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HOMEBREW Digest #3331
HOMEBREW Digest #3331 Mon 22 May 2000
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:
more dorm fridge stuff (fridgeguy)
Grain in Freezer ("Bruce Garner")
Zymurgy - Swimsuit Issue? (Jeff Renner)
Women of Brewing (Bill Wible)
(no subject) (Prestoniam)
pressure cookers-any good? (larry land)
Beer toxicity, Australian breweries and the art or since of (Edward Doernberg)
"Racking" from a mash (Israel Christie)
Re: Beechwood (Jim Adwell)
re: wacky wort whirlers (Jim Adwell)
More on fridge conversions and what not. ("Doug Otto")
stones and beer of old.. (Regan Pallandi)
Thanks Everyone ("Ross D. Potter")
* Beer is our obsession and we're late for therapy!
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 06:50:39 -0400
From: fridgeguy@voyager.net
Subject: more dorm fridge stuff
Greetings folks,
In HBD #3330, Bill Wible wants to add a tap tower to his dorm
fridge and asks if it can be done without damaging the refrigerant
lines.
Dorm fridges usually contain a simple refrigeration system. The
evaporator is usually formed into the freezer or ice cube
compartment and the cold air simply falls from it to cool the main
compartment.
The lines to and from the compressor will normally run up the back
of the cabinet and enter the box behind the freezer/ice
compartment. That's all there is to it!
I've never seen a dorm fridge with anything but insulation in the
top of the cabinet. My suggestion is to look the fridge over carefully
and be sure you can follow the path of the refrigerant lines. You
may have to remove a cover to gain acess to them. If there is a light
in the top of the fridge look for related wiring. Go slowly and you
should find no surprises.
I've seen many types of drip trays - including trays that mount to a
horizontal surface. Any retailer who sells dispensing equipment
should either have one or be able to order one for you.
Hope this helps!
- ----------------------------------------------
Forrest Duddles - FridgeGuy in Kalamazoo
fridgeguy@voyager.net
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 09:08:48 -0500
From: "Bruce Garner" <bpgarner@mailbag.com>
Subject: Grain in Freezer
"Ross D. Potter" <burningbrite@earthlink.net> asks:
>Is there any reason why I should not store the extracts, grains, or both in
>the freezer?
On the last day of MCAB I gave Mary Anne Gruber of Breiss a ride to the
Annheiser Busch tour and asked if grain can be frozen. She answered that
non-enzymatic grains can be frozen: chocolate, crystal, black, etc. Don't
store your base malt in the freezer. If you are an extract brewer that
should suit you well.
HTH
Bruce
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:21:14 -0400
From: Jeff Renner <nerenner@umich.edu>
Subject: Zymurgy - Swimsuit Issue?
Gus Rappold <Epic8383@aol.com> of Inwood,NY writes:
>P.S. Christine Celis is cute, how 'bout a swimsuit issue with her on the
>cover? "The Women of Brewing"-that'd sell some copies!
The Special Issue of 1988 (I've been a member since 1980) has a photo of
Kathy Ireland, reportedly a homebrewer, on the cover with a red RDWHAHB
t-shirt and white shorts (no, not a swim suit), seated on a sandy beach
with a dark beer in one hand and here arm around a carboy. Inside is a
"profile" article by Charlie Papazian, and photos of the two of them
talking over a picnic table with homebrews. At that time she'd been
brewing for two years. I wonder if she still brews?
Jeff
-=-=-=-=-
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, c/o nerenner@umich.edu
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 12:08:31 -0400
From: Bill Wible <bwible@pond.com>
Subject: Women of Brewing
>Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 14:45:21 EDT
>From: Epic8383@aol.com
>Subject: Zymurgy-Honey Issue
<snip>
>P.S. Christine Celis is cute, how 'bout a swimsuit issue with her on the
>cover? "The Women of Brewing"-that'd sell some copies!
I can see it now - 'Celis Blonde'! ; )
You're right, that would sell a few copies.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 12:10:04 EDT
From: Prestoniam@aol.com
Subject: (no subject)
I want to make an A/G brew using wheat malt, but I don't want the cloudiness
that goes with it. Using say a lb or so, what's the best way to avoid the
haze? How about using polyclar in secondary, and/or isinglass at bottling?
I have a great looking recipe for wit that calls for about 3 lbs, can that
much still produce a clear glass?
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 14:42:54 -0500
From: larry land <lland@startext.net>
Subject: pressure cookers-any good?
is this a sure way to coat the cieling, as well as the stove, with that
nice amber liquid known as extract?
Or, is there a way to manage the situation?
Thanks
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 07:37:28 +0800
From: Edward Doernberg <shevedd@q-net.net.au>
Subject: Beer toxicity, Australian breweries and the art or since of
Some time ago there was a post asking about the toxicity of alcohol.
Specifically how much beer do you need to kill you.
Obviously it depends on the person but I remember in the newspaper a couple
of years ago someone dyed of alcohol poisoning attempting to drink 100 beers
in 100 minutes. I believe he made it went to bed and didn't wake up. There
are also no shortage of persons that have succeeded in this and many ho went
to bed earlier. Obviously all idiots that don't know beer with any reel
flavor. Personally I wold be out within the first minute.
I wold also like to comment on national breweries in Australia. I live in
western Australia and by far the 2 most popular beers in my age group are
Victoria biter and emu biter I don't think three isn't a pub in Perth that
doesn't have one on tap. When I drink one I will choose emu being made in
western Australia but bother are similar in taste I do prefer the emu.
As to being a biter emu biter is currently advertising itself as Australia's
bitterest beer and the ad states 26 ibus. Judging from what iv herd that's
not much.
I wold also like to comment on brewing art v since.
Pleas feel free to dismiss my ideas as I have not been brewing long but
think about them first.
Brewing the best beer is an art
Brewing consistent beer is a since.
Mega breweries require consistency above all else.
Brewpubs need less consistency but still more than home brewers.
A home brewer should strive for the ability to make the best beer in the
world all the time. This requires both art and since in large measure.
Edward
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 20:18:23 -0400
From: Israel Christie <ichristie@vt.edu>
Subject: "Racking" from a mash
Hi all. Searching the HBD archives has resulted in a few positive
experiences re: using a racking cane, with a choreboy or something
similar attached, to transfer bitter wort from kettle to primary. I was
wondering if anyone has used an "easymasher" type gadget or, what I'd
really like to do, actually submerged some kind of manifold into the tun
when your ready to sparge (or batch-sparge, or no-sparge as the case may
be...)
I ask because I really hate the idea of drilling a hole in my kettle and
this seems like a good idea on paper. The biggest challenge I can
foresee is starting the siphon of the sweet wort from the tun; I don't
relish the idea of burning my lips.
Any thoughts?
- --
___________________________________________
Israel Christie
Graduate Student in Psychological Science
Department of Psychology
5088 Derring Hall
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0436
Illegitimis Non Carborundum
___________________________________________
><,darwin,>
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 20:27:13 -0400
From: Jim Adwell <jimala@apical.com>
Subject: Re: Beechwood
Apparently, wood chips were used to clear the beer more quickly; here's a
quote from Wahl & Henius:
"If it is desired to bring the beer quickly on the market (city beer), add
chips to the storage beer and also isinglass for preliminary fining"
and also:
"Matter remaing in suspension at the end of the storage period is
eliminated by mechanical means. First among them is the introduction of
chips."
They recommend beech or maple from young trees, well seasoned and
thoroughly boiled in 3 different soda solutions to remove wood flavor,
resin, and make the wood more porous, and give information about amounts
and sizes of the chips, and so forth,
Most of this info is on page 762, but also other locations. I don't have
time to track it all down now.
My impression of this is that wood chips will absorb proteins as well as
yeast cells, thus clarifying the beer faster than it would otherwise by
time and gravity. But I haven't tried it, although I have lots of
well-seasoned maple firewood I could use.
Cheers, Jim
Jeff Renner wrote:
>Jim
>
>Thanks for the posting. As a matter of fact, when Spencer scanned the copy
>of Wahl & Henius from the University of Michigan library, I talked him into
>printing much of it for me, and it has been a valuable resource for several
>years for historic beers. With my slow computer and connection, a hard
>copy is much easier.
>
>I didn't check this week about beechwood, but it is/was my recollection
>that it was discussed as a usual procedure.
>
>Jeff
Jim's Brewery Pages:
http://home.ptd.net/~jimala/brewery/
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 20:06:14 -0400
From: Jim Adwell <jimala@apical.com>
Subject: re: wacky wort whirlers
I have been able to reduce my propane use a small amount ( I think) with my
wort stirrer. I've used it once, and did notice the resulting beer was
more bitter than I had anticipated. I thought I was imagining it. :)
Guess not.
Jim Adwell wrote previously:
>>Actually my post was more about the mechanical banging together of various
>>protein and other molecules, such as one would find in a rolling boil, say,
>>and whether my wort stirrer would be useful as a partial or complete
>>substitute for a rolling boil. The savings in propane would be a
>>fortuitous side-effect.
>
C.D. Pritchard responds:
>Sorry about the late response...
>
>I've never tried reducing the boil to less than rolling since I need a
>rolling boil to reduce the wort down to the fermenter's capacity. I use a
>stirrer throughout the boil. It has greatly increased the utilization rate
>of the hops.
>
Jim's Brewery Pages:
http://home.ptd.net/~jimala/brewery/
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 20:10:35 -0700
From: "Doug Otto" <beerguy@hopdog.com>
Subject: More on fridge conversions and what not.
I've often considered doing a similar thing, only with a window style AC
unit. The basic thought was to build an isulated box and use an A/C unit
with an add-on thermostat for lager and warm weather ale fermentation. I've
seem a few plans online for such a beast but never actually talked to anyone
who'd done it. Any success/horror stories?
- --
Doug Otto
beerguy@hopdog.com
Carmichael, CA USA
Hop Dog Brewing - http://www.hopdog.com/
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 10:22:40 +1000
From: Regan Pallandi <regan@esb.net.au>
Subject: stones and beer of old..
>From: Jeff Renner <nerenner@umich.edu>
>Subject: 90 stones?
>That would explain why they are leaning precipitously, but considering that
>90 stones is 1260 lbs, or 573 kilos (did I get these conversions right,
>Regan?), I don't think it's possible. Talk about weird units, though.
Yep - bang on Jeff (I'm watching you..... :) )
Anyway, on the subject of crappy australian beer... VB is the biggest
seller in australia, and is available coast to coast. The notion of
parochial beer drinkers is something of the past, back in the days when
there were plenty of smaller breweries, and each produced distintive
styles. Rationalization and takeovers which lest 2 megabrewing giants put a
stop to that. VB (Victoria "Bitter", for those wondering) is made with 40%
cane sugar in the grist (yep, that's right..) and bittered to about 18 IBU.
I suspect, as Phil does, that it used to be a very different beer (as was
Fosters, which now is just the same old lollywater as the rest). As Andy
Walsh so aptly put it "Fosters - Australian for Blecch"
cheers, Regan (standing in for the Baron..)
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 20:37:28 -0700
From: "Ross D. Potter" <burningbrite@earthlink.net>
Subject: Thanks Everyone
The HBD contributors come through again.
The consensus on my question about freezing malt extract and malted barley
grains was a resounding YES! Why the heck not?!?! Some responders cited up
to a year or more of storage in freezers with no apparent adverse effects.
Two observations that I think may be useful to others as green as me:
1) If storing in a freezer/fridge that is self-defrosting, a tight closure
is especially essential, due to the dehydrating effects that such devices
tend to have on foods. So, if you intend to keep your malts for a
loooonnnnngggggg time in a defrosting freezer, double-check those seals.
2) If it is necessary to keep a container of partially used liquid malt
extract, floating a little skim of vodka (personally, I would use scotch) on
top should help to further minimize contamination and oxidation.
Many thanks to all who helped assuage my concerns.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't dream it... Be it.
...ross
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #3331, 05/22/00
*************************************
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