Ask Dr. Beermeister

Q. I did not have any label paper recently and HAD to get some labels onto
   my beer (it was a matter of reputation). I tried using milk and it didn't
   work. Then I tried diluting regular white glue and dipping the labels
   in it. This didn't work either. As soon as the labels dried and the
   bottles were chilled, all labels fell off (as did my reputation). Are
   there any other common household items I could have used? Would it have
   been easily removed?

A. My solution is to use glue sticks. They come in various brands, all I
   have tried worked fine. It is a bit of a pain getting the glue out to the
   edges of your label. What I like is after five minutes of soaking in water,
   the labels fall off. Maybe someone out there has another good solution.


Q. What is toasted malt?

A. Toasted malt is pale malt that has been lightly toasted in your oven just
   before you make your beer. The usual recommendation is to put one half
   pound to a full pound (spread into a uniform layer on a cookie sheet)
   into a preheated oven at 350 F for 10 minutes. After you take it out,
   let it cool a little and then crush it for your beer. The advantage to
   doing it yourself is that the fresh toasty aromas and flavors are still in
   the grain. You can't get this character from grain that has been shipped
   across the country and has sat on a shelf for months. With 10 minutes of
   baking, you darken the grain slightly, but it will not look like crystal
   malt. Experiment with longer times if you are interested. You do not
   have to mash toasted malt. Treat it like other specialty grains. After
   grinding it, put it in a sauce pan with cold water. Heat it almost to
   boiling, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let it set for 15
   to 20 minutes.  Then strain out the grain and dump the flavored water
   into your boiling kettle.  Have fun with it!