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HOMEBREW Digest #3717
HOMEBREW Digest #3717 Fri 24 August 2001
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
Aquarium Pumps? ("Mark Ellis - Glacier Design")
re: Yeast Nutrient ("Mark Tumarkin")
Re: Is It Not So? or Concentrations Unwrapped ("Dennis Collins")
Re: Is It Not So? ("Jim Hagey")
Re: 2 Rims Questions ("Vernon, Mark")
Re: Is it not so? (Len Safhay)
Re: 2 RIMS questions (actually 3) (Rob Dewhirst)
RE:Rims questions (EdgeAle)
Temperature Controller for RIM system (Lonzo McLaughlin)
update on wyeast question ("Scott Basil")
Floaters ("David Craft")
Re: 2 RIMS questions (Tony Verhulst)
RE: Yeast Nutrient ("Houseman, David L")
Compost, again (Stephen Johnson)
Phils Phalse Bottom/ Rims (Brent Dowell)
Wyeast "shampoo" tubes (IndSys, SalemVA)" <Douglas.Moyer@indsys.ge.com>
Stone Beer (Stephen Johnson)
Steinbier (stencil)
RE: RIMS Questions (john.mcgowan)
Nutrient ("Alan McKay")
A name for a brewer? (Kevin McDonough)
Volume calcs / steinbier (David Harsh)
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Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 21:43:24 +1000
From: "Mark Ellis - Glacier Design" <mark@glacierdesign.net>
Subject: Aquarium Pumps?
Greetings All,
Just wondering if anyone has any info or links to sites for HERMS etc users that
incorporate aquarium pumps for the recirc?
TIA
Mark in Oz
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 08:53:34 -0400
From: "Mark Tumarkin" <mark_t@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: re: Yeast Nutrient
Dave Perez asks "What are some other forms of yeast nutrient? "
Probably the most common yeast nutrient is DAP (diammonium phosphate). This
provides nitrogen in the form of phosphate. However, while lack of nitrogen
can be a problem with extract based brews, it is generally not a problem in
all-grain batches. Do a search on FAN (free amino nitrogen) in the HBD
archives for more info. The other type of yeast nutrient is usually called
something like yeast energizer and provides vitamins, amino acids, trace
elements, and other nutrients to the little brewers (otherwise known as
yeasty-beasties). Someone with a sick sense of humor (or perhaps a Hannibal
Lecter fan) began the practice of feeding dead yeast to the little brewers -
this is often one of the components of these yeast energizers. These dead
bodies can also be bought as a separate product called yeast hulls.
These can be ordered from most good homebrew supply shops if you feel they are
necessary. I haven't used them myself, because I haven't found them necessary.
If you make a large, healthy starter and oxygenate the yeast will do their job
quite well, even in high gravity beers. Mead is another issue since honey is
lacking in many of the nutrients needed by the yeast. I sometimes use a very
small amount of light malt extract in my meads to make the yeast happier. If
you choose to use these additives, I'd suggest using a small amount as too
much can leave some undesirable flavors in your finished beer.
Dave also says, "I do not save the spent yeast from my beer as of yet. I'm
still paranoid about yeast and infection, but I am getting more confident as I
learn more about the proper handling processes."
If your reason for saving the spent yeast is for autolysed yeast or yeast
hulls to be used as nutrients - why not just boil the dead beasties? You're
not going to kill them any deader and that should take care of any live
nasties.
hope this helps,
Mark Tumarkin
Gainesville, FL
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:22:41 -0400
From: "Dennis Collins" <dcollins@drain-all.com>
Subject: Re: Is It Not So? or Concentrations Unwrapped
Phil writes:
"I have always enjoyed simple mathematics and found them useful.
If one produces say, 20 litres of wort with a specific gravity of 1050, and
you are interested in diluting it to 25 litres (using additional water). To
calculate what the SG will then be, is it not a simple calculation?
Multiply the last two figures of the gravity (in this case 50) by 20 (to
determine what the concentrated gravity would be if the water was evaporated
to leave one concentrated litre) and divide this figure by 25 to determine
what the gravity would be if you added water to make it a 25 litre wort.
Seems obvious to me. But ask a Promash user if he understands this and all
you get is a blank face.
Steve Alexander, comments please.
Cheers
Phil"
A more straightforward version of the formula is as follows:
SG1 = Gravity of current wort
SG2 = Gravity of liquid being used to dilute
SG3 = Gravity of New mixture
V1 = Volume of current wort
V2 = Volume of liquid being used to dilute
V3 = Total volume of new mixture
SG1*V1 + SG2*V2 = SG3*V3
Of course, V3 will always equal V1 + V2.
This formula works for any units (as long as they are consistent) and any
gravity of liquid being used to dilute the wort. The formula simplifies
when you use water since SG2 will equal 1.
BTW Phil, I am a Promash user and find the program very useful. Be careful
about generalizations just because you were too cheap to buy a very useful
brewing tool.
Dennis Collins
Knoxville, TN
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:45:44 -0400
From: "Jim Hagey" <hagey@attglobal.net>
Subject: Re: Is It Not So?
In HBD #3716 Phil Yates writes:
"I have always enjoyed simple mathematics and found them useful.
If one produces say, 20 litres of wort with a specific gravity of 1050, and
you are interested in diluting it to 25 litres (using additional water). To
calculate what the SG will then be, is it not a simple calculation?
Multiply the last two figures of the gravity (in this case 50) by 20 (to
determine what the concentrated gravity would be if the water was evaporated
to leave one concentrated litre) and divide this figure by 25 to determine
what the gravity would be if you added water to make it a 25 litre wort.
Seems obvious to me. But ask a Promash user if he understands this and all
you get is a blank face."
Phil,
Your math is right, but there is an easier way. Divide the beginning volume
by the ending volume and multiply the quotient by the last two digits of the
beginning specific gravity (Using your example: 20/25 * 50 = 40). I'm a
promash user and am by no means a mathamagician nor do I play one on TV so
maybe I'm all wet in this but using ratios makes more sense to me than
concentrating then reconstituting. It's actually the same formula that you
used just rearranged to make sense to my feable promashed mind. You can
also use this formula to figure out how much to boil off of a given SG to
hit a target OG (or at least what volume you want to end up with). Say you
start with 25L of 1040 preboiled wort and you want to end up with an OG of
1050.
25/x * 40 = 50.
25 * 40 = 50/x
1000 = 50/x
20 = x
So you'd want to end up with 20L of wort into which you can pitch your
hungry little yeastie beasties.
Jim
Beer and Loafing in Kalamazoo
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 08:46:55 -0500
From: "Vernon, Mark" <Mark.Vernon@pioneer.com>
Subject: Re: 2 Rims Questions
Okay Ed...that's 3 questions, not two but who's counting...
>Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 14:21:31 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Ed Jones <ejones@sdl.psych.wright.edu>
>Subject: 2 RIMS questions
>
>I'm currently in the design phase of my very own RIMS system and I have
three
>questions for you knowledgable RIMS users:
>
>1. I use a 10 gallon Igloo cooler (round beverage cooler) for my mash tun.
> I'm thinking my Phill's Phalse bottom wont have enough open surface area
> for the recirculation. Can anyone recommend a good SS false bottom for
> my Igloo mash tun that works well in a RIMS system? I intend to use
> the 6144mm pump from movingbrews.
I purchased my Gott Cooler False Bottom from the now defunct Stainless in
Seattle - I have seen the one offered by Beer, Beer and More Beer - and it
looks better than mine. The SIS version sits on 3 legs and I have pulled it
through the bottom of the cooler several times, so I am switching to a keg
for my mash tun....
>2. Will the POLYSULFONE quick disconnects from movingbrews.com melt if I
> use them on my kettle? I have a 1/2 ball valve screwed into the SS
> bulkhead on my converted keg. I would like to put a quick disconnect
> on the end of the ball valve but I'm afraid it will melt. Will it be
> ok or will I need to have some copper tubing extend a little beyond
> the ball valve to help dissapate some heat?
I have several (ok, like 25) of these on every piece of equipment on my rims
stand, including the ball valve on the kettle - no problems with heat during
the boil, SS is not the best heat conductor so I would not worry.
>3. I've looked at the RIMS chamber and heating element offered by moving
> brews and it seems the way to go for me. Looking at the picture I see
> the end with the tee appears to have two 1/2 FPT reducers. I don't know
> what is on the other end. Where is the wort inlet and outlet fittings?
> Does the element screw into the end of the tee or the other end of the
> chamber?
I have the SS chamber for MB and have never regretted it...the element goes
into the bottom of the t (bad ASCII art to follow) there is a 1/2" female
opening at the top of the chamber for the wort out, and on the t for wort
in. If you would like I can take a picture of mine and e-mail it to you....
(start bad ASCII art)
_
| | <----- 1/2" wort out
/ \
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| --
| | <--- 1/2" wort in
| --
| |
------
^
|
|
Element
>hanks!
> --
>Ed Jones
>"When I was sufficiently recovered to be permitted to take nourishment,
>I felt the most extraordinary desire for a glass of Guinness...I am
>confident that it contributed more than anything else to my recovery."
> - written by a wounded officer after Battle of Waterloo, 1815
Mark Vernon, MCSE, MCT
Sr. Network Engineer
Global Infrastructure
Pioneer, A DuPont Company
EMail:Mark.Vernon@Pioneer.com
Text Paging: 5153601729@msg.myvzn.com
Office:(515)270-4188
Cell: (515) 360-1729
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the
source of all true art and science.
-- Albert Einstein
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:47:55 -0400
From: Len Safhay <cloozoe@optonline.net>
Subject: Re: Is it not so?
Phil Yates, regarding an arithmetical calculation, writes: "Seems
obvious to me. But ask a Promash user if he understands this and all you
get is a blank face"
Damned if I understand the seeming hostility of the pencil and paper
crowd to Promash. I, for one, and I'm sure countless other Promash
users, can handle manual calculations just fine and in fact used to
routinely do so before Promash made my life easier. There are many, many
other useful features of the program as well, not just the ability to
calculate SG. And if people with no math sense can now easily find out,
say, how much water to add, what's wrong with that? Only really smart
guys like Phil are allowed to brew?
My point is not that one cannot brew or do calculations w/o Promash, but
the gratuitous attacks on those who do use it are silly and childish.
I feel bad sending this post via email, by the way. Clearly it would be
more appropriate if I were to have my scribe enter it on a clay tablet
in cuneiform and have my couriers deliver it via horseback to Phil.
Seems simple to me, but ask an internet user about cuneiform and all you
get is a blank look.
Len
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:15:12 -0500
From: Rob Dewhirst <robd@biocomplexity.nhm.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: 2 RIMS questions (actually 3)
>
>From: Ed Jones <ejones@sdl.psych.wright.edu>
>
>1. I use a 10 gallon Igloo cooler (round beverage cooler) for my mash tun.
> I'm thinking my Phill's Phalse bottom wont have enough open surface area
> for the recirculation. Can anyone recommend a good SS false bottom for
> my Igloo mash tun that works well in a RIMS system? I intend to use
> the 6144mm pump from movingbrews.
I think the Phil's will be fine. I'd try it first.
>3. I've looked at the RIMS chamber and heating element offered by moving
> brews and it seems the way to go for me. Looking at the picture I see
> the end with the tee appears to have two 1/2 FPT reducers. I don't know
> what is on the other end. Where is the wort inlet and outlet fittings?
> Does the element screw into the end of the tee or the other end of the
> chamber?
The chamber has three threaded holes. Two of them are 1/2" female
threads. One is a cap at the "long" end, and one is a reducer in the "tee"
part. The second reducer is to a 1" female thread.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 10:27:06 EDT
From: EdgeAle@cs.com
Subject: RE:Rims questions
Ed Jones asks 2 RIMS questions
>>1. I use a 10 gallon Igloo cooler (round beverage cooler) for my mash tun.
I'm thinking my Phill's Phalse bottom wont have enough open surface area
for the recirculation. Can anyone recommend a good SS false bottom for
my Igloo mash tun that works well in a RIMS system? I intend to use
the 6144mm pump from movingbrews.<<
I use a Phill's Phalse bottom in my 10gal Gott cooler RIMS.It works fine with
my pump MARCH AC-2CP-MD, which may be smaller than yours though.
>>2. Will the POLYSULFONE quick disconnects from movingbrews.com melt if I
use them on my kettle? I have a 1/2 ball valve screwed into the SS
bulkhead on my converted keg. I would like to put a quick disconnect
on the end of the ball valve but I'm afraid it will melt. Will it be
ok or will I need to have some copper tubing extend a little beyond
the ball valve to help dissapate some heat?<<
I have Acetyl Quick connects on my brew kettle. I protect them with a couple
of short tubes of reflective insulation slide over them. Works great and
doesn't really impede their working
Dana Edgell
- ------------------------------------------
Dana Edgell
Edge Ale Brewery, Oceanside CA
http://ourworld.cs.com/EdgeAle
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 07:39:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: Lonzo McLaughlin <lonkelm@yahoo.com>
Subject: Temperature Controller for RIM system
To the person requesting additional information on
Omega temperature controller for a RIM system.
This is a pretty easy setup to create and maintain.
About any temperature controller will do. I've used
very old
ones from recycled industrial equipment.
There are a couple of basic things to understand and
once you understand those, it is easy to hook up.
There are two important areas:
1. Power supply to the controller itself. This is
low current, typically 110V (it should say on the
controller). This is used for the controller's
electronics only.
2. The controller will have 1 or more set of relay
contacts. 2 sets are typical. 1 set will be normally
open (N.O.) and the other will be normally closed
(N.C.). Most people will want to use the normally
open contacts. This means the switch is 'off' in the
normal condition. The controller will turn the switch
'on' when it needs to heat.
Very Important: In almost all cases, the relay
contacts on the controller cannot handle the current
required to drive the heater element. Thus you will
need another relay (I suggest a solid state relay)
(McMaster.com p/n 7456K13). These relays are
purchased with only 1 set of contacts so you will need
to purcase a Normally Open type relay.
The relay has two important pieces of data. 1. The
activation voltage and the current capacity on the
contacts. The relay part number I posted above from
Mcmaster.com has 70-140 Volts A/C for the activiation
current. The contacts can handle up to 25 amps which
should be ok for most heaters.
To wire this system I would do the following:
The controller should have two feeds labeled 'L' and
'N' Line and Neutral for reference. In the U.S.,
house wiring uses the black wire as the Line and the
White wire as the Neutral. Thus just connect a fused
line to 'L' and 'N'
Next you need to power the relay contacts on the
controller to 'flip' the solid state relay. The solid
state relay will have two contacts that probably has a
coil symbol. Run a wire from the same 'L' line that
feeds the controller to one side of the N.O. contacts
on the controller. Take another wire that goes from
the other side of the N.O. contacts on the controller
and run it to one side of the solid state relay. Now
run a 'N' wire to the other contact on the coil side
of the solid state realy. This powers the Solid state
realy so when the controller closes its contacts, the
solid state relay closes its contacts too. These
connections work only of you have a controller and a
relay that operate off the same A/C type current.
Now you need to run power to the heater. Again you
are switching the line side of the power. Do NOT
switch the neutral side of the circuit. You will want
to run the power for this circuit from a seperate
fuse. I use a 15A fuse for this circuit. I'm running
a 240V water heater element at 110v. Do this by
running a new 15A fused 'L' line to one side of the
relay contacts on the Solid State relay. Run another
wire from the other side of the solid state relay
contacts to any side of the water heater element. Now
run a 'N' line to the second screw of the water heater
element.
I HIGHLY recomment all power to this system comes off
a GFI circuit. I actually placed a 20A GFI outlet on
the side of my brewery. All power goes through this
so I'm protected in case of a short. I also soldered
a ground wire to the 1.5" copper heating chamber and
ran that to the ground of the ciruit. In case
anything goes wrong with the heater element, I'll be
protected.
That's a quick summary of how all of this is connected
to make a controller circuit. I left out the
thermocouple part but that is pretty straight forward.
Do be sure to use thermocouple wire if you have to
add any extensions to the thermocouple. Regular wire
does not work.
Good luck and happy brewing.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:47:00 -0500
From: "Scott Basil" <sbasil@glasgow-ky.com>
Subject: update on wyeast question
I realized that I have left out several pieces of info on my wyeast question.
All yeasts were used within 2 months of their production date.
The Irish ale and the Bohemian Lager had starter bottles, but not the wheat.
The starter was simply part of the wort from the boil.
Since I don't have access to local homebrew supplies, I really need to get
this lager yeast going so that I can use these crushed grains!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 10:47:23 -0400
From: "David Craft" <David-Craft@craftinsurance.com>
Subject: Floaters
Greetings,
My last two batches this summer has had insufficient hot-break, which leaves
"floaters" lurking in the wort. I use an immersion chiller and as the tap
water warms I cannot get the quick enough chill to settle out the proteins.
I am working on a solution for my next batch, running some ice water through
the chiller the last 10 minutes.
My question how long should I wait before transferring to a secondary? I
am making a Vienna Lager, which I usually let ferment about 2 weeks before
transferring. An ale I would only wait about 5 days. Do these floaters (
they look like turds, sorry) have a detrimental effect on the beer?
David B. Craft
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 10:56:34 -0400
From: Tony Verhulst <verhulst@zk3.dec.com>
Subject: Re: 2 RIMS questions
> I'm currently in the design phase of my very own RIMS system and I have three
> questions for you knowledgable RIMS users:
Man, do I have a web site for you :-) -
http://www.world.std.com/~verhulst/RIMS/rims.htm. It specifically
adddresses the following questions.
> 1. I use a 10 gallon Igloo cooler (round beverage cooler) for my mash tun.
> I'm thinking my Phill's Phalse bottom wont have enough open surface area
> for the recirculation. Can anyone recommend a good SS false bottom for
> my Igloo mash tun that works well in a RIMS system? I intend to use
> the 6144mm pump from movingbrews.
I had a slotted copper manifold in my pre recirculation days but moved
to the ABT (advanced brewing techniques) false bottom (pics on the web
page - http://www.world.std.com/~verhulst/RIMS/mashtun_004.htm)
precicely because I needed the a higher flow rate. Although Phil's
false bottom is pretty good (I used to have one), I don't believe that
the open surface area is as good as ABT's. Also, ABT is stainless steel
which, to me, is much more appealing than Phil's plastic.
> 2. Will the POLYSULFONE quick disconnects from movingbrews.com melt if I
> use them on my kettle? I have a 1/2 ball valve screwed into the SS
> bulkhead on my converted keg. I would like to put a quick disconnect
> on the end of the ball valve but I'm afraid it will melt. Will it be
> ok or will I need to have some copper tubing extend a little beyond
> the ball valve to help dissapate some heat?
Thy'll melt if they come into direct contact with the burner flame but
this is pretty easy to avoid. I have 5 sets of polysulphone quick
disconnects on my system and have had no problems at all. Look at my
HLT (http://www.world.std.com/~verhulst/RIMS/hlt_001.htm) and see that I
added a nipple to extend the valve and quick disconnect away from direct
flame contact. Works great!
Tony V.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 11:01:04 -0500
From: "Houseman, David L" <David.Houseman@unisys.com>
Subject: RE: Yeast Nutrient
I recently began using crushed zinc tablets in my boils. Now I haven't done
any side-by-side testing, but these brews have had the most explosive
fermentations I've experienced. Even a lager where I pitched lots of yeast
but intentionally did not aerate (to reduce ester production) really took
off. As an all-grain brewer I don't believe additional yeast nutrients are
necessary, but the zinc may have had a positive affect.
Dave Houseman
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 11:32:36 -0500
From: Stephen Johnson <Stephen.Johnson@vanderbilt.edu>
Subject: Compost, again
I've been composting for about 8 years in an urban enviroment, and was
composting long before I started brewing all-grain batches 6 years ago. I
have had both mice and rats in my compost bins before I started adding
spent grains to the mix. Most of the things that are considered compostable
and garbage to us (vegetable scraps in particular) end up also being a food
source to these critters and is pretty much a fact of nature. I compost in
some of those square plastic bins that many of the home gardening catalogs
sell, and one of the drawbacks of these containers is that they do not have
a bottom on them and are designed as such to allow worms to come up from
the soil (given that you place them on that sort of surface, as opposed to
concrete) and moisture to gradually move through to the bottom of the pile
so you don't have an overly wet mixture. Unfortunately, the open bottom
also serves as an easy entrance into your bin by burrowing rodents. My
solution was to basically "wrap" the entire box bottom with a section of
screening to keep rodents out, but allow for the other processes to
continue to take place. Of course, I personally don't mind the rodents in
the box, because they help to aerate the pile and mix things up. It also
means that they aren't in my basement or attic. But my wife isn't too crazy
about seeing a rat staring up at her when she lifts the lid to dump some of
her flower garden cuttings!
As for keeping spent grains in a closed container, even with holes, that
container will most certainly "stink to high heaven" within a day or two
and continue to smell like what I would compare most accurately to "vomit"
for quite a long time. I have done quite a bit of reading about compost,
including my subscription to Organic Gardening, and several books on the
topic. Although I don't have the exact figures with me, the ideal compost
mix is one that has a high proportion of carbon (e.g., newspaper, leaves,
peanut shells, coffee filters, dried plant matter) to a smaller proportion
of raw matter (high nitrogen: green grass, raw vegetable scraps, manure,
spent grains, hops, cooked vegetables). An effective mix that has the right
blend of carbon and nitrogen allows the breakdown to occur without the
nitrogen being driven off as a gas in the form of ammonia. When I first
started putting fresh cut grass clippings in my bin without the right
amount of leaves to go with it, I would lift the lid the next day and get a
face full of "baby diaper" aroma. Now I know better. The environment for
the ideal mix should also have some moisture, along with a regular supply
of oxygen. This allows for an aerobic environment for the microbes that
support (e.g, "fresh smelling") the decomposition process as opposed to an
anaerobic (e.g., "putrid or rancid smelling"). That is why many of these
commercial composting boxes also have slits in the sides for air, which is
an important part of the composting environment. It is also why it is
recommended to stir your pile frequently to allow for adequate amounts of
oxygen to be added to the pile. Other home designs that I have seen have
incorporated PVC tubing with holes drilled throughout inserted into large
piles to act as oxygen providing vent pipes into the pile.
The best thing about any compost pile, regardless of the design, cost, and
composition, is like what the bumper sticker says: "Compost
Happens"...sometimes just more quickly and with less smell.
Steve Johnson
Nashville, TN
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:39:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brent Dowell <brent_dowell@yahoo.com>
Subject: Phils Phalse Bottom/ Rims
I have a Gott 10 gallon cooler with a Phils Phalse
bottom. The only problem I had with Phils Phalsie is
that it would deform and flatten out under the weight
of the mash. I picked up a about 8 stainless steel
machine screws with nuts and made some feet for the
phalse bottom to keep it up off the bottom of the tun.
I also replaced the plastic elbow fitting with a 1/2
id brass elbow and drilled cross holes in the brass
elbow. I then ran a tube from this brass fitting
directly to my 1/2 id ball valve.
Basically what I'm saying is that I can run my pump at
full throttle with a lot of grain (28lbs), real thick
mash, in my mash tun with the phils phalse bottom. It
has enough holes to allow full flow, but it did take
some tinkering to get it to work ok.
For what its worth!
Brent Dowell
Lone Unknown Brewing
Antioch CA
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 12:43:16 -0400
From: "Moyer, Douglas (IndSys, SalemVA)" <Douglas.Moyer@indsys.ge.com>
Subject: Wyeast "shampoo" tubes
In Thursday's HBD, Scott Basil <sbasil@glasgow-ky.com> complains about a
lack of consistency with the Wyeast "pitchable" tubes. I tried one for the
first time last week. It was a spontaneous brew day: I decided to take
Friday afternoon off and drove to the local supply shop and picked up some
hops and yeast (1272). By the time the brew day actually started and
finished, I pitched the yeast around 8:30 pm. Now, I admit that I had to do
the carboy shake since I was out of O2, and I did keep the fermenter on the
cool side, but I was sorely disappointed when I saw absolutely no sign of
activity until Sunday mid-afternoon. Even then the progress was sluggish.
Typically, for liquid yeast, I've used White Labs with a quart starter to
"wake up" the yeast. I guess if I do another spontaneous brew, I'd better
stick to dry yeast!
Brew on!
Doug Moyer
Salem, VA
Star City Brewers Guild: http://hbd.org/starcity
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 13:08:42 -0500
From: Stephen Johnson <Stephen.Johnson@vanderbilt.edu>
Subject: Stone Beer
Tony Maciag asks about brewing stone beers. I have had the pleasure, and
often times priveledge of brewing with both Chuck Skypeck and Fred Scheer
of Boscos Brewery in Nashville and Memphis, TN. One of Chuck's signature
beers is the Famous Flaming Stone Beer that has the distinction of being
tasted and discussed on Late Night with Conan O'Brian when Michael Jackson
showed up one night as a guest on the show a year or so ago. Of course,
Conan had the expectantly flippant commments about getting stoned on Stone
Beer, but Jackson has had wonderful things to say about this beer and style
in his pocket guide (3 stars) and The Ultimate Beer book.
Members of the Music City Brewers assisted in brewing a batch of this beer
for the 2000 GABF, but added a twist to the recipe in the form of adding
juniper boughs into the mash. It ended up winning a gold medal in the
Experimental category. Chuck studied quite a bit on the historical aspects
of this style in developing his recipe and process before opening the first
of three Boscos in Memphis in the early 90's. They heat the rocks up the
night before in the wood-fired pizza ovens and lower the extremely hot
rocks in a stainless steel mesh basket into the kettle during the first
run-off. They have also added the rocks directly into the mash, but on a
commercial scale (7 barrel system) it is very difficult to add enough rocks
to the mash to get much of a temperature rise or the characteristics of the
caramelized sugar compounds that add to the unique flavor. Chuck gets his
granite in Colorado, and did quite a bit of research with some geologist
friends to find out what would work best and most safely. The potential
hazzards of exploding rocks in hot wort are not to be treated lightly by a
homebrewer experimenting in this style.
A great place to start in learning more about the style is to read some of
Chuck's words that appear in a Q & A forum in a back issue of Southern
Draft, a regional brewsletter that unfortunately went out of print several
years ago. You can still access back issues, and this particular interview
at the following url link:
http://southerndraft.com/9704/q&a.html
There have also been some interviews with him in some of the trade
magazines (The New Brewer?), and possibly some back issues of Zymurgy, but
I don't know if they are on the web at this time.
Also, you could probably e-mail Chuck directly with additional questions at
their location in Germantown, TN (a suburb of Memphis)
memphis@boscosbeer.com
Hope this helps.
Steve Johnson, President
Music City Brewers
Nashville, Tennessee's Homebrewing Club
http://musiccitybrewers.com
Host of the 6th Annual Music City Brew-Off, Oct. 27
Featured Guest: Paul Gatza of the AHA and IBS
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 16:42:05 -0400
From: stencil <stencil@bcn.net>
Subject: Steinbier
in Homebrew Digest #3716 (August 23, 2001)
"Maciag, Tony" <Tony.Maciag@umassmed.edu> wrote
> [ ... ]
>I am looking for information regarding procedures for brewing Stone Beer
>(you know, heat up rocks and dump them in the brewkettle, etc)..
>
go to the hbd archives at
http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/hbdindex.cgi/hbd_index
and search on "steinbier" ...you'll get
HOMEBREW Digest #1045 Thu 31 December 1992 -
1045-7
HOMEBREW Digest #139 Sat 29 April 1989 - 139-3
HOMEBREW Digest #1505 Fri 19 August 1994 -
1505-23
HOMEBREW Digest #1758 Sat 17 June 1995 -
1758-25
Homebrew Digest Monday, 28 October 1996
Number 2252 - 2252-6
HOMEBREW Digest #2511 Mon 22 September 1997 -
2511-7
HOMEBREW Digest #2511 Mon 22 September 1997 -
Contents
HOMEBREW Digest #2513 Wed 24 September 1997 -
2513-14
HOMEBREW Digest #2513 Wed 24 September 1997 -
2513-16
HOMEBREW Digest #2513 Wed 24 September 1997 -
2513-20
My general recollection of the '97 thread was that the
stones provided a kind of controlled scorching which
contibuted yummy Maillart products without a lot of kettle
coking. I don't recall the practicum but I'd envision
something like the pricey vitrified-surface gasgrill
rocks, heated in a stout toaster oven to ca 450-500F and
chucked in the wort at the very end of the boil.
Let us know how it all works out.
stencil sends
RKBA!
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 08:37:29 -0400
From: john.mcgowan@us.abb.com
Subject: RE: RIMS Questions
Troy Hager asked about experience with Omega PIDs and SSRs. I spent a lot of
time on the phone with Omega when I was designing my RIMS and they were very
helpful. (NAYY)
For my RIMS, my PID and SSR item numbers are CN8592-DC1-R2 and SSR240-DC-45
respecively. I am quite pleased.
Regarding Ed Jones's question on MB QDs and RIMS Chamber (again NAYY): I have
POLYSULFONE QDs on all my vessels (HLT, MT, Boil). I have about 6 inches of
tubing between the ball valve and the QD. Never had one melt (Tubing nor QD). I
also use MBs chamber/heater: To get the best answer to your question, I would
recommend you call Bill Stewart at MB and talk to him. He is very knowledgeable
and just an enjoyable guy.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 17:45:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Alan McKay" <amckay@ottawa.com>
Subject: Nutrient
Dave,
There are products you can buy at your homebrew store called
"Yeast Nutrient" and "Yeast Energizer". They are in the
form of a white powder.
cheers,
-Alan
- --
"Brewers make wort. Yeast makes beer."
- Dave Miller
http://www.bodensatz.com/
What's a Bodensatz? http://www.bodensatz.com/bodensatz.html
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 19:38:59 -0400
From: Kevin McDonough <kmcdonou@nmu.edu>
Subject: A name for a brewer?
I had an acquaintance the other day ask if there a name for someone who
brews beer? Of course, I responded with the term, brewer. He was
wondering, though, if there was a more esoteric term, similar to the way a
stamp collector can be referred to as a philatelist. Anyone have any ideas?
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 21:12:33 -0400
From: David Harsh <dharsh@fuse.net>
Subject: Volume calcs / steinbier
Phil & Jill Yates <yates@acenet.com.au> ask:
> ...is it not a simple calculation?
Yes. It is a basic mass balance equation used for preparing stock
solutions of chemicals that says :
(Volume 1) x (Concentration 1) = (Volume 2) x (Concentration 2)
In this case volumes are in liters and concentrations are in
grams/liter. You can also use this method to determine how much water
to add to obtain a desired gravity:
(V1a)x(C1a) + (V1b)x(C1b) = (V1a+V1b)x(C2)
If you use water to dilute, C1b=0, so you are left with algebra to solve
for the volume of added water:
V1b = V1a (C1a/C2 - 1)
There is one assumption made in the method you describe - that 1050 g of
wort of 1.050 gravity will be exactly one liter in volume (50 g sugars
per liter). That isn't strictly correct, but the (in)accuracy of the
volume measurements make that point moot (count on +/-3% for marks on
the side of a carboy). The ASBC may have a more useful correlation- AJ?
As far as ProMash users go, I'm not sure I know any... They don't all
wear a scarlet letter or anything, do they? ;) I'd guess that people
that use commercial software to do these calculations might not have the
science and math background for the calculations and don't care to learn
them (or re-learn them if they haven't used them lately). Others may
prefer using a "proven" product as opposed to producing one themself.
To each his own - that's what makes brewing an enjoyable hobby.
- -----------
Tony Maciag <Tony.Maciag@umassmed.edu> asks about Steinbier:
Granite is used, specifically greywicki stone (spelled wrong, I'm sure).
You need to heat the stones for several hours in a pyre (literally).
You are probably not going to get a sustained hour boil from the stones
and will have to follow up with a boil on a conventional burner. Our
club has done stone beer sessions a couple of times and use a stainless
steel basket on stainless steel chains that we use to lower the stones
into the wort. It is a fun group activity, just keep people from
melting pennies and other flotsam and jetsam on the stones while they
heat or you'll get metallic flavored beer :p
Once you've used the stones, keep them on hand to put into the fermenter
so the carmelized sugars can dissolve back into the wort. Of the two
batches of homemade steinbier I've seen made, one was excellent and one
tasted like somebody dissolved a few pennies in it.
The underlying style is a Marzen, btw.
Dave Harsh Cincinnati,OH
Bloatarian Brewing League
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #3717, 08/24/01
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