HOMEBREW Digest #2480 Fri 08 August 1997

[Prev HBD] [Index] [Next HBD] [Back]


	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.
				URL: http://www.oeonline.com


Contents:
  stout systematics (DAVE SAPSIS)
  Re: Foreign Stout viable style? (Jacques Bourdouxhe)
  Grain Mills? ("Rick Creighton")
  pH problems ("Frederick L. Pauly")
  pH problem more info ("Frederick L. Pauly")
  Extraction Troubleshooting ("Rick Creighton")
  Color Guide? ("Rick Creighton")
  Big Bubbles v. Tight Bubbles CO2 (Racso Lesiam IV)
  Re:  Tropical Climate Ale Fermenting (BernardCh)
  Specific G. convertion to Plato? (Troy Hojel)
  Jethro on DWC, Eisbock-A Botulism Free Report ("Rob Moline")
  LP Gas and Burner Questions (mike hoag )
  BTUs 'n' BATF (Samuel Mize)
  Botulator ("Steven W. Smith")
  Question about EDME Brewcraft kegs (Veryanoid)
  keg baggage ("Bryan L. Gros")
  mini-keg w/ Brew King tap ... first impressions (Jim Graham)
  more on labels (Mark Tumarkin)
  Labels again ("David Augsburger")
  label again ("David Augsburger")
  Malta Test-Drive (KennyEddy)
  De Wolf-Cosyns bait-and-switcheroo ("Grant W. Knechtel")
  197 Dixie Cup Homebrew Competition & "fair" contests (Sean Lamb)
  RE: Eisbock - The BATF has spoken... (Volker R. Quante)
  Bob Klein's Book (Brad Kazmer)
  Follow-up to the burners thread (AJN)
  RE: Best Temperature Controller ("Sornborger, Nathan")
  Honey Brown ("John Penn")
  removing goo from kegs ("Curt Abert")

NOTE NEW HOMEBREW ADDRESS: hbd.org Send articles for __publication_only__ to homebrew at hbd.org (Articles are published in the order they are received.) If your e-mail account is being deleted, please unsubscribe first!! To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE send an e-mail message with the word "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" to homebrew-request@hbd.org. **SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS MUST BE SENT FROM THE E-MAIL **ACCOUNT YOU WISH TO HAVE SUBSCRIBED OR UNSUBSCRIBED!!! IF YOU HAVE SPAM-PROOFED your e-mail address, the autoresponder and the SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE commands will fail! For "Cat's Meow" information, send mail to brewery at realbeer.com Homebrew Digest Information on the Web: http://hbd.org Requests for back issues will be ignored. Back issues are available via: Anonymous ftp from... hbd.org /pub/hbd ftp.stanford.edu /pub/clubs/homebrew/beer E-mail... ftpmail at gatekeeper.dec.com (send a one-line e-mail message with the word help for instructions.) AFS users can find it under... /afs/ir.stanford.edu/ftp/pub/clubs/homebrew/beer JANITORS on duty: Pat Babcock and Karl Lutzen (janitor@hbd.org)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 08:25:31 -0700 From: DAVE_SAPSIS at fire.ca.gov (DAVE SAPSIS) Subject: stout systematics Dave in Dallas (hi Dave!) wonders about the utility and necessity of the Foreign Stout classification, and postulates that other existing styles cover the range. I have often wondered about the distinctions amongst black ales myself, particularly distinguishing very robust porters from stouts, but I do feel that the Foreign style is unique. Let us look a little more closely at what we have: Irish style dry stout: roughly 10 Plato, assertively bitter, and bone dry. Usually creamy texture due to viscosity and method of dispense. Sweet stout: 11-12 plato, full body low hopping, rich finish. Oatmeal Stout: often somewhat of a hybrid between the two above, but to higher gravity. Imperial Stout: big, vinous, and black; ostensibly a black barleywine. Now let us look at a number of beers out there on the market and try to place them into one of the above: Sierra Nevada -- 16 plato, assertively bitter and dry. To my mind, this is close to bottled Guinness Extra, but drier and stronger. Possibly a North American Variant of dry stout, as many brewers are making basically a dry stout but to 15-18 plato. Anderson Valley Barney Flats oatmeal-- like above but considerably richer and fuller, with an off dry finish. This seems rather like: ABC, Guinness in Oz, and Dragon (which is on the sweeter side), which to me are the archetypes of the Foreign style. I would also put Cooper's Stout (and Grants Imperial as well) in this grouping. The are uniformly rich and full bodied with noticeable ETOH, all finish with an off-dry character with hints of roastiness, chocolate, and soy. It seems that the Stout family spans a big range of strength, sweet/dry balance, bitterness, conditioning, etc. Some of the beers mentioned are certainly similar, and I for one, have no real need to distinguish to too fine a detail. However, we should recognize that the moniker of Stout spans such a range, and that what we call it *can* help match expectations with perceptions. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 11:35:13 -0400 From: bourdouj at ERE.UMontreal.CA (Jacques Bourdouxhe) Subject: Re: Foreign Stout viable style? Hi braumeisters, Dave in Dallas wants to kill the Foreign Stout style. Please Dave, don't do that, Foreign extra stout must live just because the only medal that I won in a homebrew competition was with a ... Foreign Extra Stout. I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong, but Foreign Stout was a stout brewed with a stronger O.G. to avoid being contaminated by.. botulism. Dave, I have a title for your next post: India Pale Ale -- viable style? Jacques in Montreal ************************************************* * Oh beer! O Hodgson, Guinness, Allsop, Bass! * * Names that should be on every infant's tongue * * ( Charles Stuart Calverley ) * ************************************************* Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 97 11:44:16 EST From: "Rick Creighton" <rcreighton at smtpinet.aspensys.com> Subject: Grain Mills? I'm thinking about buying a grain mill, because my brewing has reached the point where I may start buying grain in bulk. I have pretty much narrowed it down to 2 mills, the "Valley" and the adjustable "Schmidling", due to their massive throughput, crush quality, and guarantees. I have used both (in stores) and like them both, but I'm having a bit of a time making up my mind. The only drawback I can see to the Schmidling is that it doesn't have true "parallel indexed" rollers (but the Valley does). However, the Valley is sort ofawkward in it's construction, being very tall. They both are easy to motorize. and both have nice long, high-leverage handles, and good sturdy bearings. And they both crush pretty good on "standard" settings. So does anyone have any more advanced experience with either of these mills? Any pointers, research, or opinions? (Oh, yeah, I've already pretty much memorized the Zymurgy issue on mills from a couple of years ago!) - --Rick Creighton Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 12:10:20 -0400 From: "Frederick L. Pauly" <flp2m at avery.med.virginia.edu> Subject: pH problems The pH of my tap water is 5.0 Is there anything I can do to get it into the proper range for brewing? Thanks Rick Pauly Charlottesville,VA Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 12:51:08 -0400 From: "Frederick L. Pauly" <flp2m at avery.med.virginia.edu> Subject: pH problem more info I asked about how to raise my tap water pH from 5.0 to the proper level for brewing but I should have said mashing, sorry, Rick Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 97 13:06:23 EST From: "Rick Creighton" <rcreighton at smtpinet.aspensys.com> Subject: Extraction Troubleshooting First off, I'd like to thank everyone who responded (Whew, that was FAST!!!), and the verdict seems to be in, even if the info I gave was a little sparse. >From what everyone is saying I am probably having one of 2 problems: 1) my hydrometer or thermometer are mis-calibrated (which is entirely possible, considering that they are both more than 3 years old, and were inexpensive, beginners-grade pieces at that...) and causing problems with boils, mashing, sparging, etc... or 2) this is simply the nature of my setup (which many of y'all seem to also be using!) and the "fix" is to just use more grain (which IMO isn't really a solution, just a band-aid!) So I guess I need to start by checking the calibration of my instruments, which I will do as soon as I get them back (I left them at my friend's house, because I had to take the "metro" home, and couldn't carry all my brew gear). However, since it seems that an aweful lot of y'all have this same problem (although not to this extent!) I'm going to give more intimate details of the process of my last batch (the one that read 30 degrees off!). If we put our minds to this system, we SURELY can find a better solution to the extraction deficiencies than just throwing more malt into our mash. Ther just HAS to be a way to better optimise this system... I used the "Smoked Porter" recipe from a recent Zymurgy. Grain schedule was thus (just under 8 lbs total malt): 6.5 lbs Halcyon 2-row British malt 0.5 lbs black malt 0.5 lbs roasted malt 0.5 lbs crystal malt 6oz Scottish peat-smoked malt (All malt was crushed in a motorized Valley mill, with "standard" spacing.) I use 3 brew pots (inexpensive ones from Caldor or Ames): (1) 5 gallon stainless steel (2) 4 gallon stainless steel This particular batch was made on an electric range (which I HATE! Why doesn't anyone put gas stoves in their homes anymore?!?) I put all the grain in the pot at once, with enough hot water to cover the grain (I had brought about 2 gallons up to 200F in another pot for topping it off, and already had 1 gallon in the mash pot, which I poured the grain into) I stabilized the mash between 150F and 160F (by my thermometer) and held it there for 1.5 hours. While this was mashing, I used my other 2 brewpots to bringa total of 4 gallons of water to boil (fpr sparging), then stabilized the sparge water at 170F. When my mash was ready (by the clock) I scooped a few ladles of grain into the Igloo-Tun (to be sure that the Phalse bottom was segure and weighted down) and then carefully poured th rest of the mash into the Igloo. I put 2 gallons of 170F water in teh "top" tank (which is uninsulated plastic) and began trickling water throught my "Phils" sparging arm. Rate of throughput was about 1 gallon/15 minutes. We ran off about 6.5 gallons (ran it until the runoff was like a light nut-brown ale) split between 3 brewpots, then set them to boil. I broght them all three to a gentle boil, threw in Perle hops pellets, and let them go for 1.5 hours. 15 minutes before the end of boil, I threw in a few pinches of Irish moss. The whole mess boiled down to almost exactly 5 gallons, which I poured into my 6.5 gallon priming bucket, and threw in my submersion wort chiller (which I had just added a prechiller coil!), and believe it or not, we brought the whole batch down to 80F in under 7 minutes!!! I sprayed it into my cargboy, via a standard racking hose with one of those sprayer/aerator attachments, and took an OG reading. It said 1.023. The recipe said it should be around 1.052... We tasted the sample from the hydrometer jar and it tasted GREAT (for "baby" beer!) It has a VERY porter-like flavor and a nice medium body mouthfeel. This was at about 4am (we got a late start!). We pitched a packet of Wyeast 1968 London Special Ale (started about 8 hours earlier). By lunchtime the next day it was foaming happily away... We'll see in a few weeks how it turns out. I'll keep y'all posted... Thanks for all the direct-mail responses!! - --Richard Creighton Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 97 13:10:01 EST From: "Rick Creighton" <rcreighton at smtpinet.aspensys.com> Subject: Color Guide? Does ANYONE know where I can get a few of the "Davison Homebrew Color Guide cards? I have called just about every brew store in the Washington DC area, and no one has them, or even knows where to get them. I'm going to be judging at a big SCA event (Society for Creative Anachronism, a medieval historical re-enactment group) next week and I would like to have one for myself, and a few to lend/give/sell to the other judges... - --Richard Creighton Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 10:28:19 -0700 From: Racso Lesiam IV <dhcous at pacbell.net> Subject: Big Bubbles v. Tight Bubbles CO2 I've expermented with a 12-gallon batch of German Pils split between 2, 10-gallon corny keg/fermenters. Both kegs were fermented in the same controlled temperature environment (48 F fridge). One keg was allowed to ferment freely (with a blow-off tube) to the desired terminal gravity. The other keg was fermented freely to a point, then it was sealed with a 15 psi pressure relief valve and allowed to naturally carbonate to the same desired terminal gravity. Once fully fermented, both kegs were transfered to smaller 5-gallon korny kegs. The keg that wasn't allowed to naturally carbonate was forced carbonated at 30 psi for 1.5 days and 35 F. Through subjective tastings, both kegs appeared to have the same level of carbonation (concentration of dissolved gas). However, the keg that was naturally carbonated has finer, smaller bubbles, while the keg that was forced carbonated had larger, cruder bubbles by comparison. I've repeated this experiment a couple times with similar results. I'm convinced there is a difference (partical physics?). If you're not convinced, talk to a wine aficionado. Similar results are well known, documented, and completely accepted in the sparkeling wine/Champagne industry. Bulk or Charmot method Champagne (Totts, Cooks, etc.) which is forced carbonated, has large, crude bubbles. Higher quality, naturally carbonated Champagne (Method Champagnoir, [spelling?]: bottle conditioned), has small, refined bubbles. Wine insiders tell me this is due to the carbonation technique, not factors such as grape quality. I think we can learn something from our wine friends here. Racso Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 13:30:51 -0400 (EDT) From: BernardCh at aol.com Subject: Re: Tropical Climate Ale Fermenting Capt. Battreall asks in HDB 2478 about maintaining temps for fermentation by placing his carboy in a 10 gallon Igloo/Gott Style cooler. >I place my >6 gallon glass carboy into the cooler and fill the cooler with water >to the level of about where the wort comes. Then, I wrap a cloth towel >around the top of carboy just enough that it still touches the top of >thewater so it stays soaked and provides evaporative cooling. In addition >to that I drop a cup or two of ice cubes in the water and some I actually >stick to the wet towel and I have managed to maintain a temp of 58-62 F. I did just this sort of thing before taking the plunge and buying that chest freezer. I made a new lid out of 3/4 plywood (about a 14 inch diameter circle) and cut a 2 - 3 inch hole in the center where the airlock would come though. Next screw a few small wood screws to the underside of the plywood lid (you'll see why later). Go to your local Home (its always on the other side of the store) Depot or other such place and buy a can of the expanding foam insualtion called "Great Stuff." Place and center-up the carboy in you cooler then place a plastic drop cloth over the carboy and kinda form it to the carboy (dont worry about the carboy opening for now, just sick a stopper in it) Make sure the plastic hangs over the edge of the cooler about a foot all the way around. Spray the foam insulation in the depressed area around the carboy and then place the plywood lid with the screws down over the still wet foam (the wood screws act as anchors to keep the foam attached to the lid). This stuff expands a lot so you might want to experiment wih its "expansion rate" before squirting on top of your carboy. Place a concrete block or other weight on top of the plywood and let the foam harden overnight. The next day lift the lid out of the cooler, pull the plastic off, trim the foam up around the center hole and presto, you've got and insulated form fitting lid where the airlock comes out through the center. I was able to ferment this way and hold a temperature of about 50 degF with only about a 4 degree variation. Just added a tray or two of ice cubes a day to maintain temperature. Also draped a big heavy old blanket over the top (except the airlock) to held with the insulation. Hitting 58 - 62 should be a breeze. Just a note of caution. Make absolutely sure that the plastic covers all parts of the cooler otherwise it will stick to the sides of the cooler and probably ruin your cooler. Chuck BernardCh at aol.com Music City Brewers Homebrew Club Nashville, TN - Music City USA Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 11:15:19 -0600 From: Troy Hojel <hojel at flash.net> Subject: Specific G. convertion to Plato? Can anyone help me with an *accurate* formula for Specific gravity- Plato conversions? In "Brewing" (by Lewis ? Young) there is a conversion table but the figures are rounded up. I'm looking for a formula to add to my spreadsheet. I appreciate the help. Troy - ---------- Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 97 11:03:40 PDT From: "Rob Moline" <brewer at kansas.net> Subject: Jethro on DWC, Eisbock-A Botulism Free Report The Jethro Gump Report *A Botulism Free Report* >From: Keith Busby <kbusby at ou.edu> >Subject: De Wolf-Cosyns >A homebrew supplier I talked with recently has stopped selling DWC malt >on the grounds that its quality has become inconsistent recently. Is this a >widespread view? Having used Schreier 2 row, and DWC Specialty malts for the last 2 years and 7 months, (93,000 lbs), my opinion is no. I love the stuff and plan to continue using it. Eisbock- Jeff McNally states what I believe to be the real deal. Due to an currently developing situation, I am unable to find the circular, but BATF made it very clear in one that water removed in the form of ice must be replaced with an equivalent amount of water, later in the process. The fact that one, or several BATF agents would give different answers is no surprise. When going through label approvals, I had varying opinions stated by different agents, and went through weeks of BS, to be finally told that we didn't need label approval, 'cos we filled our growlers 'on demand.' That is, we didn't pre-fill them. But it is obvious to me that one can't count on a definitive answer to a question unless they state it in writing. And then, this is only useful as a defense, should another agent deem your operation to be in violation. Remember, the BATF has had to struggle to keep up with the explosive growth in the industry, using regulations largely written in the 1930's, and often having to dispatch agents to breweries whose real expertise is firearms. Like my cousin Forrest said, "S**t Happens." Cheers! Jethro (I'm Off To See The Wizard) Gump Rob Moline Little Apple Brewing Company Manhattan, Kansas "The More I Know About Beer, The More I Realize I Need To Know More About Beer!" Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 97 11:43:17 PDT From: mike hoag <hoagm at homebrew.corp.cubic.com> Subject: LP Gas and Burner Questions Good day fellow HBers- I am currently building a 18 gal two level RIMS and the final detail I don't quite have worked out relates to my burner selection. My boiling kettle is 18" in dia. I looked around at all the available burners and have not been satisfied. I want something that has good flame control but gets hot enough to boil quickly without scorching. I would prefer a burner that is larger in diameter than any of the low and high pressure burners I have seen so as to more evenly spread the flame. I did contact Solarflo - they do have some beautiful large diameter burners - but the >$200 price tag scared me away (for now). Anyway (to make a short story long) I came upon the idea of using three six-inch dia. low pressure (34k btu) burners in a triangle pattern under my kettle ($15 ea from Metal Fusion). I think this would work, but unfortunately (apparently) I know very little about gas flow and pressure. I will be using a standard 20lb LP tank (dedicated to the kettle - I have another one for the hot liquor tank) and I need to know what I have to do to properly regulate the pressure to the three burners and still get adequate flow. Will a standard low pressure regulator be sufficient? If so, what size plumbing do I need? If not, do I need a high pressure regulator and reduce plumbing size so as to restrict the flow? How does gas pressure relate to btu capacity? And where does orifice size come into it? Will the low pressure be more likely to allow Botulism to RUIN MY BEER? Or will the high pressure get me in trouble with the BATF because of increased evaporation rates (evapobock)? Any gas experts out there? (not the digestive kind! ;^) As usual, private email is fine (I will summarize) unless someone who KNOWS about this is willing to give a lesson. Have a nice day, Mike Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 14:04:27 -0500 (CDT) From: Samuel Mize <smize at prime.imagin.net> Subject: BTUs 'n' BATF Greetings, >From: AJN <neitzkea at frc.com> >Subject: Is 15000 btu enough? > >I have found a single propane burner rated at 15000 btu's for $14.99 US. >I would use it on my 12"dia 5gal stock pots for mashing and boiling. > >This seams like it would be enough for mashing, but would it be enough for >boiling? Just a burner, or a whole cooker? It's a good price for a cooker, about normal (I think) for just the burner. If it's the whole cooker, where are you finding it? The following is boiled (mashed?) from a scan through DejaNews. Normal stovetop burners are generally in the 8K-13K BTU range. One poster noted that his 9K BTU stove burners were inadequate, but his 12K BTU stove burners did the job. He keeps the pot's lid mostly on to get a rolling boil. He didn't note how long it takes. Anecdotal evidence indicates that electric stove elements heat a pot better for a given BTU rating. So, you may get little or no improvement, depending on the design of your current stove and the design of the propane burner. If you're going from an 8K gas stove burner to a 15K propane, you might get about 1.5 times as much heat into your pot. If you're going from a 12K electric element, you might be lucky to break even. The general consensus is that 35K BTU cookers are adequate for 5 gallon batches. Some people prefer to move up to the 100+ BTU cookers, especially if brewing batches larger than 5 gallons. Note that BTU ratings don't measure the heat going into a pot, just the amount of gas going out of the burner. Unburned gas and/or poor design will reduce the heat input you get for a given BTU rating. There is some discussion that anything above 50-100K BTU is probably just spewing BTUs past your kettle into the air. Precision Brewing appears to use lower BTU ratings in their equipment. I assume their design is using the heat output of the burner more effectively than a Cajun Cooker does. (I haven't seen their designs, but it isn't hard to imagine something more efficient that an open flame in an open frame.) Where to get 35K-170K cookers: Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Sam's are often mentioned. Also, look in the Yellow Pages under 'Fireplace Equipment', 'Camping Equipment' and 'Surplus & Salvage' stores. If you are comfortable doing gas plumbing: "look in the salvage yards for used Apartment Complex type small stoves.... You should be able to get one for $10 to $15 -- you would have to do some cleaning though." To increase your efficiency: protect the cooker from the wind. Some people drape foil over the pot as a shroud -- I believe this is to reflect heat back into it. If using a stove, lay foil around (not on) the burner. Safety issue: natural gas is lighter than air, and will dissipate (if there is enough ventilation). Propane and butane are heavier than air, and can pool on the floor and/or in low places. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >From: Scott Dornseif <dornseif at wwa.com> >Subject: recent issues > >HEY! > >Will the BATF come and bust down my door if I freeze my canned wort in >order to concentrate the botulism toxins? > >Scott Only because the AOB has not done anything about it... - -- Samuel Mize -- smize at imagin.net -- Team Ada (personal net account) Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 12:24:21 -0700 (MST) From: "Steven W. Smith" <SYSSWS at gc.maricopa.edu> Subject: Botulator Howdy, and g'day! With the dual bugaboos of the B.A.T.F. and Clostridium Hystericus whirling through my consciousness lo these many months, something finally snapped last night: I prepared an eisbock with Casual Sanitation! :-O I named it Botulator (in deference to y'all) and it's a happy beverage, reminiscent of EKU 28 without the body. Now that I've faced my fears I'd like to do it again in a big way, like, multi-gallons in a keg. I used a 2-litre PET bottle to freeze in, so the total output was pretty small. I've got a few questions about the process if anyone would be so kind as to share some tips. 1, My "precursor" beer is very similar to Shiner Bock, is a heavier beer (dopplebock?) more appropriate for this activity? Would a bigger beer yield a noticably greater volume of eisbock? 2, What kind of gadgetry/technique is used to process _gallons_ rather than litres? 3, Is there any need to crush the ice glob before straining, or is it best to remove it in a lump? 4, Light carbonation is appropriate? (y/n) 5, Is there anything worthwhile to be done with the ice portion? Any helpful hints other than "watch out for germs and the Feds!" would be most appreciated. TTFN. _,_/| Steven W. Smith \o.O; Systems Programmer, but not a Licensed Therapist =(___)= Glendale Community College. Glendale Az. U syssws at gc.maricopa.edu, staff.gc.maricopa.edu/~ssmith Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 15:42:57 -0400 (EDT) From: Veryanoid at aol.com Subject: Question about EDME Brewcraft kegs Does any use these? How much priming sugar for 5 gallons? Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 12:33:21 -0700 From: "Bryan L. Gros" <gros at bigfoot.com> Subject: keg baggage cwynn at sawyer.ndak.net (Craig Wynn) wrote: > >Can I get on an a US comercial flt.carrying a 5 gal korny? >What's going to be asked if I try and check it in as baggage? Hope this isn't too late. I've checked kegs before as baggage. Keep the cover with you and show them it is empty. Worked fine with me. Sometimes if you see a good deal, you got to grab it. - Bryan gros at bigfoot.com Oakland, CA Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 17:46:23 -0600 (CDT) From: Jim Graham <jim at n5ial.gnt.com> Subject: mini-keg w/ Brew King tap ... first impressions Well, before I get into that, let me first thank those who have replied to my previous post. I've gotten some good information ... and from what I can tell, mini-kegs may not be as unpopular as I'd started to think! :-) Now, as to my first impressions (and I mean that literally---I just got the tap tonight, and have drawn exactly one pint from a mini-keg of Diebels Alt).... First, it was very easy to get everything setup and working. It was almost too easy. :-) Based on suggestions I've gotten (and I was wondering about this, myself), I'm keeping the CO2 off when I'm not actually drawing a beer). I'm hoping that will minimize any problems with leaks, too. Second, I found the pressure adjustment to be pretty finicky. But then, I might not have let enough pressure from the keg before turning on the CO2, so who knows. It seems (again, based on *VERY* limited use) that the pressure needs to be turned up fairly high before it does anything, but once it starts having any impact, the tiniest bit of turn on the regulator makes a *BIG* difference. Third, and this may well be the result of being happy to have the thing, it does seem like the Diebels Alt tastes better when drawn with a CO2 tap instead of the destructive taps where you puncture the keg. It's been a week plus since I tried it before in the mini-keg, so it's hard to say...but.... The real test will be time (i.e., after the new wears off, etc.). The second real test will be when I get enough mini-kegs to keg a batch of homebrew, and sample it! :-) Oh, one more comment: the keg + tap just barely fits (height) in my beer fridge. But it does fit. :-) Again, to those who have already replied, thanks. Also, for those who asked for summaries, etc., don't worry---I will definitely post that. I want to wait a bit, though, and see if I get any additional replies to this or my previous post to the HBD. Later, --jim - -- 73 DE N5IAL (/4) MiSTie #49997 < Running Linux 2.0.21 > jim at n5ial.gnt.net || j.graham at ieee.org ICBM / Hurricane: 30.39735N 86.60439W Jack: DS B+Bd+O+W Y+G 1 Y L W C+ I+++ A++ S V+ F- Q++ P++ PA PL-- SC++++ Shadow: DS B+C Y+B 1 Y L++ W+ C+ I+++ A++ S+ V-- F+++ Q++ P++ PA++ PL+ SC++++ Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 19:14:55 -0400 From: Mark Tumarkin <tumarkin at mindspring.com> Subject: more on labels I have also tried a number of adhesives for labels. I had started with self-adhesive label paper but that was expensive and unsatisfactory. I then tried plain paper put on with milk. That worked ok and was cheap, but as others have mentioned, they tend to come off in water (as in an ice chest). I have been using the glue sticks for some time now and am pretty satisfied. The other problem with labels is that if you use an ink-jet printer, the ink tends to run when it gets damp (let alone in an ice chest). So what I started to do was to run off a sheet of 6 to 8 labels on my printer, and then take them to the local Kinko's copy center and get as many sheets as I would need for my batch run off on their color copier. The quality of the graphics was quite good and the ink from the copier doesn't run anywhere near as much as my printed labels. It was better, but still not totally satisfactory. Recently I found what seems to be the solution. I print the labels on my printer and then for some of the batch that I want for ice chest use, I cover the label with clear contact paper. I still use the glue stick, but the contact paper protects the paper label and ink from the water. Works great. It's definately more hassle and a little more expensive, but the labels sure get rave reviews at club events or parties. Brew on, Mark Tumarkin The Brewery in the Jungle Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 21:01:38 -0400 From: "David Augsburger" <daugsbur at monroe.lib.mi.us> Subject: Labels again Another $.02, I use regular office supply bought 1 by 4 inch labels. If you own a printerthey work great. Just put the label on the cap. There is no washing the label off. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - When I die, I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin. I wonder would they know it was me? - --The Ginger Man, J.P. Donleavy David Augsburger daugsbur at monroe.lib.mi.us Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 21:07:12 -0400 From: "David Augsburger" <daugsbur at monroe.lib.mi.us> Subject: label again Forgot one thing. Print four labels to one 1 by 4 inch label. Takes a little in set up. With four on one label, the label fits on the cap. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - When I die, I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin. I wonder would they know it was me? - --The Ginger Man, J.P. Donleavy David Augsburger daugsbur at monroe.lib.mi.us Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 23:22:29 -0400 (EDT) From: KennyEddy at aol.com Subject: Malta Test-Drive Having been curious about malta since earlier this year, when I began experiemnting with low- and non-alocholic brewing, I had been searching to no avail in my area to find some commercially-prepared malta. I finally scored, at Smith's grocery in Las Cruces, NM (in the same section with the hot sauces and mole...) As Venezuela's own Lorenzo Barquin thoroughly reported in HBD2341, malta is basically unfermented and carbonated wort. I found some "Malta Hatuey" for $4.79 a sixer, and figured what the hey. First, some info from the package: - ----- Malta Hatuey (is "Hatuey" going to be my response to the first sip?) A non-alcoholic cereal beverage A beverage brewed from filtered water, barley malt, caramel malt, mellomalt, fructose, corn syrup, and hops 12 ounce serving contains: Calories: 240 (!) Total Fat: 0 Sodium: 26 mg (2%) Total Carbohydrates: 60g (21%) Sugars 45g Protein: 2g (2%) Produced by special authority and under the supervision of Bacardi and Company LTD, Nassau, Bahamas Brewed & bottled by Modelo Brewing Co, Auburndale, FL 33823 - ----- According to Barquin's report, malta is a 14P (approx 1.056) wort composed of 80% pale malt, 15% caramel malt, and 5% chocolate malt. I suppose the chocolate is what "mellomalt" is, since this stuff is black as an imperial stout (could be coloring too). I measured Hatuey's gravity at 1.065, not far off Barquin's specification. How did it taste? Pretty good, actually. It was very lightly hopped, though as sweet as is it, it could have deceptively-high IBU's, though I doubt it. Just a hint of hop in the finish. Compared to wort hot out of the mash tun, serving it cold and carbonated is an improvement. So if you like to taste your runoff, you just might like this stuff. The kids might like it too. But I wouldn't make too much; you'll be fat and puking by the time it's gone, and since it's unfermented, letting it sit around too long is asking for trouble unless you can find a way to pasteurize it. Here's a prototype recipe based on Lorenzo's posting: 2 gallons of Malta P'tooey 4 lb pale ale malt or 3.3 lb unhopped extract 3/4 lb crystal malt (your choice of color; 60L might be good) 1/4 lb chocolate 1 tsp Irish Moss last 15 minutes of boil 152F single infusion mash (or specialty-grain steep in two gallons of water) Sparge enough to kettle to yield 2 gal after 1 hour boil (or top off to volume near end of boil if necessary) Hop with 1/4 oz Cluster (7.5% aa) 60 minutes Chill & force-carbonate -- DO NOT ADD YEAST!! Allow plenty of time before racking from the boiler for the break to settle, or filter the stuff. If you have commercial or home-made "carbonator" bottlecaps, you could get this stuff from mill to fridge in a few hours. ***** Ken Schwartz El Paso, TX KennyEddy at aol.com http://members.aol.com/kennyeddy Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 20:34:06 -0700 From: "Grant W. Knechtel" <GWK at hartcrowser.com> Subject: De Wolf-Cosyns bait-and-switcheroo Keith Busby wrote in hbd 2478: A homebrew supplier I talked with recently has stopped selling DWC malt on the grounds that its quality has become inconsistent recently. Is this a widespread view? Can't say I have my finger on the pulse of the malt industry, but this sounds like an old switch tactic when specifically asked for a superior, lower profit margin product. "Oh, we don't carry that anymore." " Why not?" " Because, the quality is inconsistent, this (No Name) is better, etc, etc." Some electronics and photo retailers have been doing this for years, it probably started before written language. "You don't want King Tut brand embalming spices - these Queen O'Sheba's are better. They're just too new to have been reviewed yet..." I do know that when faced with this kind of merchandising in other stores, I tend to get hacked off and shop elsewhere. I've been lucky thus far to have not met it in homebrew shops, but it's bound to happen - there's always a small percentage of people who aren't entirely honest. This post is probably too late for the next HBD, so if previous posts have proved me wrong, I'll have to drown my embarrassment in beer... -Grant Neue Des Moines Hausbrauerei Des Moines, Washington Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 22:53:09 -0600 From: slamb at ghg.net (Sean Lamb) Subject: 197 Dixie Cup Homebrew Competition & "fair" contests It's that time of year again. Time to.. SUBMIT YOUR HOMEBREW to the 1997 Dixie Cup Homebrew Competition Yes, the only Galactic home brewing competition will be held October 24-25 in good ol' Houston, Texas. When you submit your entries (and you will submit!) they will be due on 3 October. The fee will be $6.(Maybe more if I think you deserve it.) Those of you who are late to submit will be penalized. I know how much you enjoy that. When you come to the Dixie Cup (and you will come!) you will participate in a Beer and Sausage tasting with Fred "The Master" Eckhardt, and you will be taught the ways of the UberBrewer by George Fix and Dave Miller at our Milli-Conference. You will drink the brewed-for-the competition "Dominator" dopple bock. You will judge the malt liquor category by drinking directly from large bottles in paper bags - and you will like it! Send me e-mail for entry info or visit the Houston Foam Ranger Homebrew club's web place at www.foamrangers.com. About the "fairness" of competitions: the 1996 Dixie Cup was the largest club-run competition ever in the Galaxy with 982 entries. The Foam Rangers had 212. Was the competition fair? Hell no! We (the Foam Rangers) "fixed" it so that we came in 4th in club "point" totals (1 pt. for 3rd place, 2 for 2nd, 3 for 1st) and lost the Dixie Cup trophy for the 2nd year in a row to the Central Florida Homebrewers. We did this with our patented BTS (Beer that sucks) recipies and techniques. If your club wants to learn to fix competitions with this technique, let me know and I can arrange for the transmission of the proper information. Sean Lamb One of the Happy Humanoids in Friendswood, TX http://www.ghgcorp.com/slamb Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 20:07:27 +0200 From: V.R.Quante at t-online.de (Volker R. Quante) Subject: RE: Eisbock - The BATF has spoken... Hello, Homebrewers, I read the thread about icebeer and eisbock legality with great interest, but there was something surprising: Don't you make any difference between icebeer and eisbock in the U.S. as far as the legality is concerned??? Especially Ian Wilson did not. But I think, we here in Germany see a huge difference. Producing icebeer means, to freeze out only a bit of water to get out some proteins and bitterness and to have a smooth beer. No measurable concentration of alcohol, it remains at about 4.5 to 5.5 %vol. The process is called "icebrewing". Producing eisbock means to concentrate the alcohol to get a stronger beer, a so called 'bock', with more than 6 or 7 %vol. I never heard of a brewery that calls this process "icebrewing". So, Ian, no difference for the BATF between these two kinds of beer? (Okay, maybe we Germans are very proud of our beer and our brewing tradition, but other countries - other laws. I just wanted to add some thoughts.) Volker - -- Volker R. Quante Major i.G. - Dipl. Inform. - ----------------------------------------------------------------------- privat / private contact: Brunnenweg 4 D - 53 809 Ruppichteroth Schoenenberg phone +49 - 22 95 - 24 75 fax +49 - 25 61 - 91 31 61 06 06 voicemail +49 - 25 61 - 91 31 68 08 85 e-mail v.r.quante at t-online.de - ----------------------------------------------------------------------- dienstlich / official contact only: Amt fuer Studien und Uebungen der Bundeswehr (AStudUebBw) Bereich Sicherheitspolitik und Militaerstrategie Federal Armed Forces Office for Studies and Exercises (FAFORSE) Security Policy and Military Strategy Division Schaumburgweg 3 D 51 545 Waldbroel phone +49 - 22 92 - 20 22 - 358 fax +49 - 22 91 - 20 26 e-mail astuduebbw at t-online.de Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 05:59:56 -0500 (CDT) From: Brad Kazmer <kazmerbn at vuse.vanderbilt.edu> Subject: Bob Klein's Book Recently, Bob Klein's book was cited when discussing the classification of Negra Modelo. I have found his book to be quite inconsistent, and his rating scale to be unreliable at best. For example, he classifies SA Triple Bock as a Bock and SN Bigfoot Ale as a barleywine. Also, he rates Spaten Oktoberfest (2.8) less than Rolling Rock (3.6) in the lager category. I do enjoy that he evaluates mass produced beers and cheap malt liquors. Any other feelings about this book? Brad Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 08:08:23 -0400 (EDT) From: AJN <neitzkea at frc.com> Subject: Follow-up to the burners thread Well the general consensus is that the 15k btu burner is probable in the range of a standard stove top burners. That's what I use now and it takes a long time to get boiling. There were several people that said to get the big one and not be under powered! The *replacement* (no stand) should be around $15-17 and build your own stand. Several said to spend the $50-70 and get the burner, stand, pot and strainer and use it for other cooking duties too. A 135k for a 8 gallon pot, gets throttled back a little after the boil begins. Cost about $60, but you might find a better deal. And this response is exactly what I want to avoid! >Note that BTU ratings don't measure the heat going into a pot, just >the amount of gas going out of the burner. Unburned gas and/or poor >design will reduce the heat input you get for a given BTU rating. >There is some discussion that anything above 50-100K BTU is probably >just spewing BTUs past your kettle into the air. Here's my choice, based on this guys experience: >I have a 35,000 BTU burner that works very well with a 5 gallon stock >pot (i.e. boil in about 15 minutes). I suspect that the 15,000 is a bit >slow. At that price though, I might consider buying it anyway, you can >always dedicate it to mashing later. Apparently Brinkmann is the manufacture of most of these burners and sells replacements and have an 800 number, does anybody have this number so that I can call them? Thanks for all the responses and information, as always this is a great place to ask questions. _________________________________________________________ Arnold J. Neitzke Internet Mail: neitzkea at frc.com Brighton, Mi CEO of the NightSky brewing Company - --------------------------------------------------------- Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 08:37:58 -0400 From: "Sornborger, Nathan" <nsornborger at email.mc.ti.com> Subject: RE: Best Temperature Controller >I recently acquired a pristine 17 cubic foot Sears upright freezer for a >paltry $50 (from a friend who just wanted to get rid of it). Now I just >need a temperature controller, and I'll be lagerin! After looking at the >controllers from Hoptech and Brewers Resource, I can't see large differences >except for the price ($54 and $99 respectively). Are those the only ones >out there? Which one is best, in your opinion? Any tips for using the >freezer and 1st time lagering? > >Mark Rose Both Temp controllers you mention are too expensive it seems. A quick look in the Grainger catalog (a nationwide industrial supplier) yielded 5 line voltage remote bulb thermostats under $40. Best is a relative term with these things, they are all very similar and all have an adjustable hysteresis which goes down to about 3-1/2 degrees, (which should be adequate). Have a look around, this isn't a specialty thing, a local contractor supply outfit should have one. If you need manufacturers and part #'s E-mail me and I'll send along a list. Nate Sornborger sornborger at ids.net Barrington, RI Return to table of contents
Date: 7 Aug 1997 09:16:24 -0400 From: "John Penn" <john_penn at spacemail.jhuapl.edu> Subject: Honey Brown Subject: Time:8:58 AM OFFICE MEMO Honey Brown Date:8/7/97 I know I shouldn't say it but I tried JWDundee Honey Brown ale and did not like it that much. Maybe I got a bad batch. Just my personal taste, not meant to fault those who do like it. However, based on a recommendation by another friend/brewer, I tried Papazians Rocky Raccoon Lager which is about 1/3 honey, 2/3 malt and loved it. You could try adding a small amount of chocolate malt to this to give it a bit more color and make a brown ale. IBUs were about 25-28 if I remember right which is in the Bass Ale kind of range. I also recently made an ESB from a recipe provided by another HBD lurker, Dave Kerr, and substituted 1 # of honey for the 1 # of sugar in the recipe. In spite of my initial impression of "honey" beers, I must say I think I like having a little honey in the beer. It makes for a lighter tasting ale with more kick than you'd expect and there's a certain flavor to the honey that I like but cannot describe. Hope that helps. Oh, Rocky Raccoon Lager is in Papazians NJOHB book and I plan to make it again soon. Hope that helps. John Penn Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 08:21:25 -0500 From: "Curt Abert" <abert at flanders.isgs.uiuc.edu> Subject: removing goo from kegs Brewfolk: I just got a shipment of kegs; unfortunately, they were shipped to me not packed in boxes, but strapped together with strapping tape. Does anyone know of something that will help remove the residual goo from the packing tape (also the other crud and labels)? I thought that maybe naptha or mineral spirits would help, but I'm afraid the petroleum-based solvent may damage the rubber parts on the outside of the keg. Thanks, Curt Abert abert at flanders.isgs.uiuc.edu Return to table of contents
[Prev HBD] [Index] [Next HBD] [Back]
HTML-ized on 08/08/97, by HBD2HTML version 1.2 by K.F.L.
webmaster at hbd.org, KFL, 10/9/96