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HOMEBREW Digest #2202
This file received at Hops.Stanford.EDU 1996/09/24 PDT
Homebrew Digest Tuesday, 24 September 1996 Number 2202
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Shawn Steele, Digest Janitor
Thanks to Rob Gardner for making the digest happen!
Contents:
Classic American Pilsner, Pt. 3: recipe (Jeff Renner)
Small Cans of Malt ((Will Wilson))
starch in rice (DOUGWEISER@aol.com)
Re: Scorching (Michael Gerholdt)
Re: Newbie probability? (Timothy J Kniveton)
Ferm-Cap/Brewer-Ez/Al.K./Kathy B./Eureka Stockade? (Rob Moline)
Correction (Charles Capwell)
Hopped Liquid Malt Extract (Art McGregor)
Al vs Fe (Clint Weathers)
Thanks Shawn (John Penn)
Help: too much head! (chris bersted)
Sanction ((Bill Giffin))
That Starchy Biscuit / Foreign Beer Brewed Here (KennyEddy@aol.com)
Cane vs. Beet Sugar (Phil Olson)
VFD Pumps, Sammy Adams Homebrew Contest (Michael Caprara)
poor judging, Amer. pilsner ("Bryan L. Gros")
Re: RIMS: pump control (hollen@vigra.com)
capping question ((Greg Moore - SMCC BOS Hardware Engineering))
RE: Scorching (Steve Alexander)
Anheuser-Busch ends talks with Budvar (Spencer W Thomas)
Brass fittings versus copper issue (DAVE BRADLEY IC742 6-7932)
selecting a Wyeast ("MASSIMO FARAGGI")
RE: Brewing Beers Like Those You Buy ("Nash,David")
refrigerator/stuck mash (James Murphy)
no-sparge mashing ("Mark C. Bellefeuille")
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Renner <nerenner@umich.edu>
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 96 22:39:00 -0400
Subject: Classic American Pilsner, Pt. 3: recipe
So here is the recipe for five gallons of "YOUR FATHER'S MUSTACHE," a
Classic American Pilsner.
Water:
9 gallons moderately (temp.) hard well water boiled to soften
and eliminate bicarbonate alkalinity, racked, treated
with 2 t. CaCl2(2H2O), target 60 ppm Ca.
Grain bill:
7 lbs. American six row malt (80%)
1.75 lbs. flaked maize (20%)
Mash schedule:
Doughed in 8.5 qts. 58C water to get -->
50C protein rest, 30 min., (pH 5.5), then infused w/ 3 qts.
boiling water to -->
60C sac. rest for 15 minutes, then boosted w/ burner to -->
70C sac. rest for 40 minutes, then boosted w/ burner to -->
76C mashoff for 10 min.
Lautered in insulated Zapap, collected 7 gal. @ 1.041 for 32.8 p/p/g.
Note - Beautifully clear wort with minimum recirculation, easy
sparge. This six-row is beautiful to work with.
Boil - 1 hr, beautiful hot break, like egg drop soup
Hopped to 25 IBU target:
25 g. Cluster hops pellets @7.5% - 1hr boil
1/4 oz. Styrian Goldings @5.2% - 10 min. boil plus
settling steep - 15 min.
1/4 oz. Styrian Goldings @5.2% - 15 min. settling
steep.
Counter current cooled to 64F, 4.75 gallons collected at 1.055, then
diluted to 5.5 gallons at 1.048 in 7 gallon carboy, force chilled in
snowbank to 50F. Pitched New Ulm yeast from bottom of 3 liter starter.
Fermented @ 50F - 52F 12 days, racked, lagered seven weeks @ 33F,
kegged, conditioned with 10 psi @ 38F, then dispensed at 42F-44F. The
flavor showed best at mid 40sF and when drawn to give a good head and
reduced carbonation. (Most beer shows best like this).
I hope I have encouraged some of you lager brewers to try this style.
It is naked brewing, as Dan McConnell commented. There isn't any place
to hide, so watch your techniques. Please let me know your results,
and
lobby for this to be a recognized style. I propose two divisions:
Pre-prohibition, OG 1.150 - 1.060, 25 - 40 IBU; post prohibition, OG
1.044-1.049. 20 - 30 IBU. I suppose we could recognize rice rather
than
corn, but rice really is a flavor/body diluent. Fix says that modern
American lagers grew out of pre-prohibition "Western Lager," a lower
gravity, lower hopped, rice adjunct beer that was held in "low esteem"
by Easterners.
Thanks to Martin Manning, Ed Westemeier and Lowell Hart for their ideas
on what made the beer I remembered from the 50's, and George Fix and
Ben
Jankowski for their Brewing Techniques articles.
------------------------------
From: will@csra.net (Will Wilson)
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 96 2:47:01 GMT
Subject: Small Cans of Malt
Just getting back into the hobby after finding a Mr. BEER (barrel) kit in a
local store (Makes about 8 quarts per batch). It came with a small (1.21
lb, 550g) can of malt mix. As I recall from earlier experience, and from
all I can find on the internet, the usual size is about 3 times this amount.
Anyone know where to find this size can malt extract mix? Yes, Mr. BEER has
a site (and mailorder) but the shipping charges are not appealing. Thanks
from a re-newbie.
Will.
- -- will@csra.net -- http://www.csra.net/will -- Amateur Radio KC4GSS --
Will Wilson, 3930 Wright Reese Rd., Warrenton, GA 30828, (706)465-2063
Tech Specialist, McDuffie County Schools (706)595-1918 Fax 595-7337
------------------------------
From: DOUGWEISER@aol.com
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 22:49:44 -0400
Subject: starch in rice
I have a question regarding the composition of the starches contained in rice
and corn. I use both of these adjuncts, along with a Klages\Harrington blend,
in making American lagers. I currently do a cereal mash prior to gelatinizing
the adjunct, infuse the boiling adjunct into the main mash, achieving 150
degree saccharification temp with this addition. The main mash was at 122
degrees prior to adding the adjunct. My question is this: Would the starch in
either of these adjuncts be further broken down by doing a 122 degree protein
rest, either as a part of the cereal mash or as part of the main mash? Do any
of the the principals of malt mash temperatures apply to other types of
starches besides malt? My goal is to achieve just a hint more dryness,
without changing the grist\adjunct\hop ratio. I also occasionally get a
starch haze, which I attribute to incomplete conversion of the adjunct. Would
a protein rest for the adjunct help?
TIA, Doug in Winnetka, CA
------------------------------
From: Michael Gerholdt <gerholdt@ait.fredonia.edu>
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 96 23:59:23 -0500
Subject: Re: Scorching
- -- [ From: Michael Gerholdt * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --
Used to sell vacuum-waterless SS Westbend Lifetime Cookware. (Well, almost.)
The frying pan was constructed with the following materials:
SS on the outside (top, bottom). Ease of cleaning, lack of reaction with
foods, etc.
Next up, on the bottom side, was an aluminum plate that covered the bottom
of the pan. Purpose: *quick* distribution/diffusion of heat.
Next up, covering the bottom and going up the sides of the pan: cast iron.
Purpose: maintaining evenness of heat.
The electric frypan had an additional layer of heavy oil for thermal
distribution.
>> Is this a commonly known fact? Is aluminum really that much better than
>> S.S. for cookware? Why does every home (or commercial for that matter)
>> brewery use S.S. for mash tuns, boilers and hot liquor tanks if it causes
>> "hot spots"?
>This is just a fact that I've observed, and is advertised as being
>beneficial by Al cookware manufacturers, so don't go around quoting it
>as gospel. I don't have a book handy for the thermal conductivity
>properties of Al or Fe, so if any metallurgists are out there...
Not one of those, just someone who used to sell vacuum-waterless SS Westbend
Lifetime Cookware ... (well, almost).
- --
------------------------------
From: Timothy J Kniveton <tim+@CMU.EDU>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 00:45:58 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Newbie probability?
Well, my first batch started on Friday.. But now I seem to be having
a problem.
I followed all the directions, using 3.3lb liquid and 2 lb dry malt
extract, and making 5 gallons of an Export Ale. For the yeast, I used
2 5-gram dry packs, and I started them in some warm water and then
stirred into the wort.
Now it's been a day and a half, and not much is happening. There is a
tiny bit of white suds on top, but no dramatic foaming or air-lock
bubbling like I'd hoped. It just smells kinda yeasty in there but not
much action.
What should I do? Should I add a bit more yeast? Should I wait a
couple more days and take a hydrometer reading?
Thanks....
tim
- ------------------------------
------------------------------
From: Rob Moline <brewer@kansas.net>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 00:04:13 -0500
Subject: Ferm-Cap/Brewer-Ez/Al.K./Kathy B./Eureka Stockade?
>From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
>Subject: Re: Ferm-Cap, Carboys
>> Here's a thought....try "Ferm-Cap" >
>I dunno... call me reactionary or whatever, but I'm just kind of reluctant to
>add a bunch of who-knows-what to my beer. Even Polyclar gives me the
>jitters... (Add powdered *plastic* to my beer? You've gotta be kidding! :-))
I, too, felt the same way about the stuff, but after TOO many times
of coming to work in the morning and having to fight my way over YARDS of
blow off, and then trying this stuff....and NEVER having a repetition of the
problem...I was sold....
I believe that the theory on head retention is based on the blow-off
losing the very stuff that engenders head retention...and that by losing it
to the floor, you lose retention....
It is obvious to me, that, as claimed by the manufacturer, it is no
longer in your finished product by the time that it hits serving...it is
either attached to the 'very nicely delineated' line produced by the top of
the ferm volume, or has dropped out.....
As I think you will find, does your Poly-Clar...
As does your 'fish-guts'..aka isinglass...or your 'sea-weed'..aka
Irish Moss.....or your 'tendons and cartilages'...aka gelatin....
(Sort of goes back to 'Reinheitsgebot,' .... (tangentially), if you
think that they 'might' be 'adding' D.E. to the beers.....or are they just
using something that never ends up in the finished product to "aid" the
process?)
I judge my head retention by the grains I put in the batch, and
never give the "Ferm-Cap" a second thought...
It just works!
All you can do is try the stuff......and see if it meets with your
approval.....if it doesn't, forget it!
I will NEVER be without it.....
Call Crosby and Baker....(800)-352-6258...ask for Bob Makuch....
Brewer-Eze-
Have had more than a few calls on this one.......It comes from Birko
Corp...(800)-525-0476....
Al. K-
....how the hell do I respond with any success?..all I get is un-
reachable messages....
Kathy B-
....Mrs. Gump thanks you! Your server blew us out.....
The serving tanks are full...the conditioners are full...and by this time
tomorrow, the last ferm will be full.....and I'm out of here!!!
Hope to see you!
BTW, check out the Blind Tiger's "Imperial Stout"....pretty damn
good, by my taste... and the godfather of Kansas Brewing...the Free-State's
Beers!
Jethro
"All product endorsements are by virtue of having used them and
finding that they work....I only wish that they paid me to say so.....No
other anything implied....."
Oh, yeah...copyright, tradesmarks.....and where the hell can you get
a Eureka Stockade Flag when you need one for the fest?????????????
Cheers!
Rob 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: Charles Capwell <chas@A119006.sat1.as.crl.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 04:32:15 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Correction
A digest or two ago I posted concerning a screening device for the end
of your racking cane. I mistakenly said it was from the same folks who
brought you the EasyMasher. It is actually produced by Sheaf & Vine in
Bridgewater, IL.
My apologies for this gaff.
- -Chas (chas@crl.com)
------------------------------
From: Art McGregor <mcgregap@acq.osd.mil>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 08:19:17 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Hopped Liquid Malt Extract
Hi Everyone!
I stopped by a yard/garage sale this past weekend, and to my surprise
there were a dozen cans of Liquid Malt Extract (LME) for sale. So
naturally I bought the whole lot. :^) I recall there was a Zymurgy issue
in the past year or so that gave International Bitterness Unit (IBU
values for a number of Hopped LME kits, but I can't seem to put my
hands on it. The hopped cans were Iron City (?) Pilsner. What level
of IBUs would these cans have?
They also were older than the "best used before ..." date. Would age
affect the IBU content of the LME? I believe the age may make the
LME darker, but not sure about the IBUs.
TIA!
Hoppy Brewing
Art McGregor (Northern Virginia, USA)
day: mcgregap@acq.osd.mil
night: apmcgregor@nmaa.org
------------------------------
From: Clint Weathers <clintw@echo.sound.net>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 08:07:06 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Al vs Fe
Im not a metalurgist, but I am a professional cook who makes sauces in
10-15 gal batches 3x a week. I can tell you indoubtably, that given the
same btu and distribution of heat, the aluminum will be a much better
conductor. All of our stockpots from 2qt to 20gal are aluminum. If you
get a cheap thin pot, yes, youll scorch, but for the most part, a nice
heavy al pot works wonders and boils quickly. We also cook some
stocks/sauces that have fairly high acid contents too, and have no big
problems with them at all.
The downside is that its a soft metal and you cant clean it with any kind
of alkali or really put the superscrub to it. We got the wrong kind of
scrub pads one time (meant for auto body work) and damn near wore a hole
in one...
But for a cost vs output basis, Al rules.
IF the alzhiemers link and off taste link has been beaten dead then
please let me know. I still use a enamel coated boiltun here at the
house, but would love to be able to do mass quanities in the kitchen at
work just by having the guys in Maint. put an easy masher in the big pot.
| Clint Weathers |
| Nano-brewer and Yeast Rancher |
| Kansas City, Missouri |
| Relax, Dont worry, Breed Yeast! |
------------------------------
From: John Penn <john_penn@jhuapl.edu>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 09:26:30 +0000
Subject: Thanks Shawn
Good luck in whatever you do next Shawn. Thanks for cleaning up the HBD
and maintaining such an educational and enlightening forum. I'm sure it
was a tough job with thousands of emails everytime something broke. I
think I speak for the collective in saying how much it was appreciated.
John Penn (Eldersburg, MD)
------------------------------
From: chris bersted <CTB967F@vma.smsu.edu>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 96 08:46:00 CDT
Subject: Help: too much head!
Haven't gone to all-grain yet, but soon. Brewed probably 18 batches
batches (extract + adjuncts) in last year, and never had this problem
before. This 'recipe' is very similar to one I used in the past which
turned out quite well (opinion).
6 lb Alexander pale LME
2 lb Hollander extra light DME
5 cups Crystal
1 1/2 cup chocolate
2 cups black patent
(later three steeped at 150 F for 30 minutes)
4 oz malto dextrin
1 oz bittering hops (alpha=12)
1 oz flavor hops (hallertau, alpha=~5)
1 oz aroma (tettnang, alpha=3.7, steeped for 3 minutes)
1 packet Burton water salts,
Wyeast 1098
alcohol = ~ 5% (don't have orig-ending SPG at hand)
after bottling, sat at ~ 70 F for one week, been in the refrig (~ 40 F)
for one week.
The problem: Tastes O.K., don't believe it is infected. However, when I
open a bottle, no gushing (only a few surface bubbles visible), but when
gently pouring into a glass, I get perhaps 3/4 inch dark brown ale, and
the rest of the glass is filled with foam! The foam within about five
minutes subsides to reasonable levels. Who wants to wait that long for
half a glass of beer? Ideas? Infected? Too many unfermentables? Would
it help to uncap the bottles for a few minutes and recap? Thanks for any
help you can give me!
Chris Bersted
ctb967f@vma.smsu.edu
------------------------------
From: bill-giffin@juno.com (Bill Giffin)
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 09:57:56 cst
Subject: Sanction
Good morning all,
>>>Randy Reed asks:
Finally, my question to the collective: If a competition breaks the
rules set down by the sanctioning organization, whether AHA or BJCP, is
anything ever done by the sanctioner to correct the situation? How are
repeat problems identified and avoided in the future? Is there any
policing
of quality?
<<<
$3 or $4 and a sanction from the AHA will get you a pint of beer. A
sanction from the AHA has no policing or correction policies. Talk about
a toothless tiger! Remember the AHA helped in the organization of the
WHC as well as providing the sanction. Surprise, surprise!
Bill
------------------------------
From: KennyEddy@aol.com
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 10:17:25 -0400
Subject: That Starchy Biscuit / Foreign Beer Brewed Here
Paul "Two-First-Names" Brian is using that yummy biscuit malt in a couple of
non-enzymatic recipes. Somebody who REALLY knows what they're talking about,
jump on in here -- in the meantime, I'll suggest using some *wheat malt* to
supply enzymes. While pale malt will work just fine, wheat malt contains
more enzymes than "regular" pale malt, it is quite neutral in flavor and
color, and as a bonus is a "standard" head-retention aid in many recipes.
Steep your specialty grains along with 1/2-lb to 1 lb of wheat malt at
around 155F for 30 min or (preferably) more. A protein rest at 122F is
optional with this small amount of wheat. This will give you a decent
overall conversion while not adding any more complexity (other than a bit of
time) to your process nor altering the character of your recipe.
*****
Tom Brouns & Anne Daugherty & Zoe Brouns and perhaps even the dog suggest:
"Of course, the other explanation may be that foreigners are having US
companies brew their beer for them, or that the taste changes because of
shipping it to the US. "
I found this to be perhaps the case in the opposite direction, when I visited
the UK last year. I was darkly amused to find US Swill being touted as
"premium imported lager" in many establishments -- Coors, Bud, Miller Genuine
Draft. These are brewed in the UK under license by the US concerns.
Finally, at one point, I just had to try some. I was quite surprised at how
"good" the Coors tasted, compared with the US version, and this after having
spent a week drinking "real" British offerings.
I suspect that the local taste is taken into account in cases such as this.
*****
Ken Schwartz
El Paso, TX
KennyEddy@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/kennyeddy
------------------------------
From: Phil Olson <bocefuss@concentric.net>
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 17:55:10 -0400
Subject: Cane vs. Beet Sugar
In HDB #2195, I read a respnse from Richard Hampo from Michigan talking =
about sugar beet production. I'm also from Michigan, so I looked up =
some stats at the USDA. In 1990, the production of sugar from cane and =
beet was about 50/50. 25.5 tons from cane and 27.6 tons from beet.
Phil Olson
Saginaw, MI
------------------------------
From: Michael Caprara <mcaprara@awwarf.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 08:29:42 -0600
Subject: VFD Pumps, Sammy Adams Homebrew Contest
Hello fellow HBDers
I need info on pumps and variable speed drives. I plan to use the pump
to pump sparge water and maybe sometimes to recirculate the mash.
ANy info is appreciated. Send private email. (mcaprara@awwarf.com)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Randy Reed wrote about his displeasurte with the judging for the
longshot competition. Here is my $0.02.
I entered a light peat smoked scotch ale. IT was awesome! The judges
tore my entry up because of phenolics and lack of sanitation. Can those
idiots read!!!??? I put on my entry that is was a peat smoked scotch ale.
Also, this year, I got my entry form in 3 days before the beer had to be in
Boston!! My homebrew club is boycotting the world homebrew
competition until Jim Koch can afford to get some REAL judges and not
some ignorant budweiser swillers who wouldn't know a good beer if it
bit them in the ass!
Brewfully Deadicated
MC
mcaprara@awwarf.com
http://www.dimensional.com/~godbey/louthan.html
------------------------------
From: "Bryan L. Gros" <grosbl@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 09:35:43 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: poor judging, Amer. pilsner
Randy writes (re: longshot competition judging):
> I wonder how many people got their beer judged by two
>or more "judges" who were so lax as to neglect to use actual WORDS on
>the sheet... I wish I could publish the actual score sheets for HBD readers.
>It wouldn't take long to read them.
One thing I've noticed is that it seems to only be the
belgian styles that people have had problems with. any other
examples?
******
Jeff Renner writes (re: Classic Amer. Pilsner):
>We as homebrewers have helped revive other extinct styles (such as
>porter), and I propose to this group that this should be next one.
>This isn't lawnmower beer. This is the beer that our grandfathers paid
>a nickel for and got a free lunch with. This is the beer that German
>immigrants created when they arrived in the US, and that swept out the
>ales in the lager revolution by its demonstrably better quality. This
>is the beer of American steelworkers and shipbuilders. This is the
>beer that built America! This is the bee.... Oops. Sorry. I got so
>excited that I fell off my soapbox.
Wow. I gotta get me some corn!
What yeast do you recommend, Jeff?
- Bryan
grosbl@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
Nashville, TN
------------------------------
From: hollen@vigra.com
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 96 08:13:56 PDT
Subject: Re: RIMS: pump control
>> Patrick Dominick writes:
PD> All the discussion lately about RIMS systems reminds me of a
PD> simple but elegant (IMO) design for a RIMS that was posted in
PD> rec.crafts.brewing by a fellow Aussie back in June, but has never
PD> been discussed in this forum (to my knowledge).
PD> In order to add diversity to the debate (and because I am a RIMS
PD> wannabe) I have included the original post here, and invite comment
PD> on the design, pro and con.
PD> Posted without permission of David Hill, hope he doesn't mind.
PD> cheers,
PD> Patrick Dominick
PD> Original r.c.b. post follows:
PD> My brew partner and I have a very successful RIMS system powered by a
PD> minuscule 6volt hobbyists' model motor.
PD> Follows crude ASCII
PD> | |M| |
PD> | | | |
PD> | : : |
PD> |========|=|========|
PD> | | | |
PD> | | | |
PD> |--------| |--------|
PD> | #### |*| #### |
PD> |____________________= drain tap
While this is a novel idea, I made no comments on it to begin with
because I have no experience with it. The only thing which I would be
concerned with is the longevity of the motor, the ability to
properly isolate it from the liquid, and for the parts of it which are
in contact with wort, the food grade materials issues. It is
obviously a working design, but I would be concerned over the long
haul. In most "hobby" motors I have seen the metallic parts are
painted or cadmium plated. Either of these in contact with wort is
not good.
dion
- --
Dion Hollenbeck (619)597-7080x164 Email: hollen@vigra.com
Sr. Software Engineer - Vigra Div. of Visicom Labs San Diego, California
------------------------------
From: gmoore@wacko.East.Sun.COM (Greg Moore - SMCC BOS Hardware Engineering)
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 11:21:11 -0400
Subject: capping question
Greetings from the latest newbie:
When bottling, should one wipe the rim of the bottle before applying a cap?
I'm used to doing this for food canning, but haven't seen any references
to this procedure so far for beer bottling.
- -Greg
gmoore@wacko.east.sun.com
------------------------------
From: Steve Alexander <stevea@clv.mcd.mot.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 11:27:33 -0400
Subject: RE: Scorching
Dave Eddington discusses Scott Murman post re Stainless vs Aluminim
>cheaper, and now it seems that they're better heat conductors. My question
>is why isn't EVERYBODY using them? I'm ready to put an end to this fear of
>aluminum once and for all. If somebody will send me a pint of
>aluminum-brewed homebrew (all-grain preferably, so it'll include mash and
>boil), I'll pay to get the lab analysis done to see exactly how much Al is
>leached into our beer during brewing.
There was such an article with lab test in Brewing Techniques, and the
amount of Aluminum in the beer was acceptably small IMO (YMMV).
Aluminum, copper, silver and several other metals have much better
conductivity than stainless. Stainless' advantages are in mechanical
strength, non-reactivity, and 'workability'. Specifically aluminum is
quite reactive, tho' it forms an non-reactive aluminum oxide coating
fairly quickly. If you use acids in a freshly scrubbed aluminum pan
you can see the selective discoloration and ... some sort of residue
forming. I'll leave it to John Palmer or some of the chemistry crew
to fill in the details. Aluminum is difficult to weld w/o using
specialised techniques and it's prone to form stress fractures. I
don't have the melting point handy, but it is possible to 'burn' a hole
thru the bottom using conventional kitchen stoves. Raw aluminum is
probably more expensive than steel, but the chromium that goes into
stainless is quite pricy.
Why isn't everyone using it ? Because sankes are vitually free.
Steve Alexander
------------------------------
From: Spencer W Thomas <spencer@engin.umich.edu>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 11:43:01 -0400
Subject: Anheuser-Busch ends talks with Budvar
The two Budweisers look to co-exist now. AB is selling Bud under the
name "Bud" in the previously disputed European markets (but who'd want
it? :-)
A full story can be found at
http://guide-p.infoseek.com//DB?arn=BW1150-19960923&dbid=4&sv=PC&lk=noframes&col=NW&pg=article.html
I'm not posting it because it's copyrighted.
=Spencer Thomas in Ann Arbor, MI (spencer@umich.edu)
------------------------------
From: DAVE BRADLEY IC742 6-7932 <BRADLEY_DAVID_A@LILLY.COM>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 16:04:29 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Brass fittings versus copper issue
Just a quick note...I believe it was discussed here on
the HBD about 2 years ago, the impending prohibition of brass
fittings in the microbrewery. I've not heard that any further
"progress" by the feds has been made, but just imagine the cost
of changing over fittings in your business from brass to stainless.
Anyone have any more recent experience with this contested issue?
The heart of the movement by the BTAF (?) was to eliminate the
potential for LEAD leaching into acidic liquids (wort/beer), not
so much the issue of copper contamination. Or so I recall...
Dave in Indy
Home of the 3-D B.B.B.
------------------------------
From: "MASSIMO FARAGGI" <maxfarag@hotmail.com>
Date: 24 Sep 1996 15:47:25 -0000
Subject: selecting a Wyeast
Dear HBDers,
thanks to all the people who emailed me with welcomes and advices.
I am considering ALL the suggestions I received, including those
regarding growing hops and opening my own HB shop here in Italy;
and I must reassure everybody that we will NEVER think about baker yeast any
more! (I personally never used it anyway).
In fact, I am going to try for the first time a liquid yeast.
I would try an European Ale strain because these are available
at my UK shop, and anyway I prefer to brew European style ales
for the moment.
My next 3 brews will be
1- A "Biere de Garde" (that is, a 1065 OG copper ale, malty and
not very hoppy) (my wife's favourite)
2- An Old Ale, hoppier than a scotch, a stronger Old Peculier;
3- A Barley Wine
I would like to use the same yeast for all 3, or at least for 2;
I have available (besides weizen and lager yeasts):
Wyeast 1028 London Ale
Wyeast 1098 British Ale
Wyeast 1968 London ESB
Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale
Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale
Which one would you suggest? I would prefer an "easy" yeast, as
it will be my first liquid one. I was thinking about #1728, but
searching in past HBD issues I found many problems related to it.
Would 1084 be OK, as I am going to buy it for a friend brewing a Stout?
Or are these beers too different and it's better to use dry yeast for
some of them (I will buy some dry yeast as a backup anyway).
Suggestions are welcome by private email or by digest as you prefer.
TIA
Massimo Faraggi
GENOVA - ITALY
maxfarag@hotmail.com
- ---------------------------------------------------------
Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
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------------------------------
From: "Nash,David" <DNASH@cerner.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 11:48:10 -0500
Subject: RE: Brewing Beers Like Those You Buy
MadAntBrew@aol.com said:
>I just picked up a copy of this book at my local library looking for
>some new
>info to read. It has a great collection of English stye bitters, pales,
>
>old-ales etc., my kind of beers!!! The book was published in1978 when
>homebrewing methods and supplies were not as they are today and many of
>the
>recipes include "light or dark brown sugar, demerara sugar and
>saccharin
>tablets!" My question is , are these outdated ingredients? Does brown
>sugar
>add some wanted character to these beers as opposed to being cidery.I
>can't
>imagine adding saccharin to beer, I know it won't ferment and will add
>residual sweetness but I think I'll stick to crystal or cara-pils. Any
>thoughts or experience with these recipes or ingredients?
Well I bought this a couple of months ago on the recommendation of my
local
homebrew shop owner. I sparked a thread on the UK Homebrew Digest about
the relative merits of Dave Line (The author of this book) vs Graham
Wheeler
(The current UK "guru") and the concensus of opinion was that Dave
Line's methods
were generally outdated but they were fine in their time.
Having said that I finished the first beer in the book ("Fullers ESB")
and it turned
out great - saccharine tablets, brown sugar, and everything, and it
wasn't at all over-
sweet - slightly bitter if anything. It was brown sugar from the
homebrew shop,
not the supermarket - I down't know if there is any difference although
I do know
that some supermarket brown sugars have colouring to give the brownness.
Dave in Luton, UK
- --
Dave Nash- dnash@cerner.com
Cerner Limited
Cresta House
Alma Street
Luton LU1 2PU
+44 (0)1582 20356
Fax +44 (0)1582 459581
http://www.cerner.com "To Automate the Process of Managing
Health"
>
------------------------------
From: James Murphy <jjmurphy@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 10:01:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: refrigerator/stuck mash
Hi all,
I have two questions for you...
First, we just moved into a new place and the old tenants left behind a=20
small refrigerator (one of those "college dorm" fridges which is perfect=20
for a carboy). They thought it was busted, but all it needed was some=20
WD40. My question is: can I use this for fermentation and lagering, or=20
is the temperature variation too much? I see that Greg Walz has=20
instructions for constructing a temp controller on the Brewery, but I've=20
never done any electrical/electronics stuff before and I'm concerned=20
about safety. Any thoughts?
Second, over the weekend I tried a partial mash brown ale and had problems
with a stuck mash. I'm trying to figure out what might have caused it.=20
This was the first time I tried to use my bottling bucket as a combination
mash/lauter tun. I used a second bucket with holes for a false bottom.=20
This sits about 1.5-2 inches above the bottom of the bottling bucket. =20
Before, I would mash in my SS pot and then transfer to this bucket setup fo=
r=20
sparging and didn't have any problems. =20
The grain bill was 4# pale malt, 1/2# brown, 1# crystal, 2 oz black, 2 oz
light roasted barley. The homebrew shop crushed these for me and the
crush did not appear too fine. I mashed at 150-153=A1=CAfor 70 minutes. W=
hen
it stuck, I tried stirring the mash and blowing on the valve, neither
seemed to work. I wound up transferring the mash to my pot and heated
this to 168=A1 while I cleaned out my buckets. Neither the false bottom no=
r
the spigot appeared clogged. After cleaning and transferring the mash
back to the bucket, the sparge went great.=20
I'm not sure if this could be part of my problem: from what I've read, it
seems that I should use about 1 quart mash water per pound of grains. In
my case, this is about 6 qts. Because the false bottom is almost 2 inches
above the bottom, the mash water barely reached the false bottom. I wound
up adding about another 6 qts to get a decent mash consistency (not too
thick, not too thin...).=20
I'd certainly appreciate any suggestions on how to avoid this in the future=
..
Thanks.
Jim Murphy (Davis, CA)
jjmurphy@ucdavis.edu
------------------------------
From: "Mark C. Bellefeuille" <mcb@abrams.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 1996 10:14:29 -0700 (MST)
Subject: no-sparge mashing
I've been contemplating no-sparge mashing since it was mentioned long
ago. I've wondered if all grains are scaled up at the same ratio....
Black Patent, Chocolate, etc...
Mark
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Mark C. Bellefeuille BEER! Because Barley makes lousy bread!
mcb@abrams.com Brewing in Phoenix AZ (602) 759-9273
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
End of Homebrew Digest #2202
****************************
