HOMEBREW Digest #677 Thu 11 July 1991

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


Contents:
  aeration (Bill Crick)
  Mackeson Stout (Mike Charlton)
  Hops. (Ken Schriner)
  Re: Double Bock (Chris Shenton)
  Wo kann Ich kaufe Weizenbier Hefe von MeV? (Chris Shenton)
  RE: Homebrew Digest #676 (July 10, 1991)  (Death is the only Solution)
  Ninkasi beer (Rick Myers)
  Power Brews, Brew Pub Guides, Aeration (hersh)
  Yeast start (POST)
  possible aphid solution ("Peter Karp")
  Small batches
  strange fruit (lg562)
  dry brewing?!?! (Dave Barrett)

Send submissions to homebrew%hpfcmi at hplabs.hp.com Send requests to homebrew-request%hpfcmi at hplabs.hp.com [Please do not send me requests for back issues] Archives are available from netlib at mthvax.cs.miami.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1991 11:25:51 -0400 From: hplabs!bnr-vpa!bnr-rsc!crick (Bill Crick) Subject: aeration Regarding pumping air into wort: there is a local outfit, named Spirit Brewing Systems sells a beermaking "machine" that is basically aplastic carboy, and a setup for pumping air into the wort. Their major sales pitch is to new brewers, or people who aren't brewers. The major point is that the problem with most hombrews is lack of oxygen in the wort, and their "system" solves this. The system is an aquarium pump, a small (1" dia.) filter holder, that holds a small filter disk, and a "special" airstone that goes on the end of a tube that sticks into the wort. All of the equipment is "special, exclusive, designer, ..........", but to me it looked like your basic aquarium pump, lab type disc filter holder with 2um paper filters, and your basic aquairum pumice airstone. They recomend several hours of aeration after you do the basic open the can, pour and stir trick with the extract. The aeration system described should work well for those of you who want to aerate your wort. Oh, by the way, their extracts are special, better, exclusive...... ONe interesting thing is that the extract contained whole leaf hops. The beer they served was reasonable for a non boiled, corn sugar kit brew, but regardless of the name or style, they all tasted, and felt like an extra light draft style Anerican or Canadian lager. Bill Crick Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 91 18:58:23 CST From: mike at ranger.bison.mb.ca (Mike Charlton) Subject: Mackeson Stout We get Mackeson stout on tap at a local bar around here and I've had quite a bit of it. I've never had the bottled stuff, so what I have to say may or may not be relevant. Anyway, here is my impression of the beer. It is extremely dark (it seems even darker than Guinness, but I can't be sure as I've only had Guinness a few times). I've seen some stats about Mackeson (in Fred Eckhart's book and various other places) and I just don't believe the typical colour ratings given to it. Anyway, the beer is fairly bitter, but has a cloying sweetness that balances the bitterness nicely. The beer is quite mouth-coating which tends to hide the graininess. It is also fairly estery (I detect some cherry in it). Unlike many stouts, I don't detect any diacetyl. My brewing partner is quite enraptured with this brew and has devised a recipe that comes quite close. He doesn't want the recipe spread around just yet, though, so I'll give some hints without actually giving away his recipe. Lots of crystal malt (a pound or more). This gives the beer a nice smooth flavour and increases the colour without adding astringency (he used 60 Lovibond crystal, but if you can get 90 Lovibond, it might be even better). Most of the colour should come from black malt (pehaps a little chocolate malt as well), but no roast barley. Adding blackstrap molasses gives it a bit of a zing which I find necessary. Finally, the secret ingredient: lots of brewer's licorice (1 or 2 5 inch sticks). Ferment with an unattenuative ale yeast (a german alt bier yeast actually works quite well). For hops, northern brewer or something similar to the tune of 70+ IBUs (mostly bittering). Since Mackeson is brewed by Whitbread, he used a water treatment that comes close to the typical values given for London water. It seemed to work all right. I believe that the flavour the original poster was commenting on was probably a mixture of licorice and the flavour that occurs from adding molasses. The interesting thing about my above comments is that most of them fly directly in the face of the many recipes I've seen for Mackeson clones. All I can say is that my brewing partner's beer is extremely good and reasonably close to Mackeson. One other interesting note. My brewing partner and I have been trying to make a Guinness clone for some time and have tried the recipes from both Line and Miller. Neither of these seemed to have the "creaminess" that I associate with Guinness. Taking a cue from the experiments with the Mackeson clone, we added large amounts of crystal malt to our latest Guinness effort. In combination with the astringency of the barley, this produced that elusive feeling (I call it a feeling because it really isn't a flavour) of creaminess. Hope somebody finds this interesting, Mike Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 07:54:00 CDT From: Ken Schriner <KS06054 at UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU> Subject: Hops. All of this talk about hops has raised a question in my mind. When will Freshops have their 91 crop harvested and ready for sale? Every time I call them, all I get is a phone answering machine asking me for my order. Is there a "good" time to call? Does anyone have any information about the hops harvest in oregon? When is it? Will this year's be a good one? One note on aphids. I cure this in my garden by starting a fungus (or a mold or disease) to kill the aphids. Collect a bunch of aphids (no small task) in a container. Mash them up, let it sit for a while, add some water, spray it on the infected plants. These mashed up aphids end up creating some kind of plague for the still living aphids. They are usually gone in a couple of days, repeat as necessary. Of course, you have to use exactly a _bunch_ of aphids, and if you use more than _some_ water, no way this will work. :-) Ken Schriner (501) 575-2905 BITNET : ks06054 at uafsysb U of A, Computing Services Internet : ks06054 at uafsysb.uark.edu Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 11:11:17 EDT From: Chris Shenton <chris at endgame.gsfc.nasa.gov> Subject: Re: Double Bock On Tue, 9 Jul 91 08:38:56 EDT, hplabs!ames!rutgers!alliant.com!obrien (Bob Obrien) said: Bob> ... Sam Adams Double Bock beer [had] a nice malt flavor with Bob> plenty of hops aroma and taste. However I found it to be very sweet Bob> tasting. Is double bock supposed to be a sweet tasting beer ... I enjoy bockbier *very* much, but I found SADB annoyingly sweet and unbalanced; I won't drink it again -- too cloying. Yes, bocks in general and dopplebocks in particular tend to be sweet, but it's a maltiness, not a pure sweetness that you're after. And it should be balanced by a healthy dose of hops. Excellent samples of bock I've found include: Eggenberger Ur-Bock (pale), Ayinger [Mai]bock (amberish), or Celebrator (dark dopplebock). If you need a kick-in-the-head-dopplebock, try EKU-28 or Samiclaus. Bis spaeter! Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 11:22:11 EDT From: Chris Shenton <chris at endgame.gsfc.nasa.gov> Subject: Wo kann Ich kaufe Weizenbier Hefe von MeV? Where can I buy MeV's Weizenbier yeast? I used to get it from Brewhaus (TN), but he's stopped selling it. Thanks. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 09:48:43 PDT From: Death is the only Solution <"b_turnbaugh" at csc32.enet.dec.com> Subject: RE: Homebrew Digest #676 (July 10, 1991) Would someone please send me Digest #675???? Also would someone please send me some tips/recipes on making hard apple cider. Apples will be picked in a month or so and I have a juicer. I would like to make a sweeter cider. Thanks: Bob T. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 11:04:34 MDT From: Rick Myers <fc.hp.com!hp-lsd!hpctdpe!rcm at hpfcla> Subject: Ninkasi beer Full-Name: Rick Myers If Anchor brewery's recreation of the ancient Mesopotamian beer, Ninkasi, has piqued anybody's interest, well, they should check out the latest issue of _Archaeology_ (July/August 1991)! It has an excellent article written by the great(!) Fritz Maytag, along with Solomon H. Katz. They talk about some of the reasons why Anchor decided to brew the beer in the first place, such as answering the question, 'what did man make first, beer or bread?'. Anchor didn't just brew this beer to see how it tasted, but also to help answer this and other scientific questions about ancient history. The article has the most current translation of the 'Hymn to Ninkasi' which is found on a nineteenth-century B.C. clay tablet, which contains a recipe for Sumerian beer. The article also has some pictures of the Anchor brewing the ancient nectar. Check it out! "You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar, The waves rise, the waves fall. Ninkasi, you are the one who soaks the malt in a jar, The waves rise, the waves fall." Rick - -- Rick Myers rcm at col.hp.com Hewlett-Packard Colorado Telecommunications Division Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 13:13:30 EDT From: hersh at expo.lcs.mit.edu Subject: Power Brews, Brew Pub Guides, Aeration As a point of info, the Supreme Court has upheld that it is OK to limit commercial advertising (why cigarettes can't be advertised on TV & Radio), since advertising is not considered free speech (after all 45% of the price of a Budweiser goes to advertising & promotions, that's not free). Free speech is limited only to Political Speech essentially (artistic & religious also lumped in there). I agree that we must fight this insipid attempt to limit brew strengths. Perhaps we can convince George Bush (King George??) that this movement amounts to restraint of trade?? Unfortunately many states do already limit alcohol content in beers. >The editor/publisher of the _World Beer Review_, >Steve Johnson, has compiled 'the only current, comprehensive guide >to U.S. brewpubs and microbreweries' Oh contraire, Monsueir, Pat Baker's Beer Bar Atlas, also lists beer bars, brewpubs, etc.. for North America. It's cheaper, though perhaps less comprehensive. I had to get a plug in for this as I was a contributor. - JaH - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ assume that you are moderate in everything. you now have an excess of moderation, a contradiction. excessiveness is clearly the way to go... Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 11:05 PST From: POST at VAXT.llnl.gov Subject: Yeast start I would appreciate some input here, folks.... I brewed a nice pale ale on Sunday. I started the yeast on saturday (wyeast british, to be exact), it puffed by Sunday, went into the starter bottle, and was overnight in the brewfridge w/the primary Sunday night. Monday morning was the "innoculation" of starter into the primary. I laid a nice coat of CO2 over the wort after I racked into it, so the oxygen surface potential is rather low. I have *no* activity yet...I usually have a nice head by now. It's all been at 55F the whole time...Any comments, besides DWHAHB 8^)? Anybody else experience a long respiration lag lately? Yep, I've had several relaxing brews 8^).... thanks fer yer help, folks... THANKS,ROB, for a great digest... - -- _______________________________________________________________________ John Post | I'm the only responsible one.... Lawrence Livermore Lab | At least about this stuff. post1 at llnl.gov | post@ vaxt.llnl.gov | I'm from the government, and I'm here | to help you....Right! Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 14:20:15 EDT From: karp at unix1.cs.umass.edu ("Peter Karp") Subject: possible aphid solution I'm no gardener but I checked out Rodale's Encylopedia of Herbs to find some organic solutions to the attack of the aphids. Other plants may help keep aphids off of the hops. Borage is said to strengthen the resistance to insects and disease of any plants neighboring it". They also list the following herbs specifically for use against aphids "Most aromatic herbs, including catnip, chives, corieander, eucalyptus, fennel, garlic, larkspur, marigold, mustard, nasturtium, peppermint and spearmint". Spraying sacrificial plants with a hop tea may keep the little buggers away. Also try washing the hops vine with soapy water. Peter Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 15:48:03 EDT From: William Boyle (CCL-L) <wboyle at PICA.ARMY.MIL> Subject: Small batches I would like to start doing partial mashes, lets say 2-5 lbs of grains. I want to make a lauter tun, the old pail in pail type, what I would like to know is what size pails I would need for small sparges. I've heard that you should sparge with a minimum grain bed of four (4) inches, I have pails that are 9.5" in diameter are these to large? Also If anybody else does small batches could you please give any hints or tips on this size batch. B^2 Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1991 18:10:44 -0400 From: "N. Zentena" <zen at utcs.utoronto.ca> Hi, I've got a couple of questions I hope that somebody can help me with. First of all has anybody ordered from the AHA the book called "Hops" by R.A. Neve? At $60 I was wondering if it was worth the money. Secondly does anybody in the Toronto area grow hops? I planted several types this year and would like to know when I might expect the cones to be ripe. Lastly there is a company called American Brewmaster that advertises in Zymurgy which sells digital thermometers and ph meters has anybody dealt with them? If so what do you think? Is it a good deal? Thanks Nick P.S. are Saaz cuttings available in the spring from anybody? Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 91 17:32:59 PDT From: lg562 at koshland.pnl.gov Subject: strange fruit I have heard a lot of different things being put into homebrew, but I haven't heard of anyone using apricots. I have an apricot tree and was wondering if anyone had any experience with apricot beer. If so, how many apricots would work in a 5 gal batch without overpowering the beer? Thanks! Michael Bass Molecular Science Research Center, K2-18 Battelle - Pacific Northwest Laboratory Richland, Washington 99352 lg562 at pnl.gov Return to table of contents
Date: 10 Jul 91 22:36:16 EST From: Dave Barrett <DAVE.BARRETT at OFFICE.WANG.COM> Subject: dry brewing?!?! Recently there has been a fair amount of Miller (the so called beer) bashing, mostly about their treatment of hops oils and 'cold filtering'. This caused me to pay a bit more attention to the beer commericals I see on the tube. Last night I saw an ad for Bud Dry in which AB claimed that it is the only 'cold filtered and dry brewed' beer available. Does anybody know what the % at ?$?^$*??!! 'dry brewing' is? Its bad enough that they seem to be reluctant to get anywhere near hops, but are they now trying to tell us that they don't use water when they brew? Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #677, 07/11/91 ************************************* -------
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