Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
HOMEBREW Digest #2278
This file received at Hops.Stanford.EDU 1996/11/18 PST
Homebrew Digest Monday, 18 November 1996 Number 2278
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Mike Donald, Digest Janitor-in-training
Thanks to Rob Gardner for making the digest happen!
Contents:
Your Message has been received - and discarded! (Steve Alexander)
bale on the aob (Jim Liddil)
Re: Kegging gases,Ca++ in wort, Uruguayan Brew at last! ("David R. Burley")
Re: Kegging principles,High Point brewery, RO water ("David R. Burley")
Addressing AlK's questions ("David R. Burley")
RE:How to Serve Mead? (Anton Schoenbacher)
Problems at HBD ((Harlan Bauer))
Re: The Compleat Brewer ("David R. Burley")
Air pumps and filters (Andrew Roberts)
Re: How to determine boiling wort level (2nd attempt) ("bob rogers")
RE: road trip (Mike Donald)
CO2 Tank (Mike Donald)
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
Complete ("Nash,David")
[none] ()
Beerfridge controllers ("Gregory, Guy J.")
Wort Levels and Efficiency ("Craig Rode")
[none] ()
Floating Thermometer (Gary Eckhardt)
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
Gallon marks ("Scott Rogerson")
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
[none] ()
glatt mill gear replacement (Rick Dante)
Re: air stone sanitizing ("Robert Waddell")
For SUBMISSIONS to be published, send mail to:
homebrew@aob.org
For (UN)SUBSCRIBE requests, send mail to:
homebrew-digest-request@aob.org
and include ONLY subscribe or unsubscribe in the BODY of the message.
Please note that if subscribed via BEER-L, you must unsubscribe by sending
a one line e-mail to listserv@ua1vm.ua.edu that says: UNSUB BEER-L
If your address is changing, please unsubscribe from the old address and
then subscribe from the new address.
If your account is being deleted, please be courteous and unsubscribe first.
For technical problems send e-mail to the Digest Janitor,
homebrew-digest-owner@aob.org.
OTHER HOMEBREW INFORMATION
http://www.aob.org/aob - The AHA's web site.
http://alpha.rollanet.org - "The Brewery" and the Cat's Meow Archives.
info@aob.org - automated e-mail homebrewing information.
ARCHIVES:
At ftp.stanford.edu in /pub/clubs/homebrew/beer via anonymous ftp. Also
http://alpha.rollanet.org on the web and at majordomo@aob.org by e-mail.
COPYRIGHT:
As with all forums such as this one, copyrights are retained by the
original authors. In accordance with the wishes of the members of the
Homebrew Digest, posts to the HBD may NOT be sold or used as part of a
collection that is sold without the original authors' consent. Copies
may ONLY be made available at no charge and should include the current
posting and subscription addresses for the HBD.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Steve Alexander <stevea@clv.mcd.mot.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 17:13:48 -0500
Subject: Your Message has been received - and discarded!
The [none] gremlin can eat my posts ...
Re the recent comment by Tom Herlache of Ca, alpha-amylase and yeast
flocculation. Tom is correct that excessive flocculation could laeve
excessive residual sugars and I have also read of improved
flocculation with increasing Ca concentrations. Tom and others
shouldn't discount the possibility that based on the temp, time,
enzyme content and Ca concentration of the mash it's quitee possible
that non-fermentable sugars are being produced at a higher rate that
their reduction to fermentable sugars during some portion of the mash.
End that mash at such a point would leave a higher % of
non-fermentables. There are some great data collected by Bent Stig
Envoldsen of Tuborg breweries and published in the 1969 and 1974 EBC
and in the JIB in 1974 too (tho' I haven't personally accessed the
last two).
Steve Alexander
------------------------------
From: Jim Liddil <JLIDDIL@AZCC.Arizona.EDU>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 16:23:08 -0700 (MST)
Subject: bale on the aob
One more time. I think it is time to find an alternative home for the hbd.
The aob has let this {none} stuff go on too long. Also the web site and
calendar are out of date. To summarize my four "lost" posts, the whole
aertion thing is silly and I think Tracy did a good job of covering the
reasons. Make big starters.
Jim
------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 15 Nov 96 18:29:12 EST
Subject: Re: Kegging gases,Ca++ in wort, Uruguayan Brew at last!
Brewsters:
Kevin Sprague offers some advice on the kegging and gases and his attempt is
appreciated, but some of his explanations are outrageously incorrect. Better
not listen to Mr. Perlick any more when it comes to gases and kegging. Sorry,
Kevin, but this needs more discussion.
At equilibrium, all gases fill *all* the space to which they are confined
totally independent of the presence of other gases. This is one of the big
differences of gases from solids and liquids.
Kevin says:
> As for a blend of gas in the tank, any gas supply would happily
> fill your tank with a blend of gas. However, this strikes against
> commonsense. The whole basis of a beer dispensing system is that
> gases will not mix. Thus the CO2 is in contact with the beer and the
> air separates out in its own layer
This is completely incorrect.
1) Gases always mix completely, eventually. Air does not spontaneously separate
out into oxygen and nitrogen or we'd be in trouble, ditto CO2. In making
highly quantitative gas blends, it is normal for the supplier to roll the
cylinders on motorized rollers for a short time, creating currents, to blend
gases when they were injected one at a time, especially in high pressure
situations, but they never separate back out.. For our turbulent, low pressure
kegging situation, "no wirries" as the mid-western Ozzies say.
Kevin says:
> Additionally, the
> CO2 is heavier than the air and falls to the surface of the beer while the
> air remains at the top of the keg filling the ever increasing air space.
2) Since gases always mix and stay mixed regardless of their STP density as a
pure gas, it is not possible for the CO2 to settle down on the beer and the air
to be on top.
This misconseption may exist because situations do exist where heavy gases (
i.e. STP density > air = about 30 gms/22.4 liers @STP) like propane will form a
layer on the floor pouring down form a raised source, but this happens when the
flow is in a non-turbulent stream. This is why propane detectors should be put
down low and methane detector up high. However, given long enough or turbulent
air currents, propane will diffuse throughout the room to the same
concentration
all over the room and stay that way. CO2 in a non-turbulent situation can
likewise display the same temporary behavior. It is not "settling out", it just
hasn't been mixed in yet.
You are correct that if you take a carbonated keg and replace the gas in it
with
air, that CO2 will eventually come out of solution to arrive at a certain
pressure determined by the solubility of the CO2 at the current temperature and
the beer will be flatter than it was before the CO2 in the gas phase was
replaced or, in this case, the volume of free gas space was increased by the
disappearance of the beer. The partial pressure of CO2 at the given temperature
is the determining factor on how much will come out of solution. This is for an
equilibrium situation.
What is the controlling factor and makes it useful to the dispensing industry
is
the slow RATE of equilibration of the CO2 in solution with the gas above it, in
the absence of nucleation sites for the bubbles to form on. This makes it
possible to inject air into the headspace and deliver carbonated beer in the
short term.
- -----------------------------------------------------
Tom Herlache suggests that premature yeast flocculation may be the cause of the
lower attenuation in Dave Whitman's higher calcium worts. Good departure point
for this discussion.
>If this is the case, then Dave should be able to get the FG back down by
>rousing the yeast. Does anyone else recall hearing that Ca++ increases
>floculation?
Yes, Calcium content does affect flocculation, but I don't know the minimum
required to avoid a powdery yeast and don't ever remember reading an actual
value.
Also, without explanation, M&BS says for high calcium beers it is best to
adjust
the Ca++ in the mash to 50ppm and to add the remainder of the Ca++ later.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
Jorge Blasig writes that his malt extract will have about 50-55% maltose and
20%
dextrins. If you have an OG of 1.060 as you plan, I guesstimate you should get
an FG of 1.017 to 1.016 (( 60*20/(50+20) = 17 60*20/(55+20) = 16 )) since the
dextrins won't ferment. It will be a little lower since you are making alcohol
and possibly a little higher if the yeast aren't fully attenuative. Alcohol
content should be about 6.5%. Sounds like you will be just perfect.
It is a good plan to use the ale yeasts at that temperature. Last I heard you
had a choice between a yeast that had an alcohol tolerance of 12-14% and one
about 8% without specifying the type of yeast. I suggested the latter because
it sounded like a beer yeast.
You're on your way. Good Luck!
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
Keep on brewin'
Dave Burley
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
103164.3202@compuserve.com
------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 15 Nov 96 18:29:18 EST
Subject: Re: Kegging principles,High Point brewery, RO water
Brewsters:
Pat Babcock commented on my comments and said:
> "Standard" lengths and pressures work fairly well for many people
> since very few of us have special circumstance. Once you step into
> the realm of specialized systems, you'll understand this all too
> clearly.
Without a doubt. At what length of line does the beer start flowing backwards?
But seriously. Do you or does anyone else have a plot of flow rate vs line
length/i.d. at some given head pressure? This has been discussed here ad
nauseum with mostly bad physics. I'd like to see someone with your experience
and knowledge lay to rest the misunderstanding that pressure drop is determined
by the line length, because of the mistaken belief that the line has a constant
pressure drop/ft.( true only at a constant flow rate).
I believe that the flow rate is determined by the pressure differential of keg
head to atmosphere and the size/length of hose if the valve is wide open and is
the same as or bigger than the line diameter. Any recommendations on books on
this subject?
Pat B goes on:
> Also in 2271, Adam Back desires to drive his stout with a mix of CO2
> and Nitrogen...
>
> Why do you thinkyou need this? There is a lot of confusion out there
> regarding Nitrogen and why it is used.
>
> First, Nitrogen will not dissolve in your beer; therefor, in and of
> itself, a mix has no effect on the carbonation or heading of your
> beer
Pat,
Michael J. Lewis, author of "STOUT" (Classic Brewing Series), believes it is
the nitrogen which is responsible for the foam stability. He says on p.120
"Nitrogen effectively stabilizes the foam of the draught product because as it
passes through the small holes in a Guiness tap the stout receives a high
shear. This causes the nitrogen and carbon dioxide to break out of solution to
form very tiny bubbles of rather even size which are inherently stable. The
nitrogen, being insoluble in the beer, then tends to stay in the bubbles,
rather
than leaking through the bubble walls to form larger, less stable bubbles or to
the atmosphere( which is mostly nitrogen) thereby causing the foam to be
stable." and it goes on with recommendations on how to set up.
He also says "The dispense gas must then be correctly formulated according to
Henry's law to keep both the carbon dioxide and nitrogen in solution in the
stout. This formula usually results in a mixture between 40/60 percent and
30/70 carbon dioxide /nitrogen by volume." and on about canning Guiness, etc.
As you stated, I too believe that carbon dioxide is much more soluble in beer
than nitrogen. The above statement about Henry's law ( which says the
solubility
of a barely soluble gas is proportional to its own partial pressure in the gas
phase) had me puzzled, since I didn't think nitrogen solubility was on the same
order of magnitude as carbon dioxide. Well, good old Chem. Rubber Handbook
p.6-4 says that at 20C, the ratio of mole fraction solubility of Nitrogen to
CO2
is 0.127/7.07 = 0.018 or on a weight basis multiplying by 28/44 = 0.0114. SO,
nitrogen solubility in water is 1% that of the CO2. So that checks.
Why did Lewis say both soluble? Since the nitrogen is insoluble, how does it
get into the beer so it is there at the dispense nozzle if the mixed gas is
only
applied to the keg? So I guess I'm puzzled about how this statement checks with
yours and the relative solubility of the gases. Is there something basic I'm
missing? like the design of the dispense valve? Is the keg pressurized with the
mixed gasses plus mixed at the valve?
I guess I fall into that class of "a lot of confusion out there" you speak
about. I thought the nitrogen was used in the dispense gas to behave like the
old hand operated "sparkler" valves which passed the gas through a fine nozzle
to break out the CO2 and mixed air into the beer foam. In this mixed gas case
your recipe says to take the pressure of the carbon dioxide in the keg at
storage and use that pressure plus nitrogen to get the dispense gas total
pressure. Your ratio of 70/30 CO2/N2 is exactly opposite to that used in the
industry, based on Lewis' comments. Is it because you store your beer at near
room temperature and cool before delivery, whereas industry keeps the beer keg
cold before delivery?
- ----------------------------------------------------------
BTW thanks to George DePiro for informing us about the High Point wheat brewery
in Butler, NJ. That's just across the road from me. You never know what's in
your own back yard! (especially in NJ). No success in contacting them yet, but
Butler isn't that big. Thanks!
- ----------------------------------------------------------
Alex Santic asks about RO water and why it is referenced. I have reverse
osmosis
purified (RO) water in my home because I have a well. My well water had an
undesirable and increasing amount of iron, manganese and other stuff in it and
was becoming increasingly problematical in my beer making as well as brown
dishes and blue bath water from the dissolving copper pipes. So, I installed
carbon columns to remove organics, a limestone bed to neutralize the acidity,
softened it to remove all cations except sodium and installed a 10 gal/day
(guess why) RO at the kitchen sink so I would have a source of ion free water
for my beer making. My wife thinks the RO is to remove the sodium from the
water
for drinking and coffee ( 2 people, 10 gals per day?), but then she puts the
dog's water through a Brita filter after all of the above. It's fun with two
A/Rs in the same house.
- ----------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey - Glycerine and glycerol are the same thing, just common and old
chemical names for the same thing. Go to your pharmacy for a safe supply.
- ----------------------------------------------------------
AlK's nice bottle filling/carbonation experiment is appreciated. Do you think
the lower carbonation for the nearly filled bottle is because no oxygen was
present for the yeast to grow? I'm puzzled for an interpretation, as I would
have bet no difference. Any way to measure bottle pressure at various times and
temperatures? Say with a tire valve in a bottle top? Thoughts anyone?
Regarding Jeff Frane's comments, I think you did give warning that this was
only
one experiment, and I appreciate being in on your experimental results at the
outset. Critics should also do their own experiments and publish them for
comment.
- ----------------------------------------------------------
Keep on brewin'
Dave Burley
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
103164.3202@compuserve.com
------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 15 Nov 96 18:29:25 EST
Subject: Addressing AlK's questions
Brewsters:
AlK says: "Okay, it has been two weeks and nobody has answered these questions
or
commented on these posts, so I'm going to give them a shot:"
DRB says: AlK has been watching too much politics, I guess, using out of
context
quotes, etc. to comment on my comments. Since I don't pretend to distill all of
my knowledge in every sentence I write, do not have an encyclopaedic memory
about what I write, dump the HBD's after I've read them and have access to my
comments only via my date and title file in my e-mailer, please give me the
date
of my comment you are referring to.
I'm just kidding about the politics, but I would appreciate the reference to my
comments several weeks old, by date entered, so I can put them in context and
respond responsibly. Thanks for the chance to clarify my comments.
*********
AlK says:
Dave writes:
>Adding hot water during the mash speeds up the
>saccharification by reducing the product concentration which can block enzyme
>action.
Dave... you must have forgotten the other factor involved. This is taken
from our off-line conversation on beta amylase:
Steve Alexander> The rate of catalytic reaction is also decreased by this
DRB says - I agree with you and Steve Alexander that dilution will possibly
cause the reduction of the forward rate and that Lake Michigan would probably
not be a good place to make beer with a pound of malt if you were in a hurry
(not to mention the BOD would not be not acceptable by the EPA, I'll bet) , but
I didn't bother to discuss the free energies of complex formation, it's effect
on rates, soild starch vs solubilized starch, etc, etc. in addressing Steve's
valid comment. I took M&BS's observation that diluting the mash has an OVERALL
effect of giving a more fermentable wort. It was their interpretation, which I
repeated, that the products like sugar, slowed down the production by
inhibiting the forward reaction. If you want the reference to this I'll provide
it again.
*****
Dave writes in response to a question::
>>5) is a mash-out necessary too? (i think my friend anton just
>>asked this same question ... but somehow i missed the answer).
Dave says ( among other things, I'll bet - DRB)
>Yes, to keep the composition of the wort constant during the sparge.
AlK says: "I've wondered about this, in passing, for quite a long time. I think
that someone realized that mash-out temps would denature the enzymes
and assumed that this was an important purpose of the mashout. I think
it's not. "
And after providing a thorough examination of various time and temperature
cases
AlK says:
"Therefore, in all three cases, mashout would only be killing alpha
amylase which does not change fermentability. ....... then
there is *starch* remaining and you mashed-out too early!
Right?"
DRB says:
We agree, if the mashing is carried to completion (meaning the starch is gone
from the solution and the malt grains) AND all of the beta amylase is gone by
the end of the mashing step.
However, if mash conditions don't guarantee all the beta is gone, even if all
the starch is solubilized by the alpha, then the mashout/sparge temperature
does
have a beneficial effect in stabilizing the carbohydrate composition. Remember
SteveA, you and I discussed the lifetime of Beta offline ad nauseum and despite
his excellent library work, we could not come up with a definitive answer for
beta lifetime *under real wort conditions*, except for the M&BS statement that
beta had a lifetime of about 45 minutes to 1 hour at 150F in a wort.
M&BS also indicates that alpha is stable at pH =6 in the presence of
suffficient calcium, even at 158F. Other places indicate the alpha hngs around
for 2 hours or so. As you indicated, if starch is still present then the mash
should be continued. However, I have repeatedly read that the reason for
recycling the sparge to near clarity before moving it to the copper is to
reduce
the chances of remaining starch in the grains bits becoming solubilized during
the boil and causing clarity problems. This implies to me that starch could
still present to some extent even at the end of a successful mash. This is the
reason the sparge water is kept in the range 167 -179F, rather than using
boiling water in the sparge. If starch is around and alpha amylase is around
during the no mashout, cool sparge case, I can see that the wort composition
will be changing. Is it important? Probably not, if the amount of residual
starch is small.
I believe that, under certain mashing conditions/times and, perhaps, high
enzyme
malts, mashout does stabilize the wort by destroying enzymes. To be safe, I
always do a mashout in case a sparge gets stuck or something else interferes
with going to a sparge immediately. It also has the benefits listed below:
Sorry to provide a quote, but M&BS says on p225, 1st ed on the subject of
sparging
"....at 167 -176 on to the goods, that is the solids in the mash tun. The
higher temperature results in (i) reduced wort viscosity, (ii) a more rapid
dissolution of insoluble materials, and (iii) almost complete inactivation of
the enzymes..."
*****
AlK says in response to my question addressed to him on Chimay yeast and his
tour of Belgian breweries "I never made it down to Chimay, but rumor has it
that Chimay is bottled with the same yeast as they use for fermentation."
Thanks Al, other comments also support the idea that Chimay yeast is the same
in
the fermentation as the bottle. I think the answer to this question of yeast
habits followed in the next few days from my reading about kegging of Belgian
beers. Belgian yeasts of old (which may include Chimay) during fermentation
used to display just this habit that I observed. The old brewers observed a
yellowish foam flowing from the keg during fermentation which disappeared
followed by a bright white tightly knit foam which formed a "cauliflower" in
the
bung hole. This signaled the time to put in the bung and ship to the pubmaster.
This closely parallels my observations. I estimated that this" cauliflower"
stage was about 2% sugar content, based on my observations.
Yes, It was on a cement floor next to the furnace and the air temperature at
the fermenter was in the high 70s, but this phenomenon of the disappearing
yellow foam and appearance of white foam happened before the increase in room
temperature from 70F to 77F could have an effect I believe. Interestingly, the
onset of the white foam was accompanied by an onset of ester formation, judging
by the aroma from the fermentation. Although a below ground level cement floor
should be about 55For warmer all the time, I think I will sit my FV on an
insulating foam pad from now on.
Keep on brewin'
Dave Burley
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
103164.3202@compuserve.com
------------------------------
From: Anton Schoenbacher <aschoenb@eecs.wsu.edu>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 96 15:50:33 PST
Subject: RE:How to Serve Mead?
Answer to: how to serve Mead.
Obtain a funnel and about two feet of hose.
Connect the small end of the funnel to the hose.
Have a friend hold the funnel above your head and fill
it with the mead as you keep the hose kinked. When
all the mead (preferrably more than 24 Oz.) is in the
funnel place the hose in your mouth and unkink.
pretty easy.
But really, I don't know. I have about 5 gallons of mead
that I made and I don't know what to do with it either.
- --
*****Anton Schoenbacher*****aschoenb@eecs.wsu.edu*****
------------------------------
From: blacksab@midwest.net (Harlan Bauer)
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 17:58:50 -0600
Subject: Problems at HBD
I realize that running the HBD is not an easy task, but these were some of
the concerns that were raised when the original HBD was contemplating
changing hands, and AOB assured everyone that they were up to the task.
Where is the AOB, and why haven't they addressed the digest to at least
acknowlege there is a problem?? I'd be happy with an explanation and an
assurance that the problem is being looked at. I just sent a message to the
janitor informing him of the problem.
I've had a couple of off-line messages from Derek Lyons who recieves the
digest in the UN-digested form, and he's recieved everything I've sent. Note
that he answered my post in the previos digest, mine was the first *none()*
Does anyone remember when Shawn Steele used to monitor the digest and post
an acknowlegement of problems as they arose??
Sorry for venting my frustrations, but posting is becoming a real PITA.
TTYL,
Harlan
*********************************************************************
* *
* Harlan Bauer ...malt does more than Milton can *
* Carbondale, IL To justify God's ways to man. *
* <blacksab@midwest.net> --A.E. Houseman *
* *
*********************************************************************
------------------------------
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 15 Nov 96 19:12:28 EST
Subject: Re: The Compleat Brewer
Brewsters:
AlK says
> As for the spelling of compleat, visit the UK and ask them who is spelling
> it wrong...
Actually, Al we are correctly spelling both words correctly in both countries.
"Compleat" is a variation of "Complete", but usually refers to a skill. ala the
book "The Compleat Angler" meaning a fully skilled fisherman. "Complete" has
the same spelling in both countries and means the same thing, such as "to
complete a task".
Both spellings are understood in both countries.
As for flavour, er, flavor. That's a different thing.
Having lived and drunk ( both meanings in both countries) in the UK, having a
daughter born and in graduate school there and having lots of friends there, I
understand and agree with your Anglophilicity. Thank goodness their food is
starting to catch up with their beer.
Keep on brewin'
Dave Burley
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
103164.3202@compuserve.com
------------------------------
From: Andrew Roberts <ajrobert@interlog.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 19:43:09 -0500
Subject: Air pumps and filters
In Digest #2277 Steve Adams asks what kind of air pumps people are using.
I'm using a "Hagen Optima" pump that I picked up a few years ago to use on
an aquarim that was never meant to be... (Long story) The pump has a
granular activated carbon pre filter, and a rheostat so that you can control
the air flowing from the pump. I use it with a floss/ granular activated
carbon filter and a sterile air filter after the pump, and a plastic "Tetra
Luft" airstone.
One of the more interesting things about the rheostat is that you can just
turn it down when the wort starts to foam out of the carboy, instead of
shutting it down.
Cheers!
- ------------------------------------------------
Andrew Roberts@home
ajrobert@interlog.com
http://www.interlog.com/~ajrobert/
------------------------------
From: "bob rogers" <bob@carol.net>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 19:23:06 -0500
Subject: Re: How to determine boiling wort level (2nd attempt)
hi tim,
me again :) i got this figgured this out. i got a large dowel rod. i filled
the keg 1 gallon at a time and made marks on the rod.
bob: brewing in the heart of the bible belt
bob rogers bob@carol.net
------------------------------
From: Mike Donald <mpd@plaza.ds.adp.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 16:55:03 PST
Subject: RE: road trip
========================================================
Bounced mail forwarded to the digest by Digest Janitor.
Please make responses to the author:
Jim Lafler (jean_michel@juno.com)
========================================================
- ------- Forwarded Message
In Reply To:
******
>From: <egross@emory.edu>
Date: Tue, 5 Nov 1996 12:04:30 -0500 (EST)
Subject: road trip
I will be driving to DC, Wilmington,DE, Philadelphia,E. Rutherford, NJ,
and NYC from Atlanta in the next few weeks.I will be returning to
Atlanta,
probably taking 2 days to do so, but I haven't worked that part of the
trip out yet. Anyway, will the collective email me suggestions on beers
sites along the way (brewpubs,beer bars,must sees, tours, etc), all
recommendations will be appreciated. Also, if there are suggestions on
where to buy the higher alcohol Belgian beers that I love or rare
microbrews, send them to me.TIA, lee
****
I highly recommend stopping at a bar called Brickskellers in Washington
DC, it is off of the Dupont Circle Metro Stop. They have an import and
micro brew beer list like a phone book, (no kidding), literally hundreds
on hand. I have tried some very hard to find Belgium and German beers
there. They also have fantastic chicken wings. Have a Belgium Kwak for
me while your there.
- - - Jim Lafler (jean_michel@juno.com)
~~~ You can't change the winds, but you can set a better sail! ~~~
- ------- End of Forwarded Message
------------------------------
From: Mike Donald <mpd@plaza.ds.adp.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 17:01:18 PST
Subject: CO2 Tank
============================================
Bounced mail forwarded by Digest Janitor.
Please direct responses to the author:
Meisner Wallie MSM GRPP US <wallie.meisner@usgr.MHS.CIBA.COM>
============================================
- ------- Forwarded Message
>From: Brendan Oldham <brendan@star.net>
>Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 14:57:01 -0500
>Subject: CO2 Tank
>
>I recently visited a fire extinguisher store to purchase a CO2 tank for
>kegging....... It had a bunch of dates on it one of which was 11/96. Does
>this
>mean a test was done on this date or that it expires on this date? Should I
>have any other concerns, like internal cleanliness? .........
**********
REPLY: In my experience, the last date stamped on the tank is the last
"hydro" test. The testing (passing the test actually) is required evry 10
years. The test seems to cost about $15.00. I wouldn't suspect that there's
anything inside the tank to worry about. You could maybe turn it upside down
and blow out a little gas.....see if anything undesireable blows out with
it.
-Wallie Meisner
Greensboro, NC
Be sure to check out the great brewing stuff at Pat Babcock's Flea Market
(http://oeonline.com/~ pbabcock/).Or send Pat (pbabcock@oeonline.com) a
"send list" e-mail for an e-mail edition.
======================================================================
- ------- End of Forwarded Message
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From: "Nash,David" <DNASH@cerner.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 08:44:04 -0600
Subject: Complete
Al said, "As for the spelling of compleat, visit the UK and ask them who
is spelling
it wrong... "
Well I live here, and we spell it "complete".
Dave
- --
Dave Nash- dnash@cerner.com
Siemens Nixdorf Cerner Solutions Centre
Cresta House
Alma Street
Luton LU1 2PU
+44 (0)1582 20356
Fax +44 (0)1582 459581
>
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From: "Gregory, Guy J." <GGRE461@ecy.wa.gov>
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 96 10:09:00 PST
Subject: Beerfridge controllers
Well, it is that time of year again. My beerfridge controller (an airstat)
seems to be functioning poorly, and I would like some advice from the
collective.
1. Johnson Controls makes a fridge controller....cooling only. Has anyone
used it?
2. A cooling/heating control would be nice, as I live in a northern clime
and would like to avoid beersicles. I could plug a lightbulb into the heat
side and do nicely. Does anyone know of one readily adaptable? I have
looked at several wiring diagrams, but simply don't know how to make one.
3. Any others? Response by private email would be fine, and I'll post
responses later.
thanks
Guy Gregory
GuyG4@aol.com
Lightning Creek Home Brewery
Control Freaks since 1957..
My Thanksgiving Porter is done, how about yours?
------------------------------
From: "Craig Rode" <craig.rode@sdrc.com>
Date: 18 Nov 1996 09:30:52 -0600
Subject: Wort Levels and Efficiency
In HBD 2277, Tim Martin asks about measuring the volume of his boiling wort.
Here's what I do: I filled my kettle with water to the desired (5.5 gallons)
level, stuck a wooden dowel into the water, marked the level with a non-toxic
marker. Now when I want to measure, I quick turn off the heat, stick it in,
(stop that!) and measure. Quick, cheap, easy.
In the same post, the efficiency monster raises its ugly head. I wish to
(your favorite diety here) that I had never measured mine, because it drives
me nuts. I started at 25 pts/lb/gallon with my EZmasher (tm). Al K proved in
a technical article last year that 31 pts was achievable. So...I tried
different grains (Schrier, DWC, H-B), different mash schedules (single
infusion, 40-60-70), adjusted my mash PH with Ca+, adjusted my sparge water
with lactic acid, bought a second thermometer, bought a second hydrometer,
switched from a corona to a maltmill (tm), sacrificed my wife's cat....all to
no avail..
Just for the record, yesterday I brewed an English Pale Ale, I used 11 lbs
Hugh Baird, 2 oz crystal, I added 3 tsp gypsum to my water, I pre-boiled to
eliminate both chlorine and bicarbonate, I added another tsp gypsum to replace
the calcium that was precipitated out with the bicarbonate, I mashed at 152F
for 90 minutes, I mixed the mash like crazy to eliminate hot spots, dough
balls, and evil spells, I mashed out at 170F for 15 minutes, I sparged until I
hit 1.010, which took 90 minutes, I danced around the kitchen, and I still got
an OG of 1.050, (pre-boil gravity 1.040 for 7 gallons) which comes to.....25
pts/lb/gallon.
HOWEVER....in 2277 Mark Bayer suggests 1 & 1/2 quarts per pound....I've been
using 1 quart /pound ala Papazian...Could this be the magic answer?...Naw, I
didn't think so either....I think I'll throw away my hydrometer.
I was at a fundraiser for my daughter's pre-school and the host was a sales
manager for Miller. I didn't know this, so I brought a six-pack of SNPA, and
had to add it to the ice chest containing miller, miller lite, miller ice,
miller ice dry, etc etc etc. I only had two, someone else drank the other
four and I think it was the host. I asked him about heart of the hops, and
he excused himself to get more dip...
Craig Rode in Milwaukee (Home of Lakefront, Sprecher, and Wisconsin Brewing)
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From: Gary Eckhardt <gary_eckhardt@realworld.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 07:56:12 -0600
Subject: Floating Thermometer
I've decided a few things in my year of homebrewing:
1) Glass thermometers and I don't get along. (Broken 3)
2) Electronic thermometers are great, but they have a while to
go to catch up to the rigors of homebrewing (Confused it by
dropping into pot of wort...can electrons get drunk??)
So, given that, I'm looking for this:
A FLOATING, analog, dial thermometer. I say floating because my
last glass thermometer was a floating one, and I really enjoyed using
it. Analog, well, heck, because it can't break.
Anyone?
Thanks for any info!
--Gary
- --
- ---------------------------+----------------------------------------------
Gary Eckhardt | "in this day & age...music performed by
Database Consultants, Inc. | humans...hum!?" --wilde silas tomkyn
dcigary@txdirect.net | R,DW,HAHB!
gary_eckhardt@realworld.com| R^3 = "Real World. Real Smart. Real
Quick."
(210)344-6566 | http://www.realworld.com/
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From: "Scott Rogerson" <rogerson@hom.net>
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 1996 14:15:07 -0600
Subject: Gallon marks
> Hey Neighbors,
> Question? How do you all determine when to stop boiling your wort so
> that you don't over evaporate and condense your wort. I use a tall
> cylindrical SS tank to boil in with a propane cooker. In the winter
there
> is so much steam above my wort I am not able to see my mark inside my
> tank. I always boil for an hour, which is a constant variable but my
> propane cooker is a variable I can not control, so every batch is a
> different concentration. This is a very annoying part of the process
that I
> have not been able to tinker my way out of... so does anyone have any
> tricks, tips or suggestions?
I hack-sawed marks on my SS brewing spoon @ gallon intervals. Works for
me.
Scott Rogerson
rogerson@hom.net
http://www.hom.net/~rogerson/brewpage.html
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From:
Date:
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
From: Rick Dante <rdante@pnet.net>
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 1996 16:30:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: glatt mill gear replacement
A few months ago I came across some info that I can't find again regarding
someone who had a machinist fashion a set of metal gears to replace the
plastic gears in a Glatt Malt Mill. If someone has the info about this
replacement could he/she please send it to me.
Today a terrible tragedy struck my brewery as I was milling about 22 lbs
of grain for a Schneider Aventinus weizenbock clone. A rock took hold of
my mill and in spite of the clutch, the plastic glatt gears got hosed.
Fortunately, it happened near the last pound of grain so I was able to
slowly grind the rest with my mill limping along. I'm afraid I won't be
able to brew again until I fix my precious mill.
TIA,
Rick Dante
------------------------------
From: "Robert Waddell" <V024971@tape.stortek.com>
Date: 16 Nov 96 16:25:00 MST
Subject: Re: air stone sanitizing
paa3765@dpsc.dla.mil (Steve Adams) sez:
> Subject: Air Stone Santization
> I use ID Carlson's <One Step>, which is purportedly a hydrogen-peroxide,
> environmentally safe, sanitizing agent.
(snip)
>You know I'm not affliated and all that junk, but I couldn't get much info
>on the stuff from the manufacturer or distributor when I started using it
>-- which kind of put me off -- but it works.
Steve, and everybody else that's interested:
I believe that the law requires anyone selling chemicals such as this to keep
a "Material Safety Data Sheet" (MSDS) on hand to give advise on first aid,
handling precautions, etc. They usually list the principle ingredients on the
sheet as well. If you ask your HB shop to show it to you, it is my belief
that they are bound by law to comply. If they say that they don't have an
MSDS then they can be reported to OSHA or some other agency(?). Even liquor
stores are required to have MSDS's on hand for the products that they sell.
I seem to remember someone saying that there is a government web page
somewhere that lists *all* MSDS's if you are really interested in what is in
the products that we brewers are using. I'm not trying to stir up trouble for
any HB shop owners, as most of them are just squeeking by trying to stay
in business anyway. But if any business p*ss's you off, it's a grand way to
harrass them. Just demand to see the MSDS on every product they carry.
#%^)
I *L*O*V*E* my [Pico] system. 'Cept for that
gonging noise it makes when my wife throws it
off the bed at night.
Women...
--Pat Babcock
*** It's never too late to have a happy childhood! ***
******************************************************************************
V024971@TAPE.STORTEK.COM / Opinions expressed are usually my own but
Robert J. Waddell / perhaps shared (though not by my employer).
Owner & Brewmaster: Barchenspeider Brew-Haus
*******************************************************************************
------------------------------
End of Homebrew Digest #2278
****************************
