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HOMEBREW Digest #2940
HOMEBREW Digest #2940 Fri 29 January 1999
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:
Warnings on brass ball valves (Matthew Birchfield)
Re: Boiling Kettle False Bottom (George Smith)
Lager Questions ("Kelly C. Heflin")
re: blue non-corn beer. ("Stephen Alexander")
Re: Sanitizing and Aluminum foil (John Bowerman)
Endless fermentation (Keith Busby)
RE: Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 10:20:47 -0500 (LaBorde, Ronald)
Re: Ranco Temperature Controller (David Sherfey)
Update:HLT as a BrewPot (Rod Prather)
Cask conditioned ales (Jeremy B. Pugh)
Re: HBD Abbreviations (Jeffry D Luck)
RE: Ranco ETC111000-000 (LaBorde, Ronald)
RE: kegging without CO2 tanks (LaBorde, Ronald)
In N. Virginia next week. (Wade Hutchison)
How can I improve head retention? ("Jim Kingsberg")
Need to Capture Images ("Peter J. Calinski")
kegging sans carbonic (Dave Sapsis)
Re. Brass Bulkhead Fittings (John Palmer)
Gluten allergy (GoBigRed74)
Re: Ipswich (MA) Brewing Co.'s Ale - 3 Questions (Seth Goodman)
Blukhead deffinition (PRS) - CPC" <PRS@NA2.US.ML.COM>
Of Momilies and Beer Bullets (Eric.Fouch)
Blue beer/Red cabbage/anthocyanins (Matthew Comstock)
John Wilkinson & Czech Malt ("Lynne O'Connor")
Moldy ingredients ("George De Piro")
Carbs&Gelatinization/yeast growth ("Stephen Alexander")
Excessive blow off (Ian Smith)
Moldy Malt ("Alan McKay")
Beer is our obsession and we're late for therapy!
Enter The Mazer Cup! _THE_ mead competition.
Details available at http://hbd.org/mazercup
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JANITORS on duty: Pat Babcock and Karl Lutzen (janitor@hbd.org)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 19:50:14 -0500
From: Matthew Birchfield <peridot@usit.net>
Subject: Warnings on brass ball valves
Another question for those who know about these things ...
I just purchased 2 brass ball valves for the drains on my new
stainless vessels. When I got home I realized that small print
at the bottom of the tag had a warning about "reproductive
toxicity". Is this warning anything to worry about? I plan to
follow the advice I've read advising me to wash the lead off w/
white vinegar & hydrogen peroxide before use.
- --
Matt Birchfield
Blacksburg, VA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 14:00:10 -0700
From: George Smith <gpsmith@atmel.com>
Subject: Re: Boiling Kettle False Bottom
Dan Sherman asks in HBD #2937 about what false bottoms we use in our boil
kettles and how they work.
I use a false bottom from Sabco (yada,yada,...) with a siphon tube going
through it to the bottom. I have brewed very light pilsners without any
darkening of the final product. The siphon tube sucks just about every last
bit of wort out of the kettle and leaves behind all material except for
small hop seeds that I filter out with a strainer as the wort goes into the
fermentor. I generally use whole hops, Irish Moss, and an immersion
chillier.
George Smith
Woodland Park, CO
8550 feet above Jeff Renner
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 10:16:42 -0500
From: "Kelly C. Heflin" <kheflin@lucent.com>
Subject: Lager Questions
(please excuse the rambling, I tried to get to the point quickly)
I was real happy after making my last all grain lager 11 days ago.
I just checked the SG and it's still at 1.030. It is still fermenting so
I will be patient with it. Let me give you all the quick story. I made
10 gallons, Ended up with 8.5 gallons. The first 5 gallons went to the 1st
carboy . The next 3.5 went to the second, where I added 1 gallon of boiled
and cooled water. 1st carboy 1.064 the second should be around the 1.050
range. I had a starter of Bavarian Lager Yeast going for a while at 48
degrees in a well controlled fridge.a full 1 gallon bottle of yeast stepped
up about 6 times. A fine looking yeast sample at high krausen when pitched.
Here is why I'm writing.
The 2nd carboy (the lighter one) fermented out in about 5 days down to
1.016. All beer was in the fridge at 48 deg. Immediately after pitching. The
1 st carboy took 30 hours to start as opposed to the 2nd which started in
about 10 hours. I rearated the heavy beer at 24 hours cause there was no
sign of activity, but the way it foamed up quickly made me think it was
ready to start. It had a great looking fermentation for the next 10 days,
and after seeing how the other one had fermented out so well, I expected to
see a lower SG than 1.030.
11 lbs of Vienna (weyerman)
7 lbs of Munich (weyerman)
And some other specialty grains. I started with a protein rest which got
screwed up, (my recirc pump was seized up, had to take it apart to fix it
real quick, broken magnet.)The temp was unstable between 120 and 150 degrees
for about 20 minutes. Got the pump working and stabilized at 154-156 and
mashed for an hour. How did I ever make beer without a pump?
If you get extraction out of the grains is it all fermentable? Does the
protein rest give better extraction or does it change the extract to a more
fermentable extract?I heard with this Vienna and Munich malt a protein rest
is the right thing to do.
The lighter carboy got a small amount of trub, the heavy beer got none. I've
heard that trub can help fermentation.
Could the yeast starter not have been made to a high enough SG to handle the
1.064, but did well at the 1.050 range.
Should I rouse the yeast in the heavy beer before moving to a secondary. I
do have more yeast available, I would like to transfer the beer off the dead
yeast and add new yeast to it.
I'm open for all opinions.
Thanks hef.
Kelly C. Heflin
kheflin@lucent.com
(732) 957-3055
Room 2B-409
200 Laurel Ave.
Middletown, New Jersey
07748
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 02:59:58 -0500
From: "Stephen Alexander" <steve-alexander@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: re: blue non-corn beer.
Spencer W Thomas writes that Ken S writes ...
>> most of the blue color stayed in the mash tun.
>Blue color in veggies is usually produced by a pH-sensitive compound
Anthocyanidin is the classification- high pH blue, low ph red or clear but
many different compounds with differing pH points.. The compounds account
for nearly all reds & blues in flowers and fruits. Blue flowers (fairly
rare) aren't alkaline but instead form some odd metallo-phenolic blue
compound of the anthocyanidins. If any anthocyanidin remains blue at beer
pH values - you'll likely find it in a purple-blue tart fruit like
blueberies or blackberries.
S
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 17:24:09 -0800
From: John Bowerman <jbowerma@kfalls.net>
Subject: Re: Sanitizing and Aluminum foil
I spent a number of years working around a bunch of food
scientists. Their method of keeping dust and contamination out of
beakers, flasks, etc. was to use parafilm (a heat and solvent
resistant, polyethylene-based, non-adhesive streatch film). This
stuff can be obtained through any major scientific supply house
(i.e., VWR, Cole-Parmer, etc.), and is available in 2 and 4 inch
by 125 to 500 feet rolls.
Right now my sanitization process is to rinse bottles well as soon
as they're empty and stash them aside until I get a good sized
load. Then soak in TSP, rinse well, and run thru the dishwasher
set to dry cycle. After they're dry, I seal the top with either
parafilm or foil and put them into storage until needed.
I used to give the clean bottles a quick rinse before filling, but
now I just peel and fill - after all the name of the game is
sanitize not sterilize. I haven't had any problems with
contamination, and unless I get real sloppy I don't expect too.
That's my 2 cents. You can keep the change.
John Bowerman
jbowerma@kfalls.net
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 22:18:52 -0600
From: Keith Busby <kbusby@ou.edu>
Subject: Endless fermentation
I have a Grand Cru fermenting presently. OG 1.083, after 10 days 1.034, and
still popping every 17-20 seconds. Ambient temp about 68F, yeast is La
Chouffe. Is there any danger of off-flavors if I just leave it? I am loathe
to rack to secondary (I usually do after a week or so) as I suspect it
might stop fermentation completely. The wort was aerated with aquarium
pump/in-line filter for 5 mins. until the foam was 3-4 inches; just air,
not oxygen. The grain bill was largely DWC Pilsener with some specialty
grains and a pound of Candi Sugar. Mashed at 122 and 152 before mashout.
Keith Busby
Keith Busby
George Lynn Cross Research Professor
Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
University of Oklahoma
780 Van Vleet Oval, Room 202
Norman, OK 73019
Tel: (405) 325-5088. Fax: (405) 325-0103
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 09:19:49 -0600
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 10:20:47 -0500
>>>>
From: "Peter J. Calinski" <PCalinski@iname.com>
Instead of mounting the heater(s) in the bucket, I mounted each one at the
end of a piece of pipe
<<<<
Very interesting, but it is not clear to me how you handle several aspects
of this design:
1) How do you insulate and waterproof the contacts?
2) If you have a boilover and rising foam, how do you prevent it
from getting into the contacts?
3) As the liquid evaporates while boiling, how do you prevent the
upper part of the element from running dry?
I can see many handy uses for this as you mention, just curious.
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 05:56:49 -0500
From: David Sherfey <sherf@warwick.net>
Subject: Re: Ranco Temperature Controller
Greg--
Brewers Resource has them. I just got one for Christmas for my chest
freezer and it's pretty cool. You can set the differential temperature
to keep your compressor from overheating, and it has a non-volatile
memory to remember where it was before a power outage. - 30 to +220F
range. Very easy to set up, too.
No affiliation......
Cheers!
David Sherfey
Warwick, NY
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 15:38:58 -0500
From: Rod Prather <rodpr@iquest.net>
Subject: Update:HLT as a BrewPot
Thanks to everyone who responded to my post on using the HLT as a brewpot.
When I first posted my question I had totally spaced the sparge. This was
resolved by a few very good suggestions. With a bit of help from Ron
Babcock and a few others, I have come up with what I think is the basis of a
functional home brewery design. The system is basically a two tier HERMS.
I call it a HESBuB, for Heat Exchange Single Burner Brewery. It uses only
a single gas burner and requires only two Sanke kegs (one if you use a Gott
cooler for a Lauter Tun). There is a trade off but there are some positive
points, too. There are also a few specials for increased ramp times and
ease of cleaning. How about some feedback. You can look at it on my new
web page.
http://fast.to/beer HEY, check out that jump address, I can't believe I
got it. Is that cool or what.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 11:16:07 -0700
From: jpugh@hjnews.com (Jeremy B. Pugh)
Subject: Cask conditioned ales
All,
The following is a gee-whiz comment to add to a discussion on
cask-conditioned ale. Just expressing a love of beer here.
In #2937, while responding to a question on home, non c02 kegging systems,
Tim writes:
>What you are referring to is cask conditioned ale, usually called real ale
>in England. It is, without question, the best way (CAMRA would say the
>only way) to serve good ale. It is the only way you'll find ale served in
>a decent pub.
The problem for homebrewers is that air is introduced into the keg,
causing oxidation in a very short time. In a pub, it is possible to
turn the beer over fast enough that it's not a problem.
Even for pubs, doing it well is no mean fete...Because
you can get the same beer in so many pubs, it was possible to compare
the cellarmanship of the various publicans. The difference in quality
is stunning. Brewing is a craft. So is cellaring.<
Amen. I am relatively new to homebrewing and kegging my own is a long way
off. But I worked for a year for two Nickelson's pubs in the London
Finiancial district (bank district). At the Buttler's Head (the better of
the two,) Our cellar master was a genius albeit extremley obsesive
compulsive.
During much of the time I worked there Nickelson's was hosting a real ale
festival where a wide variety (ten on tap each month) of Nickelson's cask
conditioned ales were availible. I assited Jerome often and learned a lot.
He had to have the rotation down to a science, primarly because the beer
would spoil if it didn't sell quickly after tapping. The kegs had to be set
up and allowed to settle for at least 72 hours before they could be tapped.
And, he would carefully watch kegs that had been tapped and weren't selling
well. If it sat too long,which was rare,it was a after-closing party.
Cheers!
Another interesting point (just for grins) is having worked in British pubs
and american bars I noticed a huge difference in the way waste is treated.
Those after-work keg finishing parties usually earned Jerome an ass-chewing
from his bosses. Waste was death, especially in a chain-pub. A barman could
earn an ass chewing for too many overpours, handpulls and co2 propelled
both.
Here in the states I've poured gallons of beer down the drain
becasue of badly set up keg lines and cheap taps. Althoug my career in the
service industry is over I could never understand why my managers wouldn't
work to correct the problem, but then again for minimum wage I didn't lose
too much sleep over it. Any thoughts on this?
Jeremy B. Pugh, Logan, Utah
jpugh@hjnews.com
"Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel." -- Mark Twain
**************************************************************************
Jeremy B. Pugh Work...(435) 752-2121 (3021)
The Herald Journal Fax ...(435) 753-6642
75 W. 300 North
Logan, Utah 84321
**************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: 28 Jan 1999 08:12:54 -0700
From: Jeffry D Luck <Jeffry.D.Luck@aexp.com>
Subject: Re: HBD Abbreviations
Thanks for all the responses to my abreviation question. The best one
came from Chuck Bernard, and I'll post it here, with his permission.
Many of you asked me to forward the info I received, and rather than email
all of you, here it is:
- -------------------
You asked in HBD 2938 about abbreviations (or abbrv.). . .
RIMS: Recirulating Infusion Mash System, an all grain brewing system/method
where the mash is drawn off through a false bottom, passes through a heating
chamber and is deposited on top of the grain bed. The best description of
the process is in CD Pritchard's web page. Go to the HBD home page
(http://hbd.org), thne click on the "sponsored" tab. CD's page has plans
and theory as well as links to several other RIMs brewers. You could spend
8 - 10 hours reading about RIMs on the web.
HLT: Hot Liquor Tank: Another all grain piece of brewing equipment.
Basically a large vessel which holds the sparge water which is heated to
170F or so for sparging. Hot Water Bucket would also be appropriate.
DME: Dry Malt Extract: Take your liquid syrup extract (LME: liquid malt
extract) and remove all but 2 - 3% of the water. 3 pounds of DME is equal
in specific gravity to 3.3# of LME. If you've ever bought "malt topping" on
the grocery store by the ice cream, its very similar to that. Convient to
use and easy to measure, but absorbs water readily and will set up like
concrete. Best stored in a tupperware type container. Most use it for
yeast starters. Your local HB shop should carry it, if not they CAN order
it. Available in xtra lite, light, amber and dark colors, hopped and
unhopped. It comes in one and three pound bags and 55 pound boxes (not
recommended). A tablespoon or two of unhopped DME in a homemade mailkshake
is wonderful. Don't confuse DME with DMS. DMS is di-methyl-sulfide, an
aroma in beer which smells like cooked canned corn.
CAP: Classic American Pilsner: Also known as pre-prohibition pilsner. A
full bodied, hoppy pilsner usually made with six-row malt and and about 20 -
25% corn in the grist. Visit the Brewing Techniques web site
(www.brewingtechniques.com) and search the back issues. There are
excellent articles on the CAP style by both George Fix and Jeff Renner. I
think there's also a CAP article at the Brewery web site (http://brewery.org).
A sparkler is a device used on the end of a tap when dispensing real ale or
cask conditioned ale. Real Ale undergoes a secondary fermentation in the
cask and is dispensed with a beer engine, a kind of pump. CO2 is not used
to push the beer out as in a traditional keg system. Air is drawn into the
empty space in the cask as the beer is dispensed, causing the beer to
"change" over the course of the cask's life. This is the
"traditional"method of dispensing beer in England. I do beleive a sparkler
is used to enhance the head on a beer drawn with a beer engine. Ray
Daniels, aauthor of Designing Great Beers organizes a Real Ale Festival
every fall in Chicago. It is billed as the largest collection of real ale
outside of Great Britain. 1998's festival had over 100 real ales on cask.
Search the web for real ale festival. There should be some background info
on real ale and you'll find the real ale website. If you've never
experienced real ale, make plans to attend the 1999 RAF (in early November I
think).
Oh, and welcome to the brewing fraternity. You'll pick up and be slinging
around the abbreviations with the best of them in no time.
Chuck Bernard bernardch@mindspring.com
Music City Brewers, Nashville TN - Music CityUSA
- -----------------
Jeff Renner also sent this useful bit...
- -----------------
A "pocket beer engine," which I also introduced to HBD, is a 5 or 10 cc
plastic syringe (no needle) lilke the ones used to give medicine to
infants. You suck a little beer up into it, then squirt it forcefully back
into the glass. Make sure you have enough freeboard or it'll foam all
over. This works great on English style ales, where they are often
overcarbonated.
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan c/o nerenner@umich.edu
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943.
- ----------------
Thanks again. I may have gone over my posting size limit here, but
I throw my self on the mercy of the janitors -- please post it, this is good
stuff!
-Jeff Luck
Salt Lake City, UT - USA
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 09:34:51 -0600
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Ranco ETC111000-000
>>>>
From: "Gregg Soh" <greggos@hotmail.com>
Grainger seems be
reluctant to do business outside the States(they haven't replied about
my internationally registering with them). So I'm stuck, and don't know
any source for one of these controllers to control my new chest freezer.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
<<<<
I know, weird, money is money, but that's how things are.
I used a different approach to build my 'homebrew' homebrew controller. I
purchased a cheap electronic heating and AC thermostat at the local Home
Depot. You probably could get something similar at a building supply or
hardware store.
These gadgets have a small thermistor, usually blue in color, and usually
sticking out in the air inside the plastic housing which easily unscrews. I
unsoldered this thermistor carefully as to not overheat it. Then I
connected it to a four foot length of small wire, then I connected this wire
to the PC board where the thermistor was connected. I put the thermistor
into a one foot length of vinyl tubing halfway, then folded the tubing in
half and tie wrapped the tubing to keep it folded. Now I have a waterproof
probe.
I wired up a 24 VAC control transformer to the thermostat just as one would
if using the thermostat for it's intended purpose. Then I connected a 24
VAC relay, just as one would connect an air conditioner compressor relay,
only the relay does not control an air conditioner, but it controls my
freezer compressor.
It works well, and costs about the same to build as to buy one.
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 09:53:32 -0600
From: rlabor@lsumc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: kegging without CO2 tanks
>>>>
From: "Brook Raymond" <brook@worldnet.att.net>
I'm trying to dispense from a corny keg using fermentation pressure
alone.....
What is the highest pressure one can dispense pure CO2 without
foaming....
Anyone try using a regulator? I'm
thinking of using a multi-stage bank of filters to lower the pressure....
<<<<
This probably has not been tried before, but maybe you could do this:
One can purchase a small regulator designed for low pressure uses such as 0
to 250 psig, or so. These can be obtained for around $15 - $20 (Grainger).
So, if you used a spare corny, one to be used as the CO2 storage tank, you
could connect your fermenter (a corny keg, with the CO2 being sent to the
storage corny keg into the liquid in line). On the gas output line of the
storage keg, you would have your small regulator installed and set at the
max pressure you desire.
This should be safe from blowoff foam, etc, as you are connected to the very
top of the storage keg, at the gas out line. When the fermenting gas
pressurizes the system to the max level, any more will be vented out of the
open output of the regulator. The system should equalize at the end of
fermentation at or below the max pressure.
Now, you change the configuration, where you connect regulator output which
is now set to serving pressure (lower, or about 10 psig), to the gas in of
the serving tank (x-fermenter).
Ron
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsumc.edu
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 11:22:06 -0500
From: Wade Hutchison <whutchis@bucknell.edu>
Subject: In N. Virginia next week.
Hello, all - I'll be in the Northern Virginia area for a computer
training class next week (Tues, Wed, and Thurs evening will be
free) and was wondering if anyone could give me directions to the Old
Dominion brewpub. I found it once last year, but don't think I
could do that again - even the correct phone number for the _pub_
would be a help. I'll be staying in Reston town center.
Is there any other brewpub in easy driving distance from Reston?
What about decent homebrew shops? Thanks for any help.
Private email at whutchis@bucknell.edu would be fine.
-----wade
whutchis@bucknell.edu
Wade Hutchison, College Engineer
Bucknell University, College of Engineering
http://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~whutchis
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 10:27:24 -0600
From: "Jim Kingsberg"<jdkingsb@hewitt.com>
Subject: How can I improve head retention?
Ive been reading the HBD for awhile now (started back up after a long
hiatus) and have seen several posters wish for better head retention. I
havent seen anything in a while regarding developing good head retention
except for references to protein rests. Since Ive been brewing for several
years, mostly all grain, and because Ive been brewing pretty hard as of
late, I want my beers to have good head retention (just like Guiness!). I
know there are probably many resources/datapoints out there on the internet
and probably on back issues of the HBD, but since it seems like other
homebrewers have the same problems mentioned without recourse, I wanted to
rouse this thread a little to see if there are new avenues.
My brewing practice currently is to do a single step infusion at 152 to 158
degrees F. (Sorry, no protein rest!) Im currently using Shrier 2 row
(bought a sack from the guys at Lakeside Brewing in Milwaukee, thanks
guys!). Most of the brews I make are English style pale ales/stouts. Mind
you, head retention is a bonus at this point. I enjoy the taste, body,
color and clarity of my brews. I just want to try and reproduce a good
characteristic of "lace" on the glass.
So the questions is what factors can I control that produce good head
retention? Is it strike/mash temp? Malt age? Malt type and/or
modification and/or composition? Additives or adjuncts? How do the big
boys do it?
Or is this topic extensive enough that I better start reading back issues
of HBD?
Thanks in advance!
Jim Kingsberg
Evanston, IL (across the lake from Jeff Renner)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 11:24:59 -0500
From: "Peter J. Calinski" <PCalinski@iname.com>
Subject: Need to Capture Images
I have had quite a number of requests for photos or images of the heater
for the plastic boiler I posted about earlier. I don't have any good way
to capture digital images. Is there anyone in the Buffalo NY area that has
a digital camera or a video frame grabber so that I can capture some
images? I would be nice if it could focus at short range for some detailed
images.
TIA
Pete Calinski
East Amherst NY
Near Buffalo NY
0 Degrees 30.21 Min North, 4 Degrees 05.11 Min. East of Jeff Renner
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 10:10:59 -0800
From: Dave Sapsis <DAVE_SAPSIS@fire.ca.gov>
Subject: kegging sans carbonic
Phil Wilcox rightfully notes problems with getting an airtight seal in a
corny keg after priming, when one does not have access to, or chooses
not to use, external CO2 to make the seal. Two things help: good ol'
Astroglide (or *your* favorite lubricant) on the O-ring, and shaking the
keg. Remember that the racked beer has dissolved CO2, on the order of 1
atm or thereabouts depending on temperature and how gently it was
racked, I usually have no trouble maintaning CAMRA purity in my real
ales with a dab-l-dooya and a brisk shake. If the seal fails, you will
hear it, and you can resort non-CAMRA methods. The horror.
cheers,
- --dave, sacramento
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 08:56:17 -0800
From: John Palmer <jjpalmer@gte.net>
Subject: Re. Brass Bulkhead Fittings
Matt asks some good questions about building bulkheads.
>1- When using brass fixtures in my brewery does cleaning them with a
2:1 ratio of vinegar & hydrogen peroxide one time before installing
eliminate the danger of lead leaching into my brew forever, or
does this cleaning process need to be repeated?
The de-leading process should not have to be repeated. Brass is
relatively inert in wort and no more lead should be exposed by
successive batches. But if you scrub the brass after each use, then you
will start exposing more lead and may want to re-treat the parts after
some period of time. But bear in mind that this is a small small amount
of lead. Leaded gasoline was a bigger hazard.
>2- When building a bulkhead to attach plumbing to a HLT or a mash tun,
will any rubber washers work well (not effect flavor), and are Zinc
washers safe to use?
I have used ordinary rubber plumbing washers with no affects. Zinc is
not a good idea in a predominately stainless enviroment. Zinc will
dissolve and poison your yeast.
John Palmer, metallurgist (narf)
palmer house brewery and smithy
www.realbeer.com/jjpalmer/
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 12:05:58 EST
From: GoBigRed74@aol.com
Subject: Gluten allergy
My father is allergic to gluten and, therefore, cannot have malted barley. I
just bought Charlie Papazian's Home Brewer's Companion and it says that
persons allergic to "grass family" cereal grains might be able to have beer
made from buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, spelt or kamut. Does anybody have any
recipes made from these grains or know where I could find them?
Thanks for your help,
Chad Humphry
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 12:15:15 -0500
From: Seth Goodman <sethgoodman@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Ipswich (MA) Brewing Co.'s Ale - 3 Questions
John Doherty, in HBD #2938, asked:
> Does anyone have any information regarding of the yeast strain used in
Ipswich
> (MA) Ales?
>
Wyeast 1028
> Furthermore, has anyone personally cultured said yeast from a growler
or
> bottle?
>
Not personally, because they gladly gave free yeast to local
homebrewers. All you had to do was go over there on Saturday afternoon
(during the tour), with a container, and they would give you some of
their yeast. (My homebrew club buddies inform me that if you showed up
too many Saturdays for free yeast, you might be asked to *give* the
tour. :-))
> And lastly, has anyone heard rumors of the sale of Ipswich Brewing
Company?
> After recently noticing a big drop in the amount of Ipswich in stores,
I've
> heard from one source that Ipswich had temporarily ceased
> operations in order to
> complete their sale to a larger entity. I'm told that they will soon
resume
> production of their full line of beers on an even grander scale, but
my details
> are frighteningly sketchy at best.
>
> -John Doherty
>
More than a rumor, I'm afraid. Your information is, as far as I know,
correct. Right now they are still on, I believe, their six week
*hiatus*. They have been, even when interviewed by the local newspaper,
less than forthcoming with their plans.
Seth Goodman
650 miles ESE from Jeff Renner
10 miles NW of the Ipswich Brewery
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 12:42:39 -0500
From: "Santerre, Peter (PRS) - CPC" <PRS@NA2.US.ML.COM>
Subject: Blukhead deffinition
Some people (especially a month or so back)
we into defining some terms and acronyms.
Here is my question -
What exacly is a bulkhead, with concern to brewing?
I lived in a beach house in Seattle for the first 14 years
of my life. We had a bulkhead (AKA Deck, Patio). It
kept the water out. I'm assuming the words are related.
Thanks
-ShockValue (AKA Peter Santerre)
------------------------------
Date: 28 Jan 1999 13:26:02 -0500
From: Eric.Fouch@steelcase.com
Subject: Of Momilies and Beer Bullets
Thomas-
You'll probably get lot's of responses to this but..
A momily is a widely accepted truth that is usually false. Like "You'll go
blind if you don't leave yourself alone!"
Or, "Don't waste your time on "loose women"- only date the nice girls".
HA! Top 'O the World, MA!!
In this forum, our momilies are "Cl*n*test will show you the end of
fermentation", "Never use canned wort that has not been canned in a pressure
cooker", "Adjustable gap rollers are a waste of money", "Yeast never respire
in beer wort", and "You'll go blind if you don't leave yourself alone!"
And another thing- in HBD 2938, Phil Wilcox quips: "Sweetness-Not all sugars
can be converted, inverted, perverted (just for you Fouch)"
What have I done to deserve such derision? (and stop calling me "Sweetness")
Beer bullets are what we spouses accrue by keeping up on our "Honey-do" lists
and little favors and bribes offered our SO's in order to "earn" the privelige
of engaging in our inexpensive, time intensive tasty hobby of Homebrewing with
as little reproach as possible.
Or you could take my approach-
Look honey, you got two choices: I brew all day Saturday and you bitch, or I
brew all day Saturday and you *don't* bitch. Your choice. Get me a beer.
Eric Fouch
Bent Dick BeerBulletAmmoDump
Kentwood, MI
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 10:33:06 -0800 (PST)
From: Matthew Comstock <mccomstock@yahoo.com>
Subject: Blue beer/Red cabbage/anthocyanins
Dan Listermann posted that:
Spencer Thomas writes:
<Blue color in veggies is usually produced by pH-sensitive compound
(sorry, I don't have the name at hand)>
The pH sensitive compounds in red cabbage and some other fruits and
vegetables are athocyanins:
Description
http://data.ctn.nrc.ca/bc/content/type1/org331/div493/listings/r3956.htm
The anthocyanins are part of the vary large and widespread group of
plant constituents known collectively as flavonoids. They are best
known for their ability to impart colour to the plant or plant product
in which they occur. Less well known is their role as free radical
scavengers and as antilipoperoxidants.
Experiment to try (I did this with my 2 and 4 year old, its cool.
Used controls and everything, and then gave them an unknown. They had
to tell me if their unknown was an acid or a base before they got
their cookie. ChemGeek.)
http://medinfo.wustl.edu/~ysp/MSN/experiments/archive/859332497.Ch.html
Another site
http://osu.orst.edu/instruct/nfm236/plants/head/anthocyanin_text.html
redder in an acid medium, and bluer in alkaline medium. ...during the
heating of anthocyanins they either may become paler, or, more likely,
become more stable as they may polymerize.
I wonder if 'red cabbage' indicator solutions would be sensitive
enough to use for mash pH (I don't mash yet). I also wonder if you
could make your own pH paper, by dipping paper in a solution of red
cabbage juice and letting it dry.
Once again, jumping on the 'QDA - Questionable Data Alert'
Matt in Cincinnati, OH
_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 13:00:57 -0500
From: "Lynne O'Connor" <stpats@bga.com>
Subject: John Wilkinson & Czech Malt
John wilkinson's query about czech malt:
The specs for czech malt are on our website. note these are actual lot
analysis, not typical. The next container will arrive in feb and the
lot analyis of that batch will be posted on the web upon arrival.
The czech malts are well modified. Several area breweries use the malts
for ales in single infusion, single temp mash regimes. Most notably are
Bitter End brewpub and Live Oak micro in Austin and Blue Star in San
Antonio. These three use czech malt for all ales and lagers and I'm
proud to say I think these are 3 of the best breweries in this area
(celis and waterloo being noteworthy as well.) Celis and Waterloo
principly use Briess malt although Waterloo won bronze medal at last
GABF in bohemian pilsner with batch made from the czech malt.
Actually, there are 4 great pilsners made in this area from czech malt
(Blue star, Waterloo, Bitter End, and Live Oak) and several mashing
regimes are used. Waterloo does single infusion and the other three
some version of decoction. Some do decoction without protein rest while
at least one incorporates a short protein rest.
Finally, John notes that he has not received a direct response from me
to his query. I have twice responded, the day it was received and then
upon seeing his digest question, and apparently neither reply reached
him. John asked for other info regarding shipping charges and I'd be
happy to provide it, just give me a call John.
I respond to every email question within one day so if you don't receive
a response then assume either your email or mine is lost somewhere,
which is not all that uncommon unfortunately. I have received 3 emails
in the past week that sat on a server for 7 days in two cases and 10
days the other.
Lynne O'Connor
St. Patrick's of Texas Brewers Supply
http://www.stpats.com
stpats@bga.com
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 14:02 -0800
From: "George De Piro" <George_De_Piro@berlex.com>
Subject: Moldy ingredients
Hi all,
A couple of different people have asked about the consequences of
using moldy malt extract or grain in the making of beer.
As with any culinary endeavor, the product will only be as good as the
ingredients you use. Moldy-tasting malt is likely to make moldy
tasting beer. If the infection is not too severe the beer may have a
subtle earthy, musty, "corked beer that has been in the cellar a
while" flavor. I believe this may be what Dan Listermann was
referring to as "horsy" in his recent post about brewing with moldy
extract. This could actually be pleasant in some styles (although I
can think of better ways to get that flavor than using moldy malt).
If the mold infestation is more severe, the flavor of the beer will be
effected that much more.
Aside from the flavor effects, it has been said to me (by Katie Kunz
at the Brewing Science Institute) that the presence of mold in wort
can effect the fermentation performance of the yeast. Anybody knowing
more about this should certainly chime in now and fill in the rather
large gap that I have left.
A beloved HBD poster who is a successful professional brewer in the
midwest told me about mold growing in the debris in the grain chute at
his brewery. He said that it had a markedly negative effect on the
flavor of the beer. Perhaps he would care to chime in (he knows who
he is).
Have fun!
George de Piro (Nyack, NY)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 14:42:24 -0500
From: "Stephen Alexander" <steve-alexander@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Carbs&Gelatinization/yeast growth
8k monster on the prowl - I'll keep it terse. Most details from 'Food
Chemistry', Belitz&Grosch, but also Essentials of Carbohydrate Chemistry' by
Robyt.
What is missing is that there are two forms of starch, amylose and
amylopectin with very different physical properties.
Amylose is straight chained glucose with 1-4 linkages between the glucose
molecules - 1000 to 2000 glucose units in length. The other starch,
amylopectin also has 1-6 branch an avg of every 15 to 30 glucose units -
molecules are REALLY big, 500,000 to 1000000 glucose units !!
Amylose is not readily soluble in cold water, once dissolved in hot water
will gel (e.g. pudding) and the gel can retrograde - irreversible
microcrystallization. Retrogradation is encouraged during cooling, also
while near freezing, at neutral pH and high starch concentrations.
Amylopectin is soluble - when heated forms a transparent highly viscous
sticky and adhering solution - NO retrogradation, no gelling. The viscosity
is a complex phenomena in which water molecules are weakly 'trapped' by the
amylopectin - viscosity can be rapidly decreased by acid (pH 3 for
commercial apps) additions or mechanical shear force.
Both are found to varying extents in the grain. Some "waxy" grains are 1%
starch as amylose, while some high amylose corn is >80% amylose. Typical
grains run around 20-40% of starch as amylose - the remainder is
amylopectin.
Amylose actually reduces the viscosity and water entrapped of amylopectins !
Example - Waxy corn (1% amylose, 99% amylopectin) swells to consume about 64
times it's weight in water at 95C. We might expect than normal corn starch
(28% amylose, 72% amylopectin) might require about (72/99 * 64 =) 46 times
it's weight in water for the amylopectin to fully swell and maybe more for
the 28% amylose. The actual figure is only 24 times ! Simple carbohydrates
will also decrease viscosity and free water (try adding sugar to thick
pancake batter).
Adding malt to the grain allows enzymes to whittle some of the huge
amylopectin molecules down into smaller more amylose-like pieces. This frees
water from the amylopectins and decreases the viscosity. Adding more small
amylose-like starches would actually increase the probability of gelling and
retrogradation - except that the procedure actually frees up a lot of water
molecules too. The presence of the smaller amylose-like molecular fragments
reduces the amount of water necessary to fully gelatinize the remaining
amylopectin
George says ...
>[...] list of gelatinization temperature ranges [...]
>
>Starch Deg. F Deg. C
>potatoe 133-156 56-69
^
Political leanings showing here George ?
some other brewing starch ...
Rye 57-70C
Oats 56-62C
Rice 61-78C
==
Alan McKay writes ...
>As it turns out, the only reason the big brewers do this is to prevent
>"retrogradation" [...]
The enzyme malt treatment does help prevent retrogradation by freeing up
additional water molecules, so reducing starch concentration.
>[...] For the homebrewer,
>that poses zero problem because [...] you can still very easily
>scrape it out of the pot and mix it into the mash, where it will convert
>as though nothing had every happened.
NO! Retrogradation is irreversible. The starch just won't convert in the
mash tun. You can prevent retrogradation by adding lots of water, by
acidifying the grain mix, and keeping the gelatinized grains hot till used.
Alternatively you can add a little malt.
>There are also reports that this technique "reduces scorching". Well,
>I and everyone I know just boil the adjuncts, and none of us have ever
>had a problem with scorching.
You can avoid scorching, (caused by viscous sticky amylopectins) by using
lots of water, keeping the viscosity low by stirring (shear forces) or
acidifying. Alternatively a malt addition effectively keeps water available
and the viscosity low in a single elegant step.
>When presented with this information, even George Fix - [...]
>admitted that he could see no real reason why it is required.
Not required - but it is a great convenience IMO.
>I know that some folks are still going to adhere to these old wives
>tales, but ...
The only momily(old wives tale) presented is that malt is required. You
can avoid using a malt addition in your grain gelatinization, but the
reasons in favor of adding malt are significant and real. The procedure is
trivially simple and the only additional ingredient (malt) is certain to be
available.
==
Marcus Berndt writes ...
> Dr. Fix writes in 'Analysis of Brewing Techniques' (p. 11) that a too
>low pH in a mash with gelatinized corn meal may result in a too high
>viscosity. [...]
Perhaps it's that the enzymes are ineffective at too low a pH - or
beta-glucans release . It doesn't appear to be starch related.
==
"Rob Moline" aka Jethro Gump writes ...
> The Authors state that "the concentration of the nutrients most likely to
>limit growth, (eg, oxygen and assimilible nitrogen) must certainly be
>increased in such worts." (( high gravity)).
I would expect HG all-malt wort would have lots of amino acids - no ?
> The point that they make is "In sharp contrast to the long held belief in
>brewing that the bulk of wort attenuation is done by non-growing cells, it
>is now clear that the specific rate of sugar utilization by growing yeast
>cells in fermentation is substantially higher than that of non-growing
>cells
Fermentation is the primary energy source for yeast. Growing yeast require
lots more energy - so ferment more. Remove the limits to growth then your
yeast will "power ferment" their way to the finish line instead of dawdling
along. Seems obvious but ...
> So, feed your high gravity brews plenty of yeast nutrient, and use
>oxygen........and FORCE those yeasties to grow and grow.....
Finishing a barleywine fermentation quickly would be a treat - but haste
introduces problems of it's own. Sterols, and certain fatty acids are
normally the limits to yeast cell growth in wort. If you add these or the
oxygen necessary to permit the yeast to create them to an active fermentor
you are flirting with some serious flavor problems. I would be much more
prone to repitch with fresh sterol rich yeast than to add oxygen late or
sterols and FAs. Of course a big healthy initial pitching into oxygenated
wort is a must.
It would be interesting to examine other possible methods of putting an
energetic load on the yeast without requiring reproduction. Adding salts to
the wort/beer creates conditions where the yeast must work like mad to pump
the offending ions out of the cell in order to maintain the proper balance.
Forcing yeast to creating non-critical amino acids from wort inorganic
nitrogen rather than from amino acids would add an energy req. That which
doesn't kill my yeast only serves to make my beer stronger - is the idea.
By the way Rob - were there any technical details on the water to beer
conversion process ? ;^)
Steve
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 13:43:33 -0700
From: Ian Smith <isrs@cmed.com>
Subject: Excessive blow off
>
> I just had a very vigorous fermentation and lost 1/2 gallon to blow off! Is
> there anyway to somehow reduce or eliminate this waste of potential beer? I
> was thinking of some kind of recirculating system or maybe larger blow off
> tube? Anyone solved/eliminated this problem?
>
> Cheers
>
> Ian Smith
> isrs@cmed.com
>
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 17:05:39 -0500
From: "Alan McKay" <amckay@nortelnetworks.com>
Subject: Moldy Malt
Kevin Brown asks about moldy malt.
I once got a bunch of malt from a brewmaster at a local brewpub.
One bag had started to mold a bit on top (was like that when
he opened it). We scooped away about 1/5 of a bag of the moldy
malt (also took a generous amount from the nearby vicinity just
for safety sake), and he gave the rest to me. He said for me
if it didn't work, it was no big deal. For him, on the other
hand, it WAS a big deal.
I used it all and it was fine.
Just one datapoint, though, and I certainly wouldn't use
the malt with the actual mold on it.
cheers,
-Alan
- --
Alan McKay Nortel Networks
Norstar WinNT 613-765-6843 (ESN 395)
amckay@nortelnetworks.com
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #2940, 01/29/99
*************************************
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