HOMEBREW Digest #1129 Wed 28 April 1993

Digest #1128 Digest #1130


	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Rob Gardner, Digest Coordinator


Contents:
  SIGNOFF (dcse20516)
  Decoction mashing... (David McDow)
  old style brewing (ROB THOMAS)
  Nottingham yeast problem ? (Jpetty)
  thanks to hbd (KLIGERMAN)
  Guinness and N20 ("Anderso_A")
  kegging pressures (JUKNALIS)
  Typical Lager Fermentation Time? (Randy Smith)
  N2O (Ed Hitchcock)
  Addr: Premier Malt (RKING)
  RE: 2124 Bohemian (James Dipalma)
  RE: Soda Adjuncts (""Robert C. Santore"")
  Alcohol and other drugs (Ted Manahan)
  BCI phone number (BCI phone #  27-Apr-1993 1106 -0400)
  Old Dominion Brewing Co (Roy Rudebusch)
  Old Dominion Brewing Co. (roy.rudebusch)
  Clockwise Hops (POLLARD)
  Brew Ha Ha address (Stephen Brent Peters)
  Carbonation, Nitrogen, Yeast (Jack Schmidling)
  Brewing partners? (LYONS)
  Guinness (korz)
  Micros using dry yeast? (LYONS)
  Question on Whitbread History (LYONS)
  Re: Growing Hops Horizontally (Alan Edwards)
  Priming Scotch Ale ("William A Kitch")
  Re: British Brews/Chimay yeast/O2/Hop growth (korz)
  Help! Overbubbling! (Jay Kirschenbaum)
  southpaw hops (Brian Bliss)
  organizing a BREW-OFF!! (MEHTA01)

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1993 21:10:50 EDT From: dcse20516 at topcat.bsc.mass.edu Subject: SIGNOFF SIGNOFF Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1993 00:14:00 -0500 (CDT) From: David McDow <dmcdow at emx.cc.utexas.edu> Subject: Decoction mashing... My first post to this here forum (gulp) I am an all grain brewer, (7 batches) and have been doing the one step infusion method of mashing grains. The last 2 batches have been somewhat of a disappointment. They have been wheat beers, and my extraction has been poor. Previous to these 2 attempts, all have been barley batches and extraction has been acceptable. Someone (sorry forgot) mentioned that wheat beers should be decocted. I would like to learn more about decoction mashing. If anyone would care to share their method I'd be appreciative. Hanky (Thanx) dave dmcdow at emx.cc.utexas.edu Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 11:11:36 MET DST From: ROB THOMAS <THOMASR at EZRZ1.vmsmail.ethz.ch> Subject: old style brewing hello all, Daniel mentioned that he was thinking of brewing in an old/ancient way. I thought I'd send this extract in, for it's general interest: Extracted without permission from Corran's History of Brewing: .......The mash-tun, according to Nordland, who calls it the filter vat, was the only specialised piece of brewing equipment; it was generally reserved for brewing, whereas other vessels might be used for different purposes. Filter vats were of coopered wooden construction, and some had individual staves lengthened to make legs. Others sat on tripods or T-shaped supports. Nordland's investigation extended to philological aspects of brewing, and he shows that one of the names for the filter vat is related to stampr or stumpf, the stub of a tree, and hence to wooden vessels or containers made by hollowing out logs. Such vessels predated coopered vessels, but in more recent times were used only for crushing grain or bark into flour or for storing dry goods such as flour. Reference is also made to a trough-like filter vat made from a hollowed-out trunk and kept together by strong wooden half hoops and cross pieces at the ends. Taps were made of wood, generally beech, until well into the nineteenth century, when brass taps were introduced. Strainers for the mash were a source of much variation. Straw was used from Egyptian times for this purpose. The old Norwegian practice was to put down a grating of sticks, usually of juniper or alder, which supported the straw that did the straining. Notched sticks were also used to support the grating; later on came the wooden perforated bottom, which has almost certainly been used since medieval times by brewers in England. Juniper was widely used in Norwegian brewing, both for flavouring the malt and the beer. It was also included in the hot water used for cleaning brewing vessels. The importance of cleanliness was well understood. Before brewing, the wooden coopered vessels were made watertight by being put in running water. They might be kept filled with clean water, but a juniper extract was more efficacious, a decoction of the plant being boiled and poured into the vessel. But in order to make quite certain the vessels were not sour, the Norwegian brewers used 'stone boiling'. The practice of using hot stones for boiling liquids is known in many parts of the world, and is particularly associated with the processes of brewing and cooking. Although the use of stones for boiling has long vanished from Sweden and Denmark, Nordland states there were stone breweries in Finland and the Baltic countries within the twentieth century. The last known survival, as far as is known, was at Newmannsdorf, near Klagenfurt in Austria, where beer was still brewed by this method up till 19I7, with the consumers' strong approval. This brewery is now installed in the Technical Museum in Vienna and comprises (a) A fireplace for heating the stones. This was usually a hole dug in the brewery yard, 2m x 1m, bricked on three sides with a sloping fourth side. Long logs and stones the size of a child's head were piled in layers. (b) A wooden mash-tun on wooden supports, with a low plat form surrounding it; its outlet hole, which can be closed by a bung on the end of a pole, gives on to a wooden trough made from a hollow tree trunk. (c) A primitive wooden pump, also made from a hollow log, which pumps water into a trough that conveys the water to the top of the mash-tun. (d) Two other wooden vessels, one evidently for heating water and the other for fermenting. The brewing procedure was as follows: 1 The malt was ground and the mash-tun outlet prepared by covering it with juniper twigs. 2 The stones were heated and dropped into the mash-tun, which had been filled with water and with the prescribed quantity of hops. 3 The liquor was boiled.(BY THE HOT STONES) 4 Cold water was added, followed by ground malt, and mashing took place. 5 The mash was heated again, by means of larger hot stones this time, and the mash worked with a mashing oar. (An oaken cradle was used for carrying hot stones from the fire place.) 6 When mashing was finished, more juniper branches were put vertically into the mash to facilitate filtration, which began after 1hr. Meanwhile 'sparging' liquor was heated in the second vessel with the help of stones. Wort was ladled back into the mash-tun if it did not come through clear. When it was clear, it was run into the fermenting tun, which was placed in the cellar. It was easy to cool in the winter, but during the hot season it might be chilled by means of cold water and ice in some sort of floating vessel. The similarities of a good deal of this procedure to the findings of Nordland in Norway make it probable that here we have a picture of early ale and beer brewing in all the countries of Northern Europe. Hops and Flavouring The mixture of herbs known as gruit was extensively used in Scandinavia, just as it was further south. The most important ingredient, certainly in Norway, was the bog myrtle. Evidently the ale was potent when bog myrtle was added, and it was often used in addition to hops. Hypericum perforatum, St John's wort, was also used, as was yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Tansy and wormwood are also mentioned. Pine roots and spruce chippings might sometimes be added to prevent the ale from turning sour. There are further references to caraway, pepper and even potato leaves and tobacco ('but that kind of ale was no good - it made them sick'). Nordland considers that bog myrtle may still be used in western Norway. Hops might be put in a bag and boiled in the wort, which saved subsequent straining, or they might be strained off after boiling, for which purpose there were hop strainers of basket work, vegetable fibres or hair, or even perforated wooden boxes. Some indeed were small coopered vessels. Yeast Old Norwegian ale was top-fermented and the yeast was re moved from the fermenter with a special skimming spoon, though the brewer's right hand might also be employed. The ale was generally drawn off before fermentation was finished, and it fermented further in the cask. The brewing yeast was used also for baking. SORRY ABOUT THE VARYING LINE LENGTHS. ROB. THOMAS Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 7:29:16 EDT From: Jpetty at PICA.ARMY.MIL Subject: Nottingham yeast problem ? This is my second batch with nottingham ale yeast. After 48 hrs, still no activity. With my first batch after 48 hrs I gave up and pitched a different yeast which promptly got the bubbles going. Is Nottingham a particularly slow starting yeast ? For info, the OG was 1.052 and I rehydrated the yeast "by the book". I'm getting real nervous about letting it sit with no activity (68 deg F) although I use an airlock. Return to table of contents
Date: 27 Apr 1993 07:59:53 -0400 (EDT) From: KLIGERMAN at herlvx.rtpnc.epa.gov Subject: thanks to hbd I didn't want to take up too much bandwidth but since the HBD has been sparse lately, I wanted to thank the HBD and the people I met in Finland. Because of contacts through the HBD I was able to meet 2 very nice homebrewers in Helsinki, Finland this past week. I wanted to thank Kari Nikkanen and Hanna for showing us some of the best in Finnish beers. For those who get a chance Koff porter and lager are quite good, but the standard Lapin Kulta, while better than most American lagers, was nondiscript and "watery." I also wanted to thank Ilkka Sysil and Anita Mikkonen for inviting us to their home and sharing their excellent beer. They make a truly fine lager--better than many I tried that won contests in the States. They also have a very interesting engineered system that he might be encouraged to share over the HBD. Andy Kligerman and Lucy Adams Return to table of contents
Date: 27 Apr 93 02:25:50 EST From: "Anderso_A" <Anderso_A%55W3.CCBRIDGE.SEAE.mrouter at seaa.navsea.navy.mil> Subject: Guinness and N20 Message Creation Date was at 27-APR-1993 07:18:00 In HBD 1128, Kari Nikkanen raises the question of using N2O: "... since Guinness uses N2O, why shouldn't I." A properly poured Guinness only uses 20% Nitrogen. The remaining 80% is CO2. The Nitrogen definitely helps in the smooth head, but most important is the baffle plate and atomizer within the tap which "aerates" the stout. Return to table of contents
Date: 27 Apr 1993 08:15:11 -0400 (EDT) From: JUKNALIS at arserrc.gov Subject: kegging pressures I'm having trouble keeping a consistent pressure in my cornelius kegs during the gradual emptying of the vessel. The first batch was fine until the end when more & more pressure was needed to drive the beer out. (It gravity siphoned fine during cleaning). Now after conditioning sometimes I get barely a trickle and sometimes a cup of foam. Anyone have any experience or ideas on this problem? thanks in advance. Joe Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 7:51:31 EDT From: rjsmith at iron.afsac.wpafb.af.mil (Randy Smith) Subject: Typical Lager Fermentation Time? Started my first genuine lager yesterday that will go into my Hunter Air Stat controlled fridge for fermenting. Most of what I've done in the past is ales. Usually we wait 2-3 weeks and then bottle. I do have a hydrometer, but never really use it. Just too lazy to track the readings, etc. Everything has come out good for the past few years, so we've been doing ok so far. I'm concerned with the lagering and how long it will take to be ready to bottle. How long is probably long enough? I used 6.6# of liquid malt extract, Y-yeast Bavarian yeast (forget the number), and will ferment at 48 degrees. Used Tetnang and Saaz hops, but that shouldn't affect the ferment time, right? Didn't take a hydro reading (the lazy part), but am making a typical 5 gal batch. My big fear is making two cases of beer grenades. What do you think? - --Randy-- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy J. Smith DoD #2022 '93 CBR900RR C.E.T.A. Corporation rjsmith at iron.afsac.wpafb.af.mil "Most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do." - James Harvey Robinson - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to table of contents
Date: 27 Apr 1993 10:07:10 -0300 From: Ed Hitchcock <ECH at ac.dal.ca> Subject: N2O I must be slipping, I missed that one first time around! N2O is NOT WHAT'S USED FOR GUINNESS!!!!! Guinness uses N2, molecular nitrogen, not nitrous oxide! Nitrous oxide is used for whipped cream, yes, but you don't sit with a bubbling glass of whipped cream under your nose! Nitrous oxide is used as an anaesthetic (laughing gas) and to boost engine output (a la Mad Max). Furthermore, it's solubility in water is close to that of CO2, which is to say about 50 times greater than the solubility of Nitrogen. Use CO2 or N2 if you like, don't use N2O! You'll be too stoned to taste your beer! ed ___ / \ \ Ed Hitchcock +<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>+ | 0 \ Dept of Anatomy & Neurobiology + Drink + | > Dalhousie University + Noise / Make + | 0 / Beer Wasteland + Beer + \___/ / ech at ac.dal.ca +<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>+ Return to table of contents
Date: 27 Apr 93 08:33:58 EDT From: RKING at VUNET.VINU.EDU Subject: Addr: Premier Malt In response to the question about Premier Malt: I occasionally use this because it sells at our local grocery for $3.99 for a 2.2 lb (?) can. It USED to be $2.99 until about last year. I have always found it to be a good product, and will use three cans for a 4 1/2 to 5 gallon batch of "kitchen sink brew," where I just throw in all the left over ingredients I have. I have used the packet of dry yeast, at times, when I don't have any liquid, and have had surprisingly good results. I have no brewing store nearby, and the price is right. I'd like to hear comments from other brewers about this Premier. ******************************************************** Richard L. King, Reference Librariain, Vincennes (IN) Univ. RKING at VUNET.VINU.EDU Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 09:45:01 EDT From: dipalma at banshee.sw.stratus.com (James Dipalma) Subject: RE: 2124 Bohemian Hi All, In HBD#1128, Lee Menegoni writes: >I just kegged a Chech Pilsner using the Wyeast Bohemian strain the package was >mid February, It had no off flavors or aromas. fermentation was at 45 and >lagering at 40 and a week at 32 to settle out yeast and proteins. I would >have to say that the description is different from the result. It did not >produce a strong malty flavor. I have heard other brewers have the same result. I tasted this brew recently, I'd have to agree with Lee's assessment. While the beer was quite good, it did not have the pronounced maltiness and slightly sulfury notes of a Bohemian pilsner. Instead, the malt character was "softer" and much more subtle. I find this of interest because I provided both the undermodified pilsner malt and the decoction mashing procedure Lee used for this brew. We both brewed pilsners about one week apart, we both used Saaz exclusively. Using this same malt and style of mashing, I've produced Bohemian-style pilsners with the maltiness and sulfury notes I've come to know and love. The only difference in ingredients and procedures was that I used the Wyeast 2206 Bavarian, one of the strains recommended by Miller in his "Continental Pilsner" book. For anyone planning to brew a Bohemian pilsner, the 2206 produces a beer much closer to style than the 2124, IMHO. I have seen this type of thing before, where beers were brewed with the same malt, hops, and procedures, but pitched with different yeasts to produce distinctly different beers. Never ceases to amaze me, though. Cheers, Jim Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 10:20:01 -0400 From: ""Robert C. Santore"" <rsantore at mailbox.syr.edu> Subject: RE: Soda Adjuncts in HBD 1128 Dennis Lewis writes: > alcoholic. Moral: Don't bother with colas or other sodapops. > They have stuff that will knock out your yeast and don't > really taste that good. Blech. It is my understanding that the sugar/soda extract combination does not have enough nutrients (other than sugar, of course ) to support a fermentation. Folks that make their own sodas rely on this fact since most recipies I've seen suggest mixing up your extract/sugar, pitching yeast, and bottling immediately. The yeast can maintain just enough activity to carbonate the mixture before dying of some horrible yeast malnutrition. This may explain why your test 'brew' didn't do much. Of course, it does not rule out the possibility that preservatives are at fault as well. A test with a soda/malt combo should be decisive. Bob Santore Syracuse, NY rsantore at mailbox.syr.edu Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 07:53:29 pdt From: Ted Manahan <tedm at hpcvcbp.cv.hp.com> Subject: Alcohol and other drugs Full-Name: Ted Manahan I wrote this article for our local club's newsletter. In the interest of generating controversy, I will post it here. Ted Manahan - ---------------------------------------------------------------- At the recent Home Brew U, [In Seattle, WA] I heard Gene Ford speak. He publishes the Moderate Drinking Journal, which is devoted to reporting on the positive medical and therapeutic aspects of drinking. He is on a quest to counter the attempts of neo prohibitionists to limit access to beer, wine, and spirits. One of Mr. Ford's basic philosophies is that our culture has a long history of using these drinks in moderation. They are social lubricators, and promote relaxation and well being. With this I agree. He also objects to the use of the term "alcoholic drinks" to describe beer, wine, and spirits. He feels this term is used to create a link between these legal drinks and illegal drugs. He claims there is a fundamental difference between alcohol and illegal drugs. At the AHA conference last year, the keynote speaker presented this same point of view. Charlie Papazian put forth this same claim in a Zymurgy editorial. I have heard other homebrewers with similar opinions. I don't agree that there is any fundamental difference between these different types of drugs. Homebrewing was legalized only in the last couple decades. At various times in history, alcohol has been out of favor, and even illegal. Alcohol is a very potent drug, with the possibility of death resulting from abuse. We homebrewers, as producers and consumers, need to be aware of this. We also need to be vigilant against someone deciding they know what is best for us. The potential for abuse does not justify taking away the liberty to use. This certainly holds true for other substances. The current "war on drugs" is a prime example of creating criminals out of honest citizens, just as prohibition created criminals out of honest drinkers. The main effect of the "war on drugs" is to guarantee a monopoly on drug profits to those willing to break the law. What newspapers call "drug related violence" is really money related violence - the most common drug related violence is bar fights between drunk people. It is foolish to self righteously decry the attacks neo prohibitionists are making, while failing to see the connection with our own intolerance of, for instance, marijuana use. Homebrewers need to be aware that intolerance is contagious. People with "Zero Tolerance" will quickly see that alcohol is more dangerous than most illegal drugs. The urge to control people's behavior soon extends to everything we personally don't do. So don't fool yourself. The next time your friends complain about the effort to lower the DUI limit to one beer, point out that they may be contributing to the political climate that views government control of our lives as acceptable. Take note of your own attitude next time you hear of a drug bust. Would you have felt the same way about the BATF busting a homebrewer twenty years ago? Next time, it could be you! Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 08:06:48 PDT From: BCI phone # 27-Apr-1993 1106 -0400 <ferguson at zendia.enet.dec.com> Subject: BCI phone number The phone number for BCI is 1-800-284-9410. I'm in no way affiliated with BCI other then being a satisfied customer. JC Ferguson Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 08:38:00 -0640 From: roy.rudebusch at travel.com (Roy Rudebusch) Subject: Old Dominion Brewing Co From: roy.rudebusch at travel.com Subject: Old Dominion Brewing Co. In Ashburg, Virginia. How are their beers, in general? Do they have any particularily good ones? Are they a Micro or a brewpub? Thanks in advance for your time in replying e'mail! roy.rudebusch at travel.com This internet node not supported by government tax money. * OLX 2.2 * People who pun deserve to be drawn and quoted Return to table of contents
Date: 27 Apr 1993 11:44:46 -0400 (EDT) From: POLLARD%FRMNVAX1.BITNET at uga.cc.uga.edu Subject: Clockwise Hops Just joined this list and am mighty impressed by the brewing knowldege of you all. I can't contribute much there, but I do know a thing or two about botany. Twining of vines appears to be unrelated to either sunshine (they do the same under artificial light) or coreolis effect (I believe they may have even tested it in the space shuttle). It is controlled by internal factors related to planes of cell division and distribution of plant hormones. Some species are innately counterclockwise twiners, and others, like hops, go clockwise. Yes, it is conventionally viewed from the plant's point of "view", looking up. An unsupported hop shoot, viewed with time-lapse photography, makes clockwise spirals (a type of movement called "nutation") in mid-air, until it touches something; then it twines around that support. So unlike the whirlpool in your toilet, it will also go clockwise in the southern hemisphere. By the way, re. British beer reviews, I agree they aren't very discriminating. Anybody who can use the same adjectives to describe Bass and Old Peculier must have no taste buds, and then to make no mention of original gravity??? Is it any coincidence that these "10 best" happen to correspond to the 10 brews most commonly found in a fairly good (but not spectacular) liquor store? Not much research done, I suspect. Cheers. Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1993 11:49:05 -0400 (EDT) From: Stephen Brent Peters <sp2q+ at andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: Brew Ha Ha address Howdy, To all those looking for the 5 litre keg and tap system. Here is where to find the goods: Brew Ha Ha, Ltd. 209 High Street Pottstown, PA 19464 800-243-2620 They also sell a terrific starting kit for beginning homebrewers. Steve Peters = sp2q at andrew.cmu.edu *Oxnar demands a _Sacrifice!_* Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 11:25 CDT From: arf at genesis.mcs.com (Jack Schmidling) Subject: Carbonation, Nitrogen, Yeast >From: Paul Andrews <PANDREWS at hpb.hwc.ca> >Subject: Foam and kegging problem > I pressurized to 50psi (at room temp).. let sit overnight.. (it went down to about 30 psi) after 16-18hours. I decided to see what it tasted/looked like the next day. Ugh.. most foam and very little carbonation. Shake the blazes out of it and it will be carbonated in a few minutes at 50 psi. I would suggest that you reduce the pressure to about 20 lbs when the big rush is over or you run the risk of over carbonating it although at room temperature, that is not very likely. The problem you will have carbonating it at room temp is dispensing it. I use a cold plate to chill it as it is dispensed but without that, all bets are off. >From: NIKKANEN at ntcclu.ntc.nokia.com (Kari Nikkanen, design engineer) > So you are using N2O instead of C02? Do you get better (smoother) head in your beers than with C02? I think I'll start kegging my beer too, and I just thought some time ago, that if Guinness uses N20, why shouldn't I. Does anyone else have any opinions? After reading George Fix's article on nitrogen, I had to give it a try. I have been experimenting with a product called Aligal. This is 20% CO2 and 80% nitrogen and is sold in a cylinder with CO2 fittings, making it convenient to try. Unfortunately, it is only available as a rental and costs $4.50 per month plus $18 for the gas. The first problem I encountered was when I attempted to carbonate a batch of with it. After pressuring up the tank to 50 psi, there was not the slightest absorption, no matter how much I shook it. I had to bleed of the gas and switch to the straight CO2 in order to carbonate it. When it was just about fully carbonated, I bled of the CO2 and switched back to the mix and let it sit at 50 psi overnight. The results are very interesting but I am not sure it is worth the trouble or expense. I have done 3 batches with this set up and although each one acts a little different, the common ground is a head that builds from the bottom up in a very peculiar manner. The beer can come out of the tap without a bubble and fill the glass with foam but it disipates in seconds, leaving about an inch that will stay for hours if you don't drink it. What is interesting is that typical foam leaves a mostly empty glass when it dissipates but this foam just turns to beer. I c-p bottled some and took it to a CBS meeting and it acts the same way when poured from the bottle. It is really fun to watch. I put it in the catagory of cute but not sure what value it has for homebrewers. >From: sims at pdesds1.atg.trc.scra.org (Jim Sims) > (1) I've noticed that several of the bartches dont have much head. I've seen the comments about spotlessly clean glassware, etc. My experience has been that head retention is a problem primarily associated with extract beer. "spotlessly clean glassware, etc." may be important with a marginal beer but since I started making all grain beer, it has become totally irrelevant how, if or with what, I clean the glass. > (3) Can someone email me (or send me the ftp location for) the yeast culturing notes that were (apparently) posted here not too long back? If you are referring to mine, it is on the way. Actually, it is on the way regardless. >From: woessner at psych.purdue.edu (Leo Woessner) > I am also interested in locating possible sources of yeast slants which contain yeast which is hard to find. Is there a mail order place(s) which specialize in yeast culturing?? Scientific Service 7407 Hummingbird Hill San Antonio, TX 78255 (512) 695 2547 This is a small scale operation run by Paul Farnsworth. He has lots of yeast and everything you need to deal with it. I have used 4 of his yeasts including Pilsner Urquel with good results. >From: SMUCKER at UTKVX.UTCC.UTK.EDU >Summer must be comming not much traffic on the Homebrew digest and we had a day without Jack! Sorry to let you all down but if you note the dates on the two articles in the most recent Digest, you will see that it was not my fault. >Question? Have any of you out there used direct O2 before you pitched your yeast? Not personally but I just got a call from a customer who claims near Kreusen within 20 minutes of pitching with O2. Not sure if that's good or bad, just another data point. js Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 13:18 EST From: LYONS at adc1.adc.ray.com Subject: Brewing partners? I'm not sure about brewing partners. But would others be interested in trading one or two six packs of your better brews for those of other brewers. It seems that this way many of us could enjoy a wide variety of brew. Perhaps a means of placing ads of which styles one had available and was willing to trade would be helpfull. Any interest or alternative ideas? Chris LYONS at ADC3.ADC.RAY.COM Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 13:27 CDT From: korz at iepubj.att.com Subject: Guinness I just thought some time ago, that if Guinness uses N20, why shouldn't I. Does anyone else have any opinions? Actually, Guinness uses a nitrogen/CO2 mix. I believe it's about 65% N2 and 35% CO2. The reason for this is so they can dispense at high pressure without dissolving too much CO2 into the beer. Pure CO2 at their dispensing pressures would make for uncontrollably foamy beer. This weekend, I had my first opportunity to drink ale drawn by hand pump in the US. After the judging at the Bidal Socielty of Kenosha homebrew competition judging, one of the brewers from Brewmaster brought over his *portable* beer engine! A Black&Decker workmate was set up with an open stainless keg underneath and the 3-by-3-by-3-foot wooden box in which the beer engine was mounted. At first, the beer was still a bit fizzy from the being originally, naturally carbonated, but eventually it became apropriately "flat" and the beer was more authentic. It was actually more of a novelty, but was nonetheless cool! Al. Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 13:58 EST From: LYONS at adc3.adc.ray.com Subject: Micros using dry yeast? In George Fix's recent posts he mentions that Whitbread distributes their dry yeast to HB shops and micros. I am surprised to read that micros would use dry yeast. Does anyone know which micros use which dry yeasts? I would like to sample these beers and make my own judgement on the use of dry yeasts. Chris LYONS at ADC3.ADC.RAY.COM Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 14:48 EST From: LYONS at adc3.adc.ray.com Subject: Question on Whitbread History I enjoyed George's posting on the history of Whitbread. I unfortunately have been getting the 12 gram packages, which I now understand to be very old. I would like to try the new Whitbread out (the one with similar characterisitics to Wyeast London Ale yeast). How is this new product packaged? Any information on how to identify this particular Whitbread from the other two would be appreciated. Thank you, Chris LYONS at ADC3.ADC.RAY.COM Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 12:39:25 PDT From: rush at xanadu.llnl.gov (Alan Edwards) Subject: Re: Growing Hops Horizontally In HBD #1128, davidr at ursula.ee.pdx.edu, David Robinson writes: | Bravo! Nice info on the Hops report, Alan. I'm more of a | gardener than a private brew master, so this was of great | interest to me. Thanks David. | I would like to make a small clarification. | | - The garden is along my North fence, for maximum sun. | | Alan doesn't state which side of the North fence. On MY side, silly. (Sorry, couldn't resist!) | This information of course, is dependent on what part of the world you | live on. For most, if not all of the US, the "Southern Exposure" is | what you are striving for. The side of a fence or house is nice because | it stores and reflects heat/light for sun loving plants. Seriously though, I live in California, so the plants are on the South side of the North fence, to get maximum Southern exposure from the sun. Clear as mud? Well, I drew a little picture to help clarify my setup. (I guess I should've done this in the first place.) ARIEL VIEW 8' 2x4 nailed NORTH FENCE to fence \ (steel wire right above fence) 8' 2x4 ________________\____________________________________________<--in corner | : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | gate ---->| :(): :(): :(): :(): :(): :(): :()<---Hop hills |_:__:__:__:__:__:__:__:__:__:__:__:__:__:_| / : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | E / : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | A garden fence : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | S : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | T : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | horiz. twine --> : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | F (two per hop hill) : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | E : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | N -------------------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-.: : : : : | C twine tied to eaves of house |+--+--+--+--+-| E | 2nd steel |\ | wire | \ | | another H O U S E | | 8' 2x4 | | In HBD #1126, I wrote: | - I have seven hop plants of different varieties about 3.5 feet apart. | The whole garden is about 24 feet by three feet. | - The garden is along my North fence, for maximum sun. | - Two 8 foot 2x4's are nailed to the wooden fence (at the corner and | at a 4x4 post, for support), with a galvanized steel wire stretched | across the tops (with a turnbuckle for tightening). | - Nylon twine is hung from the steel wire and staked into the ground near | the hops. I would advise against using jute (natural fiber) twine. | I used jute twine last year and after weathering, some of them snapped. | Also, they stretch out over time, requiring retightening every so often | (plan for this). | - The horizontal twines are tied to the steel wire and fastened to the | eaves of the roof with screw-eyes. | - Some vines are not aligned with the house. And in those cases, the | twine goes to a second steel wire stretched between the North-East | corner of the house and an 8 foot 2x4 attached to the East fence. | That wire forms an extension to the North side of the roof, where | the other twines are attached. | - The garden is fenced in with a simple 2x4 frame and some chicken wire. | If you have pets, you must fence it off. Don't trust your dog. I did | two years ago, and he wrecked the garden. I had to start all over again. A clarification: | This year, instead of training three vines from each plant up one twine, | I am training four vines from each plant up TWO twines. That's two vines per twine, four from each plant. You might want to try three per twine (six per plant), but I'm not sure that it would increase your harvest or not--it might. It would certainly increase the harvesting difficulty if the plants get too bushy, but it's not that big of a deal. According to the book I have, there IS a point of diminishing returns, and I think that six vines per plant is probably pushing it. If you are only using one twine per plant, then the book I have says to train three or four vines. | If you don't keep cutting shoots, things can get hairy quickly. The | same goes for the long runners that you get coming out of the sides of | the vine. I'm not sure about the runners that come out of the sides of the plant. The book I have doesn't mention them. I think it's probably better to wind them up with the main vine. That's what I'm doing currently, and that's what I think I did last year. What book am I referencing? Good question. I don't have it with me, but you've all probably seen it, at least in Zymurgy. I think it's titled "Growing Hops". Its the small paperback with hops all over the cover. Good luck, and have fun, -Alan .------------------------------------. | Alan Edwards: rush at xanadu.llnl.gov | Member: The Hoppy Cappers | or: Alan-Edwards at llnl.gov | homebrew club, Modesto, CA `------------------------------------' Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 13:53:21 CST From: "William A Kitch" <kitchwa at bongo.cc.utexas.edu> Subject: Priming Scotch Ale Part 1: I've been told the scotch ale (heavy OG 1.040) I've currently got in my secondary should be bottle to produce "low carbonation". I normally bottle ale with 3/4 cup of corn sugar for a 5 gal batch. This generally produces what I'd call a normal carbonation level. (Except when I'm hasty to bottle the I get high carbonation and wish I'd been more patient.) Question 1: What amount of priming sugar would one use to get the 'low carbonation' appropriate for Scotch ale? (5 gal batch). Part 2: I sometimes get varying levels of cabonation within a given batch. That is some bottles are more carbonated than others. I usually prime in the following way: 1) boil sugar w/a few cups of water & let cool. 2) Start syphoning beer from secondary to bottling bucket. 3) When about 4" of beer are in bottom of bucket add sugar solution. 4) Keep syphon near bottom of bucket hoping to provide enought mixing to uniformly disperse bottling sugar. Since I still get different carbonation levels methinks I'm not properly mixing the bottling sugar with the beer. I'm reluctant to stir the beer for fear of oxidation and/or infection. Suggestions? Comments? WAK |- William A Kitch (512) 471-4929 -| |- Geotechnical Engineering -| |- ECJ 9.227 -| |- Univ of Texas at Austin, TX 78712-1076 -| Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 14:56 CDT From: korz at iepubj.att.com Subject: Re: British Brews/Chimay yeast/O2/Hop growth Mark writes: >Thought I would share with you the contents of an article from the May issue >of _Bon Appetit_. The article is the "Tasting Panel Report", and for May, >they pick ..."the 10 best British brews available stateside."... then later goes on to say: >Gosh, not too descriptive. By no means am I a qualified judge, but it sounds >to me like the panel doesn't get around to judging beer too often, or at least >they don't use the same language in describing things like you certified folks >out there in HBD land do. Yes, indeed, it's too bad that they did not enlist the talents of anyone who had experience in judging or writing about beer. Also too bad that they missed Young's Special London Ale, Samuel Smith's Tadcaster Porter, Oatmeal Stout and Imperial Stout and Mackeson's XXX Stout. Kudos are due for drawing attention to Traquair House Ale and Caledonian Ale (marketed here as and misnamed MacAndrew's *Scotch* Ale (a Scotch Ale it's not)) two of my favorites. ************************ Dennis writes: I have had several discussions with people on the net about Chimay yeast. I believe I read (in HBD probably) that Chimay yeast is a combination of 5 different strains plus some other microflora. One person said that his plate of Chimay yeast had several "different" colonies of yeast on it, while another said that his plate looked all the same. I think they got their yeast from bottle dregs, not from Wyeast 1214. Periodically, people write in the HBD that Chimay yeast is a mixture of 5 yeasts, so you may have read it here, however, it is NOT TRUE. Chimay *used* to be brewed with a yeast that contained several strains, but Father Theodore (I believe with the help of DeKlerck) isolated a strain out of many in their yeast which they have been using as their single strain yeast for (I believe) at least two decades. The label says that they bottle with an addition of yeast, but people who have brewed with Chimay bottle-cultured yeast that I've talked to have reported very Chimay-like beers, so I suspect that the bottling yeast is the same as the fermentation yeast. To answer Guy's question, the yeast in all the Chimay bottles, red, white, blue, 33ml and 750ml is all the same strain. Orval, another Trappiste Ale, is a completely different story. They too ferment with a single strain yeast, but bottle with a mixture of 5 yeasts. I've successfully cultured what I believe is the Orval fermentation yeast just by trial and error. Orval also has a bit of lactic sourness, which means that there's some kind of bacteria involved which may be mixed-in with the fermentation yeast or just part of the bottling menagerie. *********************** Dave writes: >Question? Have any of you out there used direct O2 before you pitched >your yeast? I have read tails of some using direct injection of O2 >instead of AIR and some problems with too much and getting way too much >yeast growth. How much is right? I don't know how much O2 is right, but too much O2 can be toxic to the yeast, so be careful how much pure O2 you add to your wort. ********************* There were several posters speculating about the climbing of hops, suggesting that perhaps they are simply following the sun, which causes clockwise (as viewed from the top) growth in the northern hemisphere. Yes, it's the plant following the sun. Al. Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 18:24:26 EDT From: jkirsch at dolphin.uri.EDU (Jay Kirschenbaum) Subject: Help! Overbubbling! Hi, A friend and I are making our first batch of Irish Stout. He has brewed a lager before, but this it my first batch of beer. We followed the directions that came with the beer kit (Irish Stout from Eastern Brewers Supply) but used a liquid yeast instead of the dry yeast supplied (on the suggestion of EBS). We are fermenting in a ~6.5 Gal plastic primary fermenter, but now, two days after we pitched the yeast the wort is bubbling VERY vigerously. It is bubbling so much that it is getting in to the fermentiation lock, which was 3-4 inches above the level of the brew when we began. Did we do something wrong, or is a stout supposed to ferment that violently? The ambient temperature is about 70-65 F as suggested in the recipe. Thanks in advance, Jay Kirschenbaum (and Dave) jkirsch at dolphin.uri.edu Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 18:24:30 -0500 From: bliss at pixel.convex.com (Brian Bliss) Subject: southpaw hops mdcsc!gdh at uunet.UU.NET (Garrett Hildebrand) noted the following: > > I am growing three kinds of hops in my Southern California backyard, > and they are all doing the same thing: climbing the stake *clockwise*. you live in the N. hemisphere. when the sun comes up in the morning in the SE, the leaves and grow point turn towards it. As the sun moves across the sky toward the SW, the end of the stem follows it, winding clockwise around the pole. just a hypothesis.. bb Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 8:21:07 -0500 (CDT) From: MEHTA01 at SWMED.EDU Subject: organizing a BREW-OFF!! Hi. i just wanted to share a few notes on an 'annual' brew-off that we have going here at UTSouthwestern Medical Centre. The school is essentially composed of graduate students (almost all Ph.D. students), post-docs and felllows, and faculty and of course staff. There are millions of labs here, all doing some form of biomedical research. There are a few of us who also brew in the little free time we have. We have a GSO party (paid for [artly from the student fees) held every month where we (GSO = Grad Student Organisation) serve beer and titbits... The GSO council decided, on a wee little brewing voice's suggestions, to have an annual brew-off where the students, faculty etc would brew a batch for the school and bring it in at one of the monthly parties that would then be designated a Brew-Off!! It truns out that we have quite a few brewers in the university and the event was very well received, with brewers of all levels bringing forth their products. Lots of fun !! The brewers also get reimbursed for the supplies (inggredients)for the one batch they bring in, but so far very few people have brought receipts in. So, we have a greast time. The brewers get a chance to spread the good beer (cheer :-) ) and get some general ffeed-back on their styles... i thought that some other univ people might be interested in hearing about this fun event. CIao And happy brewing.. Here's to tiny bubbles.. Shreefal Mehta Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #1129, 04/28/93