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HOMEBREW Digest #2818
HOMEBREW Digest #2818 Mon 07 September 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:
freezer & email (fridge)
More on Campden Tablets (AJ)
Brewing Clip Art ("Chip Upsal")
RE: Moisture in grains (LaBorde, Ronald)
RE: Alt, Pils, Centrifuge (LaBorde, Ronald)
Whitelabs Edinburgh Yeast (Dan Cole)
Green Hops (Jack Schmidling)
More Clinitest ("Steve Alexander")
Gravity calculation ("charles beaver")
Oak Chips (Michael Lewandowski)
The Fall of American Ale ("Mort O'Sullivan")
Let a good beer be the exclamation point at the end of your day as
every sentence deserves proper punctuation...
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Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1998 08:05:46 -0400
From: fridge@Imbecile.kzoo.edu
Subject: freezer & email
Greetings folks,
In HBD#1817, Pete Perez asked about why the bottom of his
freezer is colder than the top, and where the temperature probe
should be located.
Cold air is heavier than warm air. As the evaporator coils in the
cabinet wall (there usually isn't a coil in the bottom) remove heat
from air inside the freezer cabinet, the cold air will fall to the bottom
of the cabinet. This will force any warmer air to the top. This action
will setup an airflow pattern that is shaped somewhat like a
doughnut, with cold air falling down the outside of the doughnut and
warm air rising through the center. This air flow will be disturbed by
whatever objects are placed in the freezer.
In actual use, I have found that when loaded with cornies or
carboys, the controller probe agrees with the liquid temperature
when it is placed 6" or so from the top and 2" from the side wall.
Note that any cornies, etc. that touch the side walls will be colder
due to contact with the much colder evaporator coil. Some
experimentation will probably be necessary to get the probe location
just right.
In the same HBD, John Welsh reported success with his fridge by
replacing his start capacitor with a "Hot Shot". These starting aids
are often carried on service trucks to use as a last resort when
standard repairs aren't successful. They are useful when an old,
worn compressor won't start properly with standard electrical
components in good working order.
A hot shot or similar device increases the motor starting torque to
compensate for motor windings with a few shorted turns, or higher
internal friction due to wear. The higher torque has been known to
damage the motor/compressor mountings (inside the can) in some
cases.
In Ken Sullivan's case, it is important to isolate the problem, if
possible before buying parts. The problem may be simple (I found a
bug lodged between contacts in a controller once). Ken mentioned
that his freezer didn't make any sound when he plugged it in. If
power was applied to the compressor, and it wasn't able to start, it
would emit an audible buzzing sound for a few seconds before the
thermal element would open with a loud click. This would repeat
every minute or two until the compressor burns up or the thermal
element fails (I've seen these literally in ashes). The absence of any
noises makes me suspect something other than the starter
relay/capacitor.
Please note that my email machine has been rendered unable to
receive mail due to some firewall work our IS department is
undertaking. I'll see what I can do to remedy the problem early next
week. In the mean time email to duddles@cc.kzoo.edu should get to
me.
Hope this helps!
- ----------------------------------------------------
Forrest Duddles - FridgeGuy in Kalamazoo
duddles@cc.kzoo.edu (For now)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 1998 09:10:15 -0400
From: AJ <ajdel@mindspring.com>
Subject: More on Campden Tablets
Nathan Kanous asked whether I was referring to a water boil or the
kettle boil when I said that sulfur dioxide from the Campden tablets
which is not oxidized by chlorine, chloramine or otherwize would be
driven off in the boil. I was referring to the kettle boil. If
chloraminated water is boiled, the chloramine is quickly driven off and
there would be no reason to use the Campden tablets.
Nathan also asked about the effect of SO2 on his mash/wort. SO2 is a
reducing agent and will, thus, try to find something to reduce. If it is
successful it will become harmless (unless you are already marginal on
sulfate level WRT a Bohemian Pils) sulfate. Things it could reduce might
be melanoidins (i.e. the SO2 can aid in the formation of reductones) or
atmospheric oxygen (i.e. it can undo a little HSA).
Steve Holat also wrote saying that he had heard about this idea on the
UKHBD (have I been scooped by the Pommies?) where the recommended dose
is about 4 times what I'm recommending. I'm sticking with my
recommendation based on my measurements.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1998 06:53:01 -0600
From: "Chip Upsal" <brewerchip@trail.com>
Subject: Brewing Clip Art
I am setting up some web pages for local breweries. I am badly in need of
brewing clip art. Has anybody found a good source for this?
Chip
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1998 09:32:50 -0500
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Moisture in grains
From: "Gregg A. Howard" <ghow@compuserve.com>
>I found a donut shop that bought all their icing ready-made
>(most made it in-house) and was able to collect enough 3.5
>and 4.25 gal. buckets (no 5 gal; icing is much denser than water)
>with lids in a few weeks to store all my grain. 50 lb of 2-row is
>just over ten gallons.
>.................
>I sacrificed one ugly bucket with a 2" hole saw and got 40
>or so plastic disks that I cut from edge to center to make
>reusable tags that snap on the bails so I know which bucket
>is what.
Thanks Gregg for some great tips. This is why I love the digest so much.
It seems that people just keep the idea mill running all the time.
I have been making tags from transparent plastic, but they were difficult to
read. The idea of using the white buckets cut up is great! Here's a tip
from this end - I find the tags very useful to tag my corny kegs. Good to
put your name, any notes about the keg condition, etc. I use plastic tie
wraps to attach the tag to the keg handle. Just leave the tie wrap loose
and write with a marker pen and you have a waterproof tag that can remain on
the keg throughout the entire cleaning cycle.
Many large groceries now have bakery's and also will give you all the
buckets you ever care to ask for.
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1998 10:20:24 -0500
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Alt, Pils, Centrifuge
>It is odd that someone mentioned a homebrew centrifuge for yeast starters.
>Scientific American put their blender based centrifuge article on the web
>but it was tinier than a doctor's office model. The recent starter
discussion
>had just caused me to contemplate using a stout cord and 2 liter plastic
bottle
>like a bolo in the back yard. The neighbors already know I'm crazy...
Hi, Mark. If you really want to convince your neighbors try this:
Securely tie down a 2 liter yeast starter on each blade of a ceiling
fan and let 'er rip. Remove every living creature from the area first!
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 06 Sep 1998 04:53:11 -0400
From: Dan Cole <dcole@roanoke.infi.net>
Subject: Whitelabs Edinburgh Yeast
This morning, I am beginning an all-grain Scotch Ale (I am shooting for the
AHA Export Scotch Ale style). For yeast, I am using the Whitelabs Edingurgh
yeast, but one thing on their web page caught my eye this morning.
The temperature range for the yeast, is outside the normally recommended
range for the style. By all sources Scotch Ales were brewed in below normal
temperatures (in the 50's F), yet this yeast looks like it wants normal ale
temperatures and would not perform well in the lower range.
Does anyone have any experience with this yeast?
Description from www.whitelabs.com:
WLP028- Edinburgh Ale Yeast:
Scotland is famous for its malty, strong ales. This yeast can reproduce
complex, flavorful Scottish style ales.
Attenuation: 70-75%.
Flocculation: Medium.
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-70F.
Does not ferment well under 62F.
Thanks,
Dan Cole
Roanoke, VA
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 06 Sep 1998 07:29:41 -0700
From: Jack Schmidling <arf@mc.net>
Subject: Green Hops
I have this urge to make the next batch of beer using freshly picked
green hops but never having done this before I don't wish to risk a
whole batch when a simply question might save some grief.
Is there any reason why hops must be dried before use?
js
- --
Visit our WEB pages: http://user.mc.net/arf
ASTROPHOTO OF THE WEEK..... New Every Monday
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1998 05:45:30 -0400
From: "Steve Alexander" <steve-alexander@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: More Clinitest
In my last post on this topic I concluded that a Clinitest reading of 1/4%
represented a certainty of a complete fermentation, but that readings perhaps
as high as 1.25% might also represent complete fermentation depending on the
properties of the wort. I've performed Clinitest readings on a handful of
personal beers and commercial beers, results follow. I had my wife, who is
very familiar with Clinitest and very uninterested in beer both for the same
reason, read the color charts for results. + and - indicate values slightly
above or below the readings stated. One matter that makes the Clinitest
readings problematic is that the kit measures volumes using an 'eyedropper'.
It was fairly obvious that the drops of beer were smaller than the diluting
drops of water because of the difference in surface tension between the two.
This would tend to make the readings below lower that the actual reducing sugar
concentration. For a better reading the beer and diluting water should be
volumetrically measured by other means.
My efforts.
Ale 36 (brown ale) 1/4%
Ale 37 sparge (SG=1.043) 1/4-%
Ale 37 no-sprg(SG=1.071) 1/2%
Commercial
Pyramid Alehouse ESB 1/4%
Spaten UrMarzen 1/2%
Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock 3/4-%
Tucher Bajuvinator Doppebock 3/4%
I have a few more commercial beers to test and will report more later - but as
you can see figures above 1/4% in dextrinous commercial beers are not rare. On
the other hand - I suspect that 1/4% is the most typical final reading for less
dextrinous normal gravity beers.
One other note of interest is that there isn't a strong correlation between the
Clinitest readings and the subjective sweetness of the beer - perhaps because
of the sweet flavor of caramelized sugars and the lack of flavor of most
dextrins. The Spaten was subjectively much sweeter that the no sparge ale #37
which most would consider a dry strong ale. It was also subjectively sweeter
than one of the doppelbocks - to my tongue anyway.
Steve Alexander
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1998 09:57:12 -0500
From: "charles beaver" <cbeav@netnitco.net>
Subject: Gravity calculation
I have a question for the HBDers that I have been wrestling with for a
while. If I brew a beer with an OG of say 1.059 and a batch size of 9.5
gallons, and pitch 1.5 gallons of OG 1.040 starter, what is the resultant OG
of the batch and how can I calculate it for future sessions? My thinking is
that I should account for the fermentables in the starter as well as the
dilution that occurs to the batch when formulating the recipe. It doesn't
help to measure the OG after pitching since the DME in the starter would
have fermented out. This also brings up the question of decanting the liquor
off the yeast slurry and not adding it to the wort. This would avoid the
problem in the first place.
Any comments would be appreciated.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1998 12:53:36 -0400
From: mlew@mail.ioa.com (Michael Lewandowski)
Subject: Oak Chips
I am considering adding oak chips to the secondary for some aging. I'm
concerned about microbes hiding in the wood pores infecting my brew. How
should I sanitize the chips? Thanks in advance!
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1998 22:15:42 +0100
From: "Mort O'Sullivan" <tarwater@brew-master.com>
Subject: The Fall of American Ale
Steve Alexander asks:
>What were ales like in the mid 1800s in the US ? Anyone know ? Jeff ?
Perhaps
>the change was due to improved yeast handling techniques - tho' certainly
not
>pure culture techniques. Perhaps flavor or transportability or
clarity/color
>in the more available clear glass mugs that were the deciding issues.
Perhaps
>the advances in industrialization and transportation or even refrigeration
that
>made large scale commercial lager brewing possible. I'd love to hear
about it.
In 1907, a British brewer by the name of Thomas Hyde took a tour of
American and Canadian ale breweries and made some interesting notes in a
paper he presented to the Institute of Brewing when he returned home. Most
of the paper is devoted to the current state of ale brewing and what the
brewers had done to compete with the rise of lager. However, Mr. Hyde does
say a little about ale brewing before the turn of the century. He says
that, prior to the 1890's, "the two principal types of ale were known as
stock ale and lively or present use ale. The stock ale is like our English
stock ale, of high gravity, hopped down in cask, and stored a few months
before sending out. This type of ale possesses a harsh, old flavour, and is
only consumed in the more northern States and Canada. The lively or present
use ale is much lower in gravity and is not stored at all, but is heavily
krausened and placed in a warm store to generate violent cask condition,
which must be sufficient to entirely empty the cask when on draught. The
pressure generated is as high as 70 lb. per square inch. The casks are
specially made, the heads being 4 inches thick.
"The lively ale was always thick and creamy on draught and had a
pronounced old yeasty flavour which could not be called agreeable.
Considering, therefore, the two classes of ale, there is no wonder that the
ale brewer across the water was in great danger of being cleared out by the
brewer of lager beer, simply because a light, brilliant beer was
undoubtedly better suited for the beer-drinking public of that country."
Some other interesting comments from the article:
- --Once lager brewing became well-established in America, ale brewers began
to use the same equipment and, in general, practiced cold conditioning and
forced carbonation with ales. It was believed that the "brilliant ale" thus
produced would compete more favorably with lagers.
- --Ale served in America by the turn of the century was a "clean, cold, and
sparkling" product and would not suit the taste of the British working man,
who likes more weft in his beer.
- --The weather and the marketplace were two major influences on the type of
beer produced: During the trying American summers, "the brewer has to
produce a bright, brilliant, cold beer for which there is a demand. In the
coldest of weather, they still like the beer cold and bright, like the
lager beer. The cosmopolitan type of the people has to be reckoned with,
with all their different tastes and fads which they have become accustomed
to in the country of their birth or from whence they came."
- --Pitching rates for ales were relatively low for American breweries,
rarely exceeding 1/2 lb. per barrel, and a 48-hour lag period was common.
Despite this slow start, Mr. Hyde remarked on the healthy state of the
fermentations and the "great quantity of strong, sweet-smelling yeast."
- --Yeast was stored in the cold room between harvesting and pitching to keep
it "as pure as possible and free from contamination."
- --Considerable amounts of raw grains (corn and rice primarily) were used in
the mash for ales as well as lagers--primarily to dilute the protein
content of the highly diastatic American malts, as low-protein European
malts were prohibitively expensive due to trade restrictions.
There are very few technical specifications of the ales given, but an
article from a few years later shows that by 1910, the average American ale
had an O.G. of approximately 1061-1063 with an apparent attenuation of
between 55-65% (about 4.8-5.6 alc by weight). The average British bitter
from the same period had an O.G. of about 1044-1048 and an A.A. of about
65-72% (about 4.1 alc by weight). So, conditioning and serving differences
aside, it is apparent that American and British ales were different animals
by the turn of the century, and probably much earlier.
- ---
Sources:
Hyde, Thomas. "Practical Notes on a Visit through American and Canadian Ale
Breweries." _JIB_. 1907 v.13 (v.4 new series), pp357-370.
Tolman, L.M. and J.G. Riley. "A Study of American Beers and Ales." _JIB_.
1917 v.23 (v.14 new series), pp298-322.
Heron, John, and Walter A. Riley. "The Carbonation of Beer in Bottle."
_JIB_ 1902 v.8, pp297-312.
- ---
Cheers,
Mort O'Sullivan
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #2818, 09/07/98
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