HOMEBREW Digest #3388 Thu 27 July 2000

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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
		Many thanks to the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers of 
		Livonia, Michigan for sponsoring the Homebrew Digest.
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Contents:
  oh my god..a beer related post. hong kong beers.. (Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative)
  Drunks by another name ("Graham Sanders")
  Sooky Sooky La La (My Guess - Tellie Tubbies?) ("Phil & Jill Yates")
  Spencer's visit (Dave Burley)
  Bloody whingers ("Dave Edwards")
  gott (rubbermaid) coolers ("Penn, John")
  brazing copper to stainless? ("Nathaniel P. Lansing")
  re:no sparge haze ("Nathaniel P. Lansing")
  220V Freezer questions (john.mcgowan)
  Re: drunks (Some Guy)
  Tasty Lite (Jeff Renner)
  weiss yeast, british ale yeasts, other stuff, San Fran. info need ("Czerpak, Pete")
  white film floating in secondary ("Giznawz")
  Sooky sooky - WTF?!? ("Pannicke, Glen A.")
  0.05 DUI (mohrstrom)
  Re: British ale yeasts (Matthew Arnold)
  Re: My first Batch. ("Leland Heaton")
  pellets for dry hopping (Frank Tutzauer)
  Problems Growing Hops (Hudson333)
  1275, 1318, drunks and Milds ("Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies")
  Malolactic Cultures For Cab Sauv Kit (Osew)
  Fruit Fly Adjuncts ("Bob Sutton")
  Answers from Steve Michalak of A-B ("John or Barb Sullivan")

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 15:05:47 +1000 (EST) From: Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative <Scott.Morgan at Aus.Sun.COM> Subject: oh my god..a beer related post. hong kong beers.. A beer related post....how strange for me. those of you that know me can do something now apart from snigger and laugh. heading to Hong kong next week, got a couple of nights free for beer action. Any suggestions past forsters and crappy lagers? scotty Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 18:55:21 +1000 From: "Graham Sanders" <craftbrewer at cisnet.COM.AU> Subject: Drunks by another name G'Day All I was curious whether the talk about drunks would get a response. Yep it did but not a lot. Now to be a true fence sitter I like to throw my damper into the fire, and agree with everyone. Pats right (as always) -'hey I want to stay on the board'. We should try to raise the level of the hobby beyong the yobbo element, couldn't agree more. Heck the wine industry has been successful at that for years. Our hobby needs to follow suit. How do I contribute to it in the ocean of global affairs. Well I always refer to our hobby as CRAFTBREWING. (check my E-mail address). I always have a quite shudder everytime I hear the term 'homebrew'. Even people who make wine dont say they home-wine. The term homebrew will always have that yobbo element attached to it. But will I change the world. Nope not me. BUT (to keep the peace on the other side) What is drunk, or to be a drunk to different cultures. I had some visitors to North Queensland from "the land of opportunity" long ago (before they needed passports). Well they called me and most of my fellow country-men 'real drunks' barely after a few days. Why. All because most people over here have a drink most days. Never mind how much we had (or didn't), the fact we drank each day put us firmly in the alcoholic states with AA arround the corner for all of us. When I pressed them as to what is considered acceptable (ready for this Phil, Hopper and the rest of the Aus crowd), it was religously put to me a drink once a week was acceptable. Now this is not uncommon with our friends (to some anyway) over there. Most will comment on how much we drink, generally more as you move North. Some even gasp in amazment. To us "you drunken lout" can have as many meanings as the famous mate, including a compliment. Drunk is not as bad in some areas of the world as others, (but to get back to Pats good side - Yes I'm sucking up), We should always promote the hobby in its best light. >From a craftbrewer from North Queensland Shout Graham Sanders Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 20:51:36 +1000 From: "Phil & Jill Yates" <yates at acenet.com.au> Subject: Sooky Sooky La La (My Guess - Tellie Tubbies?) There was a discussion going on in here some time back about beer consumption, and just how much should one drink, or rather, not drink. Pat's recent concern about homebrewers being considered as drunks has got me thinking. It seems to me that in this modern day, the general idea is that one should not consume alcohol seven days a week. Such consumption apparently puts one in the class of "alcoholic". I have to confess - I must be an alcoholic! Not since 1988 have I missed a night without having a beer. That night came about because I took a punt driving home late at night from work and didn't stop to pick up a beer and got home to find that we were out of beer. That was a horrible night!! I barely slept! But having said this, I must also confess to being addicted to tobacco. Not a day goes by that I don't have a cigarette. But I only have one! One "roll your own" after dinner which goes nicely with the four beers I have before dinner, as an appetiser. And that generally is the sum of it. I don't tell the Doc at my annual medical any of this and he always comments on what a healthy specimen I am, being a middle aged old fart and all. But if he knew the truth, in modern day terms I am classed as an alcoholic and a cigarette smoker. What a laugh! I think the modern medical profession at times is way off beam. Of course, none of this is intended as a sling at Pat, I can see what his concerns are. But I would like to see an improved modern description of a drunk, so I don't have to keep confessing (or forget to admit) to being one! Phil Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 07:35:34 -0400 From: Dave Burley <Dave_Burley at compuserve.com> Subject: Spencer's visit Brewsters: Spencer when you visit Koln's Koelsch houses be sure to order Eisbein. It won't be on the menu, but it will be available. Enjoy it! Keep on Brewin' Dave Burley Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 08:51:27 +0930 From: "Dave Edwards" <eddiedb at senet.com.au> Subject: Bloody whingers | Wow! So you like being referred to as a drunk because of your hobby? Who cares what other people think! If they think that, then more power to them, but I still don't give a rats arse. The beauty of an opinion is that it means nothing, it is someone else's thought and is of little consequence to your actions. If someone relates homebrewing with drunkenness, is that really your problem? The answer is no, for all I am concerned they can go....... So it is regardless whether or not I like being referred to as a drunk just because I brew, I do it for me, not them. And yeah some guy, that was a whinge you made. Cheers, Dave. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:11:21 -0400 From: "Penn, John" <John.Penn at jhuapl.edu> Subject: gott (rubbermaid) coolers Many hardware stores and walmart carry Gott/Rubbermaid coolers this time of year. I got mine in the winter and found out that these stores only carry those coolers in the summer. Also, I"ve only seen the 5 gallon cooler at the local Walmart. Try walmart.com online and you can order the 5 gallon or 10 gallon cooler. It was about $20 for the 5, $40 for the 10, and about $5 for shipping if you order (approximate prices $US). Good luck. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:18:23 -0400 From: "Nathaniel P. Lansing" <delbrew at compuserve.com> Subject: brazing copper to stainless? Any one know of an alloy that is compatible with both copper and stainless steel? I have a piece that needs repair but all the welders I talk to say it couldn't have been done (though they are looking right at the piece) I imagine it is just a bit outside their experience; but since it *was done once it must be doable. Any reccos? N.P.Lansing Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:18:26 -0400 From: "Nathaniel P. Lansing" <delbrew at compuserve.com> Subject: re:no sparge haze Steve asked >>Tho' I don't see why you think LOWER soluble protein malts would require more tannin for precipitation.<< Lower S/T ration would indicate less proteolytic action and thus larger MW protein fractions remaining, the larger fractions being the problematic ones right? >>Iodine tests were performed on all brews before mashout << Ok, it wasn't mentioned before, just checking. >>I don't see why the haze is any mystery - enough tannins to create haze but not enough to precipitate it in the no-sparge. << Hmm, I was thinking the protein would be causing the haze, but an excess of tannins yet not enough to flocculate; that would be a fine line to walk and have occur repeated, but could happen. >>There are a number of references to using added phenolics to precipitate haze.<< I know in red wine there is rarely a clearing problem because the elevated levels of tannins bring about rapid clearing, versus white wines with vary low tannin levels can be a real booger to clear sometimes. >>Iodine is a good proxy indicator - but it is not really measuring what we would like to know and control.<< I really should have emphasized the importance of the "squeeze some grist" part of the iodine test. What I like to know is that all the starch is cleaved to dextrine limits; iodine won't tell you the maltose/dextrine ratio though, that has to come from experience. Pete mentions, >>Nate Lansing continues to ponders Steves and my commenst on haze and foam.<< Sorry, I thought you brought it up because you wanted feedback, that maybe you were asking for some ideas what caused it and how to avoid it. We can leave it with the observation that no-sparge beers are hazy and have reduced foam. N.P. Lansing Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:16:15 -0400 From: john.mcgowan at us.abb.com Subject: 220V Freezer questions OK. Here's one for you electrical engineers and fridge/freezer experts. Negotiations with the spousal unit for a chest freezer have thus far failed. Rather than continuing the process - or having one just "turn-up" in the basement - I have another possible solution. Already in our basement is a small freezer (that would hold a couple of cornies) left over from when we lived in Europe. The problem - obviously - is that this freezer operates on 220V, 50Hz while I am living 120V, 60Hz land. So the questions are: What would happen if I just plugged this baby into the wall? Or would you recommend a transformer (not a cheap endeavor)? If it is okay to plug it in "as is" would I still need an external regulator? Or would the reduced voltage just not fully power the compressor so that freezing temperatures wouldn't be reached? John McGowan Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:21:40 -0400 (EDT) From: Some Guy <pbabcock at hbd.org> Subject: Re: drunks Greetings, Beerlings! Take me to your lager... Dave Edwards feels inclined to distribute the following logic... > Who cares what other people think! If they think that, then more power > to them, but I still don't give a rats arse. The beauty of an opinion is > that it means nothing, it is someone else's thought and is of little > consequence to your actions. If someone relates homebrewing with > drunkenness, is that really your problem? The answer is no, for all I am > concerned they can go....... > So it is regardless whether or not I like being referred to as a drunk > just because I brew, I do it for me, not them. In a word, bullshit. "Opinion" of this nature plays into politics. Politics plays into such things as blood tox levels and whether or not home brewing is allowed in any repective area. Remember prohibition? That was based on opinion, too. And there are those working for its return - particularly here in the states. They're just being more cautious this time. Sometimes simply making it inconvenient to do so through such means as the ever-lowering blood levels associated with DUI infractions. Another problem in the US is the association of home brewing and moon shining. Opinions, again, but I recal a certain COPS episode where a home brewer was raided as a moonshiner. No, I think opinions can have a huge bearing on what you are ultimately allowed or not allowed to do. > And yeah some guy, that was a whinge you made. Is whinge supposed to be whine? Again, I think not, but you're entitled to your opinion. Unlike the diametrically opposed opinions relative to the dangers of associating drunk with home brewer (in most reasonable communities), this particular opinion is universally ineffectual... - -- - See ya! Pat Babcock in SE Michigan pbabcock at hbd.org Home Brew Digest Janitor janitor@hbd.org HBD Web Site http://hbd.org The Home Brew Page http://hbd.org/pbabcock "The monster's back, isn't it?" - Kim Babcock after I emerged from my yeast lab Saturday Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:45:30 -0400 From: Jeff Renner <nerenner at umich.edu> Subject: Tasty Lite Brewers For our son's recent wedding reception, I brewed a 1/4 bbl. of "lite" beer (OG 1.037) for the masses. I am happy to say that the CAP was more popular, but the Lite beer fans found it to be entirely unobjectionable, and homebrewers and others who like tastier beers found it to have enough taste to be enjoyable. I certainly enjoyed it. It had about as much flavor as a good American standard lager, even a little more bitter than I than expected, perhaps because it was so dry, but it was a nice, clean bitterness, not at all harsh, probably because of FWH. I'd choose it over any standard American beer, and certainly over a Lite anything. (I've considered calling this Classic Lite American Pilsner (CLAP), but see note at end. One young guest came without his girlfriend, who really likes lite beer, so I helped him CP fill 24 bottles to take back for her - he said he was really excited about giving his girlfriend a case of the CLAP. How's that, Dr. P?). Anyway, I basically reduced the grain bill for a CAP to 75% and substituted rice for half of the corn and also substituted carapils for 10% of the 6-row (added to saccharification rest), then mashed at 119F for 50 minutes, then added the cereal mash and boosted to 148F for a 60 minute saccharification rest, then a foam stand rest of 20 minutes at 162F, then mashed out. This resulted in a remarkable FG of 1.006, or 84% apparent attenuation. I FWHed with Liberty and used Saaz for bittering, and both for t-15 minute addition. Fermented with repitched 300 ml thick (like putty) Ayinger yeast at 48F-52F, then lagered at 32F for five weeks. If I make this again, I think I'll use all rice and see what difference it makes. Details for 7.75 gallons: 7.5 lbs 6-row malt 12 oz. DWC carapils 18 oz. corn meal 18 oz. med. grain rice, ground in Corona 1.2 oz. Liberty hops at 2.5% for FWH (~7 IBU, but FWH hops contribute a different quality bitterness) 1.0 oz. Saaz at 2.9% (~7 IBU) 0.1 oz. Liberty 15 minutes 0.1 oz. Saaz 15 minutes (these two ~<1 IBU together) Water - low alkaline, low sulfate as appropriate for pils. I used my temporary hard well water and treated 7 gallons with 8 tsp 10% phosphoric acid to 5.8pH for the mash, and boiled and decanted an additional 8 gallons for sparge. Cereal mash with rice, corn and 12 oz. 6-row at 153 for 20 minutes, then boiled 50 minutes, meanwhile started main mash (remaining 6-row) at 119 so it was ready after 50 minute rest for the cereal mash and carapils addition and boost to 148F for 60 minutes, then 162/20 minutes, then mashout at 170F. Collected 7 gallons (last runnings 1.3P! - overshot a little, good thing I treated the water) and diluted for boil. Note that the long 119F rest was slightly below a typical protein rest, and it didn't have any apparent adverse affect on mouth feel or foam stand - in fact, the foam stand was the best I've ever had, probably from the carapils. I got this mash schedule from the talking to Steve Michalak of A/B at MCAB - I think it was the Bud schedule, but it may have been the Bud Lite schedule. I found that we weren't talking about the same thing at least once. Really, let's not let the CLAP acronym stick; there's nothing classic about this style, and calling it classic anything detracts from CAP. Let's call it Lite American Pilsner if it needs a name. I'm open to other suggestions. Jeff -=-=-=-=- Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, c/o nerenner at umich.edu "One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:51:56 -0400 From: "Czerpak, Pete" <Pete.Czerpak at siigroup.com> Subject: weiss yeast, british ale yeasts, other stuff, San Fran. info need Thanks jethro for such a stimulating post - certainly a first for some humor from you. usually you only pass along useful brew info or Hop God info to make the hopheads mouths water and heads spin. my spun around twice or three times ;) paul comments on an article of weiss beers. i have to admit that I pitch a hopefully good sized (twice scaled up) starter of yeast and haven't gotten too much banana ester flavor either - only clove. perhaps I pitch too high and am not stressing the little yeasts enough. my ferment temp is around 64-66F too. i think mike also comments on weiss beer yeasts. my experience is mostly with 3068. i think I may raise the ferment temp next time as this is supposed to improve ester production to more banana flavors. too low is supposed to emphasize clove I think. Greg asks about a multi-beer british ale yeast. My favorite british/london yeast has been 1028 because it works so well in lots of brews - I have used it in stouts, porters, IPAs, bitters, barley wines, browns. i like the fact that is it a dryer yeast. what characteristic do you want emphasized in your brews - malt or hops or neutral? i think 1028 emphasizes the last two more than malt. wyeast 1098 seemed a bit too fruity for me as it threw tons of esters even at low ferment temps. I have used 1968 for a FESB clone and it seemed to work okay. I would like to try this one again for sure maybe this fall. as for the others, I am only beginning to explore. I just asked for comments on Thames valley vs. London ale 3 the other day. no responses yet but I did end up purchasing thames valley and its swelling up nicely. I plan on first scaleup tomorrow morning. I don't use Whitelabs since I can not get it locally so have no comments on their strains. 1028 just happens to be a workhouse yeast for me that I like the characteristics of - I love it for both american and british styles of IPA. and it works well in barley wine too. it seems to do good as well with multiple repitchings. Interesting array of postings lately.... Pete czerpak albany, ny PS. Could somebody provide me with a couple good beer stores in san francisco area as I will be out there this wkend and next week and would like to pick up some tasty brews to smuggle back to NY. Incidently, I did get wednesday reservations for the Anchor brewery tour. Looking forward to some fresh steam and liberty. yahoo! if the stores are close to the brewery or tornado that is good since we will be at both locations. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 07:23:57 -0700 From: "Giznawz" <giznawz at bitsmart.com> Subject: white film floating in secondary Hello. I just looked around in the archives for messages regarding this problem and found quite a few questions but no answers. Apparently this is not an uncommon problem, but should we be led to believe that no one knows what it is or what its effects on our brew will be? I have a very thin milky-white film on top of my Oatmeal Stout, which has been in the secondary for less than a week. I followed all of the appropriate sanitizing procedures. The brew is at about 4.33% alc by vol. I do not see any floaters that weren't there to begin with (hops and such) and don't see any sinkers after 3 days with the film, although as dark as the brew is, it might be hard to tell. When the carboy is tipped, the film leaves a ring on the glass. The brew tasted fantastic at racking time. I haven't tried a taste yet from the secondary as I'm not ready to find out that my beloved stout may be ruined. Does it seem that this may be mold or some other kind of infection? Has anyone had similar experiences that turned out good? or bad? Thanks, Giz _______________________________________________ Why pay for something you could get for free? NetZero provides FREE Internet Access and Email http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 11:01:31 -0400 From: "Pannicke, Glen A." <glen_pannicke at merck.com> Subject: Sooky sooky - WTF?!? Pete Czerpak wrote Pat's part-time drunk reply: >Pat is right in that most people take drunk to be a >derogatory term and certainly not a compliment. Personally I think that its >okay or not nearly as bad for a homebrewer to call himself a part-time drunk >(which is what the original poster may have heard his brother or whomever >say). Its a whole nother ball-game to be calling people part-time drunk and >homebrewer if its not you saying it about yourself. i assume since its his >brother he meant it in the nicest joking way and didn't mean to start a war >up. I have to agree with Pat's comments too as Pete seems to hit it right on the nose. If I say this to a friend or family member, it is with an implied wink and a grin. The same as when I refer to myself as a "dirty Irish bastard" to others of Irish decent. I really don't care what strangers think of me - they're strangers. Call me apathetic, but let them think what they want. What does bother me however, is their ignorance and the perpetuation of a false stereotype which might influence what my friends and family think of me. When I think of my homebrewing I liken it to cooking. They're very similar in many respects. Does that make the amateur chef a glutton? No. So why should I falsely be labeled a drunkard? I have 1or 2 homebrews during the week and between 2 and 4 on the weekends. If I don't have a beer on a particular day, I do not feel that I miss it. No dependency. This excludes me from the technical requirements of being an alcoholic. I drink responsibly - with the rare exception of having a frosty one while target shooting. I'm sure this is a stigma which we'll all have to bear with, but you can be sure that I am not going to do anything to perpetuate it. Now, after watching a Bud Light "Whazzup" commercial, what's your perception of an individual who drinks Bud Light? Mine is that of a lazy, immature good-for-nothing. Really great marketing guys! But I must admit that the "Wasabi" one makes me laugh ;-) 'Nuff said. Carpe cerevisiae! Glen Pannicke http://www.pannicke.net "He was a wise man who invented beer" - Plato Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 11:25:11 -0400 From: mohrstrom at humphreypc.com Subject: 0.05 DUI Ant Hayes awakens from a dream to land in a nightmare: > Today I woke to the news that our DUI limit has been > dropped from 0,08 to 0,05. Are you trying to tell us that the 0.08 limit was INEFFECTUAL in prevented drunk drivers from causing accidents??? How could this be? If statistics tell us that half of all fatal accidents are caused by drunk drivers, then what is being done to keep the sober drivers -- causing the OTHER half of the fatal accidents -- off the road? Mark (with increasing blood pressure) in Kalamazoo Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 10:51:24 -0500 From: Matthew Arnold <revmra at iname.com> Subject: Re: British ale yeasts On Wed, 26 Jul 2000 00:22:44 -0400, you wrote: >1098 British This is/was my favorite IPA/Bitter yeast until recently. Something seems to have "gone off" with this strain. It doesn't want to ferment out completely anymore and it doesn't want to drop out anymore. More than a few people on this list have commented about that too. Tis a pity. Does anyone know of a good substitute? I really like the intense fruitiness this yeast imparts. Hey Skotrat! I know you are/were a 1098 fan too. Has the strain gotten any better recently? Matt Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 09:15:55 PDT From: "Leland Heaton" <rlheaton at hotmail.com> Subject: Re: My first Batch. Recently, I wrote to HBD for my first time (~2 weeks ago). I had tasted my "green" first batch, and it tasted like "$2.99 VONS brand charcoal-filtered vodka," but still smelled like good beer. No affiliations with VONS, just drank their vodka and really found it to taste horrid :). And for all you Aussies / non-Californians, VONS is our local "grocery store." Well here I am, just past 3 weeks from my brew-day. I was told to sit on my beer, and wait it will mature. I found someone who actually brewed the same kit I did, and told me it took 8 weeks for his to mellow. So what did I do? Well I didn't have my ingredients yet, and I just couldn't handle the pressure. I snapped! On Saturday, 3 days premature to 2 weeks for bottling, I cracked open a bottle. This is what I discovered: I opened the bottle. **HISSSSSSS**. Well I know that it carbonated! I poured the bottle into my glass. There was a head! Oh what a beautiful head it was. I quickly smacked myself, remembered all my tasting lessons, and quickly smelled the beer as soon as it was done pouring. Holy frog balls! It still smelled like what we like to call in the beer world, BEER! Once again I proceeded to slap the crap out of myself. I had a job to do. I crossed my fingers and prayed to the hop god. Took a sip. And it tasted like.....once again..BEER! I am very happy. It is very good beer. It tasted a lot like Sam Adams Boston Ale. I tasted another bottle last night and it tasted different, still green I think. Is that right, 2 bottles to taste differently? I apologize for not telling HBD sooner, but I have been super busy at work. So I do apologize. I thank you all for all of your help. But now for my other story. I do remember the thread going a while ago, and I do not want to restart it, because I thought the aussies were going to bomb the world. But I went to happy hour with my work buddies on Friday. When a co-worker and I arrived one of our co-workers had already bought the first pitcher. So I sat down and had a glass. It tasted ok, not like anything that I had tasted before. But it was cheap beer, nothing more. It was my first legal happy hour, so I bought the next pitcher. I didn't want to upset the group, so I asked what we were drinking. I was told whatever I wanted etc. Well I asked what we were drinking, and when he told me, my mouth hit the floor. He said Fosters. I couldn't believe it. So I had it. I didn't think it was as bad as the light beers, because it had hoppiness to it. But it was just cheap beer. I didn't like it, but I didn't dislike it. I am not planning on picking up a 12pack, or ever buying it again. I just thought when I tasted it, it was going to taste like dog piss. Not the human pee that it did. Just thought that I would let the aussies' cut into me :). Pat as to the whole being a part-time drunk. I understand where you are coming from. I used to walk to class, and just because of my general demeanor (ok so I am a little wacko), people used to think I was drunk everyday, all day, whenever they saw me. I would walk across campus and at least 2 people would ask me if I was drunk. When I really didn't drink much at all. People just assumed I was. I didn't like it. But I agree that maybe he was just teasing his brother, even though his brother probably is not apart of the HBD, and the guy who wrote the post was a total moron. But I still agree with you. Thank you again. Leland ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 12:42:38 -0400 (EDT) From: Frank Tutzauer <comfrank at acsu.buffalo.edu> Subject: pellets for dry hopping Marc asks: >I've heard that dry-hopping with pellets prevents infection (compared to >using whole hops or plugs) because there is less surface area for >bacteria to attach themselves to and grow on. Is this true? Actually, it's the other way around: pellets have *more* surface area than whole hops or plugs. I know that many swear by whole hops for dry hopping, but I once asked the head brewer of our local micro whether he would use pellets or whole hops for dry hopping, and he said that in dry hopping surface area is the name of the game. The greater the surface area the easier for aromas, etc., to infuse into the beer, so he used pellets. Makes sense to me. I find pellets to be easier in all stages of brewing so use them almost exclusively, dry hopping included. Of course, this doesn't answer your question about infection :( frank Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 13:11:32 EDT From: Hudson333 at aol.com Subject: Problems Growing Hops Help! I have successfully started growing my own hops for the first year and all five plants are doing tremendously well. I have a good amount of cones on each plant already. I do not think I will be harvesting 2lbs from each plant but I expect to harvest enough for at least one batch when the time comes. Here is my problem. I have developed a significant amount of mite webbing on one of my plants, the Cascade to be exact. I diagnosed this from a web site that had pictures of hop diseases etc... First of all, what do I use to control or get rid of this problem? I am sure I may need to spray all the plants and this leads me to my next question. If I do spray the plants, do I need to worry about getting the chemical or whatever I use on the cones? And if so how do you get the residue off or how do I make sure I have it all off before throwing them in while brewing? Personal emails are ok and preferred. email: Hudson333 at aol.com Carl Hudson Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 11:28:25 -0600 From: "Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies" <orders at paddockwood.com> Subject: 1275, 1318, drunks and Milds 1275 is a wonderful yeast for bitters, and a generally clean high attenuation yeast. It's our favorite for bitters and pales. 1318 is much fruitier and sweeter. I prefer to use 1968 when I want a full malty flavour for ESBs, porters etc. For Pete's Wee Heavy the 1275 has the attenuation but not the flavour profile. 1728 is the best I think. Musings on drunks, part or full time and beer. I love beer. And I don't mind the buzz. But the taste is all-important. Lower gravity means I get to drink more beer! My quest, like a previous poster, is the perfect Mild. (But that doesn't necessarily mean low gravity, just low bitterness. But my Milds are lower gravity as well and I'd like to brew a perfectly full flavored Mild at about 3.5%.) I'm getting close with my Hurricane, OG: 33 IBU:15, but I think I need to tweak the OG upwards and use a higher mash temp and bigger bill. FWIW, Beeston's Amber contributes masses of malt flavour, unlike any other Amber. It is really its own category, not comparable to other Ambers. It has a flavour somewhere between a roasty Biscuit and a Special B. It's an essential ingredient in the Hurricane, which needs as big flavour as it can get at such low gravs. I also use only floor-malted Maris Otter in the Milds, again to have big flavour from the base malt. We have a massive flavored mild, that may fulfill one posters request for a low-alcohol porter. Our Breakspeare Dark Mild has loads of roasted flavour, so it tastes like a porter. Dark Crystal and Black patent give it its flavour. Use Maris Otter again, and a high mash temp. Would anyone care to share a big flavored Mild recipe? Stephen Ross -- "Vitae sine cerevisiae sugant." ______________________________________________ Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies, Saskatoon, SK orders at paddockwood.com www.paddockwood.com Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 16:47:37 EDT From: Osew at aol.com Subject: Malolactic Cultures For Cab Sauv Kit Hello HVDers, It is about time we bottle our '99 wines and start planning for the 2000 harvest. I have located several grape sources nearby and look forward to doing my second grape wine. I learned lots from the HVD, reading, networking with the local pros and 'just doing it' during '99. Made a few mistakes but bottled 3 cases of Chardonnay that promise to be more than enjoyable once it rounds out. In the mean time, I have inherited a Selection Series kit made by Brew King. 15 liters of juice and concentrate that make 23 lilters/6 US gallons. The kit is a Cabernet Sauvignon. No mention is made of conducting a malolactic ferment, MLF. Why? Would I ruin the kit if I introduce a MLF culture? It is my understanding that this grape usually is taken through MLF. The kit instructions are geared to complete the wine within 6 - 8 weeks. I am not in a hurry and would like to process it as if I were starting with pressed juice. The kit calls for adding bentonite and oak shavings to the primary on day one. This is not done until dryness is reached and after a cold conditioning period of 30 - 60 days for wines made from fresh picked grapes. Will I go wrong by treating it in a more traditional manner? I produced a bright Chardonnay without any finings at all, bottling after 9 months. Thanks, Wendell Ose - Reston, Va. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 17:18:10 EDT From: "Bob Sutton" <anerobe at hotmail.com> Subject: Fruit Fly Adjuncts Mark.Rancourt at PSS.Boeing.com asked has anybody brewed with fruit flies lately? Mark, generally spring and fall are optimal seasons for fruit fly brewing here in South Carolina. I find that the heat and humidity combine to produce a lethargic effect which results in a tart lactic-acid like after taste. While this complements many a stout or robust porter, it overwhelms the Belgians, wits, and ales I favor in the summer months. I've thought about substituting gypsy moths, which are highly active in the summer months here, but it's such a pain to sneak up on them while they are resting in the pre-dawn hours - a time when I too am resting. Many folks have written me wondering when to introduce fruit flies into the brewing process. I believe that a modified hopback is the optimal solution, and properly executed, results in a subtle black cherry aftertaste. In addition I've noticed that the head retention lasts well until the last sip. Perhaps the protein load is enhanced. In September, I plan to experiment with "dry-hopping" the flies in the secondary, and I'll report back here at that time. Thanks for your interest. Bob Fruit Fly Brewhaus Yesterdays' Technology Today ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 20:13:29 -0500 From: "John or Barb Sullivan" <sullvan at anet-stl.com> Subject: Answers from Steve Michalak of A-B John, Listed below are the submitted questions with my response. I've enjoyed working ith you and interacting with the brewers in your organization. Good Luck, Steve Michalak >1.Tim Fahrner asks: > >My question is about scaling recipes from large scale to homebrew sized >batches, and vice versa. Specifically, are you aware of any grist >components which do not scale linearly from one size to the other? For >instance, can the percentages of specialty malts, roasted malts, >adjuncts, etc. from one recipe be simply multiplied by the total units >(lbs., Kg, or whatever) of a given batch size to give the same results? I >realize that hop utilization rates will vary from large to small scale >batches, so hopping rates are not a primary focus of my question. A. In my experience, grain bills scale up predictably both for extract and wort color. >2. Darrel Leavitt asks: > >Thankyou for agreeing to educate us! I have heard that one of the main >differences between Bud and Busch is that the former uses rice as an >adjunct, while the latter uses corn. Are there other major differences >that may concern all-grain homebrewers who, on occasion, try to make >lighter pilsners and lagers for friends who may not like the darker ales? > A. You are correct. The biggest difference between Budweiser and Busch is that Bud is brewed with rice and Busch with corn grits. Rice produces a cleaner, crisper profile while corn grits provide a smoother, sweeter profile. Additionally, Budweiser uses imported hops such as Alsace (strisslespalt),Select, and Hallerau. Busch is brewed with mild domestic aroma hops. Essentially the same brewing techniques are applied to both brands. >3. Micah Millspaw asks 3 questions. > >1. does A-B still use strain masters? A. Yes in some of our older breweries we still use our strain master technology. However, lauter tuns technology has made sufficient advances in recent years that they are our preference for current expansion/modernization projects. >2. does A-B use whirl pools or cool ships to settle wort? A. I don't believe we've used coolships since prohibition. Our cooling train starts with a whirlpool separator followed by hot wort aeration. This patented step cools our wort about 40F but this step is intended to drive off the wort components that will produce the dimethyl sulfide (DMS), cream corn flavor. After the hot wort aerator, wort is cooled with plate-in-frame heat exchanger and then allowed to settle further in a cold wort settling tank. This cold wort settling, a process step that is rarely used by brewers, allows further removal of trub. Trub will produce undesirable harsh flavors. After the cold wort settling, the wort is aerated, pitched and pumped into a fermenter. >3. does A-B reclaim the parcipitate from the whirl pool (or other) >and return it to a later mash? A. Hot trub is recovered from the whirlpool tanks and blended into our spent grains. Spent grains, as you may know, are recycled as the favorite feed for cattle. We do not recycle anything back into the mash. >Will Kolb asks: > >Ask a young beer drinker living in STL (21 y/o drinking age in Mo. and >19 y/o across the river for men and 18 y/o for women) I remember >buying cases of Busch for my buds and I at about 5 bucks a case. I >seem to remember the cans had much larger and brighter green pine >trees on them. I all so remember Busch only being available in the >STL area and then later becoming a premium beer and thus becoming >available everywhere. Am I remembering correctly or has all the AB >brewery tours of my youth fogged my mind.;-) A. Your memory is partially correct concerning the Busch cans. Busch, introduced in 1955, was sold in cans that displayed an alpine scene complete with bright green pine trees and chalets. In 1964, the can design underwent a change that dropped the chalets, changed the tree color to blue while increasing their size and more prominently displayed the Anheuser-Busch A & Eagle. The pricing seems about right. >Jeff Renner asks: > >Here's one for him - can you ask him about protein rests with modern >malts? We have heard that they are unnecessary and can even be >detrimental. Perhaps he could tell us what the mash temps are for >Budweiser. I believe it includes a rest at 119F stepped up to 148 with >the cereal mash addition. A. You heard correctly. Protein rests are not necessary with today's well-modified malts that provide ample free amino nitrogen for yeast growth. Traditional rests around 124F can produce gums which will hurt foam. Budweiser is mashed-in at 109F and converted and 147F. Return to table of contents
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