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HOMEBREW Digest #3680
HOMEBREW Digest #3680 Tue 10 July 2001
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
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Contents:
Re: UPS shipping woes - followup ("RJ")
temp gradient in mash ("marc_hawley")
Canadian Amateur Brewers Association Summer BBQ ("Rob Jones")
Stuff- Brewbot, Flags, Yeast, Consumer Reports ("David Craft")
Russian Kwass (JohanNico)" <JohanNico.Aikema@akzonobel.com>
Home Brew TriNations (Ant Hayes)
UPS shipping woes (Richard Foote)
Stuck Fermentation? (Smith Asylum)
rusty fittings (The Freemans)
Temperature and mash thickness effects on fermentability (Jeff Renner)
Beer, Beer, & More Beer (NM)" <MarkC.Lane@voicestream.com>
Caution!! What I don't have in my freezer (Kurt Kiewel)
Budvar yeast (Bryan Gros)
bottle color, let's spark a debate ("Milone, Gilbert")
Belgian Wit ("Milone, Gilbert")
Extract brewing... the last 10 minutes (Tim Burkhart)
Brix to Refractive index conversion (Demonick)
Star San ("Ed Howell")
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 09:12:59 -0400
From: "RJ" <wortsbrewing@cyberportal.net>
Subject: Re: UPS shipping woes - followup
LJ Vitt <lvitt4@yahoo.com> wrote:
"In HBD#3678 Dean Fikar <dfikar@swbell.net> told us his solution to UPS
refusing
to ship his entries."
"I ran into the same problem when I was sending to 2nd round AHA in 1999.
Since I declared I had glass, they needed to inspect the packaging. Finding
beer bottles, they went on to say they can't ship it."
The best way to ship UPS is (not to tell them anything) just indicate on the
package that "SAMPLES" are enclosed and mark the package with "DO NOT CRUSH
/ THIS SIDE UP". Package your bottles inside a sealed garbage bag, with
plenty of bubble wrap, in between the bottles and all around the outside so
that there is no "clinking" sound when shaken.
I've never had a problem getting anything out this way!
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 08:31:31 -0500
From: "marc_hawley" <marc_hawley@msn.com>
Subject: temp gradient in mash
In Homebrew Digest #3674 (July 02, 2001)
Stuart Strand said
>
>about a 8-10 deg F temperature gradient in the mash that I cannot get rid
of
>by running the recirc pump. The top is always hot, the bottom always cool.
>Manual mixing helps for a while, but the gradient always returns. The
>manifold makes mixing problematic. Any suggestions?
If stirring is a problem, then I think the key is insulation, insulation,
insulation. You must be losing a lot of heat from the tun. I use a layer of
aluminum "bubble wrap" insulation under the tun and an insulation blanket of
the type sold for water heaters around the tun. I also keep a towel or small
blanket tucked over the lid. There will always be a gradient, but you should
be able to keep it down to a couple of degrees F.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 21:21:15 -0400
From: "Rob Jones" <robjones@pathcom.com>
Subject: Canadian Amateur Brewers Association Summer BBQ
A CABA/Toronto Brewers Guild BBQ is planned for Saturday, August 11 in
Toronto. As announced at the GCHC May 2001, Jeff Renner is making a return
visit to sample the 1.060 mega-CAP that was brewed during the conference.
Also on tap will be what's left of a vienna from the hosts supply, and a
1.050 CAP brewed two weeks after the conference, plus anything else that is
contributed by CABA members. Please use this as an opportunity to have your
brews sampled by others for feedback, or simply for boasting rights!
The BBQ will be a pot-luck, so please contact Rob Jones at
robjones@axxent.ca for details, directions, and suggestions on what edibles
and potables to bring.
All CABA members, and anyone interested in CABA or the newly formed Toronto
Homebrewers Guild are welcome.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 16:18:11 -0400
From: "David Craft" <David-Craft@craftinsurance.com>
Subject: Stuff- Brewbot, Flags, Yeast, Consumer Reports
Greetings,
I read the article the other day on the brewbot. Interesting and really
hillarious if you think about. I told my wife I know my real existence, as a
Brewbot. The link provided in yesterdays digest will work. However Outlook
or whatever email program Bob used split the link in two parts. Cut and
paste the second part on the first in your browser. If you just hit the
first part you will error out.......
The brew flags have gone out today to those that have paid. Enjoy.
I am going to make an Abby beer in the next week or so and ferment under my
house in the 75 degree range using Wyeast Abbey. Is that temp to high. I
don't seem to think so, but I don't want too many funky flavors!
Did anyone read Consumer Reports issue on beer? Pretty simplistic but
interesting. Rolling Rock faired poorly for the corn flavor, I have always
thought that. Sam Adams and Sierra did well. Schlitz and Pabst do well in
the Light Lager category for alot less than BudCoorMiller. Anchor Steam was
knocked down for the bitter aftertaste. I always thought it was too bitter
in the finish. It detracts from the other nice flavors that develop in the
warmer ferment. I just tapped my Anchor clone and it missed on the
finishing bitterness, but has nice flavors across the toungue. The reviewers
of CR would like it. I used a Bavarian Lager yeast at 60 degrees.......It is
Anchor without as much bite in the end. I am going to SF in August and plan
on visiting the brewery.
Brew on,
David B. Craft
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 08:57:36 +0200
From: "Aikema, J.N. (JohanNico)" <JohanNico.Aikema@akzonobel.com>
Subject: Russian Kwass
Hi,
: "Peter Fantasia" fantasiapeter@hotmail.com
<mailto:fantasiapeter@hotmail.com> asked about:
The Russian Kwass
Nearly every nation knew the tradition to make in a simple way a sourish
alcoholic drink.
Like the Babylonian and the Egyptian, after they discovered earlier how to
make heavy storable beers.
The "Zythos" of the Egyptians was a simple drink, called "Focha" by the
Arabs, spread all over the world by the Islamites as "Buza". This drink
looks a bit like the Russian Kwass.
The primitive way of preparing stayed for thousends of years the same. And
so the properties of this refreshing drink.
Drank by the nations of the Middle-East, but also the European Royal Court.
In particular by the Russians which aappreciated this beer together with
sauerkraut.
The original way to prepare was to let flour and water getting sour. Another
way was to make bread or roast the grain, mill, mix with water en let
getting sour. After filtration it was ready to drink.
Also maize was baked as polenta and treated as mentioned above. To make it
more spicy, different spices and especially peppermint was added. Later on
rye-, barley-, wheat- and buckwheatflour were used or their malts and sugar
as adjunct.
And the spontaneous fermentation was replaced by using beeryeast.
Well-defined ways of preparing were for hospitals, military bases etc. At
home the kwass was made in the traditional way, so with peppermint. Also
raisins were added.
The next way for preparing is from (:ueber den Kwass und dessen Bereitung.
R.Kober.Halle 1896).
Bread of rye is covered with boiling water and left for about 20 hrs. This
mixture is filtered, sugar, some tartaric acid and sourdough is added. The
sourdough is made from wheatflour and yeast. As soon as fermentation starts
the fluid is bottled.
For brewing of kwass is used: 4 parts barley- and ryemalt, 3 parts of
ryeflour and 1 part of buckwheat. This is mixed with warm water to make a
thin mash, stored for some hours (stirred from time to time) and finally put
in a tub. After adding peppermint and hot water the mash is stored until the
next day. Further treatment as mentioned above.
In the past kwass was consumed directly after brewing, later on after a few
days after bottling.
About the bacteria flora is not much knowledge. Probably mainly lactic
bacteria. Because of the decrease in pH, growth of other bacteria was
suppressed. But acetic acid bacteria and thermobacteria kept on staying a
risk.
Investigation of different kinds of kwass show 0,15-0,5 % lactic acid and
0,008-0,1 % acetic acid.
Alcohol and carbondioxyde content are low and variable.
Alcohol content seldom exceeds 2 % and carbondioxyde content stops mostly at
0.15 %.
Extract differs from 2 to more than 6 %.
Translated from:Obergaerige biere
Greetings from Holland (Europe), Hans Aikema http://www.hopbier.myweb.nl
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 09:07:10 +0200
From: Ant Hayes <Ant.Hayes@FifthQuadrant.co.za>
Subject: Home Brew TriNations
The Home Brew TriNations final will take place in Sydney on 24 November
this year. Any Australians, Kiwis or South Africans interested - check
out http://www.geocities.com/anthayes/trinations.html
Ant Hayes
Gauteng; South Africa
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 10:06:55 -0400
From: Richard Foote <rfoote@mindspring.com>
Subject: UPS shipping woes
In regards to UPS shipping of precious cargo... I thought I'd chime in with
my experience in hopes it may help others.
Having lived in various states, I have noticed that UPS outlets have
different standards depending on who is behind the counter. When I lived
in Vermont, each time I went to UPS to ship beer, I did so with extreme
trepidation. This was because this particular UPS location was staffed by
the "UPS Nazi". She (liberal use of the term) took extreme delight in
rejecting packages that were anything less than bomb proof.
She would first eye the package in question and then conjure up her
diabolical torture test du jour. One of her faves was ramming her fist
through any vulnerable spot such as a taped seam. She'd say, "Look, rammed
my fist through it. Try again tomorrow. Hey, whatcha got in that box
anyway?" By this time I was usually running (with box in tow) for the door
lest I be found out and blow my cover and suffer even closer scrutiny by
the "UPS Nazi".
Now in GA, I've not had any hint of problems with UPS. I go there very
calm and without delusions of persecution. The only thing I don't like is
that they're not open from like noon to 3 p.m. I used to go there to ship
stuff on my lunch hour. Who devised these brilliant hours anyway?
I've also used Mail Boxes Etc. with good results. They do charge a premium
for their services though. Local, independent drug stores (in my area
anyway) also offer UPS shipping.
As far as the "contents" portion of the UPS shipping form, I try to avoid
any description that implies glassware in order to fly low under the
radar--probably comes from my experience at the hands of the "UPS Nazi".
Tip: Also avoid "bomb" as description of contents.
Hope this helps. YMMV.
Rick Foote
Murrayville, GA
(UPS shipping paradise)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 07:07:53 -0700
From: Smith Asylum <smithly@neta.com>
Subject: Stuck Fermentation?
It's been six weeks now and the SG has been stuck at 1.030 for a week yet it is
still bubbling through the airlock. I started with an OG of 1.085. It's a
partial mash, knock off of Samual Smiths Winter Welcome Ale. The recipe called
for four weeks in fermentation. I assume the FG should be no greater than
1.015 to reduce the chance of creating grenades. It seemed to be stuck (no
change in SG for a week) so I added 1/2 tsp of yeast nutrient to the carboy.
It got active and dropped to from 1.036 to 1.030 in three days. As I said, the
SG hasn't dropped in a week so I racked it over to another carboy and added
another 1/2 tsp of nutrient to see if I could wake it up. I've been keeping it
at 66 deg and taste testing it whenever I check the SG. It tastes great! I am
anxious to get it into the bottle (my losses are mounting) so my question(s)
is/are:
What is the highest safe level of SG to bottle with and is there anything else
I can do to bring it down to that level (short of adding grain alcohol)?
Thanks for your time,
Lee Smith
Chandler AZ
In retrospect, maybe I should have gotten more experience before I tried such a
BIG
Beer!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 09:19:27 -0500
From: The Freemans <potsus@Bellsouth.net>
Subject: rusty fittings
I'll post the same thing here that I posted on the B&V when you asked
back on July 1.
It is possible that what you are seeing is a discoloration caused by the
TIG heat rather than rust. If a piece of STAINLESS scrubbie won't take
it off, I wouldn't worry about it. I say stainless because a steel or
iron scrubbie, such as "steel wool" or Brillo pad, will leave a residue
that will indeed rust. If it still bothers you, a small grinder
such as a Dremel with a stone bit will remove all traces of the
discoloration. The same grinder method should be used on the "sugar"
like gray sponge that turns up on the inside of a weld made by a TIG.
This is literally a stainless sponge that can suck up all sorts of
nasties. Either way, if the pot is used for boiling, most nasties will
die from the boil heat.
Bill Freeman aka Elder Rat
KP Brewery - home of "the perfesser"
Birmingham, AL
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 10:47:08 -0400
From: Jeff Renner <JeffRenner@mediaone.net>
Subject: Temperature and mash thickness effects on fermentability
Mashers
Someone just asked about temperature and mash thickness effects on
fermentability on one of the groups I subscribe to (HBD, OzCB and
UKHB), so I'll post this to all as I think it has interest to all
mashers.
Here is a great HBD post from 1997. I don't know if Andrew is still
on HBD. I've slightly edited it (...) to eliminate another topic.
Jeff
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Date: Thu, 04 Dec 1997 12:30:31 -0500
From: Andrew Stavrolakis <andrew_stavrolakis@harvard.edu>
Subject: Malt Sugar Profiles
... concerning the ... question of sugar profiles of mashed grain
wort, it brings to mind a private email discussion I had with an
individual at Lallemand Ltd. (a Canadian yeast co.) regarding
fermentability of wort. A number of factors influence the
fermentable/nonfermentable sugar composition of wort including mash
temperature and mash thickness, as follows:
Temp. in degrees Celcius
% of wort solids 60 66 68
Monosaccharides 10.1 9.5 10.2
Disaccharides 51.7 48.1 42.0
Trisaccharides 14.3 13.6 12.7
Maltodextrins 0.1 4.1 9.7
%Extract 76.2 75.3 74.6
%Fermentables 76.1 71.2 65.1
Effect of mash thickness on Saccharification @ 66 C.
% of wort solids Mash thickness
67Kg/Hl 39Kg/Hl 29Kg/Hl
Monosaccharides 11.9 9.5 8.1
Disaccharides 42.9 48.1 46.6
Trisaccharides 12.6 13.6 15.0
Maltodextrins 11.9 9.5 8.1
%Extracts 73.4 75.3 74.2
%Fermentables 67.4 71.2 69.7
I have found this info to very helpful in tailoring single temperature
infusion mashes to particular beer styles using highly modified British pale
malt. I hope this is helpful to others.
Andrew Stavrolakis
Boston, Ma.
Andrew_Stavrolakis@harvard.edu
- --
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, JeffRenner@mediaone.net
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 08:56:13 -0700
From: "Lane, Mark C. (NM)" <MarkC.Lane@voicestream.com>
Subject: Beer, Beer, & More Beer
Does anybody have any good or bad experiences ordering through morebeer.com?
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 11:09:24 -0500
From: Kurt Kiewel <kiewel@mail.chem.tamu.edu>
Subject: Caution!! What I don't have in my freezer
HBDers,
In an effort to fit all of my beer in my chest freezer I embarked on a
cleaning and organizing weekend. With some effort I was able to organize
and pack everything in the freezer and leave an inch or so around the edge
so that the bottles near the outside wouldn't freeze. I even drilled a
hole in the side to accommodate the probe of thermostat to improve the
internal aesthetics of the cooler. After polishing off the beers in the
kitchen fridge over the next few days I returned to the chest freezer to
find nearly every single beer inside frozen solid and nearly every bottle
broken.
BEER DISASTER! I couldn't believe it.
The fault lies in the fact that I didn't insert the temperature probe ALL
THE WAY in the hole I drilled in the side. As a result the controller read
mostly the outside temperature and kept supplying electricity to the
freezer even though the inside temp. was around -10F. I didn't understand
that the entire bulb of the Johnson controller (which I had used properly
for the previous 2 years) must be inside the freezer. Having use hundreds
of thermocouples at work I though I only needed to insert the tip.
Don't let this happen to you!
So, What do I have in my freezer?
After defrosting, I had about a 1 foot deep lake of beer, broken glass and
flip top hangers.
Kurt Kiewel
College Station, TX
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 09:14:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bryan Gros <blgros@yahoo.com>
Subject: Budvar yeast
"Dave Howell" <djhowell@qwest.net> asked, last week, about
experience with the Budvar yeast.
I just racked my pilsner to begin lagering, but out of
the hydrometer tube, it seems quite nice. And my primary
fermenter got too warm, and I had trouble getting the
wort into the fermenter to begin with (long story...).
I saved the dregs from the carboy for another batch
(and maybe a bock...).
BTW, St. Pats says this is exclusively theirs. Does Wyeast
package it only for Lynne?
- Bryan
Bryan Gros
Oakland, CA
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 13:01:11 -0400
From: "Milone, Gilbert" <gilbert.milone@uconn.edu>
Subject: bottle color, let's spark a debate
I'm new to homebrewing, I have 10 cases of clear glass bottles from a type
of Cuban soda I used to buy. Can I use these bottles to hold my beer? I am
bottling mostly English ale and Irish stout. I will be storing the brew in
the cases, and in the basement.So it shouldn't skunk if it's stored in the
case?????????
-Gil Milone
Private replies
gilbert.milone@uconn.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 13:55:53 -0400
From: "Milone, Gilbert" <gilbert.milone@uconn.edu>
Subject: Belgian Wit
Anyone had success using Wheatbeer malt extract? If so what is a good one to
use to make a wit, and do you know where I can get brewing supplies in CT?
Thanks
Gil Milone
Gilbert.milone@uconn.edu
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 13:54:48 -0500
From: Tim Burkhart <tburkhart@dridesign.com>
Subject: Extract brewing... the last 10 minutes
Thanks to those who responded to my questions about Breiss Bavarian Extract.
Think I may try balancing the Breiss with some dry-light extract for lighter
color or just try dry-wheat and dry-light extracts. I'll also remove any
steeping malts that may darken the resulting brew.
Kim Thompson suggests first steeping grains, next the hop additions, then
adding extract only in the last 10 minutes to sterilize. Says this prevents
the wort from caramalizing and darkening much further in the boil. Also
mentions this is used with great success. Anyone else out there using this
method?
And here I thought whipping up a batch of extract wheat would be a nice
summer break from day long all-grain sessions... nothing is as simple as it
seems...
Tim Burkhart
Kansas City
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 17:00:44 -0700
From: Demonick <demonick@zgi.com>
Subject: Brix to Refractive index conversion
I jumped on the refractometer bandwagon some time ago with a 0-30 Brix
handheld, then more recently with a 0-10 Brix handheld. Went back through
the archives (thanks to Louis Bonham & Peter Ensminger), and found lots of
help with calculations and formulas, but no conversion formula for Brix to
Refractive index. Calculations of alcohol content used refractive index
lookup tables. A quick check of the CRC Handbook of Physics and Chemistry
yielded a nice table of "Index of Refraction of Aqueous Solutions of
Sucrose" for 0-85%.
An analysis of the table contents yielded a very good curve fit for the
0-35% range which is about a specific gravity range of 1.000-1.1500.
RI = 1.33302 + 0.001427193(B) + 0.000005791157(B^2)
where,
RI = Refractive Index
B = degrees Brix
B^2 = degrees Brix squared
The standard deviation over the 36 data points is 0.000035.
Domenick
Seattle, WA
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 21:48:04 -0500
From: "Ed Howell" <edhoel@hal-pc.org>
Subject: Star San
Does anyone know how long a working solution of Star San will last? I have 5
gallons of working solution that was made up a week ago stored in a sealed
opaque container.
Thanks,
Ed Howell
Houston, TX
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #3680, 07/10/01
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