HOMEBREW Digest #189 Thu 29 June 1989

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


Contents:
  food-grade bleach (Marty Albini)
  Sterilizing Agents (pbmoss!mal)
  Yet Another Siphon Start Method (Eric Durbin)
  cyser/melomel (mhalley)
  Starting the siphon (bryan)
  Siphoning-thank you, and bleach sterilizing (florianb)
  Help on email/surface mail (mhalley)
  Hop aromatic data and request for Kirin II hops (JOHN L. ISENHOUR)
  Questions on Ice, Plactic liners, proper airspace. ("Christian A. Ramsburg")
  programmable thermostats, whirlpooling ("1107-CD&I/VIRUS DISEASES")
  RE: Homebrew Digest #186 (June 26, 1989) ("Dr. Williams")

Send submissions to homebrew%hpfcmr at hplabs.hp.com Send requests to homebrew-request%hpfcmr at hplabs.hp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 28 Jun 89 7:35:04 PDT From: Marty Albini <hplabs!hpsdl39!martya> Subject: food-grade bleach The question of whether or not bleach is a good sterilizing agent has come up, so I asked my wife, who uses it to sterilize her goat-milking equipment. She says that the only food-grade bleach commonly available is unscented Clorox. Other bleaches may be just as safe, but apparently only Clorox has obtained FDA approval. Anything with fragrance, "super- duper whiteners and brightners", etc should be avoided in any case. _________________________________________________Marty Albini_______ phone : (619) 592-4177 UUCP : {hplabs|nosc|hpfcla|ucsd}!hp-sdd!martya Internet : martya%hp-sdd at hp-sde.sde.hp.com (or at nosc.mil, at ucsd.edu) CSNET : martya%hp-sdd at hplabs.csnet US mail : Hewlett-Packard Co., 16399 W. Bernardo Drive, San Diego CA 92127-1899 USA Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 89 08:01:02 -0700 From: pacbell!pbmoss!mal at hplabs.HP.COM Subject: Sterilizing Agents In HBD 188, Gordon Hester raised the subject of sterilizing agents. I, too use the near-universal bleach solution, but a few days ago I saw what may be a viable alternative. I was visiting a nearby microbrewery, where nearly everything was cleaned and sterilized with low-pressure steam, admittedly impracticable for the average homebrewer. BUT, for a contact sterilizing agent, he was using a spray bottle filled with the infamous Everclear! I may try this, after first smuggling a bottle in from a neighboring state. As it's nearly pure ethanol, it should do the job, without requiring rinse or leaving objectionable flavors. Comments? = Martin A. Lodahl Pac*Bell Minicomputer Operations Support Staff = = {att,bellcore,sun,ames}!pacbell!pbmoss!mal 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: Wed, 28 Jun 89 11:02:38 EDT From: Eric Durbin <ericd at ms.uky.edu> Subject: Yet Another Siphon Start Method I purchased the following contraption from a supply store in MN: ___ blow here-\ / -attach hose here: into target container \ | xxxx base-xxxx-seals top of source carboy || | | |-rigid tube to carboy bottom It consists of a base with two holes in it. Through one hole a rigid tube is inserted to the bottom of the carboy, with a hose leading into your target container attached to the other end. A small tube is inserted just through the second hole of the base. The base is then pushed down to seal the top of the carboy. You begin the siphon by blowing into the small tube until the liquid is forced up the rigid tube and into the attached hose into your target container. -- [] Eric B. Durbin (606) 233-6043 [] ericd at ms.uky.edu [] [] MN554 Univ of Kentucky Med Center [] ericd at UKMA.BITNET [] [] Lexington, KY 40506 [] {rutgers, uunet}!ukma!ericd [] Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 89 09:27:00 EDT From: mhalley at leif.mun.ca Subject: cyser/melomel Regarding the recent message about cyser: If you will check your back issues, you will discover that I sent a recipe for "melomel" a while back. This title covers ANY mead which gives the honey-yeast mixture a base other than water in which to begin its married life. That in which cider forms this base may be (and often is) called cyser. You want it? You got it. Ask Rob about back issues, or mail direct to me. Best ever,\ --Ye Olde Batte Return to table of contents
Date: 28 Jun 89 08:27:56 PDT (Wed) From: bryan%tekgen.bv.tek.com at RELAY.CS.NET Subject: Starting the siphon Lot's of different methods for starting the siphon, here's one more. I use a sterilized turkey baster. It is also handy to draw off samples for hydrometer readings. Bryan Return to table of contents
Date: 28 Jun 89 08:46:25 PDT (Wed) From: florianb%tekred.cna.tek.com at RELAY.CS.NET Subject: Siphoning-thank you, and bleach sterilizing Many thanks to all who replied concerning siphoning. The comments about filling the tube were appreciated, but may not apply since I use one of the stiff racking tubes (and love it). [frank (origin?)] replied with the answer I was looking for: >I found a great item at the local fish and pet store for starting >the siphon. It's a rubber bulb with a hole in each end big enough >for my siphon hose. I put one end of my siphon hose in the carboy this seems to be the most reasonable way to go. Again, thanks. Then gordon hester asks: >Since I've mentioned sterilizing with bleach solution, I'd like >to ask how others view this - I seem to recall reading somewhere >that some people think using bleach to sterilize is a bad idea. >True? False? Why? How careful are people in rinsing out whatever >sterilizing solution they use from fermenters and bottles? I've I used to know a homebrewer who left a portion of the bleach solution in his bottles prior to bottling! This subject came up a while back, and I commented on it. I use one tsp bleach in 1 gal water. Formerly, I emptied out the bottles and didn't rinse them, but they seemed to "hold a stink", so I have adopted the practice of rinsing them with hot water after the bleach solution. One of the books (Papazain or Miller's ) cautions against traces of bleach in the bottles--it could lead to chlorophenols apparently. As to how long to soak, I don't at all. A quick rinse seems to do it. For the larger containers such as the carboy and the primary fermenter, I rinse with bleach solution and shake it out, but don't rinse. I have relied on the principle of infinite dilution. However, I think I will now take the next step and rinse these with hot water as well. I consider the chlorophenol probability larger than the contamination probability. Incidentally, I never use sodium metabisulphite. After this horrendous stuff ruined a batch of cider, I will never again consider it appropriate for homebrewing. [Florian Bell, Boonesborough, Oregon] Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 89 13:39:00 EDT From: mhalley at leif.mun.ca Subject: Help on email/surface mail To florianb: I sent my metheglyn recipe to you at "florianb%tekred.cna.tek.com" and it came back undeliverable through bitnet. Whaddya want I should do now? You can send me a different email address, accessible by bitnet or send me a surface mail address, but do it soonish, as I'm preparing to leave in August and have most of my time scheduled until then. *OR* you could contact either Chuck Ferguson or Dave Scroggins, who apparently did receive their copies (I didn't get "returned undeliverable" messages on either of them). Sorry about screw-up, but I did warn ya. Warmth, --Ye Olde Batte Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 89 16:17 EDT From: <LLUG_JI%DENISON.BITNET at CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> (JOHN L. ISENHOUR) Subject: Hop aromatic data and request for Kirin II hops I was reading an article from THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF BREWING CHEMISTS "Changes in Hop Oil Content and Hoppiness Potential During Hop Aging" Foster and Nickerson 1985, when I ran into the following... Four catagoies of hop types became apparent... 1. High hoppiness potential when fresh and retains it after aging Kirin II, Wye Challenger, Wye Target 2. High potential when fresh, lost after aging Cascade, Galena, Brewers Gold 3. These show an increase of hoppiness with aging Hersbrucker, Tettnang, Record, Fuggle, Blisk, Eroica, Hallertau, M.F., Willamette, and Styrian. 4. Low hoppiness when fresh, low when aged (these were discribed as 'good keepers' but not good aromatic hops) Negget, Cluster, Perle, Columbia, and Olympic The Kirin II hop had and an aged 'aromatic' compound level of 9.68 micro-L per gram, with a 'citrus' value of 24.56. Most of the other hops had values in the 3.0 to 5.0 range! Does anybody on the net know where I can get some of this variety of hop? It looks like a really good aromatic. Thanks in advance... John Isenhour LLUG_JI at DENISON.BITNET (P.O. Box 714 Gambier OH 43022) Return to table of contents
Date: Wed Jun 28 17:10:50 1989 From: "Christian A. Ramsburg" <car7r at euclid.acc.virginia.edu> Subject: Questions on Ice, Plactic liners, proper airspace. I have access to a great quantity of distilled water and "clean" ice, and was wondering if anyone has any recomendations against using ice to chill the sterile wort. I have found that 8 pounds of ice will nicely chill two gallons of hot water. In the two references I have it doesn't mention the use of ice. I am also wondering whether anyone has a recomendation on plastic liners for brewbins. My brewbin has had a queer smell since I tried a batch of Cooper's Ale which bleach has not been able to remove. I didn't know whether anyone had tried liners.... And lastly, on UseNet someone was recomending leaving a very small airspace in each bottle so that there would be less propelent gas when the bottles explode. Any comments?? This is my first submission, so if this is in the archives, just a reference will do. I am one my seventh batch of extract M-F malts. I tend to brew in the lighter hues, and have enjoyed all except the Cooper's. Christian Ramsburg Gaucho at virginia.edu Return to table of contents
Date: 28 Jun 89 18:48:00 EST From: "1107-CD&I/VIRUS DISEASES" <henchal at wrair-emh1.army.mil> Subject: programmable thermostats, whirlpooling For those that have wondered how they can get better temperature control in the refrigerators they have converted to incubation chambers for their fermentors, I have the solution. I recently bought a HUNTER "Energy Monitor AC, programable thermostat" for room air conditioners. Hunter are the ceiling fan people. This handy unit plugs in between the line cord of your refrigerator and the electrical wall outlet. It accepts the standard 3-wire, grounded plug. It also has a remote temperature sensing element (wired) that you can put inside your refrigerator. It works by interupting the power to the refrigerator once the programmed temperature is reached. The unit has a small memory that allows for programmed temperature control within 1 degree. I have tested the unit and have found that I now can control my refrigerator temperature in the range 30 to 85 degrees Farenheit (the top of the temperature range depends upon the ambient temperature). Hunter Energy monitor AC model 42205 $49.00 I am not an agent for Hunter, just a satisfied customer. If anyone is interested in obtaining the unit and can't find it in their area send me a message. To Darryl Richman: You recent mentioned that you use the whirlpool method to prevent excess trub from being transferred to your fermentors. While I have heard that commercial breweries use this same method, I am not sure how the homebrewer can use this method. I don't think that this method will work for those of us who decant our wort to the fermentor....you must drain your boiling kettle from the bottom with a spigot. Am I correct? ERIK A. HENCHAL <HENCHAL at wrair.arpa> Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 89 21:29 PDT From: "Dr. Williams" <TIMS%wwu.edu at RELAY.CS.NET> Subject: RE: Homebrew Digest #186 (June 26, 1989) Please delete me from your mailing list Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #189, 06/29/89 ************************************* -------
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