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HOMEBREW Digest #4708
HOMEBREW Digest #4708 Wed 26 January 2005
FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: pbabcock at hbd.org
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Contents:
Beer in Los Angeles? ("Neil Kushnir")
Cleaning Counter Flow Chillers (FLJohnson)
Cleaning CFCs (Steven Parfitt)
Re: Electric Plastic HLT ("HomeBrewUSA")
Re: Metabisulfite in beer (Robert Sandefer)
RE: Need Help from anyone experienced with Plastic HLTs ("Ronald La Borde")
Clinitest tests ("Dave Burley")
CFC cleaning summary (pacman)
BJCP report and election notice (Ed Westemeier)
Best of Brooklyn Homebrew Contest ("B.R. Rolya")
Re: Groggy bottle bombs ("dbe")
How alcohol toasts the body (Jeff Renner)
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Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 23:06:06 -0500
From: "Neil Kushnir" <neilk27 at hotmail.com>
Subject: Beer in Los Angeles?
It turns out I have to be in L.A. for a few days in early February for work
and was wondering about the brew pub/micro beer situation there. I've been
warned that southern California is a beer wasteland, but can anyone
recommend a good brewpub or good beer bar? I'll be staying in Sherman Oaks
but will be mobile and will probably be in West Hollywood at night.
Is there a good selection of interesting bottled micros available in liquor
stores/grocery stores (my hotel room has a fridge)? I imagine all the
northern California standards like Sierra Nevada and Anchor will be easy to
find.
Thanks one and all!
Neil Kushnir
Ottawa, Canada
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:22:11 -0500
From: FLJohnson at portbridge.com
Subject: Cleaning Counter Flow Chillers
All the discussion on cleaning counter flow chillers begs the question, "How do
the professionals do it?" Isn't it similar to their cleaning program for
fermentors, i.e., a sequence of water rinse, caustic (NaOH), acid (HCl), and
water rinse? That's what I do.
Fred L Johnson
Apex, North Carolina
USA
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Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 05:57:20 -0800 (PST)
From: Steven Parfitt <thegimp98 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Cleaning CFCs
My CFC is home made with 7/8" outer copper and 3/8"
inner copper tubing.
I have a two tier brewery:
www.thegimp.8k.com
Prior to brewing I re-assemble my brewery and dump 5
gallons of hot tap water in the HLT along with a
couple TBSP of generic Oxycleaner. I feed this to the
mash tun, and then pump it to the boiler. I then
recirculate to the boiler, and through the CFC. After
a half hour I drain the boiler, and repeat this
process with 5 gallons of hot water, then 5 gallons of
hot water with 7/8oz StarSan, and finally with hot
water again as a final rinse before brewing.
After brewing, I flush the entire system with hot
water, then hot water with a couple TBSP of Oxycleaner
and then flush with cold water and disassemble the
plumbing so it can drain well.
Every couple of sessions I use PBW to clean the
system.
=====
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
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Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 11:01:09 -0500
From: "HomeBrewUSA" <brewshop at homebrewusa.com>
Subject: Re: Electric Plastic HLT
Funny that Scott should ask this question and Ron LaBorde's post is directly
below it. Check his web page. Lots of great info AND plastic brewing
vessels....
Mike
Mike and Mellissa Pensinger
Owners, HomeBrewUSA
Norfolk, Virginia
http://www.homebrewusa.com
757-459-2739
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:57:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Robert Sandefer <robertsandefer at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Metabisulfite in beer
- --- Greg 'groggy' Lehey <grog at lemis.com> wrote:
> I haven't done rigorous testing, but I've been using
> potassium
> metabisulphite in my beers recently, to the level of
> 0.5 g in a 25
> litre batch (20 ppm by weight). I don't know how
> this corresponds to
> the quantities that you mention.
In my experiment, for a 2.5 gal batch, I added ~50 mg
potassium metabisulfite to 5.67 liters mash water and
~100 mg to 11.34 liters sparge water. I then let the
water sit for a few minutes before heating. According
to the byo wizard article the metabisulfite and
clorine compounds react to form sulfate and chloride
ions (and ammonium if chloramine was the chlorine
source).
Greg's usage does seem to be a little higher than
mine.
For example, if the 25-liter batch uses 44.2 liters of
water (e.g., 14.75 l mash water and 29.5 l
sparge water), then for chlorine removal 260-390 mg
would be required (according to my source).
> I've not noticed much difference in flavour, except
> for an unpleasant
> sulphite taste from time to time. Could it be I'm
> using too much?
This is a beer/technique in which side-by-side
tasting is extremely helpful (and possibly necessary)
to determine the effect of the sulfite.
Hope this all helps.
Robert Sandefer
Novato, CA
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:10:43 -0600
From: "Ronald La Borde" <pivoron at cox.net>
Subject: RE: Need Help from anyone experienced with Plastic HLTs
From: Scott McAfee <scmcafee at cox.net>
...A hot water
heater element would go into a polypropylene fitting.....
It could, but you really do not need a bulkhead fitting. Just drill
the hole into the tank side, and screw the element on with a one inch
nut (preferably stainless steel straight thread). You buy the element
with threads, which comes with a rubber washer. The washer goes on the
outside of the tank.
...Advantages are: Relatively cheap ($160/30g tank)....
Cheap? Sounds expensive. You can get the blue HDPE tanks probably for
free, or much cheaper, liquid malt extract comes in a 15 gallon tank,
check with your homebrew shop and ask for one.
....Does anyone have any experience with plastic HLTs?.....
Yep, check my web page listed below.
Ron
=====
Ronald J. La Borde -- Metairie, LA
New Orleans is the suburb of Metairie, LA
www.hbd.org/rlaborde
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 13:21:51 -0500
From: "Dave Burley" <Dave_Burley at charter.net>
Subject: Clinitest tests
Brewsters:
Bill Frazier questions if anyone has ever tried to evaluate the usefulness of
Clinitest in beer.
Well, the answer as of a few decades ago is "yes".
Perhaps the most confusing aspect is the fact that Clinitest responds to
trisaccharides which have a reducing portion. These trisaccharides are
fermentable by true lager ( don't always believe the package) but not ale
yeasts. The percentage in most homemade beers is about 1/4% or less. High
gravity beers it may be higher up to about 1/2%.
If you have a true lager yeast, this percentage expressed by the test will
eventually go to zero over a few weeks indicating there is nothing else
besides potentially fermentable saccharides in the beer to which Clinitest is
responding.
With true ale yeast, the Clinitest will remain at about 1/8 to 1/4% or so. I
have often thought this would be a good test for a true lager yeast, since the
ability of the lager yeast to ferment tri-saccharides is a distinguishing
feature, among others.
Now if you go about testing commercial beers you will find a higher number
than this in some cases. I interpret this as sterile filtration of beer which
was not quite finished fermenting. This may be one of the, comme' se va,
"qualities" of US commercial beer.
If you can't find an answer in the HBD archives I'll be glad to answer any
questions I can.
BTW glucometers will always be in error as will Clinistix and other test
methods which have as their basis a test only for glucose determination. Often
these are enzyme based tests which respond to glucose only.
Clinitest gives a positive result for reducing sugars, which includes all
common sugars ( maltose included) except sucrose and tests positive for
lactose which is not fermentable. So you will have to keep that in mind if you
are adding sucrose or lactose to your beers and then testing with Clinitest.
After fermentation all the sucrose added before fermentation is inverted by
the yeast invertase and therefore responds to Clinitest.
Keep on Brewin'
Dave Burley
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 11:55:51 -0700
From: pacman at edwardwadsworth.com
Subject: CFC cleaning summary
It was good to hear from all the folks who have had no problems with their CFC's
and spoilage. I have yet to have a bad batch, and I am comfortable with my
cleaning and sanitizing routine, so I feel equipped to establish a good routine
for the counterflow chiller. Between the three cleaners/sanitizers I like
using, (Straight-A, Iodophor, Star-San) the chances are good I will keep that
bad-boy virtually pristine. I visualize something like backflush with
Straigh-A followed by a Straight-A soak, then hot rinse. Fill with a Star-San
mix and let sit until ready to use next brew session. When brew time comes,
drain and rinse the Star-San well with hot water, fill with Iodophor, let sit
until ready to use. Man, I can't wait to brew!
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 14:37:55 -0500
From: Ed Westemeier <hopfen at malz.com>
Subject: BJCP report and election notice
Two BJCP announcements of interest to all current judges:
1. ANNUAL REPORT TO MEMBERS
The annual BJCP report to members is available on our website
(www.bjcp.org) and includes the President's letter to members and a
current financial statement.
2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS (West, Midwest, South, Mid-Atlantic)
Every year, we go through the exercise of updating our BJCP Board of
Directors (also known as the Regional Representatives). These are the
seven people who each represent a geographical region, and are (1) the
only elected officials in the BJCP and (2) the ones who make all the
big decisions.
Normally, when elections are held in the Spring, two things happen:
a. Representatives are reelected unopposed because nobody else
bothered to become a candidate.
b. There are howls of dismay, crying "Why didn't you remind me about
this?" Please note that we reminded you (in this forum) back in
November (remember?).
We're looking for elections in these regions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest,
South, and West. If you're not sure which region you're in, please
check our website.
If you would like to become one of this exalted tribe, get your
petition in by the end of January (that's this coming Monday) to BJCP,
Attn: Program Administrator, PO Box 375, Hayward, CA 94543. You get 500
words (total) for your biography and position statement, and you need
five regular BJCP members from your region to support your candidacy.
You might get a couple of days grace if you let Russ know it's on its
way (program_admin at bjcp.org), but I can't guarantee that.
Thanks for your interest,
Ed Westemeier
BJCP Communication Director
communication_director at bjcp.org
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 16:16:48 -0500
From: "B.R. Rolya" <br at triagemusic.com>
Subject: Best of Brooklyn Homebrew Contest
The Malted Barley Appreciation Society, a homebrewers' club based in New
York City, has organized the seventh annual "Best of Brooklyn" homebrew
competition, which will take place on Saturday, February 26, 2005 at The
Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg.
Further information about the contest, entries, drop-off points, and
judging can be found at http://hbd.org/mbas/bob.html
As in past years, prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in
each BJCP category (including ciders and meads) and there will be a
separate Best of Show round for first-time contestants.
If you have any questions or need more information please contact
BestofBrooklynVII at yahoo.com
- BR Rolya
Malted Barley Appreciation Society
NYC
http://hbd.org/mbas/
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 18:47:05 -0500
From: "dbe" <ulfin at tm.net>
Subject: Re: Groggy bottle bombs
Dave Burley writes:
>
> I can make another suggestion and that is to not use the dreaded bottling
> bucket with its imperfect mixing, but to add a measured amount of sugar to
> each bottle in the form of a boiled dilute syrup onto which you add your
beer.
How odd that you should recommend that. The main reason
*for* batch priming, rather than bottle priming, is to insure that
each bottle gets the same amount. Measuring out the priming
substance on a per-bottle basis leads to inconsistency due to
the difficulty in achieving precision where such small quantities
are concerned. (And, yes, I think using a pipette to measure
the charge for every single bottle counts as "difficulty", or at
least inconvenience.)
> You also avoid excessive oxidation of your beer by only
> transferring it once
True, but one also generally runs a greater risk of stirring up
the sediment when bottling straight from the fermenter.
Chillin' in da U.P.,
Dan Butler-Ehle
[411.4, 327.6] Apparent Rennerian
KRAEUSENERS
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 22:01:07 -0500
From: Jeff Renner <jeffrenner at comcast.net>
Subject: How alcohol toasts the body
Brewers
There is a good article, "How alcohol toasts the body," at
http://tinyurl.com/5yr7t
It appears to be sound physiology. In particular, I liked the
explanation of why, after an evening of overindulgence, I awaken at
3:00 or 4:00 AM, wide awake, warm and with my heart beating fast.
It puts me in mind of that great quote by Henny Youngman:
"When I read about the dangers of alcohol, I gave up reading."
Jeff
- --
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, JeffRenner at comcast.net
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943
------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #4708, 01/26/05
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