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HOMEBREW Digest #3756
HOMEBREW Digest #3756 Tue 09 October 2001
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
Dry Hopping (Lee)
Haziness ("Rod Milligan")
...water loss during boil (Ant Hayes)
Pretzel Recipe ("Eric R. Theiner")
Lactobacillus (Andrew Nix)
Label adhesive. ("john mains")
Fruit vs. fruit puree (Keith Busby)
Sparge water volume; hops plugs (Greg Remec)
Dry Hopping (Lee)
Re: pseudo-decoction from a Category 5 perspective@umich.edu (Jeff Renner)
Jockey Box Plumbing Questions ("Schneider, Brett")
Stick-on Labels ("Houseman, David L")
Re: Would You Trust This Yeast? (Brian Levetzow)
Re: bottle labels ("Steve Funk")
2 row Munich (Scott)
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Date: Sun, 07 Oct 2001 21:55:00 -0700
From: Lee <leebrews@home.com>
Subject: Dry Hopping
For Dave in Chattahoochee. A good way to dry hop in a soda keg is to use a
commercial-sized stainless tea ball. They are available from restaurant
supply houses and are about three inches in diameter, Remove the short chain
attached to the ball, sanitize, load it with your hops and drop it into the
secondary. It does a good job and there are no loose leaves to plug up the
beer line. Works with pellets, too.
Lee, Heart of the Valley HBC
Corvallis, OR
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 00:04:30 -0700
From: "Rod Milligan" <ramilligan23@earthlink.net>
Subject: Haziness
I have only brewed 6 batches in my infantile homebrew career. In those 6
batches, I have made two types of Pale Ale. An American IPA and a Mild Ale.
I have done quite a bit of reading on the internet about when to do a
protein rest and when not to. Supposedly, if you are using fully modified
malts, you do not want to do a protein rest. On partially modified malts
(or otherwise), I guess you should do a protein rest. (Is that right??)
The malts that I used in both Ales were fully modified, so I did not do a
protein rest. They both turned out to be very good brews, however, they
were both pretty hazy. I used two clarifiers that I got from morebeer.com
on the Mild Ale and it didn't seem to help a whole lot. How in the world
can I clear up the haziness? Are there any tips or tricks out there?
Thanks in advance....
Rod Milligan
Bloomington, IL
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 15:50:25 +0200
From: Ant Hayes <Ant.Hayes@FifthQuadrant.co.za>
Subject: ...water loss during boil
Troy Hager wrote,
"Another thought is that most brewery kettles are enclosed vessels where
a
large portion of the exhaust is condensed on the inside and runs back
into
the wort. I wonder if some of what is in this condensation are
beneficial
flavors/components that hbers are loosing when we evaporate so much."
I don't have the book with me now, but SAB's staff manual deals with
maintenance procedures for the condensation traps in their boilers. The
traps are found in the chimney's of the boilers. One of their regular
tests is to spray water in the trap to ensure that it can drain quickly
enough to prevent condensate running back into the wort. The manual
states that this can result in off flavours.
Ant Hayes
Gauteng; South Africa
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 08:40:30 -0400
From: "Eric R. Theiner" <logic@skantech.com>
Subject: Pretzel Recipe
I can't remember who posted the pretzel recipe (the results of which were
sold to folks heading to Michigan Stadium), but I had a need to report on
my results-- They're great!!
This is the third time I've tried to make pretzels. The first involved no
boil, the second involved a boil in baking soda, and I can say that boiling
these in dilute lye (not to mention the other tips such as pretzel salt,
dry milk, silicone impregnated sheets to prevent sticking) has made a
serious difference. My thanks to whoever posted that recipe. And to think
I was ready to give up on making pretzels!
Rick Theiner
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 09:24:08 -0400
From: Andrew Nix <anix@vt.edu>
Subject: Lactobacillus
Hey ya'll,
Inspired by a few articles in Zymurgy a few months back, a friend and I
decided to try an Oud Bruin. We're getting close to time to pitch the
Lactobacillus, but have some questions. I sent a message to the Wyeast
folks, but got an archaic response, which didn't answer my question. Below
is basically what I asked:
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------
My brewing partner and I are currently brewing a Belgian and have decided
to use Lactobacillus rather than food grade lactic acid. We have already
ordered the yeast through a vendor, but have some questions. The Wyeast
website says:
4335 Lactobacillus delbrueckii
Lactic acid bacteria isolated from a Belgian Brewery. This culture produces
moderated levels of acidity and is commonly found in many types of beers
including gueuze, lambics, sour brown ales and Berliner Weisse. Always used
in conjunction with S. cerevisiae and often with various wild yeast.
(60-95o F)
But being a bacteria, what does the Lactobacillus feed on? Dormant yeast
cells? We want to know, so if we decide to rack the beer before pitching
the Lactobacillus, we don't eliminate it's "food source". If you could
please give us a little more info on the Bacteria, we'd appreciate it.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------Specifically, if
anyone has used Lactobacillus, did you pitch it while the primary
fermentation was still on the yeast cake, or did you rack the beer to
secondary then pitch the Lactobacillus?
Thanks...
Drewmeister
Andrew Nix
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Virginia Tech
anix@vt.edu
http://www.vt.edu:10021/A/anix
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 14:36:58
From: "john mains" <jsmains@hotmail.com>
Subject: Label adhesive.
I have found that my kids glue sticks work great, the labels hold even when
slightly wet, but they slide off with a soaking. We use UHU brand, but I'm
sure that any nontoxic brand will work well.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 11:50:59 -0500
From: Keith Busby <kbusby@facstaff.wisc.edu>
Subject: Fruit vs. fruit puree
Any views on using the Oregon fruit puree in lambics as opposed to real fruit?
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: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 12:30:09 -0500
From: Greg Remec <gremec@gsbpop.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Sparge water volume; hops plugs
Hello all,
As my new brewing season approaches, I am reviewing my procedures and am
wondering about my sparging practices. I typically calculate my sparge
water requirements so that I completely drain my mash tun, as opposed to
leaving some wort in there. I'm wondering if there are any advantages to
increasing the sparge water volume and not draining the tun completely. Am
I potentially extracting any harsh flavors or tannins that I could
otherwise leave behind? I haven't noticed any problems (final runnings pH
<=6.0), but I want to employ the best practices. I'm not interested in
batch sparging, but somewhat the opposite.
On another note, my local shop came very close to having everything I
needed in stock on my last visit. There's always something that they're
out of, and this time it was hops plugs. I was told that plugs are no
longer produced by anyone, which seems unlikely. The main reason I was
after plugs was because I could purchase a smaller quantity than the whole
hops, for which I settled. Is my retailer making up excuses, or are plugs
really being phased out?
Cheers!
Greg
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 10:41:52 -0700
From: Lee <leebrews@home.com>
Subject: Dry Hopping
Dave: I meant to say plugs, not pellets. Sorry. Lee
For Dave in Chattahoochee. A good way to dry hop in a soda keg is to use a
commercial-sized stainless tea ball. They are available from restaurant
supply houses and are about three inches in diameter, Remove the short chain
attached to the ball, sanitize, load it with your hops and drop it into the
secondary. It does a good job and there are no loose leaves to plug up the
beer line. Works with pellets, too.
Lee, Heart of the Valley HBC
Corvallis, OR
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 14:00:33 -0400
From: Jeff Renner <JeffRenner@mediaone.net>
Subject: Re: pseudo-decoction from a Category 5 perspective@umich.edu
Brian Lundeen <blundeen@rrc.mb.ca> writes:
>No good can come of this, Jeff. Not only has it been clearly demonstrated
>that decoction adds no flavour benefits whatsoever, but there is compelling
>evidence that grains crushed in a non-adjustable Schmidling MaltMill will
>actually develop HSA during the decoction, especially if the resulting wort
>is boiled uncovered, then fermented in an aluminum cylindroconical fermenter
>with dry yeast. Worst of all, it will affect the accuracy of Clinitest
>readings.
Fortunately, however, there is no danger of botulism from canned
starters. Right?
>PS What are my coordinates, Jeff?
[314, 829] using the Henning system. That is, bearing 314 deg, 829 miles.
Jeff
[0,0] Rennerian
- --
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, JeffRenner@mediaone.net
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 14:10:27 -0400
From: "Schneider, Brett" <Brett_Schneider@bose.com>
Subject: Jockey Box Plumbing Questions
I have just come into ownership of a cold plate set-up I borrowed a few
times before actually owning. It was damaged in a garage fire and given to
me so I have been working on fixing it up. It was originally a commercial
unit made a long long time ago. The 2 circuit cold plate is 12X24 inches and
darn heavy. It came back to me in the original cooler, complete with the
tubing lengths and diameters and plumbing instructions on plasticboard
inserts sheets attached to the lid.
It tells me to use 36 inches of 1/4 ID from the tap (keg) to the inlet
shank, then 10 inches of 1/4 ID from the inlet shank to the cold plate, then
60 inches 3/16 ID from the cold plate to the faucet (outlet shank is where
it actually connects). The beer is to be pushed at 30 to 35 psi.
The last time I borrowed it to use for a picnic we had some foaming problems
dispensing the commercial beers when the unit was plumbed as above, but the
cornie kegs of homebrew worked marvelously well by comparison. My only guess
at the time was that the commercial beer was kegged with higher volumes of
CO2 than the HB so it foamed up a whole bunch in the lines defined above.
I know it is a recurring question about picnic tap dispensing and tubing ID
and lengths and all that, with smaller better and some sort of optimum
length definitions. But can anyone point me to some inner thoughts about
plumbing this rebuilt cold plate setup without re-hashing the picnic tap
lore?
Thanks - Brett
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 15:05:22 -0400
From: "Houseman, David L" <David.Houseman@unisys.com>
Subject: Stick-on Labels
For ease of labeling bottles for identification purposes (utilitarian, not
for looks), self-stick 3/4" round labels (Avery and others, about $3.95/1000
- -- that's many batches) fit just right on the caps of beer bottles. They
stick when the bottles are warm or cold; seldom does one immerse homebrew
fully in ice water, but I've found them to continue to stick when wet.
Convenience in that when you discard the bottle cap, the label goes with it.
No glue, or milk, to deal with. Nothing to get off the bottle later. It
ain't pretty but it's real functional.
Dave Houseman
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 15:40:50 -0400
From: Brian Levetzow <levetzowbt@home.com>
Subject: Re: Would You Trust This Yeast?
>(snip) smack-pack of Wyeast 2206 Bavarian Lager, expiration date
>12-01-99, and tossed it in for (obviously) no charge. I smacked the pack
>that night and now, weeks later, the pack has swelled. I moved the
>contents to a starter jug this morning. Once built-up, would this yeast
>be acceptable to use or could you expect some mutation or other problems
>two years past the expiration date?
In September '01, I used a White Labs WLP565 Belgian Saison I yeast vial
that was dated 10/26/99. Since it was pitchable volume, I relaxed, and
threw it in (I did give it a good sniff prior to pitching, and it
smelled fine). Although it was slow to start, it eventually fermented
out very well. Two friends (one Belgian) got a chance to have a few last
night (3 weeks in the bottle), and the brew is great.
So, smell the starter for 'off' flavors, and maybe step it up again to
give the yeast a high population to start with. Mine turned out really
well with old yeast, let us know how yours goes.
Delta
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 18:20:54 -0400
From: "Steve Funk" <steve@hheco.com>
Subject: Re: bottle labels
George asks about using labels that don't require a lot of effort to remove.
Well George, I use a round sticker about the size of a nickel to place on
the caps. You pop the cap and viola, the label is off. These labels come on
a sheet with about a hundred of them. I think the brand is Avery. I run
them through my printer and use a small font for a short description and a
larger font for a single letter or symbol for easy identification in the
frig. The stickers aren't affected by cooler water either. Works for me.
Cheers,
Steve Funk
Columbia River Gorge Brewing
Stevenson, Washington
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2001 19:50:33 -0700
From: Scott <sejose@pacbell.net>
Subject: 2 row Munich
Hi All
I would like to find a source for 2-row Munich malt. I live in Northern
California so somewhere closer is preferable to somewhere farther. I am
interested in bulk whole grain. I tried William's Brewing, but they
discontinued their two row Munich and sell only six row. Any help is
greatly appreciated!
Scott Jose
Auburn, CA
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #3756, 10/09/01
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