: aeration/new brewers
I have just come back from xmas leave and found several people have been
asking for advice on how to start brewing, also the aeration thread seems
to have raised its head again. Hope the following is a useful, if long,
monologue.
In previous discussions on aeration about 6 months ago somebody suggested
using a shower head to fill your fermenter with water. It was suggested
that the water passing through the air in multiple fine streams and the
'boiling' motion in the fermenter significantly increased the amounts of
air (therefore oxygen) present in the water.
The water in Hobart is pretty uncontaminated and comes out of the taps at a
fair lick so I dont boil and it only takes a few minutes to fill a 5
gallon fermenting container (plastic) with a shower head on a metal hose. I
can leave the fermenter in the shower (filling), whilst I 'fill' the bath
with cold water to chill the brew to pitching temperature. Once the yeast
is pitched (usually less than 1 hour after the boiled extract is
added,although may need ice in the bath in hot weather), out comes the bath
plug and when dry enough I put an old Polo neck jumper over the fermenter
(upright barrel) to keep the sunlight off. The airlock sticks out of the
neck, the temperature strip can be checked by lifting up the side of the
jumper. The bath is an old style enamal over metal and I suspect helps
reduce temperature fluctuations over day/night.
This system works for me, and I get most of my fermentations done for ales
within 4 or 5 days before moving into a secondary. The secondary (plastic)
is also kept in the bath and used to fill the keg in the bathroom. I now
fill a priming/bottling bucket (plastic) in the bathroom which I take to
the kitchen when occasionally bottling. This is placed over the dishwasher
where I 'clean/sterilise' the bottles (now using bleach in the first cycle)
and fill them over the open door. I cap as I fill on the kitchen work top.
I used to soak bottles in the bath in sodium metabisulphite (SM), enabling
me to bottle in the bathroom too. The keg and the bottles are stored in
the cellar under the house until consumed. Enough lagers bottles go into
the fridge in the kitchen to meet likely demand.
The dirty plastic containers are cleaned and 'sterilised' in the shower
which is then hosed out afterwards. I have stopped using SM and am now
using houshold bleach (unscented and then rinsed) for 'sterilising' whilst
I (slowly) carry out research on SM and its potential for problems to
health.
Using this process, most of the liquids are kept in the bathroom apart from
the extract and adjuncts which are heated in the kitchen on the gas top and
carried into the bathroom and placed into the fermenter. This is a short
distance and the amounts are reasonably small and easily handled so I am
prepared to acccept the risks.
My partner is patient with me unless she finds the odd 5 gallon container
draining in the shower unit when she goes for her morning shower. She also
doesnt get too up tight about the fermenters and secondary in the bath, and
it always keeps the vistors amused when thy look under the jumper. It may
not be the most sterile process, but with wiping down and common sense its
simple, cheap, reasonably safe and works. I have not lost a brew yet to
infection, but may have to revise that statement after this batch of lager.
Lager is fermented in winter in the cellar as it is too warm down there in
summer. Not a great fan of lager so I dont brew much. However I did an
experiment by taking 1 gallon from the secondary and pouring in a can of
rasberries less the juice and leaving it in there for about 3 months
(forgot about it!) under an airlock. The surface of the liquid in the
secondary became heavily crsuted with what appeared to be a mould so I
bottled from underneath the crud. It tasted great going into the bottles,
but there are a number of floaters in the bottles. I have not yet tried
one as I have been hoping that the stuff will settle. Should be
interesting. Probably taste it in the bathroom too!
Yes, I do use a simple starter with some DME boiled in water (then cooled
to pitching temperature) and yeast nutrient the day before. This is made
in a bottle or even in the bottom of the fermenter. If I havent made a
starter the previous day, then I place the same mix in a bottle a couple of
hours before needing it. This lets me know if the yeast is working. I
always use two sachet of yeast to maximise the yeast population and reduce
the ferment time. Some fermentations on warm days have visibly stopped
after two days.
Its most useful to check the specific gravity after the water, extract,
sugar/honey/DME/etc has been added and when visible fermenting (bubbles in
airlock) has stopped)and moving into the secondary and also when kegging or
bottling. I use a secondary as it means I have more flexibility when I
bottle or keg and dont have to be so particular in making sure that the SG
is correct as it will carry on fermenting slowly if necessary. A
thermometer and a hydrometer are very useful things to buy.
I have just experimented with not priming the ale in my keg and just using
the CO2 cylander. It has worked, but I have to confess that it seems to
have been self priming, which suggests that it still had fermentables after
several weeks in the secondary. It was a strong brew however which was an
attempt to emulate a Wadworths Old Timer, which is close to a barly wine.
One Pint is enough for most people.
Hope this is useful to new brewers who have may be put off by what
sometimes appears in this digest to be a complicated process. I should add
that most of this system has developed over time and using advice from the
digest, for which many thanks.
Ps. For any fellow Australians, yes I am an ex-pom, I dont use the bath
every day, but I do use the shower unit!
Nigel Townsend
Hobart, Tasmania
Australia
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 18:18:49 CST
From: "Tracy Aquilla" <aquilla@salus.med.uvm.edu>
Subject: why aerate?, "second opinion"
In Digest #1943:
Paul Sovcik <U18183@UICVM.CC.UIC.EDU> wrote:
>One thing I'm trying to understand about yeast metabolism, aeration etc...
>
>Given that oxygen is important to form sterols in cell membranes, and
>good oxygenation is important in developing adequate healthy yeast populations,
>why aerate at all if you pitch an adequate amount of yeast?
Good question. I made beer for over ten years before I ever aerated a batch.
Most of it was excellent. It isn't as important for some brews as it is for
others. If you handle the yeast properly, adapt your starters (you can
aerate them too!), and pitch BIG, you can get by just fine without aerating
the wort. However, it definitely helps, especially if you're fermenting a
high gravity wort. In fact, I think unless you really try, it's not that
easy to thoroughly aerate (to saturation). FWIW, shaking a full carboy
probably won't do it. Maybe A.J. can collect and post some data of this
nature? (hint, hint) :-)
Then, Chris Storey <cstorey@mail.peterboro.net> wrote:
>My wife works at a hospital as a medical secretary. I don't know how the
>subject came up about homebrewing, but this doctor of internal medicine said
^^^^^^^
Sure that wasn't an intern? ;-)
>this to her. He asked my wife if I drank my beer before a month old. She
>said yes. I do. I try it at different stages to see how it is doing. I think
>everyone does this. He said that it can be poisonous. I can't believe it!
>Something about the yeast and alcohol at early stages. I really don't think
>so, but I thought I would ask the collective to see if anyone out there
>knows of people DYING to try their beer early. Maybe he thought I was making
>moonshine! Any comments on this?
I can't believe it either! It might be wise to get a second opinion. I
suggest asking him for a reference (like a medical journal). If he really
knows what he's talking about, he can give you a specific literature
citation. I think he's full of B.S. The AMA has most of those guys
brain-washed into believing that anything fun must be bad for your health. I
subscribe to the conspiracy theory when it comes to this kind of thing; I
call it the AAF (Alliance Against Fun). (FWIW, I'm not an MD, but I've had
the displeasure of trying to teach human physiology to med students on the
rare occasion.)
Tracy in Vermont
aquilla@salus.med.uvm.edu
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 19:43:55 -0500
From: baldwin@netcom.com (J.D. Baldwin)
Subject: Lager yeast with Ale recipe? (Russ Snyder)
Russ Snyder <rsnyder@LANDO.HNS.COM> writes:
>Since I don't have a clever way of keeping the carboy at the required
>temp. and cranking the heat up in the house is not an option (house
>is empty during the day and can't justify heating it for the beer
>alone), I was wondering:
I could have written this post two weeks ago, and probably would have,
if I hadn't found The Answer on my own at my local brewshop. It is a
heating belt that will put 20W of heat right onto your glass (or, I
suppose, plastic) carboy, regulating it at 72 deg. F. I used this on
my second batch of brew and it worked GREAT. And it was only $25.
(I'll be happy to provide the name and phone number of the shop on
request, they *do* fill mail order requests.)
So, no need to heat your entire house just for beer (is there a better
reason, though?), 20W left on for a whole week is only 3.36 kWh, which
is about $0.35 where I live and probably not more than 50 cents in the
most expensive power service area in the U.S.
- --
From the catapult of J.D. Baldwin |+| "If anyone disagrees with anything I
_,_ Finger baldwin@netcom.com |+| say, I am quite prepared not only to
_|70|___:::)=}- for PGP public |+| retract it, but also to deny under
\ / key information. |+| oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
***~~~~-----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 19:55:45 -0500
From: genitom@nyslgti.gen.ny.us (Michael A. Genito)
Subject:
In HBD 1943, Adam Rich wrote:
- -----
From: rich.adam@mayo.edu (Adam Rich)
Subject: Possible Infection
...my beer gets more carbonated with time in the bottles...it does not gush
or foam...I prime 5 gallon batches with 1/2 cup corn sugar and bottle in
Grolsch style bottles...I now use iodophor solution to sanatize the bottles,
and use a bottle brush routinely. The rubber gaskets are all taken off and
put into boiling water for 2 minutes...I am a partial-mash brewer. I buy
extract in 30 pound buckets and I wonder if this could be the culprit?...I
think this may be a wild-yeast problem. I bake bread every weekend in the
same kitchen that I make beer in. However, I quit doing it on the same day!
Now I try to clean the countertop with bleach, and I shower before brewing!
I also sweep the floor and mop before brewing...
- -----
WOW! You're a lot more sanitary than I! I use Grolsch bottles also, and
simply make sure I rinse the bottle well after drinking the contents.
Sometime shortly before bottling, all my bottles go in the dishwasher on
short cycle with a couple ounces of bleach - I dont bother removing the
gaskets unless they must be replaced due to age. I prime with 3/4 - 1 cup
corn sugar to 5 gals. I also at times bake bread just before brewing or
bottling w/o problems.
I think your sanitizing practice is more than enough. I think your problem
might have more to do with whether or not your letting the brew ferment to
completion before bottling. Also - check your pouring methods: most of my
brews must be poured slowly and evenly down the side of the glass, otherwise
the head gets too high. If you want a creamier, softer head, try adding 5 or
6 ounces of wheat or flaked barley to your partial mash. BTW - the higher
gravity the beer (stout, bock, etc), the greater possibility that you will
have strong heading.
Michael A. Genito, Director of Finance, Town of Ramapo
237 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901
TEL: 914-357-5100 x214 FAX: 914-357-7209
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 96 16:34:22 PST
From: stafford@alcor.hac.com (Jack Stafford)
Subject: Re: Unexpected high gravity reading
> Yeasterday I brewed the "Sun Has Left Us On Time" Steam Beer
> from the NCJOHB recipes. I got an OG of 1.102 at 74 deg F.
I checked my hydrometer = 1.001 in tap water at ~65 deg F.
Normal, so the hydrometer is ok. <scratching head>
My method was to pour the hot wort from the brew kettle into
a 6 gal. plastic bucket. Then pour cold water in, up to the
5 gal. mark. I waited about 20 minutes and the temperature
was about 76 deg F. I shook the bucket a few times and added
the proofed yeast. Immediately following the yeast I took a
sample for the OG reading. It was 1.102 on Monday night.
Just for kicks I did a reading today at lunchtime; it's 1.058
I suspect that part of the concentrated wort did not mix from
adding the water and the shaking. I guess that sample was a
lot thicker and the last day or so of fermentation stirred it
into a homogeneous mix.
Relaxing and having a homebrew,
Thanks for the responses!
Jack stafford@alcor.hac.com
Costa Mesa, CA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 08:09:42
From: braue@ratsnest.win.net (John W. Braue, III)
Subject: Urban Legends of Homebrewing
Chris Storey <cstorey@mail.peterboro.net> writes:
>My wife works at a hospital as a medical secretary. I don't know how the
>subject came up about homebrewing, but this doctor of internal medicine said
>this to her. He asked my wife if I drank my beer before a month old. She
>said yes. I do. I try it at different stages to see how it is doing. I think
>everyone does this. He said that it can be poisonous. I can't believe it!
>Something about the yeast and alcohol at early stages. I really don't think
>so, but I thought I would ask the collective to see if anyone out there
>knows of people DYING to try their beer early. Maybe he thought I was making
>moonshine! Any comments on this?
Maybe he is, as you suggest, confusing fermenting with
homebrewing. Or maybe he tried green beer once and didn't like the
taste. Or maybe your wife's acquaintance is the same chap as
mentioned in the next clip:
aesoph%ncemt.ctc.com@ctcga.ctc.com (Aesoph, Michael) writes:
> A freind of mine mentioned that the addition of certain substances
>to any fermenting beverage could produce Methyl alcohol. If I recall
>correctly, this is the poisonous variety. He specifically mentioned
>potatoes, other vegetables and certain grains. Is this true, or is he
>full of nonsense? I always assumed that the homebrewer was perfectly
>safe under all circumstances... Sorry if this is in the FAQ somewhere, I
>simply don't have it.
Bat puckey. The addition of potatoes, corn, sunchokes, or Brussels
sprouts to your wort will *not* cause the yeast to produce
methanol (although Brussels sprouts may make the beer as
unpalatable as if it did). Potatoes, at least, are used in various
consumable and low (meant to be distilled, not drunk) beers as a
primary source of fermentables. Since the "other vegetables" and
"certain grains" are vague to me (maybe your friend meant "grains"
of pine sawdust? Nah, that wouldn't do it either), it's as
impossible to refute such yivshish as to refute claims of a
Bildenburger-led world conspriacy.
This sounds like simple ignorance, perhaps exacerbated by those
with an ideological bent against homebrewing ("Brew your own beer,
and you'll be possessed by Satan...or carried off by space
aliens...or something.")
If Chris and/or Michael are in confrontational moods, they can ask
their acquaintances to specify the mysterious substances that turn
malt into methanol and posion green beer. Or they can kick back
and have a beer.
- --
John W. Braue, III braue@ratsnest.win.net
I prefer both my beer and my coffee to be dark and bitter; that way,
they fit in so well with the rest of my life.
I've decided that I must be the Messiah; people expect me to work
miracles, and when I don't, I get crucified.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 20:36:28 -0700
From: brew2u@azstarnet.com (Steve Comella)
Subject: Belgian White
>Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 10:17:34 -0800
>From: Mike_Taber@broder.com (Mike Taber)
>Subject: White Beer
>
> Now that my English Brown Ale is in the primary...
>
> I'm thinking about doing a White Beer. I have the specifics of the
> style (OG 1.0044 - 1.050 - Alc% 4.8 to 5.2 - IBU 15 to 25 - Color 2.0
> to 4.0), but don't really know where to start.
> I know what hops I like, but really can't get the color and OG right.
> Also, I'm not sure what yeast I should use.
>
> So... Do you any of you in HBD land have a suggestion or two?
Mike:
For an all-grain batch, this will depend on your mash efficiency, but let's
assume it's around 75%. You might start with 4.5 to 5 pounds each of
Belgian Pils malt and raw wheat (for a 5-gal. batch). This should give
you an O.G. of ~1.051 and color of ~4 SRM.
A good hop selection is Saaz, and a good yeast selection is Wyeast
3944 Belgian Witbeer.
There are a million variations of mashing schedules, depending on your
quest for light, medium or sweet beer, but there should definitely be a
protein rest to assist in the conversion of the wheat. I've seen some
recipes which call for cooking the wheat prior to adding to the mash to
accomplish this, but I have yet to try this.
If you need more help, fire me off an e-mail.
Steve Comella
brew2u@azstarnet.com
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 00:00:41 -0500
From: dludwig@atc.ameritel.net
Subject: Growing Hops
I want to try growing some hops this year. Does anyone have a mailorder
source for root cuttings? I was in the Munich area last Oct/Nov and saw the
hops trelleses(sp?) that abound in that area. If you've ever seen them,
gives you a good idea of the height these buggers can climb. I almost pulled
over to dig up a few roots! Haven't heard from the Coyote lately. A while
back he always had some good advice on growing hops.
- Dave Ludwig in wet and soggy Southern MD(but not for long!)
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #1945, 01/26/96
*************************************
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