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HOMEBREW Digest #2083
This file received at Hops.Stanford.EDU 1996/06/26 PDT
Homebrew Digest Wednesday, 26 June 1996 Number 2083
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Shawn Steele, Digest Janitor
Thanks to Rob Gardner for making the digest happen!
Contents:
Resubmission #1 ("David R. Burley")
Extended Blowoff - Success Reported (Darrell_J._Proksa@em.fcnbd.com)
Distillation/Pub Glasses/"Sheila in the Gutter" (Rob Moline)
Resubmition: Chlorine Remove Via Charcoal Filtration (Michael Mahler/Shiva Corporation)
Morrone "Cook-All"... advice needed (Dan Aldrich)
Sacks & Bales (krkoupa@ccmail2.PacBell.COM)
Mash Thickness, Temp. & Enzyme Stability ("David R. Burley")
Anyone use(d/ing) the electric 12v coolers for lagering? (Michael Mahler/Shiva Corporation)
Milwaukee Water ("Craig Rode")
Went to bottle and DOH! It's still bubbling? (Michael Mahler/Shiva Corporation)
Ales and Lagers with honey. And a hops question. (Mike Foster)
force carbonating/ RIMS pumps / propane cookers / Grainger catal ("Keith Royster")
in search of good head... (favt3tl@rvcux1.RVC.CC.IL.US (Tom Lombardo))
Thin skinned Aussies {:-o ("David R. Burley")
resubmision #3 ("David R. Burley")
Found Unitank (fwd) (Kyle R Roberson)
re:distillation (Kurt Schilling)
RE: 10 gal. coolers (John Wilkinson)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 26 Jun 96 11:09:23 EDT
Subject: Resubmission #1
- ---------- Forwarded Message ----------
NOTE: *=e to get around the text reader's aversion to the word t*st
I'm sending this since it has info potentially of interest to others.
From: David R. Burley, 103164,3202
TO: Domenick Venezia, INTERNET:venezia@zgi.com
DATE: 6/24/96 10:18 AM
RE: Copy of: CliniT*st
Domenick,
Thanks for your interest in the Clinit*st method. I don't think the grubby
boxes you saw at your pharmacist were correct, especially if they are listed in
the text as a peroxide based t*st this is not the t*st I am recommending. If
they don't have it, order it from your pharmacist. I had to order the one I
recently purchased. $6.31 for the kit with 36 pills good for that many t*sts.
As I recall in the old days ( we're talking twenty or thirty years ago) the
Clinit*st box was a blue bottom and white/cream top. Stay away from the old
t*st kits, since the fizziness of the pills may be reduced if it is really old.
I recently bought a Clinit*st kit. It came in a grey box, shaded darker at the
top than the bottom with a yellow stripe about two-thirds up from the bottom.
It has the number 2128 in the upper right hand corner. It says Ames Clinit*st
"Analysis Set For Urine Sugar T*sting" with some disclaimers and the phrase"
for in vitro diagnostic use."
It is manufactured by Miles Inc.,Diagnostic Division, Elkhart, IN 46516 USA.
I am just now, for the first time, reading the ingredients list and it says 1
part copper sulfate,12 parts sodium hydroxide,4 parts sodium carbonate, 15
parts citric acid plus filler and binder. This is the first time I have ever
seen a list of ingredients on a package of this stuff. It confirms my guess
that this t*st is the alkaline reduction of cupric ion, so my comments in the
HBD are on target. (I am puzzled now since I always assumed the cupric ion was
being reduced ( no other choice in this case of a redox reaction), yet it
reacts with "reducible" sugars.) I'm going to have to look this up, unless some
HBDer knows.
I'm sending you a copy of my recent submission to the HBD with more info in it
on Clinit*st and the reducible sugars,since it didn't make it into print yet.
The automatic reader at HBD kicked back my submission because it contained the
word "t*st" in the text. I told Shawn I'm going to have to watch my language!
Keep on brewin'
Dave Burley
103164.3202@compuserve.com
------------------------------
From: Darrell_J._Proksa@em.fcnbd.com
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 11:00:17 -0500
Subject: Extended Blowoff - Success Reported
A few weeks ago I posed a question to the collective regarding the
viability of leaving a blowoff setup in place for 3 or 4 days after active
fermentation had subsided due to the fact that I would be out of town and
unable to replace it with an airlock. All respondants (Michael Lausin,
C.D. Pritchard, Dean Larson, Al Korzonas) felt that it would not be a
problem given a sufficiently sized blowoff tube to prevent clogging and/or
suck back of blowoff resevoir solution. Per Dean, "... a blowoff set up is
just a big airlock that has the added convenience of directing overflow
from your fermentation into a convenient place (i.e. somewhere other than
the floor of the room you're fermenting in)".
I am happy to report that this batch seems to have survived the experience.
Just before I left town I cleaned and replaced the blowoff setup (most of
the darkest kraeusen had already been removed although fermentation was
still very active). Per Al K's recommendation, I added plain water to my
blowoff bucket as opposed to a weak chlorine solution to avoid the
possibility of sucking back any chlorophenols into the post
fermented/cooling beer (is it beer at this point?). When I returned home,
bubbles were continuing to be expelled out of the blowoff tube and any
residual blowoff had adhered to the sides of the tube.
I have since racked to the secondary and pulled some off to taste test.
No off flavors identified (yet). Thanks to the above who responded for
their knowledge/experience and support.
Darrell Proksa
Chicago, IL
------------------------------
From: Rob Moline <brewer@kansas.net>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 10:19:59 -0500
Subject: Distillation/Pub Glasses/"Sheila in the Gutter"
From: Jeff Stampes <jeff.stampes@xilinx.com>
distilling was:
>>A) It's illegal
>>B) It's dangerous
>>C) Don't do it
Agreed. But I have often wondered what my beers would taste like if
I put them through a small glass still, of the design I see advertised in
the wine and cigar afficionados catalogs (cattle-dogs). They note in the
ads:..."Purely for educational purposes, not to be used for distillation.."
>Pubglasses:
>In the meantime, someone got me thinking...anyone done any research
>into if any state departments of weights and measures has any regs
>concerning this?
>
I don't believe that these matters are regulated by the state, at
least not in Kansas. I, for one, would be pleased to see such regulation
though. I believe that these matters are best regulated by "the market", and
that if people let these establishments know they are displeased, and as a
result, take their disposable income elsewhere, the message may sink in. I
will check with the ABC and Weights and Measures today and let you know.
>David Burley writes:
>>What can we expect from a man who grows up in a country which uses the phrase
>>"Sheila in the gutter" to remember which side of the road to drive on. {;-)
>
Sounds more like an LA thing to me! But, seriously, I never had to
resort to such a phrase to remember which side of the road to drive on in
OZ. You see, these aren't silly buggers, these Australians. Through the use
of a sinister and devilishly scientific application of theory, they figured
out that if they put the steering wheel on the other side of the vehicle,
even the overseas tourists could figure it out! ;-)
Rob (Jethro Gump) Moline
Little Apple Brewing Company
Manhattan, Kansas
"The more I know about beer, the more I realize I need to know more about
beer!"
------------------------------
From: Michael Mahler/Shiva Corporation <mmahler@shiva.com>
Date: 26 Jun 96 13:36:51
Subject: Resubmition: Chlorine Remove Via Charcoal Filtration
Never saw this - hope I'm not repeating myself ;-)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
RE: water filtration
Since I used to live in Worcester, MA, which is notorious for some pretty
crappy water that is compensated HEAVILY for by the addition of large amounts
of chlorine from chlorine injection units very close to my house ;-(.... I have
become pretty anal about water filtering.
If you are using tap water (municipal - this is NOT for well water) for
brewing, you should consider the purchase of a water filter unit made by Amtek
(and also sold at Sears of all places) that is a two cartridge device that
includes a water spigot for mounting in your sink (I replaced the water sprayer
with it since I never use that thing, otherwise you need to drill). The unit
itself mounts under the sink and is very simple to install - should take about
an hour total. It also includes a flow valve that measures the gallons
filtered and shuts the filter off when the cartridges needs replacing - though
this depends on your water quality since mine often clogged before then (about
a 50% drop in pressure out of the spigot, but still clean water). The unit
costs about $100.00 and the cartridges are replaceable (that's the point) at a
cost of anywhere from $2.00 each to 27.50 each, depending on what you want to
filter. One plus I found is that the spigot end fits neatly into the typical
homebrew plastic tubing you use for racking (for those who add tap water to the
carboy, this makes it easy).
You've probably seen these filters, but may not have seen the unit since their
top seller is their counter top single cartridge unit. Which brings up this
point...
...when we moved we had sold the house with the filter (actually helped with
the sale by the way) since it's pretty much unremovable due to the saddle valve
that pierces the water pipe requiring plumbing work to seal the hole and, hey,
it's only $100. But the REAL problem was that we now rent and weren't going
to install another one only to leave it there (HEY, it's 100 BUCKS! ;-).
So, to make a long story yet even longer... I purchase two of the counter top
units (about $35.00 each) and connected the output of one to the input of the
other via brass threaded nipple and some teflon tape. So for about $75.00 I
have the same functionality without the flow valve (don't care) AND, since this
unit comes with a nifty little director valve for the faucet, it's portable so
it comes with us when we move.
As for the filters, I go with the carbon impregnated ones (about $3.50 each)
rated at 5 micron filtration in the first housing and then the $27.50 one (said
to remove lead and giardia cysts) in the second one - this particular filter is
rated at 0.5 microns (!) so if you have heavy sediment, you might have to
replace it more often than I do, but I generally get about 4 months out of it
with replacing the first cartridge every month and the water is fantastic! My
beer (and coffee and baby water and soups, etc) has definitely improved with
the use of this.
Also, for those who think you are getting better water from bottled water or
"party ice" - think again - when I was at school (WPI) a fellow student did a
study of about 18 different bottled waters and found that MOST of them had high
levels of bacteria and contaminants. Be careful - besides with this filter,
you are getting water MUCH cheaper (about 1000 gallons for like $10).
Write me at mahler@shiva.com if you want to know model numbers, etc... those
of you in Mass., I get this stuff at Spags (Home Depot has them too, but for
MUCH more money... )..
------------------------------
From: Dan Aldrich <aldrich@his.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 14:00:20 -0400
Subject: Morrone "Cook-All"... advice needed
I recently bought and returned one. If you read the fine print in the
manual, the frame has only a 50lb capacity. I called Morrone's customer
service line and asked about this and got "well, if that's what the manual
says...".
- -Dan
______________________________________________________________________
Dan Aldrich aldrich@his.com
------------------------------
From: krkoupa@ccmail2.PacBell.COM
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 96 11:29:40 PST
Subject: Sacks & Bales
Why does grain come in 55-pound sacks? Why not 50 lbs?
What does a bale of hops weigh? Or is it sold by its
dimensions (like a cord of wood)?
Just curious.
Ken Koupal krkoupa@pacbell.com
------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 26 Jun 96 14:56:03 EDT
Subject: Mash Thickness, Temp. & Enzyme Stability
Brewsters,
With all the messing around this past week with copies of HBD sent and not
sent,
reflections from the autoreader, HBD's larger than 50,000 bytes ,which forces
me
to use download and wordpad from which I cannot print small extracts, etc.
etc., I lost track of who asked about enzyme stability in mashes of various
thicknesses. I think it was Al K, but may have been Jim Busch. Sorry I lost
your request. Anyway here is my reply.
Two sources of information 1) a private e-mail discussion with Tracy Aquilla (
hope you don't mind my paraphrasing, Tracy, I have deleted our exchange.)
2)"Malting and Brewing Science", Hough,Briggs &Stevens (1971 ed) pp 220
1) In the course of a conversation with Tracy, I addressed the subject of
enzyme
stability and concentration. Tracy replied to me that it was conventional
knowledge in the enzyme industry that higher concentrations of enzymes were
more
stable than diluted versions. These solution are prepared and shipped this way.
When I stated that this didn't seem to match with my intuition, as I see
denaturization as a single molecule action and therefore concentration
independent. I asked him why, he stated , in effect, he didn't know why. This
was concerning pure enzyme solutions.
2) In a recent discourse, I made some statement to the effect that in stiffer
mashes enzymes were more stable. Al K or someone asked for a reference. I quote
from Malting and Brewing Science p220. [THE COMMENTS INSIDE THE PARENS AND ALL
CAPS ARE MINE]:
Mash Thickness
Reductions in the grist-liquor ratio in the mash [I.E.THE THINNER THE
MASH](i)reduces the temperature stability of some of the enzymes present,(ii)
dilutes the enzymes, (iii) dilutes the substrates, and (iv) dilutes the
products
of enzyme action. Hydrolytic reactions [REACTIONS THAT ADD ON WATER IN SOME
FASHION, AT LEAST IN AN INTERMEDIATE STEP] may proceed at a greater rate in
more
dilute mashes, because the products of reaction are less concentrated and so
inhibit enzyme activity less. More concentrated mashes yield more soluble
nitrogen in the wort (Table 8.13). In British breweries the nitrogen levels in
brewery worts are 0-40% above those found in small scale analytical hot water
extracts[61] [PRESUMABLY SINCE THE LAB METHOD IS DONE AT A GREATER DILUTION].
Proteases are not stable at 140F(60C) in a dilute mash and at 150F(65.5C) this
instability is accentuated. At 140F(60C) the fermentability of the extract is
usually greater in worts from mashes of lower concentrations. However, worts
from mashes made at 150F(65.5C) sometimes have greater fermentabilities than
those of more concentrated mashes[ AT HIGHER MASH TEMPERATURES?] probably
because of the extended survival time of the heat sensitive beta Amylase .
Clearly this depends on the quantities of enzymes present in the malt. However,
in thick mashes the rate of saccharification is retarded, probably because the
accumulating sugars competitively inhibit the hydrolytic enzymes."
Thus endeth the reading.
I wish there was an easy way to reproduce Table 8.13 and keep it all lined up.
I
suggest you print, cut and paste.
Table 8.13 Influence of Mash Temperature and Concentration on the Composition
of
Sweet Wort
Mashing Temperature 140 F 150F
Mash Thickness (%) 67 39 29 67 39 29
Wort Analyses(%)*
Hexose 12.3 10.1 9.5 11.9 9.5 8.1
Sucrose 2.8 3.4 3.4 4.1 4.2 3.8
Maltose 43.9 48.3 49.5 38.8 43.9 42.8
Trisaccharide 14.3 14.3 13.8 12.6 13.6 15.0
Dextrin 17.5 15.5 14.6 24.2 21.2 22.3
Fermentability(%) 73.3 76.1 76.2 67.4 71.2
69.7
Extract (%) 55-63 76.2 75.6 73.4 75.3 74.2
Soluble N (% wort solids) 6.2-6.6 5.34 5.50 5.58 5.22
5.03
pH 5.46 5.40 5.50 5.32 5.33 5.38
Table 8.13( cont.)
155F (68.3C)
67 39 29
11.0 10.2 8.0
3.7 5.0 4.0
36.9 37.0 39.0
12.8 12.7 14.3
27.6 26.2 26.9
64.4 65.0 65.3
73.3 75.6 74.0
4.90 4.77 4.85
5.31 5.35 5.30
*Carhohydrates expressed as a percent of wort solids [WHICH MAKES THIS NUMBER
DEPENDENT ON NITROGEN SOLUBILIZED - I GUESS, BUT GIVEN THE %N IS SMALL (5-6%)
RELATIVE TO THE CARBOHYDRATES ( 65-75%) IT IS NOT TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM. THIS
TABLE COULD BE CORRECTED TO ACTUAL YIELD OF CARBOHYDRATES BY AN AMBITIOUS HBD
READER]
General trends - observations of mine from this table:
Influence of Increasing Thickness of Mash Temperature
Hexose up down
Sucrose up up
Maltose down down
Trisaccharide up down
Dextrin up up
So: if you want high FG, run at thicker mashes and higher temperatures. For
higher yields of fermentables run at thin mashes and lower temperatures.
Fermentability down down
Extract none up
Soluble N up down
pH down down
If you want more head - and who doesn't?- and more body, run thicker mashes and
lower temperatures (at least where the proteases are active).
- -----------------------------------------------------
Jim Busch and I have been discussing various aspects of enzyme kinetics. Please
read the above on enzyme stability.
I quote from the above ref. Malting and Brewing Science:
p222 Mashing and Dissolution of Starch
.........."Acting on starch alone, alpha amylase will ultimately produce a
dextrinous wort containing a mixture of sugars, of which only 16-20% are
fermentable. In contrast beta amylase will produce only maltose and a beta
limit dextrin sufficiently large to give a blue color with iodine. Acting in
concert .....pure amylases ( alpha and beta) ...yield a wort ....70%
fermentable
...increases to 80% if limit dextrinase is present.... boiled sweet worts are
75% fermentable and in unboiled worts, prepared from low kilned malts [I.E.
PALE
MALTS] about 80% fermentable. Thus enzymes other than amylases do participate
in the mashing process and may continue to act in the sweet wort. Normally
their activity is terminated in the hop boil.
In mashes made at 150F(65.5C) limit dextrinase and beta amylase are
progressively destroyed [IN THE MASH], although less rapidly than in solution,
in the case of beta amylase. Alpha amylase activity also declines, although in
the presence of excess calcium ions and at a pH = 6.0 the impure enzyme is
quite
stable at 158F(70C), supposedly because some of the impurities exert a
protective action........beta amylase is destroyed in mashes in 40-60 min at
150F and the alpha amylase activity continues to decline. At 153F the last
alpha
amylase is destroyed in about 2 hr......(p224) In British malts, the ratio of
beta amylase to alpha amylase often approximates 1:4, while in malts from
continental Europe, the figure is 1:5 - 1:6."
Thus endeth the reading
Although this text doesn't have the data at 158F, it is apparent that beta
amylase will not be destroyed instantly
It wil exhibit some activity for perhaps a half an hour in thick mashes, at
least, at 158F. I conclude, therefore, that short mash times at high
temperatures may produce a high dextrin mash in which the efficiency of the
extraction is reduced because the alpha dextrinase didn't have the opportunity
to produce the various dextrins and the beta amylase wasn't given the
opportunity to saccharify them. I presume the rate constants of both amylases
are reduced at 158F and need more time to do the reduction. Therefore,
extending
the time at 158F could give a different profile of dextrin/maltose and a more
efficient extraction.
- ------------------------------------------
I think that covers all of the issues to present. If not, let me know.
Keep on brewin'
Dave Burley
103164.3202@compuserve.com
..
------------------------------
From: Michael Mahler/Shiva Corporation <mmahler@shiva.com>
Date: 26 Jun 96 15:01:49
Subject: Anyone use(d/ing) the electric 12v coolers for lagering?
Those new (well to me at least) coolers that have those cooling chips and fan
apparently can cool low enough for lagering. I'm wondering if it's worthwhile,
if they fit a carboy standing up, to fill the cooler with water and put the
carboy in it and fire it up (with a 12v power supply I guess, or heck the
120volt into it if it uses a step-dowon transformer?)...
Anyone done it or at least thought about it?
------------------------------
From: "Craig Rode" <craig.rode@sdrc.com>
Date: 26 Jun 1996 14:08:50 -0600
Subject: Milwaukee Water
A couple of months ago, I posted about my low (23-26pts) extraction rates.
Since that time, I have tried lots of things without much success. I am down
to water chemistry. My pH out of the tap is 7.8. BiCarbonate is 108ppm. My
Calcium is about 20ppm and my Sulfate is at around 28ppm. Based on what I
have read, I need to acidify my sparge water. How much gypsum per gallon
would one of you water chemists recommend? Or would you go with lactic acid.
(My local homebrew shop carries lactic acid, but no directions or information
on concentration is on the label.) I am brewing primarily American Pale Ales,
so how would the additional sulfate impact the hop bite?
Thanks,
Craig
------------------------------
From: Michael Mahler/Shiva Corporation <mmahler@shiva.com>
Date: 26 Jun 96 15:34:49
Subject: Went to bottle and DOH! It's still bubbling?
I went to bottle a weizen last night that has been in the pimary (I don't do 2
stage) for 4 weeks at 68 degrees. It has been unbubbling for about 2 of those
weeks however last night I pulled it out of the closet and set it up on my
kitchen counter to get going and about 2 hours later I was going to start and
noticed the air lock bubbling (about 1 blook per minute I'd say). The room
was like 75 degrees.
I have never used a lager yeast before - do they suddenly go active in warmer
temperatures and eat things that weren't eaten before? Should I just bottle
anyway and use a little less DME? By the way, how much DME would be good for a
weizen (about 6 gallons)?
TIA,
Michael mahler@shiva.com
------------------------------
From: Mike Foster <mfoster1@voyager.net>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 15:35:37 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Ales and Lagers with honey. And a hops question.
I am a novice brewer (first batch due to be bottled in a week), and I was
wondering about the addition of honey to brews. Specifically, will the end
product take longer if I add honey to the wort? (I know a good mead takes a
year or more to reach completion)
Should the honey be boiled with the malt, or added after boiling?
What about priming with honey?
Primarily I'm looking for something with just a hint of honey to it, like
J.W. Dundee's Honey Brown (I believe that is the name of the stuff...). The
brew I was thinking of in particular would be a Belgian Strong Ale with
honey. Playing around with my SUDS 4.0 program, I arrived at 4 cans of light
malt extract and 1 lb. of honey... Any comments are more than welcome, but
please remember that I am just an extract brewer...
And for hops, I really have no idea what kind of hops adds what kind of
flavor... Is there any listing of various hops and their respective
flavors/aromas?
- -Mike Foster mfoster1@voyager.net
Lord Wulfgar Silberbar proto-incipient Shire of Altenberg
#88 goalie for the SPC Flyers
Jessica Benson Virtual Adept extrordinaire
What? Me? Schizophrenic? Am not!
------------------------------
From: "Keith Royster" <keith.royster@ponyexpress.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 15:41:08 -0500
Subject: force carbonating/ RIMS pumps / propane cookers / Grainger catal
Hello everyone!
RANDY ERICKSON <RANDYE@mid.org> comments on force carbonating:
> I have always understood "force carbonating" to mean achieving
> dissolved CO2 equilibrium as soon as possible by shaking the hell
> out of the keg while attached to the gas line until no more CO2
> will dissolve. The same results as "gentle" carbonating, i.e.
> hooking up the gas at the same temperature and letting it sit for
> several days.
Close, but I think force carbonating covers both procedures. Force
carbonating, as opposed to natural carbonating, is the process of
putting the beer under pressure from your CO2 tank so that the CO2 is
*forced* into solution. The process of shaking the keg simply
expedites the process.
> I wonder though, would it be possible to reliably force carbonate
> by using higher pressure for a short period of time without
> shaking?
Yes it is possible, but I doubt very reliably. Higher pressures will
increase the rate of CO2 going into solution, but unless you guess
correctly when to quit and back the pressure off you will end up with
an over carbonated beer. It's best, IMO, to set your CO2 tank to the
proper pressure for the given beer temperature and desired
carbonation level. That way you can shake to your hearts desire and
the CO2 will simply stop dissolving once you have reached your
desired level of carbonation. HINT: The colder the beer the faster
the CO2 will go into it.
> While in the hardware store for the aforementioned project, I
> noticed a number of Little Giant pumps in the goldfish pond/
> decorative fountain department. These aren't by chance the LG
> pumps of RIMS fame are they?
I considered these myself when building my RIMS, but unfortunately,
No these are not the same pumps used in RIMS. They typically can
not handle the high temperatures and almost surely are not
magnetically coupled. For more info on RIMS pumps (and RIMS in
general) check out http://dezines.com/@your.service/RIMS
- ---------------
Dave Riedel <RIEDEL@ios.bc.ca> "stumbled across a Morrone "Cook-All"
burner" rated at 170,000 BTU.
> It doesn't appear to have any type of flame controller. Price is
> $90 Cdn (roughly $65 US).
If it's a jet burner, then that's too much money. My local brewstore
sells the Cajun Cooker (170,000Btu jet burner) for US$45. If it's a
ring burner then that's about right in price, although I've seen a
similar one at SAM'S (aka WalMart) for only $35!!
> Is an adjustable flame almost a necessity?
Yes, you will need to adjust the flame to avoid boil-overs and such.
Back the heat off as it starts to boil-over, then bring it back to a
rolling boil after the hot-break has settled things down.
> Can I simply reduce the inflow of propane via the tank valve?
It would better if you had/bought a gas line to the cooker that has a
built in valve after the pressure regulator. You will get much
better control of the gas flow with this valve than you will from the
tank's valve. Most burners come with this valve on the accompanying
hose, so check for it before you go buy one.
> Is 170,000 BTU serious overkill?
Not really. My kettle sits on a 35,000 Btu ring burner which works,
but it can take a while to bring larger batches (10+ gallons) to a
boil. On the other hand, 170,000Btus can scorch your wort (say that
10 times fast: "Scorch your wort, scorch your wort, ..) if you are
not careful, especially if it's a jet burner. Of course you can
always back off the heat, but this works much better with ring
burners. Jet burners can become inefficient and sooty when turned
down low.
- ---------------------------
thaller@bod.net (Tim Haller) points out the 10 gal. coolers can be
found in the Grainger Industrial Equipment and Supply Co. catalog.
Just as a point of information: W.W.Grainger does not sell to the
general puplic. They only sell to retailers, but there is a way
around this. If you go into one of their many branch stores and tell
them what you want to order, they will ask what company you are from.
Simply make something up, like "Billy Bob's Repair Company". When
they can't find you in their database, they will then ask for proof
such as a company card or a check stub. Tell them that you just
started your company and you don't have those things yet, but then
flash some cash. Once they realize that you will be paying in cash,
then they really don't care. The obvious downside to all of this is
that you have to pay in cash and you also have to have a Grainger
store close to you. No mail order.
Hope this helps!
Keith Royster - Keith.Royster@ponyexpress.com
Mooresville, North Carolina
@your.service - http://dezines.com/@your.service
My RIMS page - http://dezines.com/@your.service/RIMS
Carolina HomeBrewers - http://dezines.com/@your.service/cbm
------------------------------
From: favt3tl@rvcux1.RVC.CC.IL.US (Tom Lombardo)
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 15:43:03 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: in search of good head...
Get your mind out of the gutter, I'm talking about beer!
I brewed a stout, and decided to do a side-by-side comparison with (what
else?) Guinness Pub Draught (in a can). Mine compared favorably (I'm not
saying "better", just really good!!!), but I noticed a few differences:
1. Mine was more carbonated. My wife called the Guinness "flat".
2. Guinness had a better head (creamier, longer-lasting). (Of course,
my wife couldn't resist the "head-retention" joke at my expense!)
3. Mine had slightly more flavor, but about the same aftertaste as
the Guinness.
I know that low carbonation is part of the style (hey, Guinness _IS_ the
style, that's why I used it as a benchmark). I do prefer the carbonation
in my brew, though.
I'd like to improve my head (in the STOUT!!, OK?), without affecting the
carbonation. Any advice for an "extract-plus-specialty" brewer looking
for a nice Guinness-like head?
Here's the recipe I used:
5 Gal H2O
6.6 Lbs Northwestern Gold M.E.
0.5 Lb crystal malt
0.25 Lb black patent malt
0.5 Lb roasted barley
6 oz malto-dextrine powder
1 oz northern brewer hops (boil)
1 pkg Glenbrew Ale Yeast (made a starter)
OG = 1.051
FG = 1.010
Primed with 1/2 Cup corn sugar.
Thanks,
Tom
************************************************************************
Homebrewers get better head. (Although maybe not as good as Guinness!)
Tom Lombardo (favt3tl@rvcux1.RVC.CC.IL.US)
************************************************************************
------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 26 Jun 96 17:14:54 EDT
Subject: Thin skinned Aussies {:-o
Brewsters:
Andy "Wohlgemuth"Walsh took exception to my attributing the expression "Sheila
in the gutter" as an expression used on the whole continent (or is it a BIG
island) of Oz. I can only quote my daughter who spent a year in Queensland
working in a bar and living in an apartment on that beautiful beach. I'm told
that "girlfriend (or Sheila) in the gutter" is how Aussies remember which side
of the road to drive on when travelling to the US or continental Europe. Maybe
it was the crowd she hung out with. We always remember it by saying that the
driver sits closest to the center of the road when we are in a country that
drives on the wrong side of the road. Did you hear that Sweden is so
conservative that when they switched over to the right side a few years ago,
they decided to do it one side at a time?
I'll bet you don't say "put another shrimp on the Barbie" either do you?
Probably because a shrimp would fall through, but a nice big tiger prawn might
not - eh? How about a Botany Bay Bug?
Do you really have to drink standing on your head Down Under?
In any event, I hope my having a little fun ( you couldn't see the smile on my
face) with you wasn't too offensive, as in all of my trips to Australia, I was
always treated grrreat. I love Sydney. Some excellent restaurants at the dock,
the Blue Angel, etc. Manley beach has some very interesting scenery. I know
this is too touristy for you, but the next time you are on the "Rocks" have a
Toohey's Old for me or stop by the brewpub (what WAS its name - something
nautical) up on the hill. It was in here that we met a dustman ( we'd say
garbageman) who offered (after a few pints) to take my wife and I on a tour of
Sydney in his garbage truck the next afternoon! He would have done it sooner,
but he was on his way to a bachelor party ( with the groom-to-be locked in a
ball and chain). Talk about friendly! I almost accepted!
Keep on brewin'
Dave Burley
103164.3202@compuserve.com
------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 26 Jun 96 17:14:57 EDT
Subject: resubmision #3
I hope this hasn't appeared already. If so forgive me. I like many others am
confused about what got included in HBD and what got stomped on. I hope this is
of general interest.
- ---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: David R. Burley, 103164,3202
TO: Tony McCauley, INTERNET:afmccaul@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu
DATE: 6/20/96 7:15 AM
RE: Copy of: Re: Ireland Brews
Tony,
I don't have MJ's World Book of Beers which I think is the one you want, I have
his 1993 orig copyright "Beer Companion" a very good hardbound for the coctail
table.
Anyway here's the contents on Ireland for your mother's trip. May she bring you
back one of each!
1) Beamish and Crawford pp 176,181
Dry Stout - Located in Cork
B&C is owned by Carling O'Keefe of Canada and now by Foster's
2) Cherry's p112
Ale brewery (presumably a bitter)
owned by Guiness
used to brew Phoenix, now brewed at MacCardle see below
3)Dempsey's p112
Opened in late 1980's with cask conditioned ale, but closed, bottom fermented
version is brewed by Huber in Monroe, Wis. USA
4) Guiness p 112, 176-8, 181-2
Three ale breweries:
Cherry's of Waterford
Smithwick's of Kilkenny
MacCardle of Dundalk
Dry Stout (of course)
5) GH Lett p 111
15 th century brewery closed in 1956,licenses to Coors in US under George
Killian ale name
6)Macardle p112
ale owned by Guiness
Phoenix Beer
7) Murphy p176, 182
Stout
8) Perry's of Rathdowney, County Laois p 112
closed in 1960's - the last independent ale brewery in Ireland
9) Smithwick's of Kilkenny p112,113
ale house owned by Guiness, ale can be called Kilkenny, but Smithwick's is the
principal Irish Ale
SO, it looks like most of the brewing in Ireland is done by Guiness (which I
think you already knew).
Keep on Brewin',
Dave Burley
------------------------------
From: Kyle R Roberson <roberson@beta.tricity.wsu.edu>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 14:36:14 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Found Unitank (fwd)
A resubmitted message...
The message posted recently about the found unitank that
has become a flower pot, got me interested in looking up
commercial designs of the things. One bit of information that
is lacking in the original post is the angle of the cone.
Commercial unitanks have 70 degree cones (or so). This would
look very radical in a small tank. These are very finely polished
so that the yeast sediment can fall down. Perhaps the found-tank
is not as steep a cone. You could try the old rubber hammer treat-
ment as fermentation progressed to make the yeast compact in the
bottom of the cone so it all comes out.
I think, however, that the beer is racked off through a separate
racking valve higher up in the cone in commercial tanks. The bottom
valve is for removing yeast and for clean out.
I would suggest that you add a valve that goes to the middle of
the cone and above the yeast. Put a bend in the tube so that you
can rotate it to adjust the exact height that you take the
beer off at as you gain experience with your vessel and your
yeast. Use the bottom valve for yeast removal and clean out and
not for racking.
Check out textbooks like Briggs, et al. or literature from JVNW
or other manufacturers before making or buying a hobby-sized
unitank. Unitank design is, I think, pretty far advanced, and it
would be very difficult to improve it by leaving off features or
changing the cone angle.
Kyle
------------------------------
From: Kurt Schilling <kurt@pop.iquest.net>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 96 16:40 EST
Subject: re:distillation
Howdy one and all!
In HBD 2080, Mike Aesoph posed the question "Can one use the "ice brewing
process" to increase the alcohol content" as well as responding to the query
of the legality of distillation from a previous Digest.
And in HBD 2081, Bryan Gros commented on Alan Moen's 'The Last Wort' column
in Brewing Techniques Apr/May issue.
Then in HBD 2082 Jeff Stampes responded to both prior postings.
This has brought me out of the lurker mode and I'm not sure that I like it.
Engage Hyper rant module:
According to Title 26 of the United States Code ,Subtitle E, Chapter 51,
Subchapter J,Part 1, Sect 5601(a)1 Any person who--Unregistered still-- has
in his posession or custody, or under his control, any sitll or distilling
apparatus set up which is not registered, as required by Section 5179(a);or
(6) uses, or posessesses with the intent to use, any still, boiler, or
other utensil for the purpose of producing distilled spirits, or aids or
assits therin, or causes or procues the same to be done, in any dweling
house, or in any shed, yard, or inclosure connected with such dwelling house
(except as authorised under sections 5178(a) (1) (c), or on board any vessel
or boat, or on any premiesis where beer or wine is made or produced, or
where liqours of any description are retaield, or on premises where any
other business is carried on (except where autorized under section 5178 (b); or
(11) purchases, recieves, or processes any distilled spirits, kowing or
having reasonable grounds to beleive that any tax due on such spirits has
not been paid or detremined as required by law;
Shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than 5 years or
both, for each such offense. (can you spell f-e-l-o-n-y?)
Your take home message from this: If you are going to set up a still and
make a little 'shine, keep your mouth shut about it. What is not mentioned
here is that in addition to the $10K fine and 5 yr prison term, you can be
hit with a substancial tax bill by the IRS. Now that is after the local
revenuers and the BAFT have busted you big time. BTW this info is
accessable via the net at
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/acces003.html period.
I enjoy Alan Moen's cartoons and his wit very much. However, Alan has
apparently lost his mind to have published his 'Distillers Manifesto' in
Brewing Techniques.
It's one thing to quietly offer someone a wee dram of home-made hooch, it's
quite another thing to publicly announce that you are illegally distilling
your own whisky in a national publication that also lists your home or
residence in the column credits! ARGH!!! Wise up folks. let's stick to our
homebrews and other goodies like mead, wine and cider.
Disengage Hype Rant module; apologies are tendered for the probale waste of
bandwidth.
Kurt Schilling, not a lawyer or a baseball player, just an ole beer maker
------------------------------
From: John Wilkinson <jwilkins@imtn.tpd.dsccc.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 16:46:59 -0500
Subject: RE: 10 gal. coolers
I have seen several references to Gott and Igloo 10 gallon cylindrical (I
assume)
coolers lately at what seem to me to be high prices. The latest was an Igloo
for $60 mentioned in hbd #2082. I bought an Igloo in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area
last fall for ~$33 and a friend recently bought a Gott for ~$35. I bought
mine at a Payless Hardware (or building materials) store and my friend bought
his at a sporting goods store (Dallas Sports, I think). They may be cheaper
because of the competition in this relatively large metropolitan area but
I recommend checking with building materials and sports stores if there are
any in your area. The most I think I have seen the Igloo for was ~$45 and
that at a building materials store (McCoy's) in Palestine, Texas (Pop. 18000)
which is 150 miles from DFW.
I don't have any connection with any of these places, I just hate to see
anyone paying any more than necessary.
John Wilkinson
------------------------------
End of Homebrew Digest #2083
****************************
