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HOMEBREW Digest #2219
This file received at Hops.Stanford.EDU 1996/10/07 PDT
Homebrew Digest Monday, 7 October 1996 Number 2219
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Mike Donald, Digest Janitor-in-training
Thanks to Rob Gardner for making the digest happen!
Contents:
Re: PPBT qualifications (Derek Lyons)
re Barley Wine Yeast (Mark Thompson)
Starch (Anton Schoenbacher)
Re: sanitation (Kelly Jones)
Duvel (Peter Ensminger)
Sparge-free All-Grain ("Genito, Michael A.")
Start-Stop Fermentation ("O'Mahoney, Larry")
sweet beer (faymi@earlham.edu)
Sanitation con't (Kathy Booth)
World Beer Festival -- PART 1/2 (John Adams)
Re: The Un-Believer's Six-Pack (Anton Schoenbacher)
World Beer Festival -- PART 2/2 (John Adams)
Earl Grey ("Goodale, Daniel CPT 4ID DISCOM")
Whiskey in my wort ((Mark Olson))
Oatmeal / cracked wheat mash conversion (Jon Vilhauer)
Liquid Pumpkin Pie (Darrin Pertschi)
[none] ((Cory Chadwell))
High temp fermentation (follow-up) (Dave Mercer)
Re: fast ferments, sampler sixpak (lheavner@TCMAIL.FRCO.COM)
Water analysis and treatment questions ("Toler, Duffy L.")
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale / Six Pack ((Denis Barsalo))
The Move to All-Grain (long) (smurman@best.com)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Derek Lyons <elde@hurricane.net>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 08:31:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: PPBT qualifications
At 02:18 AM 10/7/96 -0400, you wrote:
>>>>>> "Derek" == Derek Lyons <elde@hurricane.net> writes:
>
> Derek> How is a megaswill professional (The bulk of the industry,
> Derek> no slam, just truth) qualified to judge a weizen?
>
>Over the last four years, I have been involved with organizing and
>running the Michigan State Fair homebrew competition. We have always
>invited professionals from local breweries to participate in our
>best-of-show panel. This includes the Stroh Brewing Co., a local
>"megaswill" company.
>
>I have been impressed with the depth and breadth of knowledge these
>folks brought to the table. One year, the panelist from Stroh
>deconstructed a barleywine recipe by tasting it. The brewer was in
>the audience, and his mouth dropped further and further as the
>panelist described what he was tasting.
>
This is exactly my point. Thanks. He can deconstruct a brew. (That's his
job, keeping the flavor of his brew 'standardized'.) This does *NOT* mean
that he knows what a given style is supposed to taste like.
This may explain the low scores and odd comments on judging sheets as
mentioned here.
>
>In my experience, these guys may not sell a weizen, but they know what
>it's supposed to taste like, and they know when it's good or bad.
>
------------------------------
From: Mark Thompson <markt@hpdocp3.cup.hp.com>
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 1996 08:56:39 -0700
Subject: re Barley Wine Yeast
ray gaffield: requested information on Barley Wine yeast.
The way I do it is as follows:
1 Get a fresh pack of one of the following yeasts and smack it:
1056
1084
1007
2. Make a 1 quart starter after it expands
3. Make an ESB with a gravity of about 1.050 or so.
make sure to oxygenate thourghly as to assure maximum yeast
growth.
4. I like to transfer off the trub the next morning but you
can use the secondary yeast too.
5. Once you are ready to rack off the secondary start brewing
your barley wine. you can also save the dregs in a sterelized
jar for a few days.
6. Pitch the yeast and oxygenate.
I personally have used this system with the 1007 and the 1084 with
good results. Full fermentation in a short period less than a week.
I have heard that the 1056 works well for high gravity as well, but
haven't tried it myself.
Good luck
- --
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Mark E. Thompson mailto:mark_thompson@hp.com
Enterprise Objects Program Networked Computing Division
Hewlett-Packard Co. Cupertino CA
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
------------------------------
From: Anton Schoenbacher <aschoenb@eecs.wsu.edu>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 96 9:02:27 PDT
Subject: Starch
About a week and a half ago I made what I thought was an
'extract' oatmeal stout. After I made this I discovered
that you can not make a total extract oatmeal stout because
of all the starch in the oatmeal needs to be mashed out into
sugar. My 'oatmeal stout' has pretty much subsided fermentation
and tastes pretty good, but there is foam on top which looks like
its still fermenting but the bubbles are not popping, its just
sitting there...is this because of all the starch in my beer,
did it coagolate (sp) on top.
- --
*****Anton Schoenbacher*****aschoenb@eecs.wsu.edu*****
******************************************************
------------------------------
From: Kelly Jones <kejones@ptdcs2.intel.com>
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 1996 09:47:51 -0700
Subject: Re: sanitation
Jim Booth asks:
> 1) Would using 1 gal of the clorine version of bleach at 1t/gal water in
> a 5 or 7 gal carbouy, then swirling to wet all the surfaces every few
> minutes be equivelent to filling and letting the carbouy stand full?
Yes, this is what I do for most of my equipment. However, starting with
CLEAN glassware is critical. If you swirl the sanitizer, and then see the
'film' on the inside solution break up and run down the glass in streams, the
glass is not clean, and the sanitizer is not effectively wetting it. If you
can't see sanitizer on the inside surface (because it forms one continuous,
unbroken film) then you are wetting the glass, and the sanitizer will do it's
stuff.
> 2) Turning up the
> home hot water heator to max gives me hot water at the tap at 152F. Does
> water standing/flowing in the hot water delivery system and arriving at
> 152F have the relevent bugs killed so this water can be used for rinsing
> items treated with bleach solutions as in question 1?
Well, I wouldn't count on 152F water being sterile, there's lots of nasties
that survive (or even thrive) at that temp. However, I don't think most home
hot water systems are that contaminated, so this is one of those things I
don't worry about. There's probably a lot worse sources of contamination
than your hot water supply, so I choose to live with the handful of bugs that
might be found in my water, and correct for it by using large, healthy
pitching rates.
Kelly
------------------------------
From: Peter Ensminger <ensmingr@npac.syr.edu>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 13:05:01 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Duvel
Michale Otten asked about Duvel ...
Duvel is also a personal favorite of mine. In fact, I have had quite a
few served to me during the many weeks I've been in Belgium over the past
5 years or so (most recently in May 1996). At no time was I served an
'ice cold' Duvel. In fact, I have never been served an 'ice cold' beer of
any kind in Belgium. The Flemish bars seem to serve Duvel at a moderately
cool temperature, I would guess about 55 degrees F. When I have had Duvel
served at someone's home, its been closer to room temperature. My
impression is that Americans are the only ones who serve beer at 'ice
cold' temperatures.
Once, I tried to culture the yeast from the bottom of a Duvel bottle which
I purchased here in America, but was unsuccessful. I have been successful
with yeasts in other Belgian beer bottles. Perhaps my Duvel bottle was a
bit old or perhaps Duvel is bottle pasteurized before export. Maybe I'll
try this again sometime. However, you should keep in mind that only one
of the two yeast strains which Duvel uses for fermentation actually makes
it into the bottle. The other one is filtered out.
Has anyone out there tried to home-brew a Duvel clone? I'd be interested
in hearing about it.
Cheerio!
Peter A. Ensminger tel: 315-478-6024
256 Greenwood Place email: ensmingr@npac.syr.edu
Syracuse, NY 13210 URL: www.npac.syr.edu/users/ensmingr/
U.S.A.
------------------------------
From: "Genito, Michael A." <mgenito@ci.rye.ny.us>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 13:18:34 -0400
Subject: Sparge-free All-Grain
I saw some recent posts re doing an all-grain batch without sparging.
Exactly how is this accomplished? What is the water:grain ratio in such
a mash? Any FAQs out there on this? What I don't understand is how you
can get all the sugars extracted without the sparge of additional water.
Private email response preferred. I don't always get a chance nowadays
to read the HBD daily. TIA.
------------------------------
From: "O'Mahoney, Larry" <LLOM@chevron.com>
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 96 12:14:00 CDT
Subject: Start-Stop Fermentation
To the HBD,
I have a west coast style stout frementing in my 5.5 gallon primary. After
some very vigorous fermentation action within the first 48 hours it stopped
dead (used one package of rehydrated Australian dry ale yeast). Then five
days later it again began bubbling steadily about 1 bubble every 20 seconds.
It's been doing this for two days now.
Any reason(s) for this type of bizzare action? The ambient temperature has
remained ~70-73 degrees F., and the barometric pressure has remained fairly
steady.
Thanks in advance.
LarryO
------------------------------
From: faymi@earlham.edu
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 1996 12:40:54 EST
Subject: sweet beer
I've recent ventured into partial-mash brewing (2 batches) and each of them
have turned out kind of sweet. The first, an IPA, was sweeter than it should
have been, and the second, a Kolsch that is still in the fermenter is sweet but
shouldn't be so at all. It has been fermenting for two weeks and SG is 1.013
so i assume it has done all it will do. Why the sweetness? I used 3# of
2-row pale malt and 1.5# of what malt for the mash and 3.3# M&F light extract
and 1# of light dme. Could it be attributed to my mashing technique? Or what?
I don't see how these ingredients could produce as much unfermentable sugars as
are apparently in there. Tell me what's goin' on.
Michael
------------------------------
From: Kathy Booth <kbooth@waverly.k12.mi.us>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 13:45:27 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Sanitation con't
My post last HBD should have said 1 T (tablespoon) bleach/gal to
sanitize.
My gift 6-pak to non-adventurous beer drinkers would not include those big
hop choices. The idea is to intrigue not intimidate.
a fine bitter as Boddington; a Belgium lambic as a Kriek; a S. German
pils; a Scotch ale (Tartan) ; Celis Wit; Red Hook Hefewiezen
For a mega-brewers list, I'd go Elk Mountain amber ale, Killian's Brown
Ale, Red Hook's Hefewiezen, Cellis Wit, Samual Adams Lager, and SA Cherry
Wheat. If they drink sherry, I'd include Boston Beer Triple Bock as a
bonus.
Just got back from the Real Ale Festival in Chicago and I thot it
was a pretty good event. Of the thirty four or so cask ales about a
half dozen about were imported. Thanks to Goose Island and Ray Danials
and
the many others for lots of hard work. Got to wander the halls of the
Siebels Institute where the Friday night tasting class was held. Even
met Al K. and for spending as much time on the internet and brewing,
he really has an attractive wife. Cheers. . . jim booth, lansing
------------------------------
From: John Adams <jadams@pipeline.cnd.hp.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 10:54:04 -0600
Subject: World Beer Festival -- PART 1/2
I recently had the opportunity to have what any beer lover would call
the best 2-week beer vacation imaginable. One week at the Great
American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado followed by a week at
Oktoberfest in Stuttgart, Germany.
September 20 -- Broomfield Colorado's Keg Ran Out Club Meeting
I am starting my 2-week beer vacation with KROC's own monthly meeting.
Mitch Mather's Oktoberfest-style Ale is very tasty and the enthusiasm
for KROC's very own World Brewers Forum is high. An excellent jump
point for my vacation.
September 24 -- Boulder Colorado's Hop Barley and the Alers Meeting
Anchor Brewing Company's (San Francisco, California) Bruce Joseph and
Bob Brewer are presenting at the Alers meeting. Bruce talks about
Anchor's history of making California-style Steam beers and their new
venture: Anchor Distillery which produces a single-malt rye whiskey.
Geoff Larson from Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Company (Juneau Alaska)
is also on hand and claims that every time he visits Colorado, we
Coloradoans are always drinking!
September 25 -- Association of Brewers 15th Anniversary Party
What a fun time! I talk with Pierre Celis and Peter Camps from the
Celis Brewery (Austin, Texas) about their latest beer, a Dubbel. I
discuss English Ales with Mark Dorber (White Horse on Parson's Green,
London, England), and have a humorous conversation with a rather
intoxicated English gentleman, in which we talk about Monty Python,
politics, and Michael Jackson (who was standing 3m away).
I also talk with Kinney Baughman of the Cottonwood Grille & Brewery
(Boone, North Carolina) about his early days with Wayne Waananen
(Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, Colorado) and with Greg Noonan
(Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington, Vermont).
September 26 -- Great American Beer Festival Beer Judging (PPBT)
Having recently been a Table Captain at the World Beer Cup in June, this
practice made the GABF Professional Panel of Blind Tasting (PPBT) go
very smoothly. Chuck Allen and Mitch Mather are my beer stewards. In
the morning we have India Pale Ales and English-Style Pale Ales. In the
afternoon we have Robust Porters and, in preparation for my trip to
Germany, Maerzen/Oktoberfests. Yummy!
September 26 -- 2nd Annual KROC World Brewers Forum
A complete success and a big thank you to everyone involved! This
year's event, while put together on a smaller budget and more time
constraints, is twice the forum as last year. We moved the event to the
Broadway Brewing Company (Denver, Colorado) and had over $1000 (1400DM)
in door prizes/raffles. Nobody walks away empty-handed.
Dave Miller of the Blackstone Restaurant & Brewery (Nashville,
Tennessee) gives an in-depth presentation of brewing Continental
Pilseners, in particular Pilsener Urquel. Water profiles, malts, hops,
and yeast selection are discussed. A very informative and detailed
presentation!
Fred Eckhardt gives an extremely humorous talk and has the entire room
laughing continuously. Fred talks about beer, prohibition, and the
sanity of beer lovers (mostly the lack of sanity of those who don't
drink).
September 27 -- Great American Beer Festival Beer Judging (PPBT)
Friday morning we have the American Pale Ales and American Brown Ales, a
very difficult category to judge. In the afternoon we have Specialty
Stouts (Oatmeal Stouts in particular) and Herb/Spice beers.
As soon as the judging is complete, Mitch and myself walk over to the
GABF to sample some very fine German beers: Oktoberfests, Weizens, and
Pilseners! Gary Luther of the Miller Brewing Company (Hartland,
Michigan) suggests places to visit during my trip to Germany. I am
really getting in the mood for the 2nd leg of my journey.
------------------------------
From: Anton Schoenbacher <aschoenb@eecs.wsu.edu>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 96 11:34:50 PDT
Subject: Re: The Un-Believer's Six-Pack
Geoff wrote:
- ----------------------------------------------------------
Hi there!
I don't think that "good beer" ever goes into a six-pack. Good beer
doesn't even go into bottles or cans.
Good beer is naturally conditioned in the cask, contains living yeasts,
and is served at room temperature from a hand-pump (not CO2 pressure).
It is brewed only from grain malt, with no added sugars, and however
drunk you get, it causes no hang-over.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
Well Geoff not everyone lives in your Utopian world. No need to be a
beer snob !
Gee, I thought a hangover came from Alcohol.
- --
*****Anton Schoenbacher*****aschoenb@eecs.wsu.edu*****
******************************************************
------------------------------
From: John Adams <jadams@pipeline.cnd.hp.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 12:58:42 -0600
Subject: World Beer Festival -- PART 2/2
September 29 -- Continental Pilseners
I arrive at my hotel in Sindelfingen (near Stuttgart) after spending the
previous 20 hours aboard 3 aircraft and in 4 airports. I feel I'm in
very good shape after the 8 hour time difference (I slept the entire
trip to de-jet lag myself).
I drive to my good friend Jason Goldman's house in Gertring (whom has
recently relocated to Germany) on the autobahn. Although many sections
of the autobahn are without speed limits, this section has a speed limit
of 120km/h (I leave it as an exercise to the reader to convert to mph),
but it is fun never the less.
We enjoy 2 very good beers: Spezial-Brau, a Rauchbier from Bamberg, and
NeckarMueller DunkleWeizen, a very nice wheat beer from Tuebligen. Next
stop is a small, very friendly pub in Boebligen for a couple of Pilsener
Urquels (Dave Miller would be proud) and a Guinness Stout (it's not
German but it was fresh). I am in beer heaven!!!
September 30 -- Dogs and Wheat beers
One of my trip goals is to visit the ancient town of Rottweil. Roughly
100km south and traveling at 180km/h (no speed limit on this stretch),
Jason and I arrive at the 700 A.D. village which is famous for its
red-tiled Roman baths and their drover dogs--the famous German
metzgerhund, or as we call them, the Rottweiler.
After trying to locate a breeder without too much success, we travel
back north to the very pleasant old College town of Tuebligen to try
some very, VERY good German Hefeweizens brewed only on/for the premises
of the NeckarMueller on the Neckar river (I have the glass and coaster
to prove I was there).
October 1 -- Oktoberfest
Our conference lunch on Tuesday is fantastic (don't ask me what it was
but it was delicuous), but of course the best part is the 0,5l of
Erdinger Kystal Weizen.
Following our meeting I tag up with a fellow conference attendee, Don
Viola, and we take the S-bahn from Boebligen to Stuttgart to attend the
Volksfest, the local Oktoberfest celebration. As we approach the Bad
Constant stop (another ancient Roman bath site) I first witness the
massive festival.
The Oktoberfest is really a very, VERY large county fair. They have
individual booths to purchase crafts, steins, kitchen utensils, and hand
made items, they also have a large number of amusement park rides.
First stop is the 4 loop-to-loop roller coaster (not going to try it
after drinking). But of course the best part of the Oktoberfest is the
beer tents--lots of them!
This being Don's 2nd trip to the fest he already knew a few waitresses,
Renate and Barbara, whom we joined. They both speak very good English
and make us feel very welcome. We have a fantastic time: We drink 5
litres of Schwaben Brau, eat half chickens, party with Mercedes-Benz
engineers (Prost!), sing beer songs with Arnold Schwarzenegger (well, he
looked like him), and dance on the tables all night long!!!
October 2 -- Hair of the Dog
Whoa, did that alarm go off early? After 8 hours of meetings (and a
Erdinger Hefedunkel--hair of the dog later) we re-arrive at the
Volksfest. Tomorrow is Germany's Unification day so the place it
packed! We locate our beer maids from the night before but they are
extremely busy.
We meet a wild bunch of Schwabians from the Black Forest. We consume
another 5 litres of Schwaben Brau and ingest more half chickens before
the evening ends. Waiting in the line for the WC (the restroom) I meet
a couple of guys and all evening I party, dancing again, with our new
German friends.
I sing to the local favorites of 'No Satisfaction', 'Sierra Madre'
(which I mistook for a German song), and 'Alice' (the chorus goes: Who
the fuck is Alice?) over and over again. I dance the jitter bug and
have one of the single best times of my entire life. The German people
know how to have a good time and are the friendliest people I have ever
met.
October 3 -- Rauchbier
My head hurts and sleeping for only 5 hours (for the 10 straight day) is
beginning to catch up with me. With my friend Jason and his wife Susan
I drive nearly 300km to Bamberg, home of the best smoked beers in the
world. My goal for the day is to get my Renault to red-line in top gear
but traffic is heavy as everyone is traveling to Munich for Oktoberfest.
The best I could manage was 190km/h.
Bamberg is a truly beautiful town. Missing virtually all of Allied
bombing it is intact and original. Our first stop is the famous
Spezial-Brau for a fantastic pork and potato dumpling lunch and a
delicious Rauchbier. Next we walk through the old (1500 A.D.) part of
town settling upon more Rauchbiers at Aecht Schlenkerla. I enjoy a
couple with a very pleasant German man and a old Bavarian couple (in
their holiday attire of lederhosen and a hand-stitched dress).
Next we visit the 1100 A.D. Cathedral but before leaving we have 0,5l
of a German unfiltered Pilsener, St. Georgen Brau. Traffic is mild on
the return flight (not a drive but a flight!) and I achieve my goal of
red-lining the Renault: 220km/h down the autobahn!!!!
We then head back for one last hurrah at the Volksfest. Arriving very
late, my mission is to purchase gifts (I failed to do so on my 2 prior
visits) and arriving at the Schwaben Brau tent (had to say good-bye to
our beer maids) and with only a little over an hour to go, we manage to
consume another 3 litres!!!
I will have to say I have had some good times in the USA but Germany has
it all: great people, superb highways, fantastic food, and AWESOME
beers. Having the best beers in the USA at the Great American Beer
Festival followed up my consuming the best beers in the world in Germany
is a beer vacation that will be hard to top--until next year!!!!
------------------------------
From: "Goodale, Daniel CPT 4ID DISCOM" <GoodaleD@HOOD-EMH3.ARMY.MIL>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 15:03:00 -0500
Subject: Earl Grey
Dear Collective,
One of my favorite teas is Earl Grey (if it's
good enough for CPT Picard.......) and I have got it
in my mind to brew something with that flavor. From
the ingredient on the box I guess the flavor comes
from the oil of bergamot. Questions:
1. What style to add this to? Light lager?
2. Will oil just sit on to in the fermenter? (I didn't
notice any oil slick on top of my tea)
3. Found the oil in a catalog, but was listed as
"aroma therapy grade." Is this for external use
only?
4. How much should I add?
5. Is this just a bad idea?
6. What is a bergamot anyway; some animal?
7. Should I just use Earl Grey tea bags? What
about all those tannins? Primary or "dry tea" the
batch?
Any input would be appreciated.
Daniel Goodale (yes, that is my real name)
The Biohazard Brewing Company
Home of the methylphosphonothioic acid lager.
------------------------------
From: marko@itd.sterling.com (Mark Olson)
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 15:10:57 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Whiskey in my wort
I started my second batch of beer last week. Everything went well,
I learned from the mistakes that I made on the first batch, however,
I made one gaffe. I filled the airlock halfway with whiskey (as
suggested in the instructions for my kit) and then, groan, moved
the plastic pail with the airlock in place to its final resting
spot. In the process of lifting, the pail acted as a diaphram and
sucked about half of the whiskey from the airlock into the beer.
My question is, how will the affect the final product? The airlock
started to bubble, indicating the fermentation had started, right
on schedule. Will this ruin the batch?
- --
Mark Olson || Mark_Olson@sterling.com
------------------------------
From: Jon Vilhauer <jvil@inforum.net>
Date: Sat, 07 Oct 1995 13:39:01 -0700
Subject: Oatmeal / cracked wheat mash conversion
Many stout recipies call for the addition of oatmeal to the mash.
Presumably oatmeal adds flavor and perhaps a little body. I've tasted
beers such as this but don't know what part (if any) of the flavor is
oatmeal based. And I've wondered about unmalted wheat.
As an experiment, I intend to brew three small batches of an
unassertive ale - medium bitterness, little hop aroma, OG around 1044,
and just enough crystal malt to provide an enjoyable ale.
Batch 1 2 row barley malt only
Batch 2 2 row barley malt & quick cooking oatmeal
Batch 3 2 row barley malt & cracked unmalted precooked wheat
My question, sparge problems aside, is how high a proportion of
oatmeal & unmalted wheat can I use and still get full conversion. My
guess is not more than about 30% of the total mash (dry weight basis).
I'll be using domestic (Great Western) 2 row barley malt, and plan on a
50-60-70 mash schedule, 30 min at each step, but am open to suggestions.
Jon Vilhauer
------------------------------
From: Darrin Pertschi <darrinp@cowles.com>
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 1996 16:52:17 -0400
Subject: Liquid Pumpkin Pie
Duff Hickman says Bernard D Hummel (hummelbe@pilot.msu.edu) asked a
few weeks ago about favorite recipes for a seasonal pumpkin/spiced ale.
This is a recipe I got off AOL last year, sorry I don't have the original
posters name. If he/she is present by all means stand up and take credit. I
used carving pumpkins. Everyone in the brewing community seems to
agree that cooking (neck) pumpkins would be better. Everyone who tried
this one though loved it. I just bottled this one again (using neck pumpkin
this time) last week, it was crystal clear and tasted delicious.
Brew Name: Pumpkin Ale
Category/Type: Pumpkin Beer
Date Brewed: 9/14/95
Date Bottled: 9/29
Original Gravity: 1.045
Final Gravity: 1.020
Batch Number: 15
Batch Size: 6
Alcohol Content: 3.3%
Apparent Attenuation: 54.6%
Grains/Malt Extract:
6 lb. light extract
1 lb. Pale Ale Malt (English 2 Row 2.25 L)
1 lb. Crystal Malt
Hops:
1 oz. Tettenanger (40 min.)
1/4 oz. Saaz (10 min.)
Special Ingredients:
Irish Moss
4 tsp ground cinnamon 2.5 tsp ground ginger
1.5 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp allspice 6 whole corriander seeds
1 Vanilla bean chopped
Yeast: Wyeast #1056
Brewing Procedure/Fermentation Log:
Bake the pumpkins (halved and seeded) @350 F for an hour, or until
visually carmelized. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh from the rind and add 5
cups to 2 gallons of water along with grains. Mash @ 150 F for 60
minutes.
Strain out pumpkin and grain and set aside for later use. Top off wort to 2
gallons and bring back to boil. Add extracts and boil for 60 minutes. 40
minutes remaining in the boil, add Tettenanger. 30 minutes remaining add
spices. 10 minutes remaining, add Saaz and Irish Moss. Cool and transfer
to fermenter. Patiently top off with cold water poured through the
reserved pumpkin and grain.
Enjoy, I will!
- --
Darrin in Central PA
Proprietor--Simpleton's Cosmic Brewery
- ---------------------------------------------
You never know just how you look through other peoples eyes. <B.H.S.>
------------------------------
From: cory@okway.okstate.edu (Cory Chadwell)
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 15:55:44 -0700
Subject: [none]
Hey Beer fans,
A couple quick questions for the learned.
1. Secondary fermentors: I have a simple two 6 gal. food grade bucket
setup for fermentation. One I use as the primary fermentor then I
siphon into the second bucket for bottling (it has a tap at the
bottom). I've always done single stage fermentation's fairly
successfully with this setup (no food poisoning). A friend has a
similar setup and he uses the bottling bucket also as a secondary
fermentor about 1 week before going to bottle. What are the pro's and
cons of a secondary fermentation and are there any additional steps
you go through for secondary fermentation (he just sets it in the
bucket for a week)?
2. Extract improvements: After a previous post I received many great
suggestions on how to improve my simple extract brews (which I am
currently putting to use in a new batch). However a couple
interesting ideas were a little vague so if anyone can shed a little
light on the following it would be much appreciated.
a) Steeping with ground coffee beans as opposed to grain to get a
nice coffee beer (I've had a couple bottles of a commercial version of
this and I think it's great)
b) Using dried pumpkin seeds to steep rather than grains (same deal
as above I love those store bought pumpkins beers around Halloween)
c) Adding fruit concentrate to the bottling bucket right before
going to bottle (never had the fruit beers but they really sound fun)
THX, CDC
------------------------------
From: Dave Mercer <dmercer@path.org>
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 10:17:24 -0700
Subject: High temp fermentation (follow-up)
A few weeks ago I posted a question to the collective regarding the cause
and prognosis of a funky 'bad alcohol' taste to a brown ale that I had
recently bottled. I said that I had used 1056 yeast and that due to the
blistering Seattle August (insert smiley) the beer fermented in the mid-70's
(F). I asked whether this nasty off taste was likely due to high ferment
temperatures or to something else. Well, the feedback I received from
several HBDers was almost unanimous in attributing this nastiness to high
temperature, but was evenly split as to whether time and conditioning would
fix it. Apparently the voices of optimism were correct this time. After only
about 6-7 weeks in the bottle, this beer has gone from being almost
undrinkable to being pretty good. Actually, very good IMHO. Whatever caused
that cheap vodka aftertaste has disappeared as mysteriously as it arose.
Now, just because a diagnosis with a name, even in the absence of a cure,
can be a comfort, I'd like to know what this was I was tasting and by what
mechanism it corrected itself. Anyone?
Dave in Seattle.
------------------------------
From: lheavner@TCMAIL.FRCO.COM
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 13:31:50 -0500
Subject: Re: fast ferments, sampler sixpak
>>> From: "David C.C. Sprague" <dsprague@bga.com>
Date:
Subject: When to Stop Secondary Fermentation
Ours started at 1.052. {snip} Fermentation
was over in three days in the bucket. In the process of transferring,
I checked the specific gravity again. Ours is 1.010. {snip} What do
I do? <<<
Based on many years of extract brewing, I'd recommend bottling. I
have never had very cool temperatures for fermenting even in the
winter having never brewed north of Austin, Texas and usually south of
IH-10. Your fermentation was probably warmer than you thought and
your yeast ate their way through your wort a little faster. Remember,
fermentation is exothermic (generates heat) so your wort will probably
be warmer than the room you are fermenting in. If your sanitation is
decent, your beer will be OK. It could probably be improved with
cooler fermentation. The problems with warm, fast fermentations are
the production of fermentation by-products which will affect the
taste. Some are good and some are bad. They will all take you away
from the style guidelines, but if you are not entering your beer in
competition, relax. BTW, this is one reason why I never used a
secondary until I finally got a lagering fridge. Certain types of
beers like flavorful ales can be pretty good at masking most of the
off flavors due to high temp fermentation.
>>> From: KennyEddy@aol.com
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 1996 13:18:48 -0400
Subject: The Un-Believer's Six-Pack
If you had to assemble a six-pack of beer to give to a "beer is beer"
type person, which six would it be?
{snip}
Any takers? <<<
SURE! How about:
Celis White
Anchor Liberty
Redhook ESB
Guinness Stout (draught in the can, of course)
Any German Octoberfest available locally
Any fruit flavored beer (eg a raspberry wheat) available locally
I'd throw in a Coors as a 7th bottle (Brewers half dozen?) just so the
pagan infidel could have an honest comparison. This requires only 2
imports and I know that all of these are readily available in a couple
of central Texas grocery chains.
Regards,
Lou Heavner
<lheavner@frmail.frco.com>
------------------------------
From: "Toler, Duffy L." <TOLERD@cdnet.cod.edu>
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 96 17:38:00 PDT
Subject: Water analysis and treatment questions
Please forgive another water question. My recent jump to all-grain has me
considering all the variables! Here are some highlights is my recent water
analysis.
pH 7.4
hardness 464 mg/l
calcium 103 mg/l
sodium 9.9 mg/l
sulfate 93 mg/l
total alkalinity 357 mg/l
magnesium 50 mg/l
From my limited understanding of chemistry, I guess my main concern is the
high total alkalinity and high magnesium level. I know that if I boil &
decant the water, I will run out of calcium long before I make a dent in the
total alkalinity. Adding gypsum or calcium chloride would increase my
calcium level but would put my sulfate or chloride levels on the high side.
Too damn many trade-offs! Which is more preferable?
How does magnesium affect a beer's taste? Is it a clinging, back of the
tongue bitterness like a well-hopped, high sulfate beer? Can you reduce Mg
somehow or is R.O. or diluting with distilled water my only solution?
Thanks much, this forum has been a great help in helping me move to all
grain!
Duffy Toler
Sugar Grove, IL
------------------------------
From: denisb@CAM.ORG (Denis Barsalo)
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 1996 19:03:06 -0500
Subject: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale / Six Pack
Hey gang,
Here I am in Montreal, reading the HBD for the past couple of
years, and hearing a whole lot about this beer. The problem is, I've never
seen it here, and I haven't "noticed" it on my travels in the states.
I'm assuming it's an American Pale Ale, made as an I.P.A., very
hoppy and somewhere around 5% alc/vol. Am I right? Is it also the greatest
example of an A.P.A.?
Let me know if it's readily available in Northern Vermont
(Burlington), or in Ontario. The next time I travel, I'll pick some up.
Better yet, send me a six pack! ;-)
Denis
------------------------------
From: smurman@best.com
Date: Mon, 07 Oct 1996 14:21:39 -0700
Subject: The Move to All-Grain (long)
I recently made The Move(TM) to all-grain brewing and I thought I'd
write down my experiences and thoughts for posterity. Hopefully
others might benefit from this, or it will bring back fond memories of
others first attempts.
In general I'd say it's not that difficult, but it takes a lot of
time. My first attempt took about 6 hours total, and I even put off
some cleaning at the end because I was tired of it. I think I can get
it down to about 4 hours. My usual brew day is a weekend morning with
football and practicing guitar, so hopefully I can get my brewing time
down to one football game. I brewed the same recipe I'd made
previously using extract brewing so I could sample the difference
back-back. It was an ESB brew. I used a Belgian pale ale malt with a
single temperature infusion, and really was pretty well prepared for
the steps involved.
My main resources were Papazian's "New Joy..", the Zymurgy '95 Great
Grain issue, and the Brewery archives. I would highly recommend
getting a copy of the Great Grain issue if you haven't already.
Especially if you are making The Move(TM). It really helped me
formulate my recipe and also understand what to expect in terms of
temperatures and gravities during the process. It's nice to have
checks to make sure things are going correctly.
The new equipment I bought was basically a Vollrath 38 qt pot with
lid, and a propane burner. I did this all on my small deck in my
apartment, and I had plenty of room, so don't let apt. dwelling stop
you. You do need to be outdoors though. I didn't get the King Kooker
type burners, but instead went with a nicer 3-ring deal from the same
restaurant supply house I got the SS pot from. It was about $20 more
than the King Kooker, but it uses less propane, won't be as much of a
problem for scorching, and is much sturdier. Worth the extra $20 IMO.
One other piece of equipment I found very useful is a 4 qt. Al
pitcher. I got this for $10, and it has metric markings as well. One
item I found I need was a metal dial thermometer which I can simply
leave stuck in the mash to quickly check the temp. I think this will
be especially useful in step mashes, but the accuracy of these things
is sometimes a problem.
I built a Zapap lauter tun, and got $4 of aluminum backed bubble
insulation for both the mash and lauter tuns. This was really simple,
and worked surprsingly well. My mash temp held steady for 60 minutes,
and my sparge was coming out at 134F. The lauter tun was made from 7
gal buckets from the donut shop, and should allow me to brew any style
of beer I want, as long as I brew 5 or 6 gal. batches. There is about
2 gallons of empty space below the false bottom, but I simply filled
this with 1/2 of my sparge water. I may cut off the bottom of the
holed bucket and make a true false bottom at some point. I was able
to hit my target gravity by using a 75% efficiency in all of my recipe
calculations. I don't see any reason to think I won't be able to
reach 80% efficiency after a couple of batches. Not bad for two
plastic buckets and some ingenuity. I'm going to try and come up with
a better sparge distribution system, probably a pie tin with holes (I
used the pour over spoon method which is tiring and lets heat out).
The biggest expense was the new SS pot ($135). IMO you really do need
to get another large pot of some type when making The Move(TM),
because you need two pots - a main one for mashing and boiling and a
secondary for heating and storing sparge H2O. They do sell 40 qt.
combination mash and lauter tuns for a decent price, and this might be
an option.
Last, but certainly not least, is the beer. If I had to make a
general statement about the taste difference it would be that the
all-grain is more complex, and fresher. If you're like me you taste
all of your hydrometer readings. The flavor of the all-grain wort
jumped out at me. The best analogy I can give is the difference
between eating fresh vegetables and fruit, as opposed to frozen or
canned. I was brewing good beer with extract + specialty, but I
didn't think I could brew great beer. With all-grain, I think I'll be
able to brew great beer consistently.
SM
------------------------------
End of Homebrew Digest #2219
****************************
