HOMEBREW Digest #2881 Sat 21 November 1998

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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  HOMEBREW Digest #2879,  19 November 1998, Response (Fred Scheer)
  Orval  Clone (Ted McIrvine)
  Re: Cider! Help! (Bob Sweeney)
  Aluminium, Dry Yeast and CrabBoil ("george vincent")
  Natty Boh ("Spies, Jay")
  Dessicant - that brown stuff (Doug Moyer)
  Site Glass Fittings ("Philip J Wilcox")
  Pellets ("Spies, Jay")
  Rye malt vs flaked rye (Eric Reimer)
  DanStar Manchester ("H. Dowda")
  Another Thermometer Calibration Idea (MaltHound)
  aluminum question ("Darren Gaylor")
  Yet another dry guy ("Dave Draper")
  bottling from the keg ("Czerpak, Pete")
  Hugh Baird Munich/Decoction ("Riedel, Dave")
  specialty grain use ("Czerpak, Pete")
  AHA Board of Advisors ("Edmund J. Busch")
  sparge water (Jason.Gorman)
  re:  pellet clogging (Vachom)
  Re:  Question about yeast nutrient (artcemelli)
  pronounce Saaz ("Frederick L. Pauly")
  crab seasoning (Lou.Heavner)
  Alt Again (Troy Hager)
  Durst Malts/Alt Recipe Formulation ("John W. Thomasson")

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 21:40:45 -0700 From: Fred Scheer <maltster at marsweb.com> Subject: HOMEBREW Digest #2879, 19 November 1998, Response "Richard Scott" wrote: Subject: Wife Beer 1.0 Zima or.........2-Dog Lemon Brew.......... she has her heart set on clear-near-beer Richard, I was involved in the making of a lot of clear beer, my recommendation is to further purchase the products, because it will be impossible to make that kind of beer at the homebrew level. We had made pilot brews ( 1 bbl) to see if we could develop some other CLEAR products.................NO luck. Tidmarsh Major wrote: Subject: Proto-germanic brewing Modern High German 'wurz' (root/foot of the mountain) and 'wuerz' (root of plant/spice). Tidmarrsh, Wurz should be written "Wurzel", which means the root of plants. Wuerz should be written "Gewuerz" for spice. Fred Scheer MALT MONTANA Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 14:05:04 -0800 From: Ted McIrvine <McIrvine at ix.netcom.com> Subject: Orval Clone Orval is one of my favorites... I use 7 lbs DeWolf Cosyns Pils malt and 1 lb of DWC Caravienne and 1 lb of DWC belgian wheat along with Chimay yeast. I haven't used candi sugar in this since I get about 54 gravity with this grain bill. I recirculate generously (as much as a gallon) before I sparge. Your hops look right to me; I'd use about 2 ounces of European low-alpha hops (Saaz and something German) and dry-hop with East Kent Goldings. I've read that Orval uses a wild yeast for secondary conditioning. I haven't tried this since my experiences with wild yeast have been (not surprisingly) wildly unpredictable. I've had good results with both the W-Yeast Chimay strain and Abbey II. Ted > > > > > Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 12:45:43 +0100 > > From: "Jens P.Maudal" <jensmaudal at bu.telia.no> > > Subject: Orval clone > > > > Roger Protz describes the making of this beer fairly > > detailed in the "European Beer Almanac" > > 86% pale malt(of 4 different types) > > 13,5% Caravienne malt > > White Candy sugar (350 kg per brew) > > Hallertau and Styrian Goldings hops, dry-hopped with Kent Goldings. > > same yeast for the primary and secondary and a different (lager) > > yeast for the bottle priming. > > The IBU is not specified, only mention generous use of bittering > > hops resulting in a tart bitterness. > > I am wondering if anybody has tried making Orval and have a > > good recipe to share. > > > > - -- > > Jens P.Maudal > > > > "Bottoms up everybody" Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 98 06:00:47 -0500 From: Bob Sweeney <rsweeney at hiwaay.net> Subject: Re: Cider! Help! Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 20:29:20 EST From: Redholling at aol.com Subject: Cider! Help! Pasteurization isn't the "enemy", its likely preservatives. Check the fine print on the cider label for potassium sorbate and/or sodium benzoate. All is not lost however; I've found from personal experience that you can hit even preservative-rich cider with so much yeast that it will still ferment out. My solution was to brew a batch of beer and then dump the cider onto this beer's primary dregs. In my case I used the primary from a spiced Christmas ale and the cider finished with a similar, and nicely-mellow spiced charactistic. Still posting from NW Alabama somewhere near the banks of the beautiful Tennessee River, where brewing is both a hobby and a felony. >Hi Boys and Girls, > Last weekend I put together what looked like a great cider recipe using 4 >gallons of 100% Cider (it was pasteurized) and 4 lbs of C&H Pure Cane Dark >Brown Sugar. I boiled 1 and 1/2 gallons of water, dissolved the brown sugar >and cooled in ice bath. I tried starting my one pack of dry wine yeast with >one pint of boiled water (cooled to 105deg) and 2T corn sugar, according to >the recipe. When I pitched I let it sit for 15 mins, then shook the carboy >real good. After 4 days of no airlock action (and the gravity remaining at >1.052), I rehydrated another pack of wine yeast (this time following the >directions on the pack) and pitched it. Twice in the last day I've seen a >single bubble escape, but nothing spectacular. I believe I've done a good job >sanitizing my equipment. Will pasteurized cider not work (I've seen other >recipes use it, but say fermentation takes longer). Is the brown sugar >fermentable? Can I fix this batch. I DON'T WANT TO THROW IT OUT! Any help >(private e-mail ok) would be greatly appreciated. >Nootch! >Red - -- Bob Sweeney xrsweeney at hiwaay.net Remove the 'x' from the above address before using. Copyright 1998. All rights reserved. Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 05:44:36 PST From: "george vincent" <lauter_tun at hotmail.com> Subject: Aluminium, Dry Yeast and CrabBoil All; Dry yeast? Aluminiun pots? CrabBoil beer? What next? I for one AM NOT, going to try the CrabBoil in my next beer. Has anyone thaught of Crab Beer? I suppose anything could be fermented. Maybe brewed in an aluminium pot, and finished with dry yeast. Why not??? They use raw meat in Apple Scrumpy, don't they? Guess I've wasted enough of every-ones time. Thanks, George P.S. There are some Great beers brewed in Maryland, to the best of my knowledge none employ crabs, or crabboil. It might be the Goose that lays the golden egg. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 09:04:36 -0500 From: "Spies, Jay" <Spies at dhcd.state.md.us> Subject: Natty Boh All - Mikey Beck wrote >>>Actually, didn't I hear that Pittsburgh Brewing does a lot of the Natty Bo brewing now?<<< Fortunately. ;-) Jay Spies Wishful Thinking Basement Brewery Baltimore, MD Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 09:04:31 -0500 From: Doug Moyer <shyzaboy at geocities.com> Subject: Dessicant - that brown stuff "NEWTRADBC at aol.com" wrote: >A few posters have commented on 'a brown dirt-like substance' in canvas bags. >While I'm not positive, this sounds remarkably like clay, as in kitty litter. After the recommendation last week, I went straight out and purchased a 48 oz. sack of De-Moist. The primary ingredients are calcium chloride and diatomaceous earth, hence the color. I still have some moisture, but it is an order of magnitude or two less than when I was just using the cup of Damp Rid. I may have to try some kitty litter as well. After all, I am already using the buckets that once held 30# of Fresh Step kitty litter. After I hurt my back a couple of months ago carrying my converted keg with 10 gallons of water from the kitchen to the back yard (and I still have not completely recovered), I have started using these buckets to transport my brewing water to my backyard brewery. Each one holds just a hair over four gallons. I also use one to hold the grain that I crush at the homebrew store. (I've built up quite a supply of these stupid buckets, cause I couldn't bring myself to throw away something that seems so potentially useful. I'm glad I've finally found a use!) Brew on! Doug Moyer Damp Kitty Brewery in Salem, VA On tap: Back Breaker IPA Star City Brewers Guild: http://hbd.org/starcity Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 09:10:37 -0400 From: "Philip J Wilcox"<pjwilcox at cmsenergy.com> Subject: Site Glass Fittings From: Philip J Wilcox at CMS on 11/20/98 09:10 AM Steve Milito asks about Site Glass fittings... I was fortunate enough to grow up next to a guy who owns his own Plumbing business. He's 82 yrs old and still works a few hours every day of the week! Needless to say, I had no problem getting scrap site glass parts from old boilers through he and his son. They even ordered/cut my site glass to the exact size needed. 14.5" total cost $6.50 and a 6-pack. My suggestion is for you to find a commercial/industrial plumbing company that has been around a long while. They should be able to help you out, quite easily. Fittings are an interesting thing. I should have used the same 1/2" couplings I have for everything else. My keg welder didn't understand (and neither did I) how sight glasses are installed so he welded in stainless unions instead of just the coupling. This is redundant and not necessary. But it does look impressive. The fittings I have, have a valve like your outdoor spigot on them and the lower one has a drain plug also. This would allow me to drain and clean (Replace) the sight glass with the HLT still full of water, as well as prevent the accidental draining of the HLT. They also have the brass safety rods that run in between them to help protect the glass from inadvertent swinging objects (brew paddles, Fest Steins, small children, neighborhood cats...;<) . The sight glass part works just like a compression fitting, but it uses a rubber gasket and a glass tube, I imagine if you over tighten you can break the glass. None the less this allows you to install the sight glass fittings directly into the couplings in your keg/vessel. You then line them up and measure the gap between and cut you site glass to that length. You then put the brass compression caps on the site glass and then the 1/2" rubber compression gasket on the end of the glass and simply slide it into place. I found that hand tightening was sufficient to get a water tight seal, but I gave it an extra little turn anyway. 20 min of adding 1/2 gal increments to the keg, and I was fully graduated. I used a permanent marker on the glass itself, then went back and marked on the keg also. When the water disappears from the glass there is 2.5 gallons left in the HLT. Best of luck, Phil Wilcox Poison Frog Home Brewery Warden-Prison City Brewers http://hbd.org/prisoner Jackson MI (32 miles west of Jeff Renner) Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 09:13:49 -0500 From: "Spies, Jay" <Spies at dhcd.state.md.us> Subject: Pellets All - Ed asks >>>>Is there a way to brew with hop pellets without everything getting clogged?<<<< After chilling, whirlpool vigorously for about 30 seconds, replace lid, let everything settle for about 20 minutes, then siphon quietly from the side of the kettle. You will get minimal hops/troooubhe in the fermenter . . . Jay Spies Wishful Thinking Basement Brewery Baltimore, MD Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 10:18:54 -0500 From: Eric Reimer <eric at etymonic.com> Subject: Rye malt vs flaked rye Hi all, I'm considering brewing a roggenbier or perhaps a roggenweiss. I can't find malted rye locally, but have no difficulty getting flaked rye. What are the pros and cons to each type of rye? What flavour differences can I expect? What about mashing and lautering differences? Thanks, Eric Reimer Barking Dogs Brewery London, Ontario (Just a short distance north-east of Jeff Renner) Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 10:18:33 -0500 From: "H. Dowda" <hdowda at scsn.net> Subject: DanStar Manchester The fourth Danstar (Lallemand) yeast is 'Manchester'. Described as producing old English style beer (Old Ale?????), complex, woody and full-bodied when fermented at the warm end of the range (recommended 64-70F!) Danstar home page: http://www.lallemand.com/brew/beer_yst.html Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 10:21:38 EST From: MaltHound at aol.com Subject: Another Thermometer Calibration Idea I was thinking about some of the ideas posted about calibrating thermometers and doing this at temperatures close to those we intend to measure, I had an idea that may be of some worth. Why don't you just stick it in your mouth? Assuming you are not feeling ill or haven't just finished running a marathon your body temp should be 98.6 degrees F. Even if your temperature was running a bit high or low (you aren't ovulating now are you?) it would be well within the desired accuracy range required to monitor your mash temps. Readings averaged on multiple calibration instruments (other peoples mouths) or on succesive days might provide a bit more accuracy. It sure would beat paying good money to rent or own a calibration instrument (which itself would require regular calibration BTW). Fred Wills Londondery, NH Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 07:30:28 -0800 From: "Darren Gaylor" <dwgaylor at pacifier.com> Subject: aluminum question William Graham suggests trying an auction at a restaurant that is going out of business as a possible source of large kettles. This worked for me. It was actually more of a garage sale atmosphere, but I was able to buy two 15 gallon Al pots for $5 each. They were a little dirty and didn't have lids, but the price was certainly right. At five bucks each, I figure they paid for themselves after one batch. Darren Gaylor Vancouver, WA Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 10:00:42 -0600 From: "Dave Draper" <ddraper at utdallas.edu> Subject: Yet another dry guy Dear Friends, I may as well also put in my testimonial for the Danstar Nottingham dried yeast strain. Much mention has been made of barleywine uses; that's what made me try it in the first place-- Rob Moline's simply awesome gold-medal-winning BW was made with it, and if it was good enough for that, it was good enough for me to try. And this from a card carrying, yeast-ranching, pointy-headed beer geek. The dryness/attenuation of Nottingham have been well described already, I'll merely say I have had the same results, but for the beers I have used it for that has not been a big deal. I am finding it particularly good for stouts for this reason. I have not been as impressed with the Windsor strain; in my three or four uses it gave a flavor I did not much like. On the same subject of the point on my head becoming more blunt, I've also relegated the beloved (to me) 40-60-70 mashing procedure to the archives for now, and have been doing single- temperature, 90 minute infusions (plus mashout) exclusively since early this year. I brewed a pair of brown ales back to back that differed only in the use of the two procedures, and everyone who tried them, myself included, preferred the body and mouthfeel of the single-step brew to those of the multi-step effort. Just goes to show that the road to geekdom *is* a two way street. Cheers, Dave in Dallas - --- ***************************************************************************** Dave Draper, Dept Geosciences, U. Texas at Dallas, Richardson TX 75083 ddraper at utdallas.edu (commercial email unwelcome) WWW: hbd.org/~ddraper Beer page: http://hbd.org/~ddraper/beer.html I can't be bought for a mere $3.50. ---Jeff Renner Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 11:25:02 -0500 From: "Czerpak, Pete" <Pete.Czerpak at siigroup.com> Subject: bottling from the keg Hello all: I'm new to the kegging homebrew scene and was wondering about people's methods to fill bottles without using a CP filler. Is one really needed or can I get by with something else? I'm kegging at 12-14 psi and using 3/16" I.D. beer lines with a picnic faucet and not having any problems with foamage. The bottles are for competition stuff so I need them to be carbonated to style. Any ideas?? Private email ok but here is better for group knowledge. Thanks, Pete pete.czerpak at siigroup.com Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 08:22:21 -0800 From: "Riedel, Dave" <RiedelD at PAC.DFO-MPO.GC.CA> Subject: Hugh Baird Munich/Decoction > I recently made a doppelbock which I felt was a good > opportunity to try a single decoction. I've got a couple > of questions and a data-point. > > 1. I pulled the decoction and raised it to 158F to convert. > It took well over 40 mins to do so. I was expecting > 15-20. The grist was 75% Hugh Baird Munich. Is it > possible that it was so well modified to be a very slow > converting malt? > > 2. If I'm not mistaken, the idea behind the decoction (aside > from temperature control) is to boil the sugars and grains > to encourage Mailliard reactions and hence increase the > malt character of the final product. So, would it not be > acceptable to allow the decoction to convert until it tastes > generally sweet and then raise it to the boil? If there is > starch left, it's going to be converted later in the main > mash, right? > > Data-point: as alluded to above, with a grist comprised > of 75% HB Munich and 12% DWC Pils, I found that > conversion (even at 158F) was sluggish. I left the main > mash to convert for about 75 mins. > > (Perhaps a German or Belgian Munich might be a > better base malt for predominantly Munich grists). > > cheers, > Dave Riedel > Victoria, BC, Canada > Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 11:31:09 -0500 From: "Czerpak, Pete" <Pete.Czerpak at siigroup.com> Subject: specialty grain use I still haven't switched to all-grain yet, but I have a specialty grain question. Is there such thing as too much use of the darker grains like chocolate, black patent, roast barley. Seems that I brewed a porter using 8 lbs amber extract, 0.5 lb chocolate, 0.5 lb crystal, and a smidge of black patent to help color. 2 weeks of keg aging and it still seems to have a pretty strong burnt/roasted taste. Did I use too much chocolate? Or has it just not aged enough yet? I guess it could be the use of about 35-40 IBUs of hops but it seems to be burnt and not too bitter. Hope someone has a good idea. Maybe with the next batch I'll go 1/2 crystal, 1/4 chocolate, and still the smidge of BP to try and figure it out. Stylistically i wanted a robust porter. Thanks, Pete pete.czerpak at siigroup.com Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 13:12:18 -0500 From: "Edmund J. Busch" <filter at rcn.com> Subject: AHA Board of Advisors Ladies and Gentlemen; The American Homebrewers Association's Board of Advisors (BOA) has an open seat that we'd like to fill. In order to fill this opening on the board, the existing board will nominate a slate of three to five people as candidates for an election by the general membership, the first time that the general membership would be so involved. Anybody on the board nominating a candidate will be prepared to champion that candidate, telling the rest of the BOA why their nominee is to be considered for nomination. The BOA will discuss the potential candidates among ourselves and decide on a final slate. This final slate will be submitted to the general membership for a vote early in 1999. Nominated candidates will be asked to confirm in writing that they want to be candidates. They will also be asked to write something to be posted on the AHA website about why they should be members of the board. Although any AHA member can be considered for the BOA, we need representation in certain areas of the country. We expect geography to be a significant factor for this vote. Although the AHA members-only website will be the forum for the election, we will post notices to other beer-related Internet sites that this is going on and that members should visit the site regularly for an update. Nominees and voters must all be AHA members in good standing. We will ask in our postings that individuals and clubs share this information with members who are not computer savvy and don't have access to the Internet. Those members can ask for help from another member who is good on computers or, if they can handle a computer but just don't have one, they can use the PC's located in many public libraries to access the AHA website. A postcard ballot will be included in an issue of Zymurgy. Voters can pick their choice, sign the ballot (security in case ballots get stolen. Who votes for who will not be published.), put a stamp on the card and send it in. I will count the ballots, or if the BOA prefers, and if someone else on the BOA wishes to volunteer, we'll send the ballots to them. The person receiving the most votes wins and, if the process is completed in time, will be sworn in at the next national conference meeting, in Kansas City. IN THE FUTURE, we will develop a way to take nominations from the general membership. This process is evolutionary. We will learn from this first vote (or maybe the first few votes will be handled this way) and make sure that the voting system works well. Then we add on a method to get nominations from the general membership. Please refer to the Board of Advisors by-laws at the AHA website: http://dionysus.aob.org/members/ahabylaws.htm I wish everybody good health and good cheer! Ed Busch Co-chairman, AHA Board of Advisors Return to table of contents
Date: 20 Nov 1998 14:04:47 -0500 From: Jason.Gorman at steelcase.com Subject: sparge water I read somewhere that adding a small amount of DME to the sparge water will increase the acidity and help out the sparge. I could not find it in the archives. Does anyone remember this? Does it really help? What is the of DME to water ratio? Jason Gorman RiVeR dOg BrEwErY Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 15:03:23 -0600 From: Vachom <MVachow at newman.k12.la.us> Subject: re: pellet clogging In #2880 Ed Steinkamp asks for methods to prevent pellet smoo clogs. I'm assuming you're referring to clogs that might occur when one moves cooled wort from boil pot to fermenter. Ed, whirlpooling and patience are the keys when brewing with pellets. Even so, whenever I have to brew with pellets, I always calculate 5 gallon batches as 6 because I know that I'm going to have to choose between losing wort or siphoning a bunch of hops smoo into the fermenter. Calculating the batch at 6 gallons makes choosing the former a bit easier. Whenever possible, I brew with whole or plug hops. I find that with whole hops the whirlpooled hops and trub maintains its integrity better and is therefore easier to siphon around, and worst case, whole hops plugs the siphon hose outright before it gets into the fermenter. Happy brewing, Mike New Orleans, LA Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 12:42:02 -0500 From: artcemelli at juno.com Subject: Re: Question about yeast nutrient Brian Pickerill writes Subject: Question about yeast nutrient >I have some yeast nutrient (I think it's di-amonium phosphate) that I bought for stuck fermentations and have never used. Now I am wanting to make my first mead and the stuff looks and smells pretty nasty. Not surprisingly, it smells like amonia. I know the smell wasn't that strong when I bought this about 2 years ago, and it was a dry light brown powder. It hasn't turned to goo or anything, but it's moist kind of like brown sugar in consistency. This is stored in a relatively dry location (not a basement) so I am not sure if there is some mosture pickup (it's in a small zip lock) or if the chemical is breaking down somehow.> I would not take the chance in using old di-amonium phosphate. The best yeast nutrient is "yeast hulls" you can get them by putting some yeast in the boil. This will kill the yeast and only leave the Hulls ( poor little yeast). Now were to get yeast????? Try harvesting from a primary or secondary. I would go with the secondary less stuff ( hopps, trub or cold break) Arthur Cemelli Tarkett Inc. Plant Electrical Engineer ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 17:43:39 -0500 From: "Frederick L. Pauly" <flp2m at avery.med.virginia.edu> Subject: pronounce Saaz I can't believe this one did not come up. So what is it Saaaaaz or Zatsa ? Rick Pauly Charlottesville,Va Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 18:02:15 -0600 From: Lou.Heavner at frco.com Subject: crab seasoning From: "Spies, Jay" <Spies at dhcd.state.md.us> >>>>>> {Snip} Hmmm . . . Old Bay Beer. Being a lifelong Marylander, and a devotee of steamed crabs coated in the stuff, I'd have to say I'd probably have to take a pass on a beer *made* with it. Remember that it's about 95% salt. We don't go adding salt to our beers in any appreciable quantity, and I'd be hard pressed to find a way to separate the "Old Bay flavor" from the salt. (if anyone has a way, let's hear it . . .) {Snip} <<<<<< You might try Zatairain's liquid crab/shrimp boil. Pretty close (if not better) in flavor and w/o the salt. Or maybe a chile & clove beer... nawwww I think I'll stick with grain and hops for now, thank you very much! Lou - Austin, TX - watching Ricky run for the Heisman and watching out for a new brew from Celis... Hmmm always fun to start a new rumor! Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 17:26:06 -0800 From: Troy Hager <thager at bsd.k12.ca.us> Subject: Alt Again HBDers, Sorry for beating a dead Alt, but... ... a few responded to my post about brewing a decocted Alt using 100% Dark Weyermanns Munich (as per AlKs suggestions on past HBDs) and suggested a grainbill using maybe 50% Light German Munich as well as some Pils and maybe someVienna would be closer to style. The reasons stated were that Dunkels are often brewed using all dark Munich and that an Alt brewed with this malt (especially using decoction) would come out way too dark. Any comments? I am not an expert on these styles, but am just trying to slog though the mounds of information (and as we have learned "missinformation" about this style) and would like to formulate an Altbier as close to style as possible... Also, when asked about Dusseldorf water, Jeff Renner kindly refered me back to '95 HBDs where this was discussed at length by our attendant water expert AJ deLange. If anyone would like that info I would be happy to forward it to you. Cheers! -Troy Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 18:16:11 -0600 From: "John W. Thomasson" <jwtjr999 at flash.net> Subject: Durst Malts/Alt Recipe Formulation Howdy y'all... Long time lurker, first time poster. I've been experiencing this uncontrollable urge to brew German beers for the past few weeks now, although I'm going to have to abstain this weekend... she who's will must not be resisted says to put up the Christmas lights. Resistance is futile... Anyway, Troy Hager's post in HBD #2879 on Alt decoction and Jeff Renner's reply in #2880 prompted me to post a couple of questions. Over the past 2 weekends I brewed a Vienna lager (pronounced lay-ger, of course) and a Munich Dunkel, both using Durst Munich and Vienna malts as large percentage of the grist. After some consideration, I settled on a double decoction mash with rests at 128F, 140F, 153F, and mash out at 168F (by infusion). Of the malt varieties locally available, Durst seems to be the most appropriate for these beer styles but I'm kind of flying blind for lack of any malt specifications. From my seat-of-the-pants steely/mealy chewing test, my guess is that Durst malts are *moderately* modified (read neither fully nor substantially under), but I'm certainly no expert. What I perceived to be small steely tips could well have been pieces of husk, or for that matter, residual Copenhagen from my previous chew. My homebrew shop proprietor doesn't have any specifications and I've been unable to find anything on the net. Anybody got 'em or know where to get 'em? My next brew (holiday weekend, hehehe) will be an Alt bier using Durst Pils, Munich and Vienna (40/30/30, a tad of flaked barley and Wyeast #1007, whadda'ya think?). Should I use the same mash schedule described above? It will be a good while yet before I know whether the earlier beers benefited from the protein rest or otherwise, so I hesitate to include it a third time not knowing for sure. If the degree of modification and protein levels in these malts are such that a protein rest is not necessary, well skipping it certainly won't hurt my feelings. Also, I would welcome any comments on my proposed grain bill. This is indeed an outstanding forum. My thanks also to Pat and Karl, as well as to those who routinely share their wealth of knowledge with the rest of us. Thanks again! John Thomasson, Head Brewer and Used Cornie Keg Restorer Seven Bucket Brewery in Aledo, Texas (Home of the Bearcats, soon to be 3A State Champs!) No clue as to exact proximity to JR, but anxious to try his pre-pro CAP recipe. "You see, I don't have to outrun that bear; I just have to outrun you." - author unknown Return to table of contents
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