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HOMEBREW Digest #3503
HOMEBREW Digest #3503 Thu 14 December 2000
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
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THIS YEAR'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
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Contents:
Spam Signature Killer installed ("Lutzen, Karl F.")
settle fella's... (Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative)
Re: Beginner's Plight (TOLLEY Matthew)
Tap Water (Ant Hayes)
rice lager tasting (craftbrewer)
re: Beginner's Plight ("Stephen Alexander")
Re: Do you ever feel bad? (Rick Magnan)
Do you ever feel bad? ("Pannicke, Glen A.")
Of mice & carboys; starsan ("Andrew Avis")
success! LA/NA beer (Chris Campagna)
Psyphon Starting (Dan Listermann)
Siphon starters ("Strom C. Thacker")
RE: CO2 tank during force carbonation (LaBorde, Ronald)
Re: Beginners Plight (Doug Hurst)
Sabco False Bottom (Rob Dewhirst)
Beginners Plight ("Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies")
Re: Do you ever feel bad (Doug Hurst)
Re: Beginners Plight (Steve)
Feeling sorry for yeast ("Tracy P. Hamilton")
FW: You guys must lead charmed lives ("Peed, John")
Forced carbonation ("Peed, John")
Sanity check and Conjecture (John Palmer)
Forced carbonation ("Peed, John")
Dry Hopping in Secondary (Chris Hatton)
starting syphon ("Sean Richens")
Enzyme Kinetics:part 56 and category 5 ("Dr. Pivo")
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JANITOR on duty: Pat Babcock and Karl Lutzen (janitor@hbd.org)
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Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 11:27:50 -0600
From: "Lutzen, Karl F." <kfl@umr.edu>
Subject: Spam Signature Killer installed
Due to continuing problems that the freebie mail hosts have
been causing with their spam-signatures being appended to
all mail leaving their systems, we have imposed a signature
killer to remove those signature. The problem is not really
the content, (however it doesn't add any value to the HBD
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Karl Lutzen
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and so on....
http://brewery.org
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 16:31:41 +1100 (EST)
From: Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative <Scott.Morgan@aus.sun.com>
Subject: settle fella's...
After all, the poor lad is from the land of graham sanders!
hope those url's helped out adrian!
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2000 17:03:42 +1000
From: "Adrian Levi" <a_levi@dingoblue.net.au>
Subject: Beginners Plight.
I have been home brewing for about a year now with some ok results
and some failures. Well that's what its all about isn't it?
So far I have been using tins off the shelf and haven't been doing much
in the way of experimenting. I use a closed brew vat with airlock and
am looking for a cleaner crisper beer like an Australian Tooheys NEW
(Draught).
Does anyone know of some recipes to start me off?
Lastly because all of the topics discussed here seem so far advanced I
apologise if this is an inappropriate place for a newbie to be poking
around since it seems that most of you make your beer starting with grain.
Adrian Levi.
*****************************************
Scott Morgan
Sun-On-Line Telesales Representative
Supporting Education Nationally
And Sunny Queensland
scott.morgan@aus.sun.com
freecall 1800 628 193
direct 02 9844 5396
mobile 0419 545 114
fax 02 9844 5189
aka "Handsome Bugsy"
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 17:16:49 +1100
From: TOLLEY Matthew <matthew.tolley@atsic.gov.au>
Subject: Re: Beginner's Plight
> From: "Adrian Levi" <a_levi@dingoblue.net.au>
> Subject: Beginners Plight.
> So far I have been using tins off the shelf and haven't been
> doing much in the way of experimenting. I use a closed brew
> vat with airlock and am looking for a cleaner crisper beer
> like an Australian Tooheys NEW (Draught).
>
> Does anyone know of some recipes to start me off?
Some advice from a fellow newbie:
Talk to your brew store. If you're buying your gear from Big W or K-Mart,
you're missing out on the best source of free advice you can get. Your
local store will be more than happy to tell you all about improving kits.
(Before you know it they've brainwashed your missus into thinking that a
two-keg fridge 'n' tap setup is quite a reasonable thing for a bloke to have
:>)
If you're chucking in a kilo of white sugar, stop it! Get yourself some
halfway decent fermentables like malt (liquid or dried), dextrose etc. My
brew shop has a variety of ready made mixes in bags - it's just as easy to
chuck them in the fermenter as a kilo of CSRs finest, and the result will be
a much improved body, mouthfeel and head, with a noticeable reduction in
cider notes.
Use hops. Forget those 'hops in a teabag' from K-Mart - your brewstore will
have a wide variety of fresh cones and pellets to choose from, and will be
able to tell you how easy they are to use. You won't believe the difference
hops will make to a brew - tasted a batch at my local store (plug plug -
BrewYaOwnAtHome in Kambah, Canberra - Sunday brew lessons at 11am!) where
Colin had used fresh Pride of Ringwood hops he'd grown himself - nectar!
Start simple with a 'hop tea' in a coffee cup, progress to the microwave,
and move up to adding them in stages to your boil (when you start boiling,
that is! :>). Feel free to ask about something called 'dry hopping' if you
want to see an increase in list traffic :)
Culture up your yeast. Sprinkling that tiny sachet of dried yeast is just
asking for faster-growing nasties to come eat your brew. You want to pitch
a bottle's worth of vigorous, foaming yeast. Again, your brew store can
tell you how, or let me know - I can prolly track down a fact sheet off the
net for you.
Use quality kits. Coopers kits are great, and the 3kg ESB kits come highly
recommended. Keep away from the Homebrand stuff :)
Buy some books. Your local Collins or Dymocks will have a couple of books
by Laurie Strachan - get 'The Complete Guide to Homebrewing in Australia 2nd
Ed' - best $25 you'll spend in a long time. I also recommend 'Mastering
Homebrew' (author escapes me at the moment) - big hardcover book, plenty of
glossy photos, covers beginners through advanced. It's written by an
American, but most of it's true for Australia.
For a Toohey's Draught, try mixing up a Beermaker's Draught or Goldrush
Country New kit with 500g of light liquid malt and 500g maltodextrin. Put
10g of Pride of Ringwood hops in a coffee cup, add some boiling water, and
steep for ten minutes. Chuck the hop tea in the fermenter (hops and all)
just before you add your yeast. (Recipe plundered from
http://www.countrybrewer.com.au).
If you don't have a brewstore, you can ask pretty much anything you like
here (the Seppos don't bite along as you don't mention the election, guns,
prohibition or helmet laws), or pop me an e-mail!
Cheers
...Matt...
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 08:58:46 +0200
From: Ant Hayes <Ant.Hayes@FifthQuadrant.co.za>
Subject: Tap Water
Doug Hurst wrote, "I've seen it written that water straight from the tap
should not be used for
fear of contamination. In 13 years of brewing I've only had one infection
(knock on wood) and I don't think it was from tap water."
I think it depends a lot on where you live. On occasion I have topped up my
fermenter with tap water to no ill effect. However in some European
countries that I've been to, the tap water leaves a lot to be desired, and I
would be very cautious about using it for brewing without treatment.
Ant Hayes
Gauteng; South Africa
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 19:42:14 +1100
From: craftbrewer@telstra.easymail.com.au
Subject: rice lager tasting
G'Day All
Well I have been a busy boy lately. trying to keep David, Scott
and Steve in line is taking all my time. What do i mean, well I
can't say, my life is too precious and they have sworn my death
if I mention a single word. But time will tell people. I can tell you
I'm excited.
Anyway I am writing to tell you about the bribe Phil Yates gave
me. Well The peach Wheat is yet to be sampled, but the rice
lager was put thru the ringers.
Last night, it was cracked. Now I dont know whether to
compliment, be disappointed, or just abuse the bugger. I
supposes i'm disappointed most of all. I expected, no wanted a
Bud. The colour was perfect, the lack of malt taste, yep perfect
again, bitterness, nice and light, wonderful clean taste - even
the carbonation, brilliant for a plastic bottle, - BUT PHIL, "how
are you put all that wonderful spicy hop flavours and aroma in
my Bud." I mean it had that wonderful hoppy taste, and aroma
to knock a woman senseless over a billard table.
I would have to guess thats why the ladies go ape-sh+t over
this badly. The spicy hop aromas send them into a uninhibited
spin, that results in a lot of action arround the table, with plenty
of ball handling and grabbing of cues. Now we all know that
hops are related to that other plant (the name I don't dare use
because of corporate filters), and I wonder if you deliberately
intoxicate unsuspecting visitors with this baby.
I bet Even Dr Pivo didn't need 200 odd beers to be BOGGED
down in illusions of fantasy. One rice beer will certainly do it.
Whats worse I would have expected a beer from Mr Yates to
be in the strict "homebrew " class. But NO, I will have to
radically change my opinion and firmly put him in the excellent
craftbrewing category. And this from a man with content free
ideas, who believes in the craft of the hobby, who thinks
knowledgeables should not be seen or heard.
Oh I am going to have to retreat to the bunker in North
queensland and re-evaluate my whole concept of what a
craftbrewer is. It looks like there are two in Australia now.
Shout
Graham Sanders
Oh why should i abuse the the sod. Well the young SWMBO,
(17 years old) took a sample. Now the famed baked bean
princess took a sip, says smells nice, but a bit watery. Well has
another, and another. Next SHE'S at my pool table wanting to
play pool, and with that wild look in her eye.
Told her to take a cold shower. Then had to stay up half the
night. Worse than keeping dogs away from a B+tch in heat, I
worried like hell how many boys would rock up.
The trials of fatherhood.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 04:06:16 -0500
From: "Stephen Alexander" <steve-alexander@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: re: Beginner's Plight
Adrian Levi writes ...
<<
I have been home brewing for about a year now with some ok results
and some failures. Well that's what its all about isn't it?
So far I have been using tins off the shelf and haven't been doing much
in the way of experimenting. I use a closed brew vat with airlock and
am looking for a cleaner crisper beer like an Australian Tooheys NEW
(Draught).
>>
I'm not familiar with Toohey's (no surprise) but I suspect is is a lager
beer. The crispness and cleaness that appears in lager beers can't
be reproduced except by lagering and the use of lager yeast, and
this is a fairly advanced method.
One can make a very clean beer by judicious choice of ale yeasts and
cool, even cold fermentation. I don't know what yeasts you have available
but low flavor profile yeasts like WY1056 and cold fermentation
can be used to make a lager-like ale. Actually cool fermentation and
cold beer storage will make any beer more lager-like.
If you want to try true lager brewing you'll need a way to keep your
fermenter below 58F and lower yet is better IMO, (your climate may
help out as winter approaches) take a look at Dave Miller's "Brewing
the World's Great Beers". He has examples and specific
recommendations for ingredients and the book covers extract, partial
mash and all-grain brewing.
Another thought is that yeasts for California Steam beer, like
WY2112, will give lager character at fermentations temps up
to 68F. It may or may not help you in reproducing Toohey's,
but I feel 68F is again an upper bound you'd be better off
staying below.
>Does anyone know of some recipes to start me off?
Dave Miller's book suggests a Pilsner w/
4# Alexander's Pale syrup
1# Laaglander dry pale extract
1# rice extract
and water to achieve SG1.045 (5gal batch)
bitter w/ 4 to 5 AAUs of hops at T-30
(I'd suggest N.Brewer or a Continental hop)
finish 1/2 ounce of noble hops at T-5
(tettnanger, hallertau, even saaz)
suggested yeasts are WY2007 or MEV #4
fermented at 50F-55F.
Haven't tried it but most of Miller's recipes are excellent.
I'd consider the recipe above or maybe substitute a little
amber extract for some of the pale for a twist.
If you can maintain the temps the yeast choice is good
or WY2112 if you can keep it under 65F-ish. Otherwise
use this wort with a neutral ale yeast and ferment & store
as cool as you can manage.
Oh yeah
1 pound (1lb or 1#) is 453 gm
1oz is 1/16th pound or 28.3gm
5gal = 19L.
68F = 20C
58F = 14.4C
1 AAU is an ounce-AA% (weird unit)
If you are using hops with 7%alpha-acids (7%AA)
Then to get 5AAU (aka HBUs) you'd add
(5 / 7) ounce = 20gm
<<Lastly because all of the topics discussed here seem so far advanced I
apologise if this is an inappropriate place for a newbie to be poking
around since it seems that most of you make your beer starting with grain.
>>
Your question couldn't be more inappropriate. This forum is for all topics
regarding beer and brewing. It's the politics (mea culpa) and blather that
are inappropriate.
-S
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 07:44:50 -0500 (EST)
From: Rick Magnan <magnan@jimmy.harvard.edu>
Subject: Re: Do you ever feel bad?
Darell comments:
> Do you ever feel bad ..... for the yeast?
> They work real hard for us.....
> Sometimes for several consecutive batches...
> Just to be thrown out!
> I do.....
> But have no solution to this dilemma....
You know, now that you mention it I do too. I rationalize
that they've had a good life and at least its not a certain
death they are being sent to. Also I try to remember not to
use hot water when rinsing them away.. bye bye my friends!
Someone for years here had a .sig that said "fermentation is
a spectator sport" and one advantage of using glass is the
great show you get. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of
churning and movement taking place.
Rick
Wellesley MA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 08:48:03 -0500
From: "Pannicke, Glen A." <glen_pannicke@merck.com>
Subject: Do you ever feel bad?
Darrell wrote:
>Do you ever feel bad ..... for the yeast?
>They work real hard for us.....
>Sometimes for several consecutive batches...
>Just to be thrown out!
No.
>I do.....
Awwww... don't feel bad. Here, have a beer. It'll cheer you up ;-)
>But have no solution to this dilemma....
I do. You could always wash it, dry it and eat it. Brewer's yeast is a
great source of vitamin B and a host of other good stuff. Why pay $$/bottle
at your local health food store when you've got the same thing sitting in
the bottom of your fermenter. BTW, with the stuff that recently blew out my
airlock, I could caulk my windows! I just dump my yeast because I'm a
heartless, selfish bastard.
Carpe cerevisiae!
Glen Pannicke
http://www.pannicke.net
"Designs and schemes which work well on paper rarely do so in actual
practice."
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 09:16:01 -0500
From: "Andrew Avis" <aavis@nortelnetworks.com>
Subject: Of mice & carboys; starsan
Folks, last night I went out to the garage to fetch a carboy into which I
was planning to rack a bock. Carrying the carboy into the house and
announcing "I'll be bock" in my best Arnie voice, a most unpleasant smell
met my nose. There at the bottom of the carboy two mice had met a sorry
This put an end to the racking plans. I managed to melt the mice with hot
water and dump them in the back yard where hopefully some creature will take
them away. (My brew dog Finnigan expressed some interest, but I discouraged
him as he would undoubtedly follow the feast with a mad round of face
licking - this is how we can tell he's been snacking from the litter box.)
The carboy is now soaking in 400 ml of bleach in 19 litres of water. Now
from reading past HBDs I know that there are some things that you can never
clean sufficiently out of a container, such as benzene. Are mice and their
droppings in this category? I love brewing with non-traditional
ingredients such as buckwheat, kamut, brown basmati rice, and I can handle
telling people there's putrefied mice in the bock, as long as it won't make
anyone sick.
On another sanitization theme, I just started using StarSan, and I'm not
sure if I'm using it correctly. The instructions on the bottle are
minimalist, and the Five Star web site promises full instructions "soon".
As soon as I add 2 ml of the concentrate to a litre of water it turns cloudy
- is this normal? I thought there was an indicator in there, and the
sanitizing solution should be clear until it's spent. A second question -
is Star San primarily an acid? Could I mix it w/ an iodophor solution to
increase the effectiveness of both?
Cheers!
Drew Avis in Merrickville
http://www.geocities.com/andrew_avis/
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 08:32:20 -0500 (EST)
From: Chris Campagna <campagna@umd5.umd.edu>
Subject: success! LA/NA beer
I decided a few months ago to make a low/no alcohol beer for my pregnant
wife/drinking partner. After some research I decided to do this by making
a hoppy, malty porter, then boiling off the alcohol. The final result is
a very good beer, without any of that watery or cooked taste that I had
heard about. here's the recipe, then a question:
LA Porter
7# Marris Otter
1/4# chocolate
1/2# Caramunich
1/2# Caravienne
1 oz. Cascade, 45min.
1 oz. Cascade, 15 min
1 oz. Cascade, 3 min
White Labs British Ale Yeast
I fermented this out, then let it sit in a secondary for over a month to
clear and settle out. I had heard that too much yeast leads to that
cooked taste. I then put this in an oven at the lowest setting, as was
reccomended in a BYO article, but after 2 hours of this I could still
smell the alcohol boiling off and taste it. I then moved it to the stove
and stuch a thermometer in it to hold it at 180F. After 30 minutes of
this I could no longer smell the alcohol burning off, nor taste it.
Now the question. I have no misconceptions taht this is a completely
alcohol free beer. 4 beers does not give me a buzz and as I said, i don't
taste it (I saved half of this batch as a full bodies beer and can
definitley taste the difference). Does anyone know a method of
determining the loss of alcohol by measuring the gravity?
Chris
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 08:34:36 -0500
From: Dan Listermann <72723.1707@compuserve.com>
Subject: Psyphon Starting
: Roy Roberts <psilosome@yahoo.com> Expressed his disapointment in "Phil's
Psyphon Starter." While this is far from my favorite product, it does work
although I may need to update the instructions. The current instructions
will work if, but there is a lot in the wrist action required. If the exit
of the hose is held up until the hose is filled as the starter is shaken
and then lowered to start the syphon, it works a lot easier without so much
stiring of the beer.
Dan Listermann
Check out our new E-tail site at www.listermann.com
Look into the anti telemarketer forum - it is my new hobby!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 09:59:56 -0500
From: "Strom C. Thacker" <sthacker@bu.edu>
Subject: Siphon starters
I use an idea I got from the gadgets special issue of Zymurgy, c.
1992, I think. I bought a bulb primer used to prime outboard motors
(available at any boating supply store). It has a check valve in it,
so the liquid flows only in one direction. I sanitize it, and put a
hose clamp on the soft vinyl tubing at a point far enough away from
the racking cane to allow the siphon to start. Attach the bulb
primer to the end of the tubing, and squeeze until there's enough
liquid in the tubing to start a siphon. Clamp immediately, remove
the bulb primer, and lower the end of the tube into the receiving
vessel. Open the clamp, and the siphon starts. I usually hold the
the rest of the tubing hanging down) to make it easier to avoid
getting beer into the primer. If beer accidentally gets into the
bulb primer, just rinse and re-sanitize.
I've been using the same one for 8 years and it's still going strong.
Hope this helps,
Strom
Newton, MA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 09:41:25 -0600
From: rlabor@lsuhsc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: CO2 tank during force carbonation
From: Bob Sweeney <bobsweeney@email.com>
>My question concerns the placement of the C02 tank since
>I'm currently unable to have the tank outside the fridge
>while connecting it to the keg in the fridge. Will having
>the CO2 tank continuously connected to a keg in a 35 degree
>fridge cause a problem (assuming no leaky gas connections)?
>Can I as an alternative just periodically connect the keg
>to the tank, set at the desired psi, then remove it from the
>keg and the fridge when gas is finished being absorbed.
If your keg was close to full, this would require many frequent connections
as the CO2 is absorbed. If your keg was half full with more space, it
probably would work with a couple of charges.
You might try to rig up a second empty keg as a CO2 storage vessel connected
to the beer keg, both inside the fridge. Just charge this up to 20-30 PSI,
this should work quite well, though I haven't tried it myself yet. Of course
check for leaks.
If you want to make something more permanent, how about using very tiny
copper or brass tubing (like used for a thermostat bulb connection). Make
up some fittings to it and pass the CO2 through it and let it lie over the
fridge gasket, just like you do the thermostat tubing. The small diameter
will not be a problem because you will still get all the CO2 pressure to the
inside keg, as the smaller size will just slow down the rate but not the
pressure. With this setup, you can keep your CO2 tank and regulator
connected and outside the fridge at all times.
Ron La Borde
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsuhsc.edu
http://hbd.org/rlaborde
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 10:03:38 -0600
From: Doug Hurst <DougH@theshowdept.com>
Subject: Re: Beginners Plight
Adrian Levi writes:
"I have been home brewing for about a year now with some ok results and some
failures. Well that's what its all about isn't it? So far I have been using
tins off the shelf and haven't been doing much in the way of experimenting.
I use a closed brew vat with airlock and am looking for a cleaner crisper
beer like an Australian Tooheys NEW (Draught)."
"Does anyone know of some recipes to start me off?"
"Lastly because all of the topics discussed here seem so far advanced I
apologise if this is an inappropriate place for a newbie to be poking around
since it seems that most of you make your beer starting with grain."
My opinion is that this forum is for brewers of all levels. Sure, there are
discussions about some pretty esoteric advanced brewing concepts, but in my
mind those are the people best qualified to answer the easier questions.
One thing I love about this hobby is the seemingly infinite levels of
complexity and understanding a brewer can get into if he/she chooses. But
at the same time it's possible to brew excellent beer at any level.
Everyone was a newbie once, weren't they?
If you are looking for recipes, try either the Cat's Meow or the newer
Gambrinus' Mug recipe collections:
http://www.brewery.org
I find The Brewery to be an excellent resource for not only recipes but also
general information, reviews, tips and explanations.
A cleaner crisper beer is what you seem to be looking for. Here are a few
general possiblilities that might help: Try boiling a larger volume to
minimize malt carmalization in the brewpot. Use yeast that ferment cleaner
with higher attenuation. Ferment slightly cooler (65-68F) for ales. Brew a
lager. Use malt extract that contains fewer dextrins (unfermentables that
create body).
Welcome to the collective.
Hope this helps,
Doug Hurst
Chicago, IL
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 10:27:42 -0600
From: Rob Dewhirst <robd@biocomplexity.nhm.ukans.edu>
Subject: Sabco False Bottom
At 12:44 AM 12/8/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2000 19:40:51 EST
>From: Mjbrewit@aol.com
>Subject: Sabco False Bottom
>
>This is a reply to the person who experienced problems with his Sabco false
>bottom collapsing at times. I have been trying to figure out how that could
>happen. The only possibility I can come up with is you had it upside down.
>I've had over 35 pounds of grain in mine and never had a problem.
No, it was not in upside down. The hinges had been pushed beyond their
normal "open" travel angle.
>Or, is it
>possible they improved the design and you bought an early version?
That is quite possible.
I am not the first person to have this problem. There was a discussion on
rec.crafts.brewing, which led to the center support solution. I have not
heard of anyone having a problem with this in a long time, so they may have
improved it.
The cost of copper pipe is cheap insurance though.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 10:38:04 -0600
From: "Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies" <orders@paddockwood.com>
Subject: Beginners Plight
Welcome Adrian!
This is a perfect forum to ask beginners questions. Once you get an idea of
what sort of questions you want answered you will find many of them are
listed in the archives, and you can search them. Of course you can always
ask them here again, and get answers.
To improve your beer you can make a big step towards cleaner crisper beer by
switching to a cooler ferment with a cleaner yeast. Using liquid yeast
opens up all kinds of possibilities. Wyeast 2112 lets you ferment a clean
lager style at temps up to 66F. If you wish to stay at ale temps, you ca
still produce a clean beer, especially with added lagering after the
ferment.
You could also reduce or eliminate the corn sugar from your recipes. At
least get it down to 20% of the fermentables. Consider using extra light
malt extract, or a combination of extra light extract with a bit of honey to
get a clean dry flavour.
You can find recipes here. It's not Toohey's, but there have been some
superb recipes for Classic American Pilsner and Classic American Cream Ale
(search for CAP or CACA) posted here. Many of the light lagers use corn or
rice in them to lighten the body. As an extract brewer you can use rice
solids, honey, or brewers liquid invert sugar (Lyles or Rogers Golden Syrup
will lighten the body and lend a slight caramel note). You may also wish to
try Gambrinus' Mug at the brewery.org for a searchable recipe index.
You will find using good quality extract (we like Munton's XL spray malt)
with specialty grains, fresh hops and a good liquid yeast almost as easy as
the tins, and the results are very good. If you decide you'd like to brew
from grain completely, you will find lots of enthusiastic and friendly
advice here! There are even a few Aussies that are known to pipe up for a
page or ten here.
Welcome to our obsess- I mean hobby!
I've never had a Toohey's, but here's a very basic extract/specialty grain
recipe for a basic light German ale, in the Koelsch style. This is probably
fuller flavoured and maltier than a Toohey's, but clean and light with a
nice foamy head and it can certainly be crisp and have a clean dry finish if
you use a clean lager yeast and ferment cooler.
Batch Size (LTR): 23.00
Anticipated SRM: 3.0
Anticipated IBU: 24.0
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes
0.50 kg. Carafoam
2.30 kg. Extra Light DME
0.40 kg. Wheat DME
30.00 g. Hallertauer Tradition Pellet 5.60aa% 24.0 IBU
for 60 min.
Wyeast 1338 European Ale, or you may wish to try Wyeast 2112 California
Lager
Steep the grain in 3 liters of water for 30 minutes at 60 C (140 F) is
ideal.
Remove the grain, and rinse with a few cups of warm water to extract the
remaining flavour.
Mix the DME with the grain tea, and add warm water to fill pot. Add hops and
bring to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes. WATCH AND STIR CONSTANTLY WHEN WATER
NEARS BOILING. The hot wort can easily boil over.
Remove from heat, cover, and cool pot in a sink of cold water. Replace
cooling water as it gets warm. You can also add ice to the cooling water to
speed the process (never add ice to wort directly).
When wort is cool (23 C) pour into sanitized primary fermentor. Top with
pre-boiled cooled water, or reverse osmosis filtered water, up to 23 liters.
Pitch yeast into cooled wort and fir with airlock.
cheers,
Stephen Ross -- "Vitae sine cerevisiae sugant."
______________________________________________
Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies, Saskatoon, SK
orders@paddockwood.com www.paddockwood.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 11:21:13 -0600
From: Doug Hurst <DougH@theshowdept.com>
Subject: Re: Do you ever feel bad
Darrell brings up an interesting question:
"Do you ever feel bad ..... for the yeast? They work real hard for us.....
Sometimes for several consecutive batches... Just to be thrown out! I
do..... But have no solution to this dilemma"
I have often considered some of the ironic parallels between yeast and
humans. They find a fantastic solution of non-renewable natural resources.
They start using the non-renewable natural resource, creating pollution that
is toxic to themselves and others. They reproduce until their over
population saturates the environment and their resource use and waste
production is maximized. Finally they use up all of the natural resources
and are left with a poisonous environment where they can't survive. Some of
the yeast in frantic search for resources will even attack and consume their
own kind.
Fortunately for them, they have evolved a survival mechanism whereby they go
dormant until more natural resources come along (in the form of a brewer
providing fresh wort). Pehaps, in going dormant, they aren't as stupid as
they seem. Or as stupid as we are.
Here's a question to ponder: Are we using them or are they using us?
Individual lives on earth are cheap, species survival is not.
Brew on!
Doug Hurst
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 09:55:35 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve <gravelse@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Beginners Plight
Adrian,
Feel free to ask any questions you have about brewing.
This digest was founded so ANYONE who is interested
in the craft can ask questions and learn. Even
newbies. Just remember, everyone who posts here was a
newbie once and started using extract.
If you are looking for recipes try linking to The
Brewery. Here is the link: http://www.brewery.org/
Go to the Cat's Meow Recipe Collection and you'll find
all kinds of recipes for newbies and experienced
brewers. If you only have email and are not on the
web send me an email and I'll pass you a few recipes I
have in my collection.
Steve
"Homebrew, it's not just a hobby, it's an adventure!"
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 12:27:33 -0600
From: "Tracy P. Hamilton" <chem013@uabdpo.dpo.uab.edu>
Subject: Feeling sorry for yeast
Darrell Leavitt said:
> Do you ever feel bad ..... for the yeast?
> They work real hard for us.....
> Sometimes for several consecutive batches...
> Just to be thrown out!
There is a famous expression that sums this up:
Life's a pitch, and then you die!
Tracy P. Hamilton, Birmingham Brewmasters
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 14:07:32 -0500
From: "Peed, John" <jpeed@elotouch.com>
Subject: FW: You guys must lead charmed lives
> I recoil in horror at the thought of using tap water to start siphons, or
> blowing into a capped carboy to start a siphon, or even sucking on
> something that's air-buffered from the actual tubing. I put a fair amount
> of effort into maintaining sterile procedures, but I still think I have
> occasional sanitation problems. The three things that my brewing and
> ex-brewing friends have drilled into me are sanitation, sanitation and
> sanitation. Pretty much in that order. Nothing else counts as much as
> sanitation. And experience suggests they are right. The points they made
> were: 1) You cannot sterilize your hands; 2) Cold tap water is not sterile
> (if you disbelieve this, read the instructions on cleaning contact lenses
> - use the sterile solution, not tap water); 3) human breath is VILE! and
> 4) once you turn the heat off at the end of the boil (and any time you're
> working with yeast), you need to think sterile, act sterile, be sterile.
>
> Now, I violate that code only by rinsing sterilant off with hot tap water.
> The most knowledgeable of my friends advocates using cooled boiled water
> for rinsing, and wearing disposable latex gloves when handling racking
> equipment. Necessary? I don't know. A good idea? Certainly couldn't
> hurt. The problem I have with rubber gloves is that I always end up
> handling non-sterile objects, so I don't see the point. The point
> probably is that your hands are filthy, relatively speaking, no matter
> what you do, so the gloves might be a good idea.
>
> Just as with everything else, there are any number of opinions on
> sanitation, and most of them conflict. Best rule of thumb, though, is
> probably to be as sanitary-conscious as possible.
>
> And as for feeling bad about the yeast: Hell, I've worked pretty hard all
> my life for various organizations and in the end, I'll just get thrown out
> too. So no, I don't feel bad for the yeastie boys. I do appreciate 'em
> though.
>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 14:18:06 -0500
From: "Peed, John" <jpeed@elotouch.com>
Subject: Forced carbonation
Bob asks about forced carbonation and putting the CO2 cylinder inside the
fridge.
I kept my cylinder in the fridge for a year or so. No problems, except it
took up room and was hard to get to. And yes, once the beer is carbonated
you can disconnect and let it "serve itself" until it needs a boost.
I find that I need to keep 30 psi on the keg for closer to 48 hours,
although it does take a while for it to settle down after I vent it and
reduce to serving pressure. I also find that more than about 2 psi is too
much for serving, unless the beer has lost a lot of its carbonation. I'm
probably over carbonating, but I find that if you go through a few
iterations of waiting for the head to fall and then topping it up (a-la
German draft beer), it makes for a beautiful creamy head that stands well
above the rim of the glass and lasts a long time.
___________________________
John Peed
Applications Engineer
Elo TouchSystems, Inc.
412 North Cedar Bluff Rd
Suite 402
Knoxville, TN 37923
Tel: (865) 694 1735
Fax: (865) 694 1731
E-Mail: jpeed@elotouch.com
www.elotouch.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 11:19:04 -0800
From: John Palmer <jjpalmer@gte.net>
Subject: Sanity check and Conjecture
Hi Group,
Excellent discussion of PBW and copper reactions.
But based on a query yesterday from someone named Jeff that wanted to be
left anonymous,
"Is everyone Positive they are talking about PBW instead of Star San?"
(Just checking; Star San will definitely dissolve copper with its pH of 3.)
Show of hands? No? Okay, well now I am wondering if the wort/beer doesn't
have a major role here.
Something about the acidic nature of wort and beer must be triggering the
reaction with PBW, although this would still contradict the Coors development.
Although an extended period of time seems to be necessary.
I will stick my chiller in PBW soon and see what happens. I just hose my
off after use. So it should still be "good" based on Rich's post.
Brew On,
John
- --
John Palmer
Palmer House Brewery and Smithy
http://www.realbeer.com/jjpalmer
How To Brew - the online book
http://www.howtobrew.com
Let there be Peace on Earth.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 14:35:26 -0500
From: "Peed, John" <jpeed@elotouch.com>
Subject: Forced carbonation
Bob asks about forced carbonation and putting the CO2 cylinder inside the
fridge.
I kept my cylinder in the fridge for a year or so. No problems, except it
took up room and was hard to get to. And yes, once the beer is carbonated
you can disconnect and let it "serve itself" until it needs a boost.
I find that I need to keep 30 psi on the keg for closer to 48 hours,
although it does take a while for it to settle down after I vent it and
reduce to serving pressure. I also find that more than about 2 psi is too
much for serving, unless the beer has lost a lot of its carbonation. I'm
probably over carbonating, but I find that if you go through a few
iterations of waiting for the head to fall and then topping it up (a-la
German draft beer), it makes for a beautiful creamy head that stands well
above the rim of the glass and lasts a long time.
Good ol' Westheimer. Westheimer's Rule: To determine the time required to
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 16:00:10 -0500
From: Chris Hatton <Chatton@aca-insurance.com>
Subject: Dry Hopping in Secondary
Having great trouble posting my message (says greater than 80 chars in
length), although I counted and it wasn't. Is there a conspiracy going on?
Anyway, I am dry hopping an English style IPA (all-grain)with 1 oz of East
Kent Goldings (if memory serves me correctly)in a muslin sack. How long
should I leave it in there? It's been sitting inside my carboy for about 4
days, and I'm planning to leave the beer in the secondary fermenter for
about 2 weeks. Chris Hatton
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2000 22:35:38 -0600
From: "Sean Richens" <srichens@sprint.ca>
Subject: starting syphon
How do I start a syphon when racking?
I suck on it. Hasn't given me any infection problems yet. And no I'm not
trying to start any arguments. I just want everyone else who does the same
thing to know that it doesn't have to be a deep dark secret, even on the
digest.
Sean Richens
srichens.spamsucks@sprint.ca
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2000 04:51:06 +0100
From: "Dr. Pivo" <docpivo@hotmail.com>
Subject: Enzyme Kinetics:part 56 and category 5
One might wonder who asked anyone at all to write on the above subject.
One might indeed.
Actually, I have only resurfaced in this arena, because I'm a bit
jealous of Phil Yates. He has received the crown of "King of the
non-content posters".
In matter of fact, I happen to be quite shallow, and quite often have very
little of interest to say, so I thought I should both respond to this idle
award giving, and "prove myself" as equally deserving of the title.
Besides.... there was a viscious rumour flying about that I was going to
spend some time in Australia.
I thought I would confirm it, and include some brewing related notes from
this ongoing visit.
I arrived in Sydney, bought a car (don't recall if it was a "Tonka" or a
"Dinkie") which seemed to run all right, except for a nagging bearing in the
back right. I soon repaired this. When I found out it had a radio, and if I
turned the volume up enough, I couldn't hear that wheel bearing growling at
me when making left hand turns.
On to the Pivo Brewery, where the "brewer" was named "Ivo" (is this Pivo and
Ivo at Pivo?), and then up to Picton. Local residents may be sad to learn
that the brewer there, may soon be heading to start up a place out west. I
was both impressed yet sad to see that they now deal with diacetyls by post
fermentation enzyme additions.They have brought in a Weihenstephan grad to
replace 'ol Dave, and curiously, as we chatted, it turns out that one of his
"school mates" is soon to go to work for a brewmaster that I know quite well
in another part of the world...
....it's a small world, this brewing one.
And then it was time to deal with this Yates character.
It turns out that he is a real pleasant guy, and showed me all the local
entertainments.
First we went down to the bog and played "bobbing for Marilyn". The rules
are much the same as the old party game with the apples, except that if you
catch anything in this version, you are meant to spit it out.
Wish Phil had told me the rules before I swallowed.
Then Phil got really excited, as he decided to take me to a place called
"Wingecarribee".
He even wrote a song about it called: "We're Going to Wingecarribee".
It goes something like this:
"We're going to Wingecarribee, We're going to Wingecarribee,
We're going to Wingecarribee, We're going to..."
By the end of the two hour trip, I was starting to catch on to the lyrics.
When we finally arrived, Phil stepped out of the car, stretched out his
arms, and asked: "Can't you just feel the serenity?"
I wiped the bull dust from my glasses and said: "Er... yeh,
Darrell, I mean, Phil."
And that's not all we did! Most people know about the lovely climate, and
the endless beaches here.
Well, Phil took me on a surfing safari!
I shot three of them.
It turns out it was a good thing I did, because after that Phil wanted to go
"body surfing", and I wouldn't of had one.
I chose the big North Queenslander, with the huge 4X gut. He looked kind of
like a giant Dim sim dressed in a navy blue singlet, and had LOTS of
freeboard.
Then we went and saw Wes and his lovely wife. It turns out he's even more of
a gadgeteer than I am. He no sooner gets his system working well, than he
begins modifying it. He also let us taste a one year old Belgian Wit style
beer that was still in quite pleasant shape.
I think this illustrates two important things: 1) Beer can be kept in good
shape for quite a long while, if you both produce it well and take care of
it, and: 2) Wes has a beer disposal problem.
I tried to help him with the latter situation, but there seems
more to be done there, lest he be burdened with owning too much of the
stuff. I thought I would call Steve A. and his mates to
come over and help out....... oh..... sorry. I forgot. He doesn't have......
Not entirely correct, as Phil filled me in on the latest HBD scuttlebutt.
It seems the "keepers-of-content" now number three, and have renamed
themselves using the Latin prefix "mal-", which means: "keepers-of".
Well, the "Malcontents" were seen gathered at a bar, and ordered a beer a
piece.
This, in itself, was refreshing news, since after examining the "contents"
of their enormous ammounts of "content" about how one SHOULD make beer,
there was beginning to be not a small number of people, who were beginning
to suspect that they have never actually tasted the stuff.
Apparently, when their glasses arrived at the table, they raised them,
clicked them together, and said in unison: "Fifty three days!"
When it was time for the next round, (about a day and a half later, both
because this was a new and confusing beverage for them, and the equally
confusing economics of the situation ..... these are guys who wouldn't
"shout" if a shark bit them.... they finally resolved this by deciding to
send the bill to Graham Sanders).
Now where were we?.... Yes, as they got in the next round, they once again
clicked their glasses together, and chanted: "Fifty three days!"
This finally made the bartender curious, and he asked: "Say, I can see you
lads are celebrating something. May I ask what it is?"
The leader gestalt then replied: "Well you see, we bought a jig saw puzzle
of the nation's capitol, and we all worked on it together, and put it
together in just fifty three days."
The bartender arched an eyebrow and
queeried: "yes.....?"
To which the leader replied: "You see, some people consider us pedantic,
arrogant, and think that we miss the point entirely.... but
I reckon this proves that we are really pretty darn clever....'cuz it said
on the box: "3 to 5 years"."
Dr. Pivo
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #3503, 12/14/00
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