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HOMEBREW Digest #2717
HOMEBREW Digest #2717 Tue 19 May 1998
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
Many thanks to the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers of
Livonia, Michigan for sponsoring the Homebrew Digest.
URL: http://www.oeonline.com
Contents:
GABF In Baltimore ("Jason Birzer")
Reasonably priced 10 gal Gott source (again) ("Tim Fields")
Converting grain to extract (Mike Beatty)
Mini-kegs using a Beer Engine (randy.pressley)
Soaking Pale malt to Make Crystal Malt (KennyEddy)
Homebrewing NOT Quayle (Art McGregor)
PET Bottles and Oxidation ("LARSONC%DOM13.DOPO7")
Re: Reasonably priced Gott source (Robert Arguello)
Hawaii Brewpubs/Micros ("Mike Palma")
Pomposity (John Wilkinson)
RE: Where to find a good wort pump .. .. .. (LaBorde, Ronald)
GOTT Cooler Mash/Lauder Tun Problems (Bill_Rehm)
AHA competition question (Christopher Peterson)
RE: Alternative RIMS heating? Was: RE: Confusion over delta T (LaBorde, Ronald)
RE: Primary Control/Flavor Kits/Sulfur (LaBorde, Ronald)
Deer and Hops - Yeast Nutrient ("Dr. Dwight A Erickson")
Electric Heating Element .. (Bradd Wheeler)
Maybe Bactine would help? ("Steven W. Smith")
The latest issue of Zymurgy (George_De_Piro)
Foam, blow-off and head retention/Dangers of under pitching (George_De_Piro)
Re: Reasonably priced Gott Source ("Jens B. Jorgensen")
Deer-proofing your Yard and Garden ("Graham Wheeler")
DMS/Channels/GOTTS/Deer Bullets (EFOUCH)
inductive heating and RIMS ("S. Wesley")
Beer cooler repair question (Chris Cooper)
Dangers of under pitching? areation ("Don Van Valkenburg")
DOMINION CUP RESUTS (SJarr93801)
BURP's Spirit of Free Beer competition is June 6-7 and entry information
is available by contacting Jay Adams (adams@burp.org).
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 01:04:36 -0400
From: "Jason Birzer" <Longshot@pressroom.com>
Subject: GABF In Baltimore
I first have to say that I had a wonderful time there. Many great
breweries with many great beers. I went to the Saturday evening session.
So much beer to drink and so little time! :^) Well, the main reason why I
am posting is that I left a bag there. It contained a shirt, a glass, and
a bunch of AHA information, including the latest issue of Zymergy. If
someone on the list knows anything about this, or who I might contact about
retreving this bag.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Birzer "One likes to believe in the freedom of music
"The Longshot" but glittering prizes and endless compromises
shatter the illusion of integrity."
longshot@pressroom.com Rush - The Spirit Of Radio
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 07:24:14 -0400
From: "Tim Fields" <tfields@his.com>
Subject: Reasonably priced 10 gal Gott source (again)
My previous post was missing it's first line, which tells you what I am
looking for. I've reconfigured my Outlook Express email client - lets
see if this is any better... Does anyone have a recent source
(preferably online) for a 10 gal Rubbermaid/Gott cooler that is less
than $65? I searched the archives, and the main recommendation
(Wal-Mart) only has the 5 gal size (searched online and called them). I
live within an hour of the factory, but they want $65ish for one.
- -------------------
Tim Fields
tfields@his.com
www.his.com/tfields
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 08:32:35 -0400
From: Mike Beatty <mbeatty@ols.net>
Subject: Converting grain to extract
Hello all-
Is there a formula for converting the amount of extract necessary to
replace a measurement of grain? For instance, if a recipe calls for 2
pounds of Laaglander malt, can I replace that w/1 pound of Laaglander
malt extract?
Thanks!
- --
Mike Beatty
Intelligent Business Solutions
________________________________________________
Adopt a Collie! Check out: <http://www.collie.net/~pcc>
________________________________________________
Do you believe in Macintosh? <http://www.evangelist.macaddict.com/>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 May 1998 9:22:32 -0500
From: randy.pressley@SLKP.COM
Subject: Mini-kegs using a Beer Engine
I had read on the Internet that people have not had good success with
mini-kegs. They said the beer always came out flat. If you could get
it out
at all. If this is really typical I think I've found a solution by using
a
Beer Engine instead of the tap that comes with the keg. I took the tap
which
came with the keg and tapped it. I then removed the tap and stuck my
siphon
tube into the hole. The other end attached to the Beer Engine. Well
my
friends I had absolutely no problem with carbonation. I had the mother
of all
heads. The real test would be if the beer would be carbonated several
days
later. After having one or six brews I retapped with the tap the keg
came
with. I also blasted some CO2 into the keg in order to rid the keg of
Oxygen.
A few days later I reinstalled the Beer Engine and the carbonation was
still
there. According to my readings, the Beer Engine carbonates the beer
with the
Nitrogen in the air. Regular kegs use CO2 for carbonation which
dissolves in
the beer and makes it taste
more bitter. With the Beer Engine you can make the same beer and get a
whole
different taste.
The Beer Engine was easy to build. It's basically the pump housed inside
a
box. The end where the liquid comes out has a brass cap with a bunch of
tiny
holes drilled thru it attached using some siphon hose and a clamp to attach
to
it. The other end has another piece of hose which goes to the keg.
The May
1997 issue of Brew Your Own has an article on making your own beer engine.
I
purchased all the parts listed in the article from What's Brewing in New
Jersey.
Cheers!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 09:51:43 EDT
From: KennyEddy <KennyEddy@aol.com>
Subject: Soaking Pale malt to Make Crystal Malt
Hans E. Hansen asks:
"The recent posts about making crystal malt mentioned soaking
the grain until there is a moisture content of 45%. How do
you tell the moisture content?"
Good question, and one I (think) I answered in my post. As you suspected, by-
weight is the key. If malt were to be soaked to 50% moisture content, then
you would want an equal amount of water and grain. To nail 45% right on the
money would thus require less water, and you would need to know the moisture
content of the malt (probably around 5% or less). The 45% figure comes from
(I guess) the fact that "green malt" is typically prepared to a moisture
content inthe 40's-percent range. When soaking pale malt to make crystal at
home, I doubt it matters much if it's 40% or 50%.
Based on that speculation, let's just use equal water and malt. Add one pound
of water per pound of grain. Since water weighs 8.4 lb/gal, this would be
0.119 gal, or damn near one pint. For you metriphiles out there, it's even
simpler -- 1 kg water per kg grain; a kg of water is 1 liter. In either case,
if you want to be closer to 45%, use about 10% less water. Maybe a tad less
to account for moisture already in the grain.
*****
Ken Schwartz
El Paso, TX
KennyEddy@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/kennyeddy
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 08:34:23 -0400 (EDT)
From: Art McGregor <mcgregap@acq.osd.mil>
Subject: Homebrewing NOT Quayle
Fred Kingston <Fred@KingstonCo.com> writes:
> Dan Quayle might be more appropriately described as ...
(YADA YADA YA)
> ... I wouldn't consider the comparison in _any_ form, complimentary.
Fred,
Lets keep the posts to Homebrewing -- NOT _YOUR_ POLITICAL VIEWS.
There are lots of folks that could choose to disagree, and who needs it
on the HBD?
Hoppy Brewing :^)
Art McGregor (Lorton, Virginia -- Near D.C.)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 10:00:22 -0400
From: "LARSONC%DOM13.DOPO7" <Erik.Larson@MS01.DO.treas.sprint.com>
Subject: PET Bottles and Oxidation
Date: 05/18/1998 09:47 am (Monday)
From: C. Erik Larson
To: EX.MAIL."post@hbd.org"
Subject: PET Bottles and Oxidation
Beerlings:
I seem to recall posts in this forum which claim that PET bottles, being
permeable to air, are not appropriate for long-term (lets say, +6 week)
storage of beer.
I had about four liters of barleywine left in a corney, and wanting to put
the vessel to another use, I transfered the barleywine to two CO2
purged PET soda bottles, and capped them with Carbonators(TM).
Consider the following. hypothesis:
"Given that the beer in the PET bottles is under significant pressure and
that the bottles were carefully purged before filling with CO2, the beer
will not oxidize before the pressure differential between the inside and
outside the container drops -- since only then will O2 not be
inhibited from permeating the bottle by a positive pressure gradient.
So long as I keep up the pressure with the Carbonators, the beer will
not oxidize."
Comments or empirical evidence to refute the above are most welcome.
Skol,
Erik Larson
(erik.larson@treas.sprint.com)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 08:08:46 -0700 (PDT)
From: Robert Arguello <robertac@calweb.com>
Subject: Re: Reasonably priced Gott source
Tim Fields asked where he could find 10 gallon gott coolers for less than
$65.00.
The "Home Depot" and "Home Base" stores in the Sacramento, CA area carry the
10 gallon gott, (Rubbermaid), coolers for $37.10.
"All In A Day's Wort"
Robert Arguello
robertac@calweb.com
CORNY KEGS FOR SALE! $12.00 each
See them at http://www.calweb.com/~robertac/keg.htm
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 08:06:59 PDT
From: "Mike Palma" <mikepalma@hotmail.com>
Subject: Hawaii Brewpubs/Micros
I was lucky enough to win an all-expenses trip to Hawaii thru work for
later this month. Are any of the brew-pubs/micros worth visiting or do
they all sell homemade bud (the beer, not the herb)?
Not quite sure which island I'll be on yet.
Also, I called in for one of those "free" Guiness glasses several months
back and haven't seen it yet. The ones they were giving away as part of
their "Toast around the World". Has anyone gotten theirs? TIA.
Mike Palma Brewer and Proprietor, The Bare Beaver Brewery
Columbia, SC
"Nothing tastes quite like a Bare Beaver."
mikepalma@hotmail.com
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 98 10:27:19 CDT
From: jwilkins@wss.dsccc.com (John Wilkinson)
Subject: Pomposity
Fred Kingston:
>Dan Quayle might be more appropriately described as " a less popularly
>elected American official, that rode the coat tails of another popularly
>elected official into office and was subsequently determined to have
>been a dullard, an idiot... and a pompous ass..."
Speaking of pompous asses...
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 10:38:59 -0500
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Where to find a good wort pump .. .. ..
>From: Bradd Wheeler <braddw@rounder.com>
>I desire a pump to
>handle temps up to boiling, as well as a wide range of PH for cleaning.
>The meat of my question? Where did you get your pumps, and do you use
>them as wort pumps as well as hot-liquor\recirc pumps?
I wonder why you need to handle temps up to boiling.
>My intentions are to use this pump for
>recirculation, sparge, whirlpool, as well as knockout, the whole deal.
Let's see:
Recirculation, well, at most mashout 170f, not boiling.
Sparge, about same, 170, or so.
Whirlpool, hmm, maybe, if you hose down the boiling kettle just
after knockout, you can quickly drop 10 degrees off in seconds.
I have heard others mention boiling temps, but I can not find a need,
maybe there is some reason, but I can not reason why.
It seems that most of us have standardized on the magnetic drive,
plastic impeller and housing pumps made by Teel and March. These pumps
are rated at various temps, I have seen some as high as 200f.
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 10:48:45 -0600
From: Bill_Rehm@DeluxeData.com
Subject: GOTT Cooler Mash/Lauder Tun Problems
I'm having a bit of a problem with my construction of my GOTT Cooler
Mash/Lauder Tun, and was hoping to get some advice from the collective. I
am using a 10 gal. cylindrical cooler with Phil's Phalse Bottom, I was
hoping to use a compression fitting, coupling, ball valve assembly to drain
the wort from the cooler. This past weekend I got the final parts and
proceded to put it together, I filled it with water and what do you know it
leaks. The leak isn't too fast, but I still don't like the idea of it
leaking for 60-90 minutes while I mash. Has anybody else done something
similar, or should I just go with the method in the phalse bottom
documentation.
TIA
Bill Rehm
RiverWest, Milwaukee, WI
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 12:02:09 -0400
From: Christopher Peterson <peterson@ucmg65.med.UC.EDU>
Subject: AHA competition question
I sent a couple of beers to the national AHA competition this year (first
time). I thought it was strange that they request only one beer for the
first round, but three for the finals. This seems backwards to me since so
few beers make it to the final round. Is one beer enough? How many judges
actually evaluate each entry in the first round? Any other info appreciated.
Christopher Peterson
peterson@molgen.uc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 11:16:10 -0500
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Alternative RIMS heating? Was: RE: Confusion over delta T
>From: Wim Hielkema <betonh@xs4all.nl>
>Why not wind the heating coil directly round the transformer and let it
act
>as secondary winding itself?....
Hey now, that's a fantastic idea, elegence in design.
>You can use a large piece of copper, either
>clamped or welded to minimize resistance, to short circuit beginning
and
>end of the coil. Expect currents ranging from 100 up to 1000 Ampere or
more
>to flow through the secondary, depending on the material used
(stainless
>steel or copper), tube diameter, length and wall thickness. Electrical
>losses in the secondary windings will be minimized this way.
Yes, copper for the short, gold if you are the Donald, (and err, now
also Bill Gates).
Stainless would be ideal for the coil, because it is less reactive to
wort, and we are reaching for elegance here. Stainless is not as good a
conductor of heat, but we are not conducting heat, it is there
throughout the metal, (ignoring skin effect at 60 Hz - all you picky
chemists!).
>The only problem I see with this construction is regulating the power
of
>this system. The only way to electronically control such a system is by
>regulating the primary voltage. Transformers have nasty habit of
drawing
>high transient currents upon switching on so PID controllers, which
control
>power by switching on and off at regular intervals, are no option.
A low value series resistor in the primary circuit will limit the
current transient.
>The
>electronics will probably be fried the first time power is switched on.
>You'll need some sort of continuous voltage regulation at the primary
side
>with current limiting on startup (softstart). A large triac dimmer will
>probably suffice (think 1 - 2.5 KW) although I'm not sure how the
>transformer will handle the chopped sinusoid at low input voltages
(loss of
>efficiency, high transient voltages generated in the primary).
When a transformer is feeding a resistive load, much of the spikes and
transients are reduced or eliminated, and the coil is a resistive load
at 60 Hz.
A small transformer can be used as boost - buck in the primary, with
these controlled by electronics (say, a 24 volt buck transformer would
allow primary voltage to vary enough to control the power), remember the
power is the square of the voltage. You can buck or boost the primary
voltage, depending upon the phase of the small transformer in series
with the primary. Reverse the phase and you have buck, reverse again
and you have boost. This is an old trick that can also be used at the
end of long power lines.
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 12:09:41 -0500
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Primary Control/Flavor Kits/Sulfur
>From: AJ <ajdel@mindspring.com>
>Wim wrote about making a RIMS heating tube section the secondary of a
>transformer. While this is conceptually a fine and very interesting
idea
>I'm not sure I'd advocate it. The idea of the tubing which has been
>contorted to get it around the core springing a pin hole leak and
s>praying the high voltage primary with conductive wort thus connecting
>the rims gear to the mains comes to mind. I suppose if the rims gear
>were solidly grounded this hazzard could be mimimized but I don't
really
>feel comfortable with the idea.
Not to worry, ground the secondary coil, worst case, a blown circuit
protector doing it's job.
>Also, the secondary is almost shorted
>in this application thus the primary will look like an extremely low
>impedance to the mains and there is probability that the primary will
be
>destroyed.
No, the secondary will be an extremely low impedance, the primary
impedance will be transformed to a higher impedance (hence the name,
transformer).
>Fuses or breakers will probably protect and anyone willing to
>try this is doubtless willing to sacrifice a transformer or two.
Oh yeah, and just like a professional photographer, we toss the duds and
only show the good ones :>)
>I guess
>the main point is that transformers are designed (though I haven't done
>it in so long that I hardly remember the process) starting with the
>load. This determines the required core area and the "volts/turn"
which,
>in turn, determine the requisite number of turns on primary and
>secondary. I guess my concern is that as this ad hoc approach does not
>follow normal design procedures there are lots of potential problems
>and, as electricity is involved there is the chance of personal injury
or
>fire.
As always, one can never have too much CYA.
Any apparatus can be dangerous, propane can explode, burn your clothes,
all life is a risk, breathing Mexican fire haze is bad also, but we go
on and breathe anyhow. We survive.
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 10:23:18 -0700
From: "Dr. Dwight A Erickson" <colvillechiro@plix.com>
Subject: Deer and Hops - Yeast Nutrient
In answer to a couple questions recently posted: I live in NE WA
(lotsa deer) I've not grown hops, but here is my experience. I usually
put my spent grain out for our neighborhood deer - they love it, but I
once put spent grain out that had hops in it as well, the deer would
come up, smell it, turn up their noses and walk away. The deer might
have a different opinion of hops in its alive and growing state, but
they sure don't like hops that have been cooked in wort. Also, I have
traveled through the hops growing area of WA, and even though there
are deer there, I've not seen and "deer fences" around the hops fields
- so my guess is that deer don't like hops as a food.
Concerning yeast nutrients: I recently started using Wyeast (standard
disclaimer) (I'm just a small time homebrewer). I'm impressed with
what their yeast nutrient does: Speeds up primary and secondary
fermentation (by my experience) 30% to 40%. It also seems to speed up
bottle conditioning time as well, but I haven't used it long enough to
know that for sure. It's cheep, probably less than 10 cents per 5
gallon batch. I have never used any other brands of yeast nutrients,
but I'm very impressed with the Wyeast product. I use 1/8 tsp in a 1
pint starter plus 1/2 tsp in a five gallon batch. (directions are on
the lable). I will definitely continue using it.
Keep on brewin'.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 13:35:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bradd Wheeler <braddw@rounder.com>
Subject: Electric Heating Element ..
I was warned that I would get a great deal of reponses from all the RIMS
folks about my inquiry about pumps and I did, thanks everyone for your
help, It looks like I've found exactly what I want from Movingbrews.
Now for the next question, I desperately want to set up my system so it is
as portable as possible. Also I want to be able to operate indoors, even
in a basement. So ..... I'm looking for an electric heating element that
I can thread into the side of a sankey keg that will sufficiently boil 15
gallons of wort, can be cleaned etc. Also a single phase unit (110-120v)
would be best.
I know it's an expensive alternative to propane, but has anyone tried this
or done any research on the subject? McMaster Carr has a few
possibilities but they are pricey.
Thanks again to the mutual wisdom out there . . . . .
Bradd Wheeler
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 11:02:51 -0700 (MST)
From: "Steven W. Smith" <SYSSWS@gc.maricopa.edu>
Subject: Maybe Bactine would help?
I've got a bit of a problem with a big beer I brewed. Through profound
lazyness I let it sit in the secondary too long and it's developed some sort
of *very slow* infection. It's a whitish slick that's covered about half of
the top surface over the course of a month or so.
It's imparting some sourness to the beer that is still in the realm of
"interesting" rather than "unpleasant". I'm wondering if I go ahead and keg
it, removing "most" available oxygen, if the wee beasties might stop in their
tracks? Are there other measures available, short of just drinking 5 gallons
of huge beer ASAP? (I can do that if I must). Any help appreciated!
As an aside, I saw on (I believe) The Discovery Channel that some people are
having dilute botulism toxin injected into their faces at strategic locations
as a non-surgical facelift. It seems that it paralyzes the muscles responsible
for forehead wrinkles and such for up to 6 months... See? If you look hard
enough there's some good in almost anything :-D
Steven W. Smith, Systems Programmer. Glendale Community College. Glendale Az.
syssws@gc.maricopa.edu
It is by will alone I set my mind in motion, it is by the beans of coffee
that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shaking, the shaking is a
warning, it is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 15:21:42 -0700
From: George_De_Piro@berlex.com
Subject: The latest issue of Zymurgy
Hi all,
I recently read the protein rest article by Ray Daniels in Zymurgy.
It is in need of a pretty major correction.
A protein rest at 131F (55C) does not favor the breakdown of peptides
into free amino acids. A rest at that temp will break down foam
positive large proteins into haze-causing (but still somewhat foam
positive) mid-weight proteins. That is why Kunze urges no rest at
55C: you will increase haze potential and possibly hurt heading.
If you want to remove large proteins, a good, vigorous boil will do
the trick without forming haze precursors.
The Zymurgy article got it precisely backwards.
Thanks to Pete Garofalo for pointing it out to me, or I may not have
read it for a another few days.
Have fun!
George De Piro (Nyack, NY)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 15:31:58 -0700
From: George_De_Piro@berlex.com
Subject: Foam, blow-off and head retention/Dangers of under pitching
Hi all,
There has been some talk (er, writing) about "foam only once proteins"
or whatever they're being called. The basic idea is that every time
the wort/beer foams, it is losing some of its heading ability.
Al K. says that his blow-off experiment disproved this (because beer
fermented with and without blowing off the Kraeusen had similar
heading ability.
Actually, his experiment didn't disprove this phenomenon. What we
were taught at Siebel is that every time the beer foams, some of the
bubble's surface (which is made primarily from protein) remains
insoluble. These now useless particles can be seen as "skins"
floating through the beer (they are microscopic, but they exist just
as surely as any of us). Because they are existing as suspended
solids they do not help in bubble formation/retention.
Al's experiment allowed the Kraeusen to blow out of one carboy but not
the other. My *guess* would be that heading was similar because in
one beer the proteins were removed in the blow off, while in the other
they simply sank back into the beer as skins that did not aid head
retention.
Of course, there is usually plenty of protein in an all-malt, properly
mashed beer to aid with head retention, so you can do things like lose
some to the Kraeusen and still get head retention.
Kunze doesn't talk about this phenomena, though. He talks something
that I never considered: the serving procedure.
He points out that when the beer is poured, and the partially filled
glass is allowed to settle a minute or so, the surface of the foam
will become the skins I mentioned earlier, and thus help trap more gas
than the liquid bubbles beneath. The glass can then be topped off,
and a more stable head of partially solidified foam will result. He
then talks a bit about the solid bubbles forming lace on the sides of
the glass.
This could just be another conspiracy, though: he is protecting slow
bartenders the world over!
---------------------------------
Don V. recently asked about under-pitching and under-aerating. He
wrote something that disturbed me a bit. He said that if you want to
make an estery beer, you might want to under pitch.
I'd say that's a bad idea. Reasons:
Under-pitching invites many other problems, including stuck
fermentations, less healthy yeast for harvesting, problems with
unwanted microbes, increased higher (fusel) alcohol production, etc.
As I have recently said here, there are very few times you can say
"always" or "never" in this field, but this is one of them: the more
yeast growth you get, the more higher alcohol production you get.
Under-pitching can result will increased yeast growth. Higher
alcohols are generally unwelcome in very noticeable quantities. They
hurt your head (both yours and the beer's!) They taste harsh.
There are better ways of controlling ester levels in beers. One way
is to simply choose the right yeast strain for the job. Sure, Wyeast
1028 will be more banana-like than 3068 if you under-pitch and
under-aerate it (I know from sad experience in my early days), but the
resulting beer is not good because of the reasons I cited above.
In general, pitching the right amount of yeast is always a good thing.
Aerating it is good, too, although there are a few brewers who
manipulate oxygen levels to control yeast growth and thus the
resulting beer's flavor/aroma profile. This is not a good trick to
try at home, in my opinion. Feel free to differ.
For more info than you could ever want, search the archives. I posted
a bunch o'stuff earlier this year, and this gets discussed fairly
often.
As a really quick note, the easiest way to guess at your pitching rate
is to follow this rule: never step up the volume that the yeast get
pitched into more than 10 fold when making ales, and closer to 5 fold
for lagers. In other words, if you are making 5 gallons (19L) of ale,
pitch at least 1/10 that volume yeast starter (0.5 gallon (1.9 L)).
Aerate well. You will experience short lags, fast fermentations that
don't stick, and you'll have happy yeast to harvest.
Have fun!
George De Piro (Nyack, NY)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 15:29:03 -0500
From: "Jens B. Jorgensen" <jjorgens@bdsinc.com>
Subject: Re: Reasonably priced Gott Source
That sure is strange you couldn't find one from Walmart On-Line. I
bought one from them April 13. Anyway, an outfit called "Man of Rubber"
sells the Rubbermaid (Gott?!) 10 Gallon cooler for $47.95 plus shipping.
You can find them at: http://www.manofrubber.com/rubrmaid.htm. I've
not purchase from them before, just found them on the web.
- --
Jens B. Jorgensen (Chicago, IL)
jjorgens@bdsinc.com
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 21:37:00 +0100
From: "Graham Wheeler" <Graham.Wheeler@btinternet.com>
Subject: Deer-proofing your Yard and Garden
Hey Jethro, MADwand, Dave Burley, etc.
I would love to be able to reside in an area where deer are a problem!
A few days ago I was poking around the Storey Communications website and I
noticed that they are proudly announcing "Deer-proofing your Yard and
Garden". I thought it was a highly amusing title; obviously you chaps
don't. The book might be worth a squint though.
Graham Wheeler
High Wycombe
England
------------------------------
Date: 18 May 1998 17:21:48 -0400
From: EFOUCH@steelcase.com
Subject: DMS/Channels/GOTTS/Deer Bullets
HBD-
>
Fred is toying with canning DMS laden wort for starters. Not a problem- My
uncle told me that C. Botulinum spores absorb DMS while lying dormant, then
die when boiled.
>
Regarding Channeling experimentation, I held a Seance in a documented haunted
farmhouse once, and experienced no channeling whatsoever.
>
As far as deer bullets go, MADwand has got the right idea. For Jethros after
hours problems, however, I would recommend 12 Gauge street sweepers hooked in
series with motion sensors. Let God sort'em out.
>
Reasonably priced GOTTS:
I got my GOTT at Home Depot. They didn't have them a month ago, and acted
like they never would. Check with the lumber yard/mega hardware stores again.
The ten gallon GOTTS are seasonable: They carry them for contractors to put
on site for drinking water. Mine cost $40. That's with a $7 stoopid tax,
because I could have bought on for $33 on close-out four months ago at Jumbo
Sports!
Check with the lumber yards again. Just because someone said they don't
carry, doesn't mean they won't ever. Some shmuck who couldn't cut it flipping
burgers, so he's now loading lumber probably told you they don't carry them
(ever), so he could go on early break. Case in point:
Last year, around the first week of December, a buddies wife was in Wal-Mart
looking for a Menorah. She asked the guy on the floor where they might be.
He responded "Well, that's a seasonal item, so we proll'y don't stock them
now."
Seriously!
Eric Fouch
Bullet Re-stocking Technician
Bent Dick Yoctobrewery
Kentwood, MI
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 18:50:26 -0700
From: "S. Wesley" <Wesley@maine.maine.edu>
Subject: inductive heating and RIMS
Hi Folks,
Regarding the recent discussion about using magnteic induction as
a source of heat for a RIMS system I'd like to submit the following
comments.
Transformers are generally engineered to maximize the mutual
inductance of the primary and secondary coils. This is accomplished by
closely interwinding the primary and secondary coils around a laminated
soft iron core to minimize losses due to eddy currents and hysteresis.
Any attempt to rewind the coil of the secondary around a pipe will
dramatically weaken the coupling between the primary and secondary coils
dramatically reducing the efficiency of the transformer.
If anyone really wants to try this you might find it
significantly more effective to use a variac (Variable transformer) to
step the voltage down. The output of the Variac can then be connected to
the an induction coil wound around the pipe. You will want to maximize
the magnetic field inside the pipe to induce the largest possible eddy
currents in the wort, so the more turns, and the higher the current the
better. Keep in mind that if you are doing this in a metal pipe the
metal is a much better conductor than wort so you may wind up
transferring more power to the pipe than the wort. I rather suspect that
you will find that the losses due to resistive heating in the induction
coil and in the variac (Which is not nearly as efficent as a regular
transformer) will make this a very inefficient process overall. You would
be well advised to make a reasonably good estimate of the impedance of
the pipe and wort. You should then be able to work backwards to figure
out the load the induction coil presents to the variac and then to the
primary.
Has anyone here ever heard of the KISS principle? :)
Regards
simon.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 19:03:28 -0400
From: Chris Cooper <ccooper@a2607cc.msr.hp.com>
Subject: Beer cooler repair question
Greetings all!
While driving down a country road on Saturday I chanced by a house with a
two keg beer cooler (industrial bar type) with a two tap tower and (this
is my favorite part) a giant FREE sign. My heart went pitty-pat and I
almost put my wife's head through the windshield as I applied the brakes
in the appropriate fashion (I mean a free beer cooler, wouldn't you lock
up all four wheels?). As we were in the pickup I thought that it must
be fate so we loaded it into the back and off to the brewery, er garage,
we went (I thought that my wife showed great spirit in actually helping
me load the heavy beast in the back while still maligning my panic braking
skills!).
Back at the brewery, er garage, I power washed the unit, it really needed
it, polished up the stainless top and drain pan and cleaned out the
condenser and evaporator coils. The only non-functional part is the fan
that moves air inside the cabinet across the cooling coils (the compressor
runs smoothly and quietly !). Now my question, the original fan is a simple
exposed frame type that was completely frozen up (it looked like a previous
keg explosion inside had totally gummed up the works and had never been
cleaned up). I have several muffin fans that would fit the cabinet and I
think would provide an equivalent air flow (judging by the current rating
on the original fan and the size of the blade), would a muffin fan work
in the cooling cabinet or would the environment be too much for it?
Private responses would be fine. TIA 8^)
Chris Cooper , Commerce Michigan --> Pine Haven Brewery <--
Chris_Cooper@hp.com --> aka. Deb's Kitchen <--
(about 15 miles North of the HBD server)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 16:36:07 -0700
From: "Don Van Valkenburg" <donvanv@email.msn.com>
Subject: Dangers of under pitching? areation
George De Piro writes--------------------------------
regarding underpitching he said:
> I'd say that's a bad idea. Reasons:
>
> Under-pitching invites many other problems, including stuck
> fermentations, less healthy yeast for harvesting, problems with
> unwanted microbes, increased higher (fusel) alcohol production, etc.
I tend to agree with George if we were to over generalize here for a bit.
However, after reading a few articles in BT and Zymurgy, which I cited in my
post, I have changed my thinking and now believe that pitching rates might
be one of those things that one size may not fit all.
I think this is one of those areas that we might say "well it kind of
depends".
George De Piro:
> In general, pitching the right amount of yeast is always a good thing.
What is the"right amount".
There seems to be a lot of differing opinions as to how much is "the right
amount"
George Fix says we should use we should use 400 ml of yeast solids per
Hectoliter (1 hectoliter = 26.42 gal.) which is about (correct me if my math
is wrong) 80 ml per 5 gal. and George De Piro says about 1/2 gal per 5
al. --that's A LOT yeast. I know lots of brewers who pitch only one
swelled wyeast packet or a single White Lab vile and make great beer. I
tend to do a starter, and populate the colony a little more than that.
George went on to say:
> Aerating it is good, too, although there are a few brewers who
> manipulate oxygen levels to control yeast growth and thus the
> resulting beer's flavor/aroma profile. This is not a good trick to
> try at home, in my opinion. Feel free to differ.
Although, he generally recomends areation, Tracy Aquila (BT Vol. 5 #2) makes
a good case for not areating in a few situations.
I have had great success and have read antidotal evidence (J. Schmidling -
HBD) of other brewers pitching large amounts of yeast and doing little to no
areation.
So, how much is the right amount??? ---of yeast and O2?
I think it kinda depends on what you're brewin and is somewhere between one
Wyeast pack and 1/2 gallon.
Care to jump in here Maribeth Raines? Chris White?
The proof is in the puding -- if it works for you, do it.
Don Van Valkenburg
donvanv@msn.com
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 23:52:23 EDT
From: SJarr93801 <SJarr93801@aol.com>
Subject: DOMINION CUP RESUTS
Thanks to all the judges and folks that helped us put on the 6th Annual
Dominion Cup. The results follow;
1998 DOMINION CUP RESULTS
LIGHT/AMBER ALES
1. Ken Pegram - Kolsch
2. Bill Mingee - American Pale Ale
3. Lee Graves - IPA
BROWN ALES
1. Walt & Bland Newman - English Brown Ale
2. Dave Lemelin & Doug Klassett - American Brown Ale
3. Brent Raper - American Brown Ale
BLACK ALES
1. Robert Newman - Sweet Stout
2. Ken Pegram - Imperial Stout
3. Jack Frye - Imperial Stout
STRONG ALES
1. Adam Pilsbury - English Old Ale
2. Terry Dorn - Strong Scotch Ale
3. Bill Mingee - Strong Scotch Ale
BELGIAN ALES
1. Steve Jarrett - Strong Belgian Ale
2. Steve Severtson - White Beer
3. Ed Cosgrove - Lambic
LIGHT/ PALE LAGERS
1. Richard Westerkamp - German Pilsner
2. Mike Holman - Munich Helles
AMBER/DARK LAGERS
1. Ken Lemelin & Brian Astroth - Oktoberfest
2. Lindsay Weiford - Marzen
3. Paul Mahoney - Steam
BOCKS
1. Ed Cosgrove - Doppelbock
WHEAT BEERS
1. Mike Schwartz - Weizenbock
3.(Tie) Ron Thomas - Bavarian Weizen
3.(Tie) Jim & Linda Rorick - Bavarian Weizen
NOVELTY BEERS
1. Chuck Stumpf - Fruit
2. Kevin O'Harra - Fruit
3. Robert Newman - Fruit
BEST OF SHOW - KEN PEGRAM'S KOLSCH
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #2717, 05/19/98
*************************************
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