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HOMEBREW Digest #4663
HOMEBREW Digest #4663 Wed 01 December 2004
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: pbabcock at hbd.org
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Contents:
Re: Heritage ("Scott D. Braker-Abene")
Re: where to put the pump (Mike_Andrews)
Vanilla bean vs. vanilla extract; which is better? (Bill Velek)
Brewing Heritage (gornicwm)
Homebrewing backgrounds/additional enzymes (Michael)
Five Star 5.2 pH Stabilizer? (Ed Jones)
Re: pH meter accuracy et al. ("Gary Smith")
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Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 20:43:22 -0800 (PST)
From: "Scott D. Braker-Abene" <skotrat at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Heritage
Hey now,
Pretty much GERMAN and SWISS... Third generation German American... Prolly
Fourth Generation Swiss American... A little Cheyenne in there for good
measure...
All beer is good beer...
C'ya!
-Scott
=====
"I can't help it... I love being a fart machine"
- Heather Braker
http://www.skotrat.com/skotrat - Skotrats Beer Page
http://www.brewrats.org - BrewRats HomeBrew Club
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Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 08:19:32 -0500
From: Mike_Andrews at vfc.com
Subject: Re: where to put the pump
Steve, push the wort through the cfc, and any other equipment in the wort
path. You want to keep the friction head on the outlet side of the pump,
not the inlet (see previous posts on cavitation and net positive suction
head). This will also give you the ability to push any stray hops through
the cfc. Whirlpooling with a pump works well, I have been using this
method for a few years now. I don't understand why you want to gravity
feed to the fermentor if you have a pump? Regulate the flow to the
fermentor with a ball valve on the pump outlet.
Mike Andrews
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Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2004 09:11:47 -0600
From: Bill Velek <billvelek at alltel.net>
Subject: Vanilla bean vs. vanilla extract; which is better?
I have noticed several posts in various beer forums regarding the use of
vanilla, such as Alan Folsom's post in HBD#4662. Some of the posts have
recommended using vanilla extract, and some vanilla bean, but I can't
really recall a comparison of the two, but I might have just missed it.
I have read comments that _real_ vanilla extract is better than the
_artificial_ vanilla flavoring, which makes sense. But since authentic
vanilla extract obviously comes from vanilla beans, it would seem to me
to perhaps be 'six of one or half dozen of the other' (doesn't matter).
But I can think of possible reasons why it _might_ matter, and thought
I'd just toss this out for consideration and see what you folks think.
Essentially my thoughts are along the lines that the commercial process
of preparing vanilla extract is almost certainly quite different from
the manner in which we would use whole vanilla beans while making beer.
I don't know if it is done chemically (soaked in solvents), thermally
(perhaps with steam), mechanically (ground or pressed), or a combination
thereof. If chemical means is used, the pH isn't necessarily the same,
and numerous other chemical compounds in wort/beer are no doubt lacking
in the commercial extraction process. I also presume that it's probably
done as quickly as possible, which could (and probably is) much shorter
a time period than our primary and/or secondary fermentations. And it
just makes sense to me that the whole bean obviously consists of much
more than what extract contains.
Bottom line: does anyone know if there is a difference in the quality of
beer made with vanilla extract vs. beans? And if there is no
difference, what is the equivalency of one to the other, for purposes of
making conversions when a recipe calls for one and you have the other.
Cheers.
Bill Velek
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 11:19:56 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
From: gornicwm at earthlink.net
Subject: Brewing Heritage
The "brewing roots" question is interesting, but one common theme
rings true: Most of us live in the USA.
Freedom of expression. Freedom to brew. Freedom of choice.
Is homebrewing this fervent in other countries?
I feel that there is something VERY American about stickin'
it to mega brewed beer and saying, "No!!! I like my beer like this"!!!
Dare I say, "Patriotic".
I could understand the "German argument" if most of the brewers are
1st generation Americans. Then , I could see immigrants not liking
the American offerings and surrender to brewing their own brew.
Fact of the matter is that most of our ancestry have been in the
U.S. for sometime - Several Generations. Your roots are elsewhere,
BE PROUD, but YOU ARE "American".
I feel that brewing is based more on creativity, imagination,
rebelliousness, and spare time. Not to mention the love of fermented
malts and hops.
The flavors of beer cross all racial, ethnic, and religious borders.
The Middle East would be a far kinder place if introduced to good
homebrew. They're angry because they have no beer. :-)
BTW: My roots are Polish/Romanian and Italian
God Bless America!!!
Bill Gornicki
CRAFT Homebrew Club
Michigan
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Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 11:57:28 -0600
From: Michael <grice at berbee.com>
Subject: Homebrewing backgrounds/additional enzymes
First, I'm German/Irish. Unfortunately, I have a fondness for
English/American pale ales and Belgian brews.
Second, I'm curious as to how many homebrewers have a background in the
physical sciences, particularly chemistry. As an ex-chemist, it seemed
entirely natural to give this particular hobby a try.
Finally, anyone out there have any guidelines for supplementing or
replacing the enzymes in malt? I finally bought a copy of Old British
Beers and I am intrigued by some of the recipes with enzyme-poor grists.
Additionally, I am interested in adjunct-only mashes. I've seen "amylase
enzyme" for sale, but I haven't found any detailed information on using
the stuff.
Michael
Middleton, WI
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 12:39:27 -0800 (PST)
From: Ed Jones <cuisinartoh at yahoo.com>
Subject: Five Star 5.2 pH Stabilizer?
In the recent Grape and Granary mailing, they have listed a new product
called Five Star 5.2 pH Stabilizer. I went to the Five Star Chemicals
website and I could find no mention of this product. The description in
the flier says: "Five Star 5.2 pH Stabilizer. A proprietary blend of
food-grade phosphate buffers that locks in your mash and kettle water
at a pH of 5.2, regardless of the starting pH. It also reduces scaling
and mineral deposits on brewing equipment. 1 pound. Use at the rate of
1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water."
Any thoughts on how useful this would be, especially for those of us
with 'good' water, but have no idea of the actual water composition.
Thanks,
Ed
=====
Ed Jones - Columbus, Ohio U.S.A - [163.8, 159.4] [B, D] Rennerian
"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
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2004 19:33:55 -0600
From: "Gary Smith" <Gary at doctorgary.net>
Subject: Re: pH meter accuracy et al.
Hi all,
I've waited awhile to let the direct and on list
answers to my question regarding pH meter
accuracy dwindle to nada. I'd like to thank
everyone who took the time and interest to
answer and express their views, you all helped me
decide.
As I have several interests in brewing ranging
pretty much the full gamut from beer to cider to
meads with varying pH requirements for each, I
have decided to get a pH meter to help keep my
endeavors on track.
It appears the really cheap ones would be fine
but have a really short life expectancy. At my age
I try to buy things that will probably outlast me.
Experiencing operational failures in my
possessions simply reminds me of my own
mortality. Besides, I like things that are simpler
so a high maintenance meter is out of the
question. (If I have to live in a world of pollutants
I might as well have some of the benefits of the
technology that made those pollutants in the first
place).
So I have decided on getting an ISFET pocket
meter which is of small size, is accurate, takes
really small samples to work with, stores with a
dry probe which can be cleaned with a toothbrush
and will work probably for many years with that
same probe and will me much less $ and hours of
attention in the end (In other words I'm a couch potato
who brews beer).
It's a Shindengen pH Pro KS701 It cost me all of $50 on
Ebay & supposedly only used twice... No, no bridge
came with it, London or otherwise...
Thanks so much to all who replied.
Cheers,
Gary
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End of HOMEBREW Digest #4663, 12/01/04
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