HOMEBREW Digest #518 Tue 16 October 1990

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


Contents:
  liquid yeast (Kim Mills)
  Xmas Beer Recipe (John Bates)
  malting? (Chip Hitchcock)
  Return of the Green Bubbles (Martin A. Lodahl)
  distilled power drinks (florianb)
  Oxidation (John Cotterill)
  Boston homebrew and brewpubs (Tony Rossini)
  HBD #506 (Dave Sheehy)
  Cherries in the Snow ("Schoon,Timothy G")
  Germany/Denmark (summary to the net) (Fred Condo, sysop)
  Re:Kegs (hp-sdd.sdd.hp.com!hp-sdd.sdd.hp.com!ncr-sd!ncrcae!ncrmud!ncrmud.Columbia.NCR.COM!brew)
  re: Germany (synchro!chuck)
  ICEWINE (Bill Crick)

Send submissions to homebrew%hpfcmr at hplabs.hp.com Send requests to homebrew-request%hpfcmr at hplabs.hp.com [Please do not send me requests for back issues] Archives are available from netlib at mthvax.cs.miami.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 09:25:25 -0400 From: kim%nova.npac.syr.edu at hplb.hpl.hp.com (Kim Mills) Subject: liquid yeast I've been brewing for some time but am a complete beginner in using liquid yeast cultures. I'm looking for advice on sources of yeast starting and handling the cultures culturing for repeated use In my single experience with a liquid yeast culture, it took forever to get it started and immediately produced off-aromas. I took a chance and pitched it anyway. A few weeks later I had to pitch 5 gallons, a setback because it was an all grain brew. Thanks, Kim Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 09:17:13 MDT From: bates%palmen.Colorado.EDU at hplb.hpl.hp.com (John Bates) Subject: Xmas Beer Recipe Following up on my entry in Digest #517, Phil sez that his speciality beer recipe is still to be entered in competition and he does not want the recipe posted til after (i.e., after about Nov 15). He sez that it only needs 3-4 weeks, so it should be in fine shape by Xmas if I post it about then. I just tried one of my ginger beers brewed following CP's recipe in TCJHB. Although only in the bottle a week, it was really tasty. It will make a nice spicy beer by Xmas. Here's the recipe, 3.3 lbs Northwestern light ME 2 lbs DME 2 lbs wildflower honey 2 oz Hertsburger (Spelling?) boiling 1/2 oz Goldings finishing 2 oz fresh grated ginger boiling 1 oz fresh grated ginger finishing 2 paks M + F ale yeast started Start yeast in about 90F watered down wort. Boil malt extract, honey, hops, and ginger about 1 hr. Strain, then add finishing hops and ginger. Cool rapidly in tub, pitch yeast already started. SG=49, FG=14 after 2 weeks. Prime and bottle. This is a quite light beer with a nice ginger aroma and flavor. Regards, John Bates Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 10:15:04 EDT From: cjh%vallance.eng.ileaf.com at hplb.hpl.hp.com (Chip Hitchcock) Subject: malting? > From: sherwood at adobe.com (Geoffrey Sherwood) > The fact that malting is letting the grain sprout means that every > barley farmer is doing it goes right along with the stupidity of the whole > thing. I think malting is defined as letting grain sprout under controlled conditions, e.g. you can collect it after it has sprouted. I don't think that planting and watering seeds fits the definition.... Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 8:55:24 PDT From: Martin A. Lodahl <pbmoss!malodah at PacBell.COM> Subject: Return of the Green Bubbles In HOMEBREW Digest #517, James Hensley's beer has been attacked: > I just brewed a batch of brown ale ... > ... My worries started when I looked inside the > fermenter and saw a couple of HUGE bubbles ... > as well as several patches of bluish-green mould (akin to that on bread). > ... I was surprised to see that it seemed something killed off the > mould ... Should I toss this batch? James, I'm the last person to recommend dumping a batch, but the prognosis is not good. This sounds EXACTLY like what happened to a batch of Porter brewed by a friend of mine last summer: a sort of bluish- green "skin" over the surface, patches of what looked like bread mold floating here and there, and a few gigantic bubbles that lasted for days. Those who attended last Saturday night's Sactobeerfest (where a fine time was most definitely had by all [thanks again, Robert, for making it happen!]) can attest that Dave can brew, so this was something of an abberation. In time, the ferment took on a more normal appearance, and he bottled. The flavor was astonishing! It had an incredible note of mildew, that seemed stronger with every sip. I could still taste the stuff days later. Dave's going to try out the rest of the batch on the slugs in his garden. Nevertheless, I drank a bottle of it and survived, and Dave, who drank several bottles, seems still to be among us. Your apparently infected beer will be, er, memorable, but probably not lethal. = Martin A. Lodahl Pac*Bell Minicomputer Operations Support Staff = = malodah at pbmoss.Pacbell.COM Sacramento, CA 916.972.4821 = = If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, = = Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me! 8-) = Return to table of contents
Date: 15 Oct 90 10:06:02 PDT (Mon) From: florianb at tekred.cna.tek.com Subject: distilled power drinks In yesterday's HBD, Geoffrey Sherwood mentioned that the stated reason Fed's forbid distillation of fermented beverages might include the danger of producing methanol along with ethanol. If in fact the Fed's state that, it would be wierd, indeed. How, in the name of science, can methanol be produced from the distillation of ethanol-containing fermented beverages? I grew up in the Ozark mountain foothills of Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas. I had a friend who had a friend who had an acquaintance who knew where to get moonshine. I never bought any, but I tasted some once. It was smooth, tasty, and powerful--like fine Vodka. It just now occurred to me that since it's possible to brew great beer at home, it should be possible to produce great distilled liquor at home. Too bad it is illegal. I once heard of a European custom for making brandy. Wine is placed in a large boiling pot. A soup bowl, made of wood, is floated in the center of the pot. The lid to the pot is inverted, and placed on top of the pot. Ice is put on top of the inverted lid. The wine is then heated. As the distillate rises, it condenses on the cool pot lid, runs down to the bottom of the lid, and drips into the bowl. The bowl is emptied at regular intervals which balance between overfilling and losing the head of distillate by opening the kettle. I've never tried this since I don't like wine or brandy. But I thought of doing it with, say, a couple of gallons of cider. It should be possible to rig up some sort of cage to prevent the bowl from moving around, and to force it to be at the center of the pot. Maybe we could hear from someone who has tried this. Florian Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 13:07:44 PDT From: John Cotterill <johnc at hprpcd.rose.hp.com> Subject: Oxidation Full-Name: John Cotterill I have read numerous articles that mention the ill effects of beer oxidation due to air within carboys, transfer tubes, and bottles. Does anyone have any idea how much this oxidation affects the taste of the beer? If the effects are noticable, how can oxidation be reduced, especially due to air in the bottling process? Thanks, John. johnc at hprpcd.rose.hp Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 12:25:06 EDT From: rossini%biostat at endor.harvard.edu (Tony Rossini) Subject: Boston homebrew and brewpubs Thanks to all for replies about Boston. If anyone would like a summary, drop me a line and I'll email them to you (it contains comments about boston homebrew suppliers and brewpubs (both of them). I'd rather not post what must be redundant material to most of you... -tony (rossini at biostat.harvard.edu) Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 14:51:30 PDT From: Dave Sheehy <dbs at hprnd.rose.hp.com> Subject: HBD #506 Could someone send me a copy of HBD #506? I didn't get one for some reason and it's not in the archive at netlib either. Thanx, Dave Sheehy dbs at hprnd.hp.com Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 16:59:01 cst From: "Schoon,Timothy G" <SCHOON%GRIN1.BITNET at CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> Subject: Cherries in the Snow We are thinking of making "Cherries in the Snow" according to Pappazian's book. It says it takes years to age appropriately. Do you realy have to wait that long before it is good? Is there anything you can do to shorten the aging time? tim and jim Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 13:44:57 PDT From: fredc at pro-humanist.cts.com (Fred Condo, sysop) Subject: Germany/Denmark (summary to the net) A while back, I asked for information on Germany. I received two replies, which I've excerpted below. Of course, I hugely enjoyed Norm Hardy's recent series of postings on his trip to Germany. Again, if any HBD reader is going to be in or around Germany during December, I'd like to hear from you! cjh at vallance.eng.ileaf.com (Chip Hitchcock) wrote, in part: - If you're going to Switzerland, there's a local brew in Luzern (Pony? my travel notes are elsewhere at the moment)---OK standard and a good special dark (not cheap, but then in Switzerland nothing is). In Copenhagen - Be sure to do the Carlsberg tour; if you're lucky, the samples will include a new brew which is as close as they can get to what was brewed 100 years ago (all barley, a bit sweet, not as alcoholic). Maybe you can get them to explain how they keep outdoor primary fermenters at the right temperature (it was close to 80 at the end of August, and the winters are \cold/)---sheer inertia of 5e5 liters? - There are also stores downtown (e.g., Arcade, on west side of Tivoli just north of the gate) which sell singles of a large variety of local beers--- Carlsberg is now brewing something the label calls both "porter" and "stout". - There's a brewpub just south of Tivoli west gate, but I didn't have time to try it. - See also the "frikadeller" (huge buffet for around $20) in NW corner of the railroad station---great food in large quantities, and a dozen kinds of akvavit you can sample at tolerable prices. - most interesting tourist attraction (if you have any time) is the ruins under Cristiansborg Castle---shows layout and gradual expansion of previous castles that C'borg was built over. -=-=-=- "Andy Wilcox" <andy at mosquito.cis.ufl.edu> wrote: I just returned from Germany, stayed in Darmstadt, just south of Frankfurt. One of the best beers in my opinion (well, they were all damn good) was the Darmstadter Pils. Give it a try, you should be able to find it in Frankfurt. -=-=-=- I'll try to keep good notes while I'm there, although I could never hope to do as thorough a job as Norm Hardy. I don't think I could drink that much in just 3 weeks ! ;-) === Fred Condo. Pro-Humanist BBS: 818/339-4704, 300/1200/2400 bps Internet: fredc at pro-humanist.cts.com Bitnet: condof at clargrad UUCP: crash!pro-humanist!fredc [add ' at nosc.mil' for ARPA] matter: PO Box 2843, Covina, CA 91722 America Online: FredJC Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 90 22:36:11 EDT From: hplabs!hp-sdd.sdd.hp.com!hp-sdd.sdd.hp.com!ncr-sd!ncrcae!ncrmud!ncrmud.Columbia.NCR.COM!brew Subject: Re:Kegs Let's try this again. The first time I sent this message, it bounced. >Hello, >I was just reading the latest Zymurgy and discovered an add for alternative >Beverage companies stainless steel kegs. I called them and the told me they >are shipped "as is from the soda manufacturor." I was wondering if anyone >reading the digest has purchased kegs from this outfit and what quality the >kegs were ? > >Tkx > >Doug I have not bought kegs from them, so I can't answer what shape they may be in. I called them about 2 weeks ago asking about their kegs, and all they had in stock were Coke kegs (ones with pin lock connectors). I ordered 2 Pepsi kegs from Art's Brewing in Salt Lake City. They arrived in fairly good shape, with the plastic Pepsi and Diet Pepsi seals intact. (These are plastic bands that loop through the bail on the lid which must be broken to open the keg.) Cost was $25 + $2 handling each plus $7.40 shipping to South Carolina. I plan to drive up to Charlotte within the next few weeks to buy some fittings from Alternative Beverage and will report on what I find. PS: Is Pete Soper still around? I have tried quite a few times to contact him and have gotten no reply. I am also having trouble getting things from the archive. Usually mail just disappears with no indication of anything wrong, although I have received some things. Jim Griggers * * * * * brew at ncrmud.Columbia.NCR.COM * * 408 Timber Ridge Dr. * * West Columbia, SC * * * 29169 * * Return to table of contents
Date: Mon Oct 15 11:35:05 1990 From: bose!synchro!chuck at uunet.UU.NET Subject: re: Germany Norm Hardy complains that the AHA needs to train beer judges better... I assume that you are unhappy about a score you received in a competition. If you have a serious complaint, you can tell the AHA/HWBTA judge program about it, simply send a copy of your score sheet(s) to the AHA (the address is in Zymurgy) and explain your problem. Judges can be reprimanded. As for training, the judge program provides NO training of any kind. Judges are expected to be self-educated. Most of us started by reading & re-reading Jackson, Papazian, Miller, etc. Book-learning will get you only so far, practical experience at brewing and tasting various styles is absolutely necessary, but does not guarantee knowledge of every style. In order to advance through the ranks, judges have to gain experience by judging. Yes, some judges make a career out of judging only ales, but you can be assured they are not judging obscure lagers, especially at a National competition. In fact, the AHA makes a token effort at using properly experienced judges for some of the more specific styles in their National competition, especially for things like British Bitter, Lambic, Kolsch, etc. While there is no requirement, most of the highly ranked judges (National & Master) have been to Europe and tried the beers they claim to know, and avoid judging the beers they haven't tried at the source. Keep in mind also that the judging program is still in its infancy, not all judges have had the chance to travel enough to realize how ignorant they really are. If you really want to improve the program, become a judge yourself and let others gain from your experience. In summary, your Alt could get judged by someone who thinks those California Alts define the style, but in the National there will probably be at least one judge who has been to Dusseldorf and tried the real thing. Of course, he/she may prefer the blander commercial Alts to the tasty brewpub Alts, but nobody's perfect. - Chuck Cox (uunet!bose!synchro!chuck) - Hopped/Up Racing Team - Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 1990 17:51:32 -0400 From: hplabs!ames!gatech!bnr-vpa!bnr-rsc!crick (Bill Crick) Subject: ICEWINE Icewine is made from grapes that have been frozen on the vine. The water freezes out, and when they are pressed while still frozen, they yield a juice of >50Brix (>50%sugar). The place I talked to them about it (Rief Wines) said that they pick and press the grapes in February after several days of <-15C weather. It is very expensive, because; they buy grapes in October, but if the weather cycles too much before it gets cold enough, they can loose the grapes, no one wants to pick and press (outdoors) grapes at -15C, and they don't get a lot of wine per grape. They have been producing world class gold medal icewine in the Niagra area for ten years. The weather conditions are good in that they ussually get cold enough weather to get the harvest in. Two wineries I know of that make it are Rief, and Hillbrandt both of Niagra Falls Canada. They charged to taste it, and upon having it, I said that they should give the samples free because they would sell some to anyone who tries it. He said they have no trouble selling all they make! I usually buy a 1/2 bottle every year. It is more like an expensive liquer, rather than a wine. It has tremendous arroma, and concentrated grape flavour. It will keep for several weeks after being opened in the fridge (so they say! I've never had a bottle last more than a few days;-) ). It can be drank as soon as you buy it, but it is supposed to improve tremendously with 10-25 years aging! I've gto a bottle tucked away, and I'll tell you in 2015;-) To get a buttery, nutty flavor in your beer, boil all of your brewing water to drive off the oxygen. This will cause the yeast to create more Diacytl. Then put finings in at teh end of promary fermentation to strip the yeast out early. Note because you are growing Bonsai yeast, the secondary fermentation will take longer than you expect. Sam Smith's hear we come! Someone wanted to make Olde Peculiar? Well I saw something somewhere that adding about 5% of total malt weight of treacle (molasses??) will produce "that Olde Peculiar taste". Brrrr!ius ergo EisWien! Bill Crick Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #518, 10/16/90 ************************************* -------
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