HOMEBREW Digest #1423 Sat 14 May 1994

Digest #1422 Digest #1424


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


Contents:
  Root Beer recipes (Jim Doyle)
  8th Annual California Festival of Beers in SLO (Julie A Espy)
  Announcement--Brewing Seminars (Louis K. Bonham)
  Immersion Wort Chiller Plans ( LARRY KELLY)
  Homebrew Digest #1420 (Ma (Jim King)
  Re: Using corks (Jim Grady)
  LITE Beers (Bob Fawcett)
  Gott cooler source (George Tempel)
  another cooker source (George Tempel)
  Re: Parallel Yeast Cultures (Frank Judge)
  Anchor Liberty Clone responses ("Ball, Timothy B")
   (Bob Jones)
  Re: German brewing & sanitation (Jim Busch)
  BEER DINNER IN CHICAGO (Charlie Papazian/Boulder)
  Pale Ale Recipe (dmorey)
  The Virtual Pub (John Adams)
  Safe Chlorine Alternatives (Scott McLagan)
  Brewing Kolschbier (Allen Ford)
  A few Questions (EDGELL)
  RE: (NEEVES, TRENOR)
  Thanks/Grape Nuts, Oats ("Palmer.John")
  Home Brew U BBS Network ("J. Andrew Patrick")
  Wyeast1338/cookers/infusion_confusion/LageringInPlastic/sanitizers (pubtools)
  Kegging equip. in Canada. (Mark Blaseckie)
  Spargatron (Geoff Scott)
  Bulk Grain Storage (Tim P McNerney)
  Cals and Alc for OG vs FG (Domenick Venezia)
  Re: Copper sugar (Jim Grady)

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 10 May 1994 13:30:40 -0700 From: Jim Doyle <jgdoyle at uci.edu> Subject: Root Beer recipes WARNING! Long message to follow... Following is a summary of the recipes which I received when I put out the call for all to submit...in exchange, I would like to hear from everybody about the sources where I can obtain the (obscure) ingredients called for...thanks to those who submitted these! #1) INGREDIENTS: 5 qt water 1/4 oz hops 1/2 oz burdock root, dried 1/2 oz yellow dock root, dried 1/2 oz sarsaparilla root, dried 1/2 oz sassafras root, dried 1/2 oz spikenard root, dried* 1 1/2 cup sugar 1/8 tsp yeast, granulated PROCEDURE: Simmer herbs in water for 30 minutes. Add sugar, stir to dissolve, and strain into a crock. Cool to lukewarm, add yeast, and stir well. Cover crock and leave to ferment for about an hour. Bottle and store in a cool place. Makes about one gallon. *The American spikenard, Aralia racemosa, of the ginseng family, Araliaceae, is a plant native to the eastern United States. A decoction of the root was used by Indians for backache, rheumatoid arthritis, and coughing. *** Notes included with the recipe: "Root beer extracts, usually in an amount suitable for five gallons of beverage, are available from Hires, Schilling, and other herb and spice purveyors. These yield a drink that's very close in flavor to commercial root beers. Making your own infusions, however, allows for experimentation and a distinctive 'house' brew. Ours is less sweet than most." Source: The Herb Companion, Aug/Sept 1990. - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #2) Heat slightly less (about 2 tablespoons) less than a pint of water to about 110 degrees Farenheit (sp.?) (43 degrees C.). Dissolve 1/8 cup (one fluid ounce) of granulated white sugar, plus one tablespoon of _Blackstrap_ molasses. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of root beer extract. Add a pinch of yeast to the empty bottle, pour in the above mixture, and cap. Let ferment for 1 to two days at room temeprature. Age in the refrigerator for at least one day, preferably 3 to four. - ---------- The above is rather primitive, since I can't drink or give away gallons worth of root beer. I prefer to make it by the bottle as the mod strikes. The blackstrapp molasses gives the root beer a very dark flavor, and the heavy taste of real blackstrapp mollasses is offset by the sugar. Here is a formula for Root beer essence, from the book _The Standard Book of Formulas_, by Harry Bennett, copyright 1938 by the Chemical Publishing Company. Root beer Essence Oil Sassafras, pure 1 oz. Oil Anise, pure 1 oz. Oil Lemon, natural 1 oz. Artificial Wintergreen oil (methyl Salicylate) 18 oz. Alcohol, drinkable 6 oz. water 11 oz. food coloring, brown to suit - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #3) OLD FASHIONED ROOT BEER "Use strong bottles with patent stoppers or tie corks in securely. Use a stone crock or granite vessell in which to let drinks stand while 'working.' Fresh roots from the woods are always preferable to dried herbs. Select a cool place in which to store the drinks; the longer they stand in a warm place after bottling, the more effervescent they will become! When filling bottles, fill to within an inch of the top. 1 cake compressed yeast 5 pounds sugar 2 ounces Sassafras root 1 ounce Hops or Ginger Root 2 ounces Juniper Berries 4 gallons water 1 ounce Dandelion root 2 ounces Wintergreen Wash roots well in cold water. Add juniper berries (crushed) and hops. Pour 8 quarts boiling water over root mixture and boil slowly 20 minutes. Strain through flannel bag. Add sugar and remaining 8 quarts water. Allow to stand until lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in a little cool water. Add to root liquid. Stir will. Let settle then strain again and bottle. Cork tightly. Keep in a warm room 5 to 6 hours, then store in a cool place. Put on ice as required for use." The Fleishman Company, Excellent Recipes for Baking Raised Bread, 1912 - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #4) These recipes come from: The Scientific American Cyclopedia of Formulas, edited by Albert A. Hopkins {query editor of the "Scientific American"} New York, Scientific American Publishing Company, 1921 Root Beer--1.--To 5 gal. of boiling water add 1 1/2 gal. of molasses. Allow it to stand for 3 hours, then add bruised sassafras bark, wintergreen bark, sarsaparilla root, of each 1/4 lb., and 1/2 pt. of fresh yeast, water enough to make 15 to 17 gal. After this has fermented for 12 hours it can be drawn off and bottled. 2.--Pour boiling water on 2 1/2 oz. sassafras, 1 1/2 oz. wild cherry bark, 2 1/2 oz. allspice, 2 1/2 oz. wintergreen bark, 1/2 oz. hops, 1/2 oz. coriander seed, 2 gal. molasses. Let the mixture stand 1 day. Strain, add 1 pt. yeast, enough water to make 15 gal. This beer may be bottled the following day. 3.--Sarsaparilla, 1 lb.; spicewood, 1/4 lb.; guaiacum chips, 1/2 lb.; birch bark, 1/8 lb.; ginger, 1/4 oz.; sassafras, 2 oz.; prickly ash bark, 1/4 oz.; hops 1/2 oz. Boil for 12 hours over a moderate fire with sufficient water, so that the remainder shall measure 3 gal., to which add tincture of ginger, 4 oz.; oil of wintergreen, 1/2 oz.; alcohol, 1 pt. This prevents fermentation. To make root beer, take of this decoction, 1 qt.; molasses, 8 oz.; water 2 1/2 gal.; yeast 4 oz. This will soon ferment and produce a good, drinkable beverage. The root beer should be mixed, in warm weather, the evening before it is used, and can be kept for use either bottled or drawn by a common beer pump. Most people prefer a small addition of wild cherry bitters or hot drops to the above beer. [disclaimer - these recipes are reproduced for historical interest. They may make you swell up and turn purple, loose all your bodily hair, or withdraw from presidential politics. What can I say? Mileage varies...] About sassafras... My 1930 Merck's Index, 4th ed., says that sassafras is supplied as either the root or bark of the root. If the current sassafras bark is from the trunk, then it's not the stuff in the old recipes. Sassafras root, oil, etc. is a federally controlled substance because of the presence of safarol and iso-safarol [sp? they may end with an 'e']. As I recall, it was placed on the federal list in 1977-8. It is toxic to the liver as well as carcinogenic. Oil of sassafras smells very much like root beer, but not as strongly as modern root beer extract. My hunch is that the taste and aroma that you want are volatile oils and not the safarol. I wouldn't choose to drink safarol, but others might... "That's all, folks"-Mel Blanc - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 11 May 1994 15:04:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Julie A Espy <jespy at tuba.aix.calpoly.edu> Subject: 8th Annual California Festival of Beers in SLO Hi All! I have no affiliation with the hospice, but my friend works there, so I thought a shameless plug for their fundraiser was in order: The 8th Annual California Festival of Beers is a benefit for Hospice of San Luis Obispo County. It will take place on Saturday, May 28, from 11 to 3 at the Avila Beach Resort and Golf Course. About 55 Calif. microbreweries will be represented. Ticket prices are $32.00 for tasting and $5 for designated drivers (about 80% of the proftis are a direct donation to Hospice's program). There will also be two blues bands featured: Emmy Mack and the Trim, and Big Daddy's Blues Band. For $32, you receive a souvenir pilsner glass and twenty-five tasting tickets (more avail. at Festival). Designated driver tickets are $5 and include lunch and soft drinks. For more info, call (800) 549-1538 or (805) 544-1538. Tix are being sold at Boo Boo Records in San Luis Obispo and Grover Beach, Big Music in San Luis Obispo, SLO Chamber of Commerce, SLO Brewing Co. and Crown City Brewery in Pasadena, CA. P.S. I can't remember the names of all the breweries listed, but you can also e-mail me at jespy at tuba.aix.calpoly.edu and I'll look on my little flyer and let you know. Julie Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 11 May 1994 18:53:33 From: lkbonham at beerlaw.win.net (Louis K. Bonham) Subject: Announcement--Brewing Seminars Dr. Paul Farnsworth and Dr. George Fix will be teaching two one-day brewing seminars in Houston, Texas this summer: Introductory Brewing Science -- this intensive one-day seminar is designed for serious amateur brewers and aspiring professional microbrewers, and will cover the biology and chemistry of malting, wort production, fermentation, and beer maturation, and will emphasize the practical applications of these principles in day-to-day brewing. Small Scale Commercial Brewing -- this intensive one-day seminar is designed for individuals planning or considering opening a brewpub or microbrewery. It will cover technical issues as well as include presentations by industry regulators, attorneys, and advertising professionals on various business and legal aspects of opening a brewery. If anyone would like additional information, let me know and I'll be happy to get it for you. Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 00:05:12 EDT From: KMYH09A at prodigy.com ( LARRY KELLY) Subject: Immersion Wort Chiller Plans Does anyone out there have any plans on how to make an Immersion Wort Chiller?? If so, please email me or post it the next HBD issue. Thanx in advance. Larry Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 10 May 94 19:04:00 -0800 From: jim.king at kandy.com (Jim King) Subject: Homebrew Digest #1420 (Ma H> Also, I put an order in at my local homebrew shop for a H> Glatt Mill last January. Whenever I check on it, the answer H> is always "I talked to the guys at Glatt, and they're in no H> hurry to send any". Has anybody out there got one recently? H> Are they still making them? I got a Glatt mill a month ago, and it is GREAT!! The store I bought it from had been trying to get their order filled for a long time, and had finally given up when the truckload showed up unannounced. It looks like the company that makes the Glatt, while they make a very precise product, is a bit casual in their business practices. It IS worth the wait, though. I automated mine with a power drill, and can crush HUGE amounts of grain very vast with no degredation in the quality of the crush. Jim King jim.king at kandy.com Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 7:14:30 EDT From: Jim Grady <grady at hpangrt.an.hp.com> Subject: Re: Using corks There have been a couple of posts lately about using wine bottles for bottling beer. At the risk of sounding like an alarmist, I would not recommend it. Wine bottles are made for still, not carbonated, beverages. In my wine-making days of the mid-70s, there was a lot of attention given in the texts of that time to making sure your wine had fermented out before bottling so that you would not get bottle bombs (as well as the problems of getting a sparkling wine instead of a still one and having yeasties in the bottle). Someone mentioned earlier that you would not be able to get the bails (wires) to hold on to the wine bottles but there is a good chance that the bottle would go first. You can use champagne bottle if you want to bottle in fifth sized bottles. The plastic stoppers and bails are readily available and many of the american "champagne" bottles will take a standard cap. That said: * I don't know that wine bottles are appreciatively thinner than beer bottles but they might be * There was (is?) a wine bottle opener on the market that worked by pumping air into the bottle until the cork came out so they must be able to deal with some pressure. I did hear of an anecdote where a Mateus bottle blew up using this device. This was presumably due to the strange shape of a Mateus bottle and the uneven distribution of the pressure. * The manufacturers of my mini-kegs say to use less priming sugar when priming the kegs because it is a larger volume and less is needed. These are equivalent to ~10 bottles and take 1/2 the priming. Who knows how to adjust for a wine bottle. The bottom line: I would recommend steering away from wine bottles and using champagne bottles or big beer bottles if you want more than a 12 oz. bottle. Oh, people have also had success with the 1l and 2l PET bottles. Some of the British breweries distribute that way too. - -- Jim Grady grady at hp-mpg.an.hp.com Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 08:32:22 EDT From: Bob Fawcett <bobf at gulfaero.com> Subject: LITE Beers >"Quarterbock". It recommended making a bock beer (initial SG 1.080), >letting it fully ferment, and then diluting it with water during the >bottling process. This way, your lite beer has more flavor since it >has all of the tasty products made during the initial stages of >fermenting a high alcohol beer. It sounds like a reasonable process >for getting more flavor into a low alcohol beer, and should be worth >the try. > >John I read an article recently in Southern Draft Brew News about Miller Brewing. It seems that Miller does just that to produce Lite. The author (I think it was Michael Jackson) said the undiluted Miller Lite was a tasty brew and was trying to convince Miller to sell it undiluted. Bob Fawcett bobf at gulfaero.com Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 08:38:55 +0000 (U) From: George Tempel <tempel at MONMOUTH-ETDL1.ARMY.MIL> Subject: Gott cooler source Gott cooler source Here in central-new-jersey I stopped over at Builders Square in Freehold (right around the corner) and saw that they have the 3 gallon, 5 gallon, and 10 gallon bright orange Rubbermaid/Gott round coolers. The 5 gallon is $25.00, the 10 gallon $38.00 (give or take a dollar either way). just for the curious l8r... ty (george tempel, home = netromancr at aol.com) "kiss cats: the dachshund and the deer are one"--wallace stevens Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 08:37:42 +0000 (U) From: George Tempel <tempel at MONMOUTH-ETDL1.ARMY.MIL> Subject: another cooker source another cooker source Here in central-new-jersey I stopped over at Builders Square in Freehold (right around the corner) and saw that they have a 24" tall Brinkman camp cooker, 160,000 BTU's, with 2 gallon aluminum pot and wire basket---no tank, however-- for $58.00 just for the curious l8r... ty (george tempel, home = netromancr at aol.com) "kiss cats: the dachshund and the deer are one"--wallace stevens Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 9:49:25 EDT From: Frank Judge <fjudge at hpwadfb.wal.hp.com> Subject: Re: Parallel Yeast Cultures It must have been in the moon last week to try parallel yeast cultures with Wyeast 1056 - I did the same thing, the same way! Right now I have a batch using one of the starters - when I bottled the other starters I also brewed a batch of American Ale. I have always believed that Ale yeast should be stored at fridge temps ( below 50F ) to make it go into hibernation. I stored my 5 bottles of starter in the frige, upright, in the back. This is based on what I've successfully done with saving the trub from primary/secondary for repitching. I've always stored the trub in a canning jar in the fridge, for up to 1 1/2 months, then created a starter and repitched. Never had any problems with this. I'd be interested in any "scientific" based or yeast expert based opinions you get. I'm not an expert, but just seem to go with what works and makes sense to me. Good Brewing, Frank P.S. - Isn't it nice that using parallel yeast culturing has lowered the cost of yeast from $3.50 a batch to $0.58 ! And that doesn't include trub repitching ! Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 10:05:00 PDT From: "Ball, Timothy B" <ballti at uh2372p03.daytonoh.NCR.COM> Subject: Anchor Liberty Clone responses I had several questions about the recipe so I'm re-posting with more detail. Anchor Liberty Clone 6 lbs. Northwestern Pale liquid X 1 lbs. Lagglander Pale dry X 1/2 lbs. Crystal 40L 1/2 lbs. Toasted 25L 3 oz. Cascade (whole leaf) 5.5%, 60min (Partial Boil) 1 oz. Cascade (whole leaf) dry hop , one week 1 tsp. gypsum 1tsp Irish Moss Wyeast London start gravity 1.053 end gravity 1.010 If I were to use only 1/2 oz. dry hop I think they would be identical. Primary ferment was one week at 68 degrees. Secondary ferment was one week. For the dry hop I just threw them in the secondary. The hops float so you can siphon from underneath them. The longer you dry hop the more the hops get "water logged" and start to sink. You may want to try 5 days instead of 7. When I transferred it to the bottling bucket I did get some hops in there. Wracking to a second bottling bucket might help but I was to lazy. I did waste a little more beer than usual during bottling trying to avoid the hops. It is worth the extra effort to use whole hops. The hop nose is awsome. If you do a full boil, you may want to cut back on the bittering hops a bit. Mine was nicely bitter (maybe a bit more than Liberty). Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 07:20:03 +0900 From: bjones at novax.llnl.gov (Bob Jones) Subject: >Jeff Frane writes > >One of the advantages of using flaked maize is that you do not need to >cook it, but I'm a little non-plused when I read something like "can you >use X with extracts or does it need to be mashed?" What exactly do you >*do* with any adjunct if not a mash? Even a pseudo-mash? Surely you >aren't actually boiling this stuff, ala CP? I agree! I have used flaked maize on several occasions over the years with very good results. I mostly use it in light lagers. Once I made a lager that used about 2 pounds in 10 gallons. The beer was light on hops and brilliantly clear and very pale. I friend was over and I poured him one and said "what do you think?". He said "it tastes like Budwieser". At first I was pissed, then I sort of set back and thought about what he had said and why I brewed the beer to start with. I had both failed and succeeded. I had proved one of the things I set out to prove, that I could brew a beer without flavor flaws and defects. There isn't much to hide behind in this style of beer. However I had brewed a beer I could go out and buy cheaper than I could make. Since then I have brewed this style of beer on occasion only with more malt and alittle more hops. Sort of a high test Bud. Probably pretty close to the real Budvar. Give flaked maize a try, in small amounts it really does add a nice flavor and depth to a real lager. I put the maize right in the mash. Alot of brewers would be amazed at how many big brewerys in england use maize in their prized beers. See you all in Denver, Cheers, Bob Jones bjones at novax.llnl.gov Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 10:35:33 -0400 (EDT) From: Jim Busch <busch at daacdev1.stx.com> Subject: Re: German brewing & sanitation About the dark colors in German brewing and the use of dark malted grains; just wanted to add that many German brewers use a dark extract syrup added directly to the kettle in order to darken the beer without using dark malt. I personnaly dislike the practice, but plenty of good beers are made this way. And dont forget that these same anal brewers also use concentrated hop extracts for the bittering hops. Its a really involved industrial extraction process whereby raw hops are pulverized and using solvents, the hop oils are extracted and condensed, then packaged in tins. The resulting oil is about as thick as 90 weight gear lube. On sanitation: > Sanitizers and you. Listed below are 4 methods of sanitizing (not > necessarily STERILIZING) equipment based upon the Minnesota > Department of Health food sanitation code. Your mileage may vary. > > 1.) Immersion for a period of 30 seconds in clean water of at least > 170 degrees F. This is essentially pasteurization. > > 2.) Immersion for not less than 1 minute in 75 degree or warmer > water containing: > a) not less than 50 ppm of free available chlorine if > hypochlorites (bleach) are used. > b) not less than 200 ppm if chloramines are used. > c) not less than 50 ppm if trichloromelamine is used. > > 3.) Immersion for not less than 1 minute in 75 F or higher water > containing not less than 12.5 ppm available iodine in a solution > having a pH not higher than 5.0 > > 4.) Immersion for at least one minute in water of 110-130 F > containing not less than 200 ppm and not more than 400 ppm of a > quaternary ammonium solution. > This is suprising. I was under the impression that iodophors should be used in cold water. Same with chlorine. Now I guess 75F is not real warm, but if the standard says "or higher", I am confused, or misinformed. Any chemists want to add to this discussion???? Jim Busch Return to table of contents
Date: 12 May 94 13:04:24 EDT From: Charlie Papazian/Boulder <72210.2754 at CompuServe.COM> Subject: BEER DINNER IN CHICAGO I will be in Chicago next week, Thursday, May 19 to present a truly gourmet Beer and Food Banquet. This is open to anyone who wished to attend. I've designed the menu with the help of the chef at the Union League Club of Chicago and The Great American Beer Cookbook. All the food will be prepared with beer and accompanied with beer. I've designed many of these types of dinners and I have to say that this may be one of the most spectacular. The meal is a six course dinner (if you include the encore of Samuel Adams Triple Bock served after dinner) accomapnied with 11 different beers. The planned menu includes Spinach Salad accomapnied with raspberry beer dressing with Sprecher Black Bavarian Lager and Cherry Land Brewings Cherrry Ale Lobster and Brie Soup prepped with Celis White accompanied with Legacy Lager and Baderbrau Pils. Stuffed Leg of Lamb prepped with Chimay Red Ale, w/ beer glazed (prepped with Sprecher Mai Bock) carrots, and boiled potatoes (prepped with Berghoff Beer) accompanied with Petes Wicked Ale and Anchor Steam Creme Brulee prepped malt extract accompanied with Lakefront's East Side Dark and Goos Island Porter Stout and Whiskey Chocolate Truffles prepped with Miller Stout accompanied with Peche Lambic and Kalamazoo's Bell's Cherry Stout Sam Adams Triple Bock for an encore IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US Tickets are $35 per person. Call 312 427-7800 and ask about the beer dinner. I'm looking forward to it. Hope to see some of you beer folks out there Charlie Papazian CIS 72210,2754 Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 13:18:10 -0500 From: dmorey at iastate.edu Subject: Pale Ale Recipe Raise your glasses HBDer's, It doesn't seem that long, but this will have to be good bye for now. I am now leaving my choosen institution of higher learning for the real world (hopefully more money to brew with) and will have to give up my email account! So before I leave I wanted to share a recipe with you. It's flavor reminds me of SNPA and has the color of Bass. I hope some of you might be able to get ideas from it. F.A. B. Pale Ale American (First Ames Brew) 7 lbs pale malt 1 lb Munich malt 1 lb special roast malt (45L) 1/4 lb crystal malt (40L) 1/2 lb wheat malt 1/4 lb dextrine malt 1/8 lb black patent 1 oz cascade hops 5.5% AA (1 hour) 1 oz tettnang hops 3.8% AA (1 hour) 3/4 oz hallertauer 2.6% AA (1/2 hour) 3/4 oz hallertauer 2.6% AA (10 minutes) water up to five gallons 1/2 cup corn sugar priming Wyeast American Ale #1056 This was the first beer I brewed when I moved back to Ames, IA hence its name. But enough of that. Crush all grains and add to hot tap water (approximately 2.5 gallons). Let mash set for 15 minutes. Raise temperature to 122 F for protein rest and hold for 35 minutes. Add 3/4 gallon of boiling water to bring mash to 140 F, hold for 30 minutes. Add additional 3/4 gallon of boiling water to bring temperature up to 155 F. Hold at this temperature for 1 hour. Sparge till your hearts content and begin boil. Boil hops for indicated times (I put the hops in boiling bags). After 1 hour, stop boil and chill wort and siphon into primary fermenter. Pitch yeast from starter. That all there is to it. Well, I hope my future employer has internet access or else I will have to get some service so that I can get my HBD! Cheers and until we talk again, ========================================================================== Dan A. Morey | Wine is proof that God loves us and wants to dmorey at iastate.edu | see us happy. - B. Franklin Agricultural Process | Engineer | The same is true for BEER! - Me ========================================================================== Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 13:00:48 -0600 From: John Adams <j_adams at hpfcjca.sde.hp.com> Subject: The Virtual Pub I have not seen this one mentioned in any of the digests but I have located "The Virtual Pub" on the WWW. The URL for all you "Cyber-Surfer's" is: http://www.planetary.brown.edu:8080/virtual-pub/ Enjoy! John Adams Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 12:11:54 PDT From: Scott McLagan <smclagan at schdist43.bc.ca> Subject: Safe Chlorine Alternatives With all the talk lately about the corrosive effect of chlorine on stainless steel, I am considering alternatives for cleansers and disinfectants. I use Sankey kegs for fermenting and kegging, and would like them to last my lifetime (hopefully another 50-60 years). There was a suggestion of iodine-based products. Are there brand names to look for? Are there other safe alternatives to chlorine? Perhaps post your replies to the digest, as I am certain that others must be thinking the same thing. Cheers, Scott McLagan (smclagan at schdist43.bc.ca) Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 15:47:26 -0500 (CDT) From: Allen Ford <allen at darwin.sfbr.org> Subject: Brewing Kolschbier I am seeking any detailed information concerning the brewing of Kolschbier, especially but not exclusively data about the water used. If anyone of you currently resides in or anticipates visiting Koln in the near future, or if you have authoratative information, please contact me by direct email. TIA. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Allen L. Ford <allen at darwin.sfbr.org> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-= Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research San Antonio, Texas =-=-= Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 13:05:37 -0500 (CDT) From: EDGELL at uwmfe.neep.wisc.edu Subject: A few Questions A few questions for the HBD sages.... 1) Everyone knows that Wheat lacks the enzymes to convert itself. Does it also lack the means to undergo a protein rest by itself? Does it need Malted Barley for that step also? 2) I have a chest cooler that I wish to use for mashing. I plan on shoving a copper tube into the drain hole (3/8") to be attached to an easymasher type thingie. What should I use to seal the pipe in the drain hole? 3) I have an 8 gal ceramic plated "canning" pot, that has a spot of rust on the inside bottom. Will this prevent me from using it as a brewpot? How about as a Sparge water pot? Is there a way to protect my beer/water from this rust spot? 4) I need a grain scale. Does anyone know of an inexpensive source? TIA, email responses fine. Dana Edgell edgell at uwmfe.neep.wisc.edu "...from man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world."- Saint Arnoldus Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 17:10 From: NEEVES at mailgate.navsses.navy.mil (NEEVES, TRENOR) Subject: RE: Recently, Jack Dawson wrote, >Subject: legal advice needed >After several years, my nextdoor neighboor has decided that brewing beer >in my kitchen produces noxious odors in the hallway between our units. It's >always been my understanding that brewing is a form of cooking food, which >can not be legislated or restriced if done in one's home. However, I >believe he's trying to use his current position as > vice-president >of our condominium association to get it to impose restrictions or prevent >my brewing beer in my kitchen. Consequently, I think I need some specific >legal advice, and maybe the name of an attourney in the SF bay area >(preferably a homebrewer). Thanks in advance >Jack, I'm not a lawyer, but let me take a crack at this... First, WEBSTER'S II New Riverside University Dictionary defines noxious as 1)injurious to physical health or 2) harmful to the mind or morals. I think it,s fairly obvious to even the layman that the first definition would be tough to prove. No matter which side has the "burden of proof," the homebrew side has a slight advantage here (all-natural). The second definition is a little tougher. Mind/Morals? If beer is against either, there might be an argument. But, then, we're talking about wort, not beer in this instance! (Another plus for Jack!) So much for the humorous side, let's get to it.... Brewing, home/micro/whatever, is legislatable (as is everything, just don't mention air around a politician, it's still free!). FEDS: The federal gov't requires their take(tax) on household production IN EXCESS OF (and someone please correct me if I am wrong) 200 gallons/household/year or 100 gallons/person/year. NOTE: Both apply, you do the math. Also, it's been a few years since I checked the numbers, but I think these still apply. STATE: State laws in this respect are a little tougher. I can only tell you that Delaware definitely does not have such a "homebrew" limit. I know this solely because I asked my local state congressman to find out, and he did. You may want to contact either your state representative or senator (or the CA equiv.) Or maybe you should offer some homebrew to the $*#&, uh, gentleperson. Who knows, you might wind up with a brew-partner! neeves at mailgate.navsses.navy.mil Views expressed are solely... ...unreliable... ...and mine! Return to table of contents
Date: 12 May 1994 08:29:11 U From: "Palmer.John" <palmer at ssdgwy.mdc.com> Subject: Thanks/Grape Nuts, Oats Hi Group, First let me say Thanks to Chip, Jeremy and Dan. I will now sanitize my kegs with 1 oz per gallon of bleach for 5 minutes, then rinse with boiled water with no fear of contamination or corrosion. ** I have received only one response, from Darryl Davidson, who knew someone that used GrapeNuts in a Nut-Brown Ale. He used 1 cup and "swore by them". Sounds worth a try. OATS! I want to use oats, but where do you people who use them, get them? Nobody has owned up to using Quaker, somebody used Irish Steel Cut (probably obtained from a small Turkish deli), but my brew shop does not carry any. What should I use if I am going to add them to the mash? Looking forward to the next Batch, John Palmer palmer at ssdgwy.mdc.com OR palmer#d#john.ssd-hb_#l#15&22#r# at ssdgwy.mdc.com Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 16:21:17 -0500 (CDT) From: "J. Andrew Patrick" <andnator at Venus.mcs.com> Subject: Home Brew U BBS Network In a recent HBD, jhm at texmemsys.com (John McCaskill) writes: > Try Home Brew University BBS at 713-923-6418 (8-N-1) This is the Southwest Campus of HBU, which I started in Houston in October of 1992. It is now run by my good friend and former brewing partner, Mr. Steve Moore. > They also have another "Campus", but I do not have that number handy. HBU-Midwest is located in the NW Chicago suburbs. I am the Sysop, and will be moving both myself and the BBS on or around July 1st to another location in the Chicago area. Sorry, don't have the new phone number yet. But once I have it, it can be obtained from the SW Campus, or directly from me at my Internet address (listed below in my sig file). |Sysop | Andrew Patrick | Founder| |Home Brew Univ| AHA Certified Beer Judge |Home Brew Univ| |Midwest BBS | SW Brewing News Correspondent | Southwest BBS| |(708)705-7263 |Internet:andnator at mercury.mcs.com| (713)923-6418| Return to table of contents
Date: 12 May 94 20:25:00 GMT From: pubtools at ihpubj.att.com Subject: Wyeast1338/cookers/infusion_confusion/LageringInPlastic/sanitizers Allison writes: >In his discussion on making Bavarian-style wheat beers in "The Complete >Handbook of Home Brewing", Miller recommends Weihenstephan 338 ale yeast, >claiming it "has too much clove for an altbier, but makes an excellent >Weizen" (p215). > In view of the similarity in numbers, does anyone know whether this is >the same yeast as Wyeast 1338 European ale, and/or if this strain is >useful for this beer style? Yes indeed Wyeast #1338 is Weihenstephan 338, but I don't agree that it produces too much clove. I've tasted a great number of beers made with this yeast and feel that it does not have a significant phenolic character. The only explanations that I can offer for Miller's comment on p.215 of TCHOHB, are that either he got a wild yeast in the fermenter along with the cultured yeast or he fermented at a higher temperature than he should have. Now, don't say, "Miller? A wild yeast infection?" Recall that in the same book, he suggests starting a siphon by sucking on it with your mouth. Although this is more an invitation for a lactobacillus infection, it indicates that there was at least one weak link even in Dave Miller's process at the time. I'm quite sure that he uses pumps at the brewery now. ********** With all the recent talk of rocket engine cookers, I'd like to offer one piece of advise: get one that has an adjustable air intake. If you don't the cooker you get will be optimized for high-throttle burning and will not burn efficiently at lower settings. ********* Jeff writes: >Try doing a simple infusion of grains -- whether caramel malts or flaked >wheat -- for 45 minutes or so at 150, then rinse them and add all the >liquid to your pot and add the extract to that. Steeping caramel malts is great, but steeping flaked wheat or barley or corn by itself is going to give you nothing more than huge hot and cold breaks and a starch haze. You *must* mash all grains except for crystal and the dark roasted grains (which cover up their own starch haze). Note that the flaked grains don't have any enzymes (and it looks to me as if they don't have much husk either) so you must mash them along with some enzymatic malt such as pale ale or pils malt. ********* Tom writes: >bucket. Anyway, is it a definite bad idea to lager in plastic, Yes, definately a bad idea. The plastic pail is oxygen-permiable and thus the alcohols in the finished beer will oxidize to aldehydes giving you all sorts of off-flavors. Buy more glass or lager in a Cornelius Keg! ********* Daniel writes: >Sanitizers and you. Listed below are 4 methods of sanitizing (not >necessarily STERILIZING) equipment based upon the Minnesota >Department of Health food sanitation code. Your mileage may vary. and then proceeds to give the times, temperatures and concentrations of the various methods. With all due respect to the MN DoH, I think that the contact times for our (brewing) purposes should be longer. I've read times like 10 minutes and 15 minutes. I'll bet it has a lot to do with the fact that a couple million lactobacilli on a fork is not going to kill anyone, whereas in our case, it could (depending on the vigor of your yeast starter) result in off-flavors in the finished beer. Al. Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 17:32:15 PDT From: un349 at freenet.victoria.bc.ca (Mark Blaseckie) Subject: Kegging equip. in Canada. I'm trying to locate kegging supplies in either the Victoria/Vancouver, BC area or through a Canadian mail order supplier. Can anyone out there give me any info? Direct email would be great (saves the HBD for items of interest to all) Thanks in advance. Mark Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 20:49 WET DST From: gscott at io.org (Geoff Scott) Subject: Spargatron Todd asks about sparging with a coffee maker... I think it was Ed Hitchcock that first wrote about the Spargatron. (are you still out there Ed?) I howled when I read it and dug up an old element that I knew I was saving for a good reason. I just use mine to run boiling water through my counterflow chiller prior to use. I dont use it to sparge because of two potential problems, chlorine and temperature control. If youre using tap water like me, the coffee maker element would heat up the water but not evaporate the chlorine. I usually fill my mid-sized pot with 20L of tap water the night before brewing and turn the electric stove on low. By morning, its gently steaming at 75 degrees C and the chlorine is gone. While 75 isnt a magic number, if the sparge liquor is much hotter you will extract more of the dreaded tannins. If its much cooler, the lautering will run slower and possibly less efficiently. I found it hard to hit a constant temperature between blazing hot and tepid with the coffee maker element. I settle for blazing hot and use it to sanitize my chiller. I did decide to decrease the volume between the two buckets in my zapap tun. If you trim off the lowest ring around the inside bucket, it will sit lower in the outside bucket. This reduces the dead space and also the amount of wort that seeps between them because it makes for a tighter fit. With respect to the question of wasting water where there is no shortage, Id say its more a problem of wasted processing. I have also wondered how big a deal this is. Chlorine is ultimately added to the lake and atmosphere. Energy is required to pump and clean the water. The Great Lakes are not drying up but I wonder about the other aspects. regards, Geoff Scott gscott at io.org Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 94 17:34:26 PDT From: tpm at wdl.loral.com (Tim P McNerney) Subject: Bulk Grain Storage I am getting tired of running off to the brew shop every time I want to brew in order to pick up more grain, so I thought I would try buying grain in bulk. I already culture my own yeast and buy hops in quantity (and if the growth of my hops so far is any indication, I should be able to sustain myself for a good part of the year, assuming the psycho lawn guys don't kill off the rest of the plants), but grain storage takes up a lot more space, so I have pretty much kept only extra specialty grains around. Since it will take up a lot of space, I would probably need to keep the grain either in the garage or on the back porch. Either way, I would be storing the grain uncrushed and sealed in those white plastic buckets. What I wonder is if I am just asking for trouble. I expect it will probably get fairly warm during the summre. Are hot temperatures going to adversely affect the grain? Am I going to have a bug colony growing in my grain? Are the plastic buckets going to keep moisture out? Is the cat going to chew through the plastic to get to the grain? Does anyone out there have a grain silo they are looking to sell? Thanks for any ideas. ________________________________ - --Tim McNerney - --Loral Western Development Labs - --(408) 473-4748 - --tpm at wdl.loral.com Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 18:38:24 -0700 (PDT) From: Domenick Venezia <venezia at zgi.com> Subject: Cals and Alc for OG vs FG There are periodic requests on the HBD for calorie and % alcohol formulas. I've generated a number of ASCII charts (matrices) that some may find useful. There are 5 charts, % Alc by volume, % Alc by weight, Calories from Alc, Calories from Wort, and Total Calories. They are all matrices of OG (1.030 - 1.100) by FG (1.000 - 1.030) in 0.001 increments. They have been concatenated into a single file named "charts.all" and uploaded to sierra.stanford.edu pub/incoming. My guess is that it will end up in the pub/homebrew/docs directory. Each chart will fit on about 1.5 landscape pages of 6 pt Courier font. You will need to separate them or add form feeds between charts. All the formulas are from George Fix who attributes them to the European Brewing Congress (EBC). If you want the details I can send them by private email. Enjoy. Domenick Venezia ZymoGenetics, Inc. Seattle, WA venezia at zgi.com Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 13 May 94 8:04:25 EDT From: Jim Grady <grady at hpangrt.an.hp.com> Subject: Re: Copper sugar I sent this directly to Al awhile ago but it seems it is having trouble getting through. It might be of general interest anyway: Al had seen a reference in the CAMRA guide to a beer being 85% barley and 15% copper sugar and wondered what "copper sugar" is. > > "The copper" is a British term for the boiling kettle; bittering hops > are often referred to as copper hops. Thus I would suspect that "copper > sugar" is sugar that is added to the copper and boiled with the rest of > the wort. I think that CAMRA is basically trying to say that this > particular beer is not all malt but 15% of its fermentables are sugar. > - -- Jim Grady grady at hp-mpg.an.hp.com Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #1423, 05/14/94