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HOMEBREW Digest #4666
HOMEBREW Digest #4666 Sun 05 December 2004
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: pbabcock at hbd.org
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Contents:
RE: CFC, pump, and cavitation; peristaltic pump ("Ronald La Borde")
Re: non priming pump ("Gary Smith")
flat hefeweisen, mash buffer, sanitizing chillers ("Dave Burley")
Re: non priming pump (Kent Fletcher)
link of the week - vanilla (Bob Devine)
Pumps, Pumps, and More Pumps - 'Morepumps' ("Ronald La Borde")
Cultural Identity (Alexandre Enkerli)
German Heritage and home brewing (Leo Vitt)
RE: non priming pump (Steven Parfitt)
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Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 21:38:30 -0600
From: "Ronald La Borde" <pivoron at cox.net>
Subject: RE: CFC, pump, and cavitation; peristaltic pump
>From: pacman at edwardwadsworth.com
>
>...If I hook my pump to the outlet on
>my kettle, turn it on and pump my wort through the CFC, when I get
toward the
>end, if I let the pump run the kettle dry, I risk running the pump
dry, and
>cavitating it. How do I prevent this?
With a peristaltic pump, one can run it dry, without any liquid flow.
This is a big plus in my opinion. One can even use it as an air pump
or vacuum pump - take your choice. If you get the right model, you can
reverse pump flow direction with a switch. A peristaltic pump is a
wonderful addition to your brewing apparatus.
The quintessential quality is the fact that you use a length of tubing
that is not interrupted by anything. This tubing can be sterilized,
sanitized, etc. Nothing is in the path for contamination. I do use a
3/8 inch I.D. tubing because it fits all my equipment (racking cane,
flare type quick connects, etc.). You need to look for a pump head for
size 18 tubing, which is 3/8 I.D.
You can use the pump for beer transfers, wort transfers, etc. You can
relegate racking to the scrap heap of history. Before, when I did
siphon from the kettle, if I had a clog, it was a major problem
requiring re-starting the siphon. With the peristaltic, I can reverse
flow and continue transferring. If - that is, I have a stuck flow.
This has not happened because the pump can pull a suction, will not
choke on an air bubble or whatever. I can even pause the flow and
restart at will.
The pump has a speed control which can be set for any flow rate you
desire. Look for LS (Lab Science) or IP (Industrial Pump) models made
for/by Masterflex - yep that's the key word to search for. It's
modular design allows you to change the pump head and keep the same
drive for many different pump types and tubing sizes. New pumps are
expensive, I agree, but on ebay (yes, I am an addict) good bargains
can be found.
=====
Ronald J. La Borde -- Metairie, LA
New Orleans is the suburb of Metairie, LA
www.hbd.org/rlaborde
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 02:59:51 -0600
From: "Gary Smith" <Gary at doctorgary.net>
Subject: Re: non priming pump
Kevin wants to know how to prime his mag drive
pump.
If the pump is placed in the lowest part in the
line, the water will reach that by gravity (unless
you have some gooseneck in the path). I never
have to worry about priming my magnetics
because of this.
Check out my RIMS pumps on my web page & you
will see how I have them set up.
Gary
Gary Smith
CQ DX de KA1J
http://www.doctorgary.net
http://www.doctorgary.net/homebrew.html
If you pick up a starving dog and make him
prosperous, he will not
bite you. This is the principal difference
between a dog and a man.
- Mark Twain -
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 08:03:23 -0500
From: "Dave Burley" <Dave_Burley at charter.net>
Subject: flat hefeweisen, mash buffer, sanitizing chillers
Brewsters:
Steve asked "what happened to the CO2?" in his hefeweisen.
Here's my guess if there was no leakage.
"Beer gas" is a mixture of nitrogen and CO2 and typically used for long runs
from keg to tap ( the longer the run and the smaller the delivery line , the
higher the % nitrogen) from the keg to avoid the over saturation with CO2 (
and subsequent foaming - slowing down the serving rate) of normal American
beer styles. Hefeweisen normally is highly carbonated.
If the Hefeweisen use rate was low and the pressure was lowered ( to prevent
foaming, which big houses do not like) , the CO2 came out of the hefeweisen
into the gas above the beer in the keg on standing around in an atmosphere in
which the CO2 saturation level was less than the applied partial pressure of
CO2. I would go back to the bar and adjust the keg pressure, making sure the
CO2 partial pressure ( total pressure X the fraction of CO2 in the gas
mixture) at the keg was equal to the CO2 pressure you measured in the keg
when you delivered it. If delivery is now a problem because the total pressure
is too high ( too fast and foamy) , they will just have to lower the %
nitrogen by buying a different blend of beer gas or go to the pure CO2,
depending on your calculations.
- -----------------------
Bill Solomon comments on his experiments with various waters and the phosphate
buffer system offered commercially.
1) what happened to the pH of the mash without the bufffer, but with the
various waters? Do you have a table of results comparing with and without the
added buffer?
My own experience is that the mash is highly buffered naturally and self
adjusts, but I haven't been to the extreme.
Low mineral waters with low roasted malts ( like Plzen's famous lagers ) do
not get down to this "magic" British number of 5.2
This pH of 5.2 ( at mash temperature) maximizes the saccharification rate (
which is all <British> commercial brewers care about, since they do one step
infusions and aren't concerned with protein and other enzyme steps ) for the
British brewing style. This doesn't address other mash and brewng styles, esp
the multiple mash levels once of German fame.
2) what temperature are you talking about where the pH = 5.2 with this buffer
system?
My biggest concern with these buffers ( since calcium phosphate is insoluble -
ask your bones) is what happens to the calcium level in the mash when you add
phosphate? And the effect that has on beer clarity, since calcium helps
improve clarity?
Why is any experiment with water pH less than 7 meaningless?
Why not use lactic acid to adjust any high mash pH problem? Adding it or
generating it ( acid rest) to lower the pH. No problems with calcium
solubility problem as with phosphate, (since calcium lactate is soluble - ask
your cow).
- --------
David Harsh asks for other idea on sanitation of his chiller.
I always run boiling water through my chiller after I finish to bring the
volume of the wort up to about 5.5 gallons and then turn off the chilling
water and drain the chilling water, so the water comes out very hot from the
central chiller tube ( the wort delivery tube). This cleans the chiller and
sanitizes it for storage. Then next time I use it, I keep the chilling water
off until the wort comes out hot out from the wort delivery tube and then turn
on the chilling water. You can recyle the first wort out of the chiller (not
very much ) back to the boiler to resanitize it.
This has worked for me for many years.
Keep on Brewin'
Dave Burley
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 07:52:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Kent Fletcher <fletcherhomebrew at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: non priming pump
Kevin said:
> I bought a non priming magnetic pump for
> transfering my sparge water and wort and need
> to find a method to prime it. I am thinking
> of using a inline priming bulb from a outboard
> motor gas tank setup (new of course)
[snip]
Kevin, first off, forget about the priming bulb. Use
gravity to prime the pump. The pump should be mounted
as low as possible, at all times, and have a ball
valve on the output (discharge). If you are not using
the pump for HERMS or RIMS mashing, you will start
with the inlet (suction) side of the pump connected to
your HLT. All you have to do is open the discharge
of the pump and then open the HLT drain valve. Wait
for water to flow from the discharge and then close
ONLY the pump output.
An easy way to eliminate air from the path and prime
the pump at the same time is to fill the HLT THROUGH
the pump. Connect the pump in the normal
configuration (HLT drain to pump suction), then
connect your water supply to the pump discharge, open
both valves and turn on the water. When filled,
remember to turn off the water supply first, then the
pump discharge valve, leave the HLT valve open.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 13:57:30 -0700
From: Bob Devine <bob.devine at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: link of the week - vanilla
Earlier this week, I wrote a quick survey of the commonly
available vanillas for cooking. Rob Moline prompted me
to dig deeper on the subject for us homebrewers.
Vanilla Porters are increasingly popular from craft brewers.
Several craft brewers make one. Vanilla appears in other
styles too -- stouts, cream ales,
Okay, so how much vanilla to add?
In HBD #4458, Matthew Riggs reported that a full vanilla
bean in a 1-gallon test batch was overwhelmingly vanilla-y.
These recipes used from 1, 4 and 6 beans per 5 gallons.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/beerandweather/van.html
http://www.weaselbreweries.com/recipes/surprise.html
Two tablespoons:
http://www.thebrewpub.com/homebrew/vanilla.html
Three tablespoons:
http://www.skotrat.com/skotrat/recipes/ale/ales/recipes/46.html
Would a vanilla stout use more? This one has one bean:
http://www.beermakerforum.com/showthread.php?t=104
And this one has only 1-1/2 teaspoon
http://www.skotrat.com/skotrat/recipes/ale/stout/recipes/9.html
But a blueberry stout has two beans?
http://www.glidemagazine.com/5/columns90.html
On the lighter side, this cream ale uses 3 tablespoons
http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/html/vanilla18.htm
Or maybe 1-1/2 pounds ... for somewhat more than 5 gallons
http://www.flatbranch.com/beers.asp?68
So, after all that the "right amount" is still unclear.
I'd suggest start with a low amount, one bean or one
tablespoon. Too much vanilla can be cloying.
If you do experiment, let us all know!
BTW, a vanilla taste in beers that don't have an added
is likely due to the breakdown of barley cell wall
material and other phenolic compounds.
Getting ready for the "Twelve Beers of Christmas"...
Bob Devine
Riverton, UT
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 15:18:12 -0600
From: "Ronald La Borde" <pivoron at cox.net>
Subject: Pumps, Pumps, and More Pumps - 'Morepumps'
- ----I replied to pacman and thought it might be useful to others on
the HBD.
Ron----
I am concerned about the magnetically coupled pump that you have. Most
of this type cannot pull a suction. In fact, it's darn near impossible
to get it going unless you first prime it with liquid. I mean, when
you want to use it, you may need to first get the pump innards and
tubing full of liquid and rid of any air, or it will never stop
cavitating. I know because I use this type of pump on my brewing rig.
You can see them on my web page URL shown below.
What I do when I get ready to brew is to fill up the HLT and mash tun
with water, then let gravity fill the pump chambers up. Then I start
the pump and run it a bit to get all the air out. I drain out just
about all the water from the mash tun, then I am ready to use the rig
to brew with.
By the way, a little cavitating or dry running is not the curse of the
universe,
a few seconds is OK, especially after a wet run where the innnards are
still wet, lubrication is there. The only thing to avoid is initial
dry running before any priming.
Also, you cannot get the pump much hotter than 170 degrees or it will
melt, unless you have the rare one rated for 212 degrees. That's why
the pump should not be located at the kettle output. You really want
it at the chiller output where the temp will be cool. If you do have
the 212 degree rated pump, that is the best because then you can use
it right out the kettle, and can even circulate to sanitize the whole
setup.
I have learned over the years by making mistakes that it's best to try
things out before brew day by testing with just some water. Try the
pump, see what happens, then if things surprise you, then at least you
have time to make changes without worrying about the brew being half
done.
Now some have mentioned the pulsing phenomena involving peristaltic
pumps. Yes, this is a reality. I wonder myself what effect this will
have on moving finished beer. I figure with the receiving keg purged
of air and filled with CO2, any pulsing will not matter. It would be a
good idea to purge the tubing before filling because some air may be
in the tubing.
Ron
=====
Ronald J. La Borde -- Metairie, LA
New Orleans is the suburb of Metairie, LA
www.hbd.org/rlaborde
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 18:56:35 -0500
From: Alexandre Enkerli <aenkerli at indiana.edu>
Subject: Cultural Identity
Thanks to all who responded to my post on German-American brewers. Bear
in mind that this was not supposed to be about ethnicity per se but
about cultural identity. There's a huge difference but I won't
elaborate. Still got some great data on both sets of issues. So thanks!
There could be other discussions on other components of a brewer's
identity, including gender, primary occupation, native language, etc.
But these would probably open other cans of worms... ;-)
Thanks again!
AleX, French-speaking Canadian-Swiss of Irish/Scottish/Italian origins
and of Quebecois cultural identity, lover of Belgian, spiced, and big
beers, temporarily living in South Bend, IN
[129.7mi, 251.5] Apparent Rennerian
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 17:02:20 -0800 (PST)
From: Leo Vitt <leo_vitt at yahoo.com>
Subject: German Heritage and home brewing
I don't think the fact I have ancestors from Germany enfluenced my
decison to homebrew. It did enfluence some of my decisions of styles
to make; O'fest pilsner, altbier, kolsch, dunkel, bock, hefe weizen. I
have also made stouts, pale ales (more English than American) Belgian
Dubble, wit.
=====
Leo Vitt
Sidney, NE
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 19:29:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Steven Parfitt <thegimp98 at yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: non priming pump
Kevin Jongsma querries about "non priming pump"
>Hello all i am a lurker in need of some help.
>I bought a non priming magnetic pump for transfering
>my sparge water and wort and need to find a method to
>prime it.
...snip...
>Kevin
Just lay out your system so that the wort drains down
and fills the pump. Be sure you have a valve that you
can open (in my case recirculation to the mash tun) to
bleed the air out of the system.
Good luck.
=====
Steven, -75 XLCH- Ironhead Nano-Brewery http://thegimp.8k.com
Johnson City, TN [422.7, 169.2] Rennerian
"There is no such thing as gravity, the earth sucks." Wings Whiplash - 1968
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #4666, 12/05/04
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