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HOMEBREW Digest #3658
HOMEBREW Digest #3658 Wed 13 June 2001
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
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Contents:
Divergan F is PVPP (JohanNico)" <JohanNico.Aikema@akzonobel.com>
Re: Casking Real Ale (Dan Temple)
Marty Tippin's temp measurement page ("Braam Greyling")
Re: Oxygenation ("RJ")
return to Babel ("Stephen Alexander")
Cider taste from cheap kits. ("Stephen Alexander")
RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading (Rob Hanson and Kate Keplinger)
role call--where in the world are you? ("Larry Maxwell")
RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading ("Jim Clement")
Ultimate mall crawl ("steve lane")
RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading ("Jim Clement")
Brett, and Ped. (Keith Busby)
Finnish Sahti Recipe ("Jay Wirsig")
Ball Valve Cleaning/sanitizing ("Jay Wirsig")
Brewing Flags ("David Craft")
in SF ("Spencer W. Thomas")
Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading ("Pannicke, Glen A.")
RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading (LaBorde, Ronald)
Grimness, Grahamness, Buradooians, Nortons, and elbow carpets ("Dr. Pivo")
odd books (might be off topic) ("Dr. Pivo")
HERMS system tryout ("Mike Pensinger")
2001 Buzz Off Homebrew Competition Results ("Houseman, David L")
Re: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading (Steve Scott)
Re: another good book (Jeff Renner)
*
* 2001 AHA NHC - 2001: A Beer Odyssey, Los Angeles, CA
* June 20th-23rd See http://www.beerodyssey.com for more
* information. Wear an HBD ID Badge to wear to the gig!
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*
* Beer is our obsession and we're late for therapy!
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 06:48:06 +0200
From: "Aikema, J.N. (JohanNico)" <JohanNico.Aikema@akzonobel.com>
Subject: Divergan F is PVPP
Hello,
Jake wrote in HBD 3654:>I have got hold of some of BASF's Divergan F to
treat chill haze.
I can't seem to figure out where in the brewing process one adds it. I am
supposing it's
added at bottling, but not at all sure.
Can anyone give me some help on this?
Jake>
Jake,
What I heard was that Divergan F is polyvinylpolypyrrolidon (PVPP) and it
forms precipitates with polyphenol (from hops and barley). It is mixed with
the finished beer and after some time removed by filtration. This way it
prevents forming of (chill) haze. An average dosing is 20 g/hl (0.7 oz/26
gallon). I wouldn't use it.
Speaking of "Plastic discrimination" PVPP is a kind of plastic :-)
Greetings from Holland (Europe), Hans Aikema
http://www.hopbier.myweb.nl/
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 01:04:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dan Temple <danatemple@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Casking Real Ale
Thanks for all the replies on my Real Ale post.
On the "allow headspace or not" question, I got 2
'yes's (Mike Bardallis and Steve Parkes) and 2 'no's,
(Ray Daniels and my local cellarman). I can see that
CO2 pressure buildup is not a problem (just dissolves,
assuming there's not too much) but the
temperature-related expansion of the liquid worries
me, so, given that it can't hurt to have headspace, I
think I'll play safe and leave some.
Dan
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 13:05:16 +0200
From: "Braam Greyling" <braam.greyling@azoteq.com>
Subject: Marty Tippin's temp measurement page
Hi,
Does anybody know where Marty Tippins temperature
measurement page moved to ?
I cant find it anywhere.
Or if someone has a copy, please send it to me.
Regards
Braam Greyling
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 07:13:03 -0400
From: "RJ" <wortsbrewing@cyberportal.net>
Subject: Re: Oxygenation
Marc Hawley wrote:
"Anybody ever try putting hydrogen peroxide into the fresh wort when
pitching
the yeast? This would release oxygen directly to the wort. Just an idea."
Personally, I've never tried this, but I have had pretty good success with
the method, I do use....
I have a 2100cc/min aquarium pump that I attach to a cotton fiber filter
doused in hydrogen peroxide that is then forced thru a carbonation stone...
I DO NOT use this in my wort, because it causes much too much foaming, in a
five gallon carboy...
Instead, I usually start injecting my yeast starter (now in the carboy) with
the filtered air about an hour before I counterflow to it... when I
counterflow, the end going to the carboy has a simple lab "Y" connector that
allows the wort to pickup air as it travels to the carboy (without excessive
foaming).
I find that this sufficiently oxygenates everything and lag times are rarely
more than 8 hours.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 06:57:24 -0400
From: "Stephen Alexander" <steve-alexander@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: return to Babel
Nathaniel P. Lansing writes ...
Del I'm so weary of you changing topics every time ....
What's this got to do with aspect ratios and yeast performance ?
>Steve says:
>>>have no lust for oxygen and even as a strategic advantage can
>>>accomplish most of their life cycle without any O2 !! <<
>
>After previously saying in 3618:
[...]
>This seems to imply a serious need for oxygen
Yeast have an absolute req for O2 as I've posted a zillion times, see
AlanM's comments.. Yeast don't "lust after" O2, and regularly ignore a
fundamental use for respiration despite the great energetic advantage it
would give. If you don't understand it I'll explain it to you offline - but
read Tracy Aquilla's HBD posts in the archives and AJ deLange's explanatory
notes and Tracy's BT article first. If yeast lusted for O2 there would be a
lot less ethanol in your beer.
>>>But unlike most yeasts our brewing S.cerevisiae ferment sugars
>>>never found in fruit,<<
>
>Again quite specious.
After Del wrote ...
>The shallow depth of grapes and
>other fruits fed their lust for oxygen and help release the CO2
>that so impedes their growth.
There is nothing specious about my comment. Your assertion was that our
brewing yeasts developed metabolizing simple sugars from fruits surface and
this to support your assertion about their performance re O2. Your
''surface of fruit' fermentation environment cannot explain their ability
to handle maltose and maltotriose and their ready adaption to anaerobic
conditions. Adding barley starch (not surface present nor a fruit) as an
afterthought didn't erase the original error.
>>>No and stop making up things I supposedly said<<
> after you saying in #3614:
[...]
>When the real quote was [...]
I gave an exact and REAL quote from #3611 Del and to state otherwise is a
lie. Adding context material that this "invention" was presented this at a
particular conference, the quality of the conference and source of the other
posters reference is irrelevant to the claim of invention which was the only
point I was discussing.
That is entirely different from your attempts to twist my words when you are
losing a point.
There is no contradiction in statements that yeast need tiny amounts of O2
for lipids yet don't lust after O2. I have NEVER stated commercial
fermenters fail due to H:W as you falsely claim I said.
You still haven't explained why volume is now a H:W constraint when you
yourself posted that DeClerck's experiments covered a large range of
fermenter volumes.
====
Mr.Harsh suggested that I examine a book on transport phenomena and I have.
I find no models that would help us decide if the shear forces in a tall H:W
fermenter are in fact greater than a low H:W one. Particularly since the
actual convention is (as far as I know) not determinable. I do have several
papers on yeast flocculation related to shear forces. There is nothing
remarkable there. Modest shear forces can cause the agglomerations of
FLOCCULENT yeast. Not so non-flocculent yeast which experience repulsive
forces and don't flocculate. Decreasing shear can be effective in
agglomerating yet larger flocs.
Sorry - I still don't see your point Dave, but I'm willing to listen to a
rational discussion of why you believe shear forces in a 5g cornie are
higher than in a 5g carboy. Let's start with your derivation for
convection. It would seem to me that in a uniform height fermenter (non-CC)
the macro circulation forces are primarily due to thermals and these would
be difficult to compare between cornies and carboys for a lot of reasons.
Several books on bioreactor design state unequivocally that increased shear
(to a fairly high figure) can improve growth in yeast tho' this in high
aeration conditions atypical of brewing. Similar comments are made about
forced fermentation tests on Rose's "The Yeasts" tho' they stop far short of
attributing the improved performance to shear, O2 inclusion or any other
factor. This tends to weigh in the opposite direction from Dave's argument.
-Steve
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 07:06:12 -0400
From: "Stephen Alexander" <steve-alexander@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Cider taste from cheap kits.
Ages ago, before Dr.Pivo developed his talent for rudeness he asked my if I
had a clue as to why beers with a lot of added "table sugar" tasted cidery.
I may have stumbled across part of the story in Rose's "The Yeasts" just
this week. Yeast grown in low amino acid environments produce very
significantly higher amounts of organic acids and also release a
significantly higher amount of glycerin into the 'wort/beer.
For that winey-cidery flavor exclude the amino acids ?!!?
-S
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 07:52:12 -0400
From: Rob Hanson and Kate Keplinger <katerob@erols.com>
Subject: RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading
Nils Hedglin asks about reading the temperature in the middle of his carboy.
Well, I've been coveting the Carboy Thermowell from Beer, Beer and More
Beer (NoAffiliationBlahBlahBlah). It's a stainless steel hollow rod with
a rubber stopper on top with another hole for an airlock. I imagine you
could use it in combination with any thermometer or temperature
controller with a long probe on a wire lead. That is, if you really
want to know what the temperature is in the middle of the beer. I've
convinced myself to buy more ingredients instead for the time-being.
- --Rob Hanson
the Closet Brewery
'post tenebras lux'
Washington, DC
- ----------------
Man's way to God is with beer in hand.
--Saying of the Koffyar tribe of Nigeria
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 09:04:03 -0400
From: "Larry Maxwell" <larrymax@bellsouth.net>
Subject: role call--where in the world are you?
I'm fascinated by the reach of the HBD--we have people from
not only the U.S.A., Canada and Australia but Japan, the UK,
Europe and South America. Since the digests are rather small
lately, it seems like a good time to ask if people living in other
than North America would mind telling us where they are?
(And if you're an expatriate, what is your nationality?)
Larry Maxwell
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 09:25:04 -0700
From: "Jim Clement" <JClement@silverbacktech.com>
Subject: RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading
Nils Hedglin mentions using the thermometer with the long lead used for
cooking. I have used this type of thermometer several times and loved it.
The really neat part, is you can set an alarm for temp. I was setting the
alarm for 160, so I could get to the stove in time to slow the heating
around 168. I read the package, and the thing is supposed to be accurate
between 0 and [something like] 300 deg (F) -- I don't remember the number,
but much hotter than you need to brew. I also sanitized the thing and
dangled it through the airlock on my carboy to get a reading there.
Now for the bad news: I have gone through three of the things. They start
blinking nonsense numbers and wont work again. The first one, I returned
and they gave me a new one. I thought it was defective. The next one
lasted a couple years (didn't do much brewing after the new house and new
kid), and then I promptly wrecked another one. I was using the "Polder"
brand one. The only thing I can figure, is the probe is not water/wort/beer
proof. When I get another one, I will dangle the tip of the thing in w/o
getting liquid above the top of the probe. The thermistor is in the tip of
the probe anyway, and you should be able to get it about 5" under the
surface. That and a little stirring should get an accurate reading.
I am currently using a handheld digital thermometer, but it has several
drawbacks. It is very invonvenient to keep popping the lid during the mash
to get a reading, and my hands get hot and the thing fogs up when trying to
read steaming liquid, and it's done if you drop it in.
I also have a "Fermometer", but I use that more for a sanity check when I
shine my flashlight in to see how the beer's doing. I wouldn't count on it.
The way I see it, is a rapid change in ambient air temp (like leaving the
thing in a room that the sun warms up during the day) *must* effect the
reading of that thing, since it is not immersed in the liquid it is trying
to read. It would seem to me that the more constant the temp of the room,
the closer the carboy would approach that temp making the fermometer more
accurate. Same goes for a fridge thermostat with a tight tolerance for
temp. range.
I am really interested to hear other's experiences with this (or some other
type) of "remote" thermometer. (By the way -- the thing works *great* for
cooking -- even on the grill. I gave a lot of them as presents.)
Long time lurker, 1st time poster.
Jim C.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 08:25:02 -0500
From: "steve lane" <tbirdusa@hotmail.com>
Subject: Ultimate mall crawl
My wife has really done it this time. I am now the not so happy owner of a
round trip ticket to the Mall of America... just how I wanted to spend one
of my precious days off. To top it off, we are staying 3 nights at an
Indian reservation / casino that doesn't allow any adult beverages on the
premises.
Could the geographically informed let me in on the beer scene in the area?
Thanks for your help on the "vacation".
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 09:37:33 -0700
From: "Jim Clement" <JClement@silverbacktech.com>
Subject: RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading
Whoops... just saw http://hbd.org/hbd/archive/2847.html#2847-17 and
http://hbd.org/hbd/archive/2395.html#2395-1
-JimC
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 09:32:12 -0500
From: Keith Busby <kbusby@facstaff.wisc.edu>
Subject: Brett, and Ped.
Anybody know where I can get Brettanomyces and Pedioccocus currently? I
don't mean the Wyeast Lambic blend. YCKC no longer supplies and Brewer's
Resource is having trouble getting one of the two. I can culture from slant.
Thanks,
Keith
Keith Busby
Professor of French
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of French and Italian
618 Van Hise Hall
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 262-3941
(608) 265-3892 (fax)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 10:47:05 -0400
From: "Jay Wirsig" <Jay.Wirsig@can.dupont.com>
Subject: Finnish Sahti Recipe
I had the good fortune of visiting Finland recently. I spent a few days
with some Finnish friends in Susma, a small town in the country 2 hours
North of Helsinki. Apart from enjoying many great sauna's I tried some
traditional Finnish Sahti (an alcoholic "beer" brewed in the countryside).
I took the opportunity to visit a small brewery in the town of Susma (a
research assignment for the HBD). The brewery is located in part of a
former dairy. Sahti is sold in 4 Litre plastic jugs (same container that
windshield washer antifreeze comes in (in Canada)) that people re-use.
Sahti is stored in the refrigerator and is consumed in a week as it has a
very short self life. One just brings their container by the brewery for a
refill. It is possible to buy the unfermented wort as this is also a
traditional drink. The following is their recipe for Traditional Finnish
Sahti:
Ingredients:
160 kg Precrushed mix of 85% Pilsner, 10% pale caramel & 5 % enzyme malt
5 kg Rye Malt (optional)
Regular baking yeast soft like cheese Vs dried yeast
Mash Specifics:
450 L water
35 deg C for 30 min
53-54 deg C for 30 min
65 deg C for 60 min
75 deg C for 2.5-3 hours
Sparge with 150 L at 75 deg C
Ferment at 20 deg C for 2-3 days
Then 10-15 deg C for 2-3 days
Final gravity 20%
Alc approx 8-10%
No hops, no boil
My tasting notes:
Sour, dry, very alcoholic, phenolics, cloudy with some brown sediment at
the bottom of the glass
One glass after Sauna is nice, two are okay and three objectionable
After writing this I found this web site.
http://beer.tcm.hut.fi/Sahti/
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 11:02:11 -0400
From: "Jay Wirsig" <Jay.Wirsig@can.dupont.com>
Subject: Ball Valve Cleaning/sanitizing
A recent post posed a question about ball valve cleaning (on the bottom of
a conical fermenter) for yeast harvesting. One way of doing this is
drilling a hole in the ball on the downstream side so that the contents
trapped inside the ball may drain and a special cleaning lance could be
made to insert into the ball cavity for cleaning & sanitizing. Perhaps the
conical fermenter manufactures will give me a free fermentor for my
suggestion if they choose to modify their offering - It is only fair -
George got a free one for experimenting with fermentations maybe I ought to
get a free one for developing sanitation/cleaning designs/procedures for
the cheaper valve option.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 11:14:57 -0400
From: "David Craft" <David-Craft@craftinsurance.com>
Subject: Brewing Flags
Greetings,
I have received a good response for the 3' x 5' polyester brewing flags and
just placed the order. They are screen printed with a nice full beer mug and
would look great flying at your home on brew day.
I have ordered in bulk and can offer them for $10 each with no shipping
charge. Those that have already responded will be contacted when they
arrive. If you would like one, respond now so I can hold one. Don't pay
until I receive the flags and contact everyone. I don't want to have to
refund money in case something goes wrong. I can be paid via Paypal at
Chsyhkr@aol.com and Craft as the last name or send me a check.
Thanks for responding and good brewing.
David B. Craft
PS- Thank God for refrigeration, summer is a great time to brew!
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 11:35:43 -0400
From: "Spencer W. Thomas" <spencer@umich.edu>
Subject: in SF
I'll be in San Francisco Friday - Sunday (Marriot Union Square, I
think). I'm not sure exactly what my schedule will be (I know that one
of the 3 evenings, probably Friday, will be taken up with a work event),
but I am interested in getting together with fellow HBDers to hoist a
few local beers.
I'm leaving here Thursday night, so if you're interested, please reply
before then. I will probably be able to get into my email while I'm
there, but I can't count on it. I might be able to bring along a couple
bottles of homebrew (barleywine).
Spencer Thomas in Ann Arbor (spencer@umich.edu)
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 11:48:54 -0400
From: "Pannicke, Glen A." <glen_pannicke@merck.com>
Subject: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 10:35:47 -0700
From: "Hedglin, Nils A" <nils.a.hedglin@intel.com>
>my problem
>is getting an accurate reading of the wort temperature when it's in a
>carboy. I've got the Fermometer strips on the side of the carboy, but I've
>begun to doubt their accuracy.
Don't worry so much and have a cold one from your last batch ;-) I've found
that the best way to maintain those temps is to immerse the temperature
controller's probe, as well as a small bimetal thermometer, in an olive jar
full glycerine, glycol or mineral oil. You could use water too, but water
eventually gets nasty and it can evaporate, contributing to condesation
problems in my chest freezer. BTW, nothing special about the olive jar
except that it's tall and I like olives ;-)
The liquid acts as a buffer to smooth out those changing temps in your
fridge from opening and closing the door and will mock the temps in your
fermenter. Now while I'm waiting to be flamed for the last statement, let
me elaborate that the temperature measured in the olive jar is not exactly
the same as what is really in your fermenter, but it is close enough for
homebrew. I keep the bimetal thermometer in there just to provide an easy
verification. I also have an electronic indoor/outdoor theromometer from
Radio Shack which has the display outside of the fridge and the probe on the
inside. This lets me verify that the fridge is working properly without
opening the top and letting warm air & moisture inside.
>The 2-3 times I've checked the wort,
>the Fermometer strip on the carboy has read about 20 degrees lower than the
>floating thermometer in the water.
This is a BIG difference. But as far as the crystal thermometers are
concerned, they're only good if you want to know that your fermenter is "in
the ballpark". Sometimes they respond to environmental conditions outside
of the fermenter. Remember, they measure the temperature of the fermenter
walls, not the fermenter contents directly. I do not trust them entirely.
Carpe cerevisiae!
Glen A. Pannicke
glen@pannicke.net http://www.pannicke.net
75CE 0DED 59E1 55AB 830F 214D 17D7 192D 8384 00DD
"I have made this letter longer than usual,
because I lack the time to make it short." - Blaise Pascal
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 13:16:12 -0500
From: rlabor@lsuhsc.edu (LaBorde, Ronald)
Subject: RE: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading
>From: "Hedglin, Nils A" <nils.a.hedglin@intel.com>
>...I've got the Fermometer strips on the side of the carboy, but I've
begun to doubt their accuracy...
I have several, and I was impressed with the accuracy, within one or two
degrees F of other instruments.
>...I put a floating thermometer in a big glass of water in the
>frig too to use as a secondary check. The 2-3 times I've checked the wort,
>the Fermometer strip on the carboy has read about 20 degrees lower than the
>loating thermometer in the water...
In my chest freezers the height can make a difference, a lot of difference
in the temps measured.
>..So, any suggestions on what I can do
>differently...
I once had the thermometer probe dangling against the fridge wall, and I
moved it more to the center of the compartment and it made a big difference
in the temp accuracy. Now I bunge cord it to the glass carboy or metal keg
fermenter. This way I can get the best reading and control of temperature.
Fermentations when active can be 10 or so degrees above ambient. Until I
started taking the actual temp of the fermenter instead of the ambient, my
actual temps were much higher than I thought they were.
A great little thermometer is available from Radio Shack stores - it sells
for around $15, has a remote plastic covered probe. I have been using this
to measure temps in various ways. I attach it to the fermenters, or the
yeast flask, and anything else I want to know the temperature of. I do not
immerse it in liquid as I do not think it is waterproof.
You could try using a small fan to circulate air inside the fridge, this
should greatly even out the temperature throughout the compartment. If you
are using a refrigerator, then there may already be a fan pulling air in
from the freezer, in fact, it could be causing the cold air to concentrate
in one location. I know I can freeze lettuce if I place it too high up and
close to the back of my fridge. Adding another circulating fan may help.
Ron La Borde
Ronald La Borde - Metairie, Louisiana - rlabor@lsuhsc.edu
http://hbd.org/rlaborde
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 20:38:12 +0200
From: "Dr. Pivo" <dp@pivo.w.se>
Subject: Grimness, Grahamness, Buradooians, Nortons, and elbow carpets
Wes gives a pecante reminder that "the times they are a changin'", with
the remodeling, upgrading and uptowning of yet another place that if it
did nothing else, allowed people to celebrate beer as a lubricant to
camaraderie.
Wes writes:
> And what about the carpet "experience" - you could actually see
> the "juice" ooze as you walked across the bar.
>
This, as I recall, was not a problem for me when I visited that fine
establishment., as I believe I had at least a pair of "Blunnies" on my
feet, if not some thongs borrowed from the Colonel (If "Phil" can be
appointed "Baron" arbitrarily, I think it only fair that we have our own
"Colonel", in "Sanders") .
The bar itself, however, had little "carpet mats" with megaswill
advertising on them spread around the serving area, and as per usual, I
was the first to the bar, "stooled up" by the taps, and waited for the
first serve.
The carpets ON the bar, were equally filled with slosh, as I noticed
when the first glass "plopped" in place, and being a notorious "elbow
leaner" at bars, I had to constantly remind myself to keep my arms away,
lest I when turning to comment (probably about some of the more
notorious librarians at HBD central under discussion), I might get
carried away and start gesturing..... giving Sirs Lamotte and Yates an
eyeful tossed from the dripping points of my arm.
Yes, a fine establishment indeed.
I would like to correct Wes on one point:
> Actually I was pretty sure the Baron was back as I thought I heard the
> "tack tack" of the Norton Twin as he did an early morning run around
> Burradoo, but I wasn't quick enough to see if he was in his usual state of
> (un)dress
>
It is pretty common knowledge that Phil has mostly forgone the Norton in
favour of his 125 cc "Postman's bike", and the current dress standard
for the afternoon out on the bike is Helen's black fishnet stockings.
Last seen; Phil was being seen chased by a Croatian carrying a gate, and
shouting: "I'LL GIVE YOU BLOODY SEVEN METERS, AND YOU KNOW WHERE!!"
I hope this is not considered "off- topic".... I just truly do think it
is my duty to correct incomplete or less than absolutely correct
information.
Dr. Pivo
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 20:41:08 +0200
From: "Dr. Pivo" <dp@pivo.w.se>
Subject: odd books (might be off topic)
Very interesting to read peoples comments who have parralleled my
interest for "seeing what the next guy has to say" regarding brewing
throught the decades.
It just occurred to me that some of you may also be able to find a book
I have been longing to take a look at again.
I think it was called "country wines" or some such, was a British
author, and late 60's early 70's.
If you HAVE read it, I'm sure you would remember it, because this guy
made and collected recipes for making wine from EVERYTHING.
You would certainly recall his "oak leaf" wine, and the fact that he had
nearly given over every other source, after finding that "pea-pod" wine
was the most excellent of all (?!)
I followed this guy's guidelines on a few odd ones like "Rhubarb" and
it certainly was some interesting stuff.
Should anyone know the "real title" and where I could get hold of a
copy, I'd certainly appreciate it.
Dr. Pivo
Private email would be just fine.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 15:00:31 -0700
From: "Mike Pensinger" <beermkr@bellatlantic.net>
Subject: HERMS system tryout
Well I brewed in the new system and had a few problems. The pump I am using
compacted the mash almost instantly . I am curious if a larger false bottom
with more open area would make a difference.
I am curenlty using a 9 inch disk of perforated stainless. The holes a
pretty small and I have access to a piece with 1/8 inch holes. Would these
be too big?
I have also coltemplated a speed control for the pump. I figured I could
get decent control with just a dimmer switch. Has anyone else done this (I
know it is not the correct way)?
Mike Pensinger
beermkr@bellatlantic.net
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~beermkr/
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Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 16:13:04 -0400
From: "Houseman, David L" <David.Houseman@unisys.com>
Subject: 2001 Buzz Off Homebrew Competition Results
The results for the 2001 Buzz Off Homebrew Competition have been posted to
our web site and can be found at
http://home.earthlink.net/~housemanfam/2001BuzzOff/ . I'd like to thank all
the Buzz members who worked hard to pull off another successful competition,
the judges who put in a long day judging 192 entries, and Mike and the staff
of the General Lafayette Inn and Brewery who hosted us (do stop in and have
some excellent beer and food and spend the night in a historic Inn).
Congratulations to all those that excelled against formidable competition
this year. For those that entered, all the judge score sheets and ribbons
have been mailed; expect them in a few days.
David Houseman
Competition Organizer
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 17:29:13 -0400
From: Steve Scott <sscott1@twcny.rr.com>
Subject: Re: Accurate Carboy Temperature Reading
On Tue, 12 Jun 2001 00:29:29 -0400, you wrote:
>thermometer & 48 for the Fermometer strip. At this point, I don't know
>which to trust, or if I should toss the whole batch since it looked to get
>up to 84 degrees at one point.
I NEVER toss a batch without trying it first. You'd be surprised what
you can choke down. )
>So, any suggestions on what I can do
>differently, or if I'm doing something wrong? My wife has a nifty cooking
>thermometer on the end of a flexible lead. It has a digital readout with at
>the other end of the lead, so you can see the temp without opening the oven.
I use a Radio Shack digital indoor/outdoor thermometer. I think I got
it on sale for about $20. I tape the lead end to the carboy. It works
quite well.
On another note have you ever seen Ken Schwartz's fermentation chiller?
The URL is http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/chiller/chiller.html. It
let's me devote my refrigerator to the finished product. I can drop
about 30F with it (75 down to 45).
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 18:03:43 -0400
From: Jeff Renner <JeffRenner@mediaone.net>
Subject: Re: another good book
Jeff Gladish <JeffNGladish@ij.net> in Tampa writes:
>I've been waiting for anyone else to mention "Making Beer" by Mares, but I
>guess I may be one of very few who read it. I'm sorry not to know the
>author's first name, but I lent out the book several years ago and it was
>never returned. This book was the first and perhaps only book that I found
>that was written by someone more skilled as a writer than as a brewing
>scientist. I had been struggling with David Miller's text and in 92 it was
>the first book that made sense of sparging for me. I recommend it, not as
>a textbook, but as an overall view of all-grain brewing.
I'll second that. It's William Mares. I got it 2/26/86 (I sometimes
remember to write the date on the flyleaf, along with my name, in
case someone who borrows it thinks to wonder whose it is). Mares is
a journalist and a fine writer, and his style is more story telling,
and inspiring. He tells of his journey in homebrewing, and makes
brewing seem very unintimidating. Entertaining reading as well. I
thought so much of it that I bought the second edition (1994) when it
showed up on the bargain shelf.
Here are some other books I have on my shelf that haven't been mentioned:
Charlie's 2nd Edition, called "The New Revised and More Joy of
Homebrewing," 1980. This is a staple bound, 6"x8.5" 88 page
typewritten booklet. It has more quaint errors than later (he claims
(p. 11) that there is a million-fold increase of yeast in the wort.
Good thing there isn't. If you pitched a 5 gram packet of yeast,
you'd have 5,000 keg of yeast! Where would you put it? But
Charlie's style, while frustrating to geeks like me, was and remains
encouraging to those who are scared off by science. (I just found my
1983 AHA membership card in the pages).
Fred Eckhardt's 5th edition "Treatise on lager Beer." (1979) Even
thinner (52 pages) than Charlie's, but typeset. I also subscribed to
Fred's irregular newsletter, "Amateur Brewer," but he discontinued it
before I got all my issues. Kind of like Brewing Techniques. Again,
it looks quaint after all these years.
I had typed up comments about a number of other books, but the
computer locked up, and I don't feel reentering it all. Maybe
another time.
Jeff
- --
***Please note new address*** (old one will still work)
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, JeffRenner@mediaone.net
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943
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End of HOMEBREW Digest #3658, 06/13/01
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