HOMEBREW Digest #2841 Mon 05 October 1998

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	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:
  Consistency in priming/carbonation ("Fred L. Johnson")
  Lead Poisoning (PAUL W HAAF JR)
  3 burners, 1 regulator ("Steve")
  Re: Easy Keg (John_E_Schnupp)
  Re HERMS Thoughts (RobertJ)
  leached lead (kathy)
  Re: Reverse HERMS?/SHMS/New Web Site ("Ludwig's")
  Collar design for an upright freezer (MLogan8534)
  specialty malts ("silent bob")
  Re: copper stains (Tim Anderson)

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 03 Oct 1998 07:57:41 -0400 From: "Fred L. Johnson" <FLJohnson at worldnet.att.net> Subject: Consistency in priming/carbonation We have all read in numerous texts of the 3/4 cup of dextrose rule for priming 5 gal. of many (most) beers to achieve the appropriate level of carbonation. In fact, some texts and homebrewers strongly warn against using very much more for fear of creating gushers or bottle bombs. I submit for discussion to the collective that this is yet another momily (just consider how much dextrose one would prime a Bavarian Weizen with), but I raise a more important question based upon some information that doesn't seem to appear in the textbooks: According to a successful, knowledgeable, and careful commercial brewer in the area (with plenty of homebrewing experience), the CO2 in the finished beer is only partially derived from the priming sugar. In fact, in his commercial operation, there is about 1.2 volumes of CO2 in the "finished" beer and a typical homebrew will probably have about 0.8-1.2 volumes of CO2 in it. (As you know, this is only about half of the final desire carbonation level.) If left in the secondary for varying amounts of time after the fermentation is complete, then the amount of CO2 in the finished beer will likewise vary, decreasing with time. Accordingly, the amount of priming sugar required to carbonate the beer to the desired level will conceivably vary widely, depending upon the time spent in the secondary after fermentation is complete. (Compare this with the recommendation of C. Papazian and other authors to put the secondary away in a comfortable place for extended periods of time, forgetting about bottling until you have the time and the urge strikes you, with no regard for the principal of constant decreasing CO2 of levels in the beer.) Someone may suggest that racking to the priming container essentially gets rid of most of the beer's CO2 before it is bottled, bringing all beers to the same starting point. Perhaps this is true and would explain why commercial practices may be different that that of homebrewers. All I know is that I have bottled with precisely weighed dextrose into precisely known volumes and get dissapointingly high variability in my carbonation levels. For example, I primed a Weizenbock (that sat in the secondary for 5 weeks) with 38 g dextrose/gallon (about 1.5 times that of my American pale ales) and it has been judged to be "undecarbonated", especially for the style. So, is the CO2 content of the beer at bottling time a variable or not? And if so, does one have to decarbonate the beer before bottling and use considerably more than 3/4 cup dextrose per 5 gallons ? How would this be applied to kegging? Comments? - -- Fred L. Johnson Apex, North Carolina USA Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1998 08:39:16 -0400 From: haafbrau1 at juno.com (PAUL W HAAF JR) Subject: Lead Poisoning Wasn't Italian wine and lead goblets part of the downfall of Rome? Since the wine wasn't up to par with what the Romans were used to, they would 'sweeten' it by drinking it from lead goblets. This habit, added to their other 'quirks', shortened their reign and lifespan. This is the kind of stuff that fills my brain, instead of really useful info. Cheers, Paul Haaf haafbrau1atjunodotcom ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1998 09:15:58 -0400 From: "Steve" <stjones1 at worldnet.att.net> Subject: 3 burners, 1 regulator Howdy, brewsters: Chris writes in HBD 2840: <snip> Is it possible to have 3 burners run off the same propane source? <snip> I built the 3 burners on my 3 tier system modeling them after the King Kooker jet style burners. I use 1 propane bottle with a regulator for a gas grill. I feed the propane into a manifold made from 1/4" ip and 3 needle valves using 1/4" flared copper tubing to each burner. I rarely have all 3 burners going at once, but often have 2 going. I've had no problems at all. Hoppy Brewing Steve State of Franklin Homebrewers ~650 miles south of Jeff in Johnson City, Tennessee http://home.att.net/~stjones1 Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1998 06:48:33 -0700 From: John_E_Schnupp at amat.com Subject: Re: Easy Keg >In the recent discussions of an easy way to get into kegging, the use of >plastic soft drink bottles with Carbonator type caps has been suggested. >This is fine as far as being a handy way to carry beer but is little cheaper This worked great for me when I went to a July 4 party on my motorcycle. I was also on a 2 week spin around the NE and didn't really have the room to cart a keg with me the whole trip. The $.99 it cost for the 3L soda bottle was worth it. The only thing I had to keep with me was the tap cap. >and probably not as easy as using Cornelius type kegs. The cheapest part of >a kegging setup is the kegs. The real expense is in the CO2 tank and >regulator. If one is going to have CO2 they might as well spend another For real portability, I used one of those bicycle tire inflatiors, the kind that uses CO2 bulbs. You may need to make an adapter depending upon your situation so being handy with tools and soldering is a plus. Another less painless way to used these inflation devices is to put a valve stem right in the center on the keg lid. I've done it to all my kegs. There are a lot of pluses for this. Some are: adding CO2 to keg without having to connect the quick connects, able to check the actual pressure in the keg without having to account for line/check valve pressure losses, use a CO2 inflator for portable use. >$15US or so for a five gallon Cornelius type keg. The soft drink bottles Why not try a 3 gallon size. They are the same diameter as 5 gallons just a little shorter. They are a little more portable. I use these because they don't take up so much space in my fridge. I can keep the top shelf in place for storage of bottles. John Schnupp, N3CNL Colchester, VT 95 XLH 1200 Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 1998 10:28:09 -0400 From: RobertJ <pbsys at pbsbeer.com> Subject: Re HERMS Thoughts In HBD 2840 Brad Plummer wrote: I have also discussed this offline with Ron Babcock and he has gotten me thinking of using a counter-flow WC instead of the HE coil as the immersion chiller. This would definitely save clean up time. I have plenty of copper; just need to put it to good use. - ----- When we first started with the PBS HERMS idea, we used a counterflow wort chiller for heating the mash. The only difficulties we saw were: 1. We needed an additional pump to move the heating water while circulating wort. 2. Controlling heating was a bit more involved than with PBS HERMS (control; heating water temp due to additional heat loss when pumping, heating water flow, wort flow) 3. As mash came up to temperature it was diffcult to keep recirculating temp at or below 158F. In short the use of a cf chiller from our experience will work. It's just not as simple and fool proof as PBS HERMS. You, as a brewer, have to determine what will work best in meeting your priorities of; simplicity, speed and cost and your desire to tinker. Bob Precision Brewing Systems URL http://www.pbsbeer.com Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 1998 09:53:41 -0500 From: kathy <kbooth at scnc.waverly.k12.mi.us> Subject: leached lead Thanks Nathan for the interesting anctedote about the pub owner. It reminded me that when drawing drinking or brewing water, those with lead pipe supply lines from the street to the basement (many houses built in the 1920's and earlier) or those with lead solder systems (copper pipe thru the mid 1990's) should let the overnight water in their pipes run until it changes from house temperature to ground temperature.....which is usually colder. The water standing in those pipes may have leached some lead from the pipes and/or solder. When we flush the toilet first thing in the AM, this usually does the purge the pipes bit. Let the coffee water run till it feels cold. cheers, jim booth Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 1998 22:42:42 -0400 From: "Ludwig's" <dludwig at us.hsanet.net> Subject: Re: Reverse HERMS?/SHMS/New Web Site David Houseman writes: > So I'd been thinking about reversing the process > and just putting the immersion chiller into the Gott mash/lauter tun and > pumping the hot/boiling water through it to heat the mash. This would > seem to perhaps be gentler on the wort and more controllable. What do > the HERMS-knowledgeable folks think of this approach? I have to agree with you Dave. I just finished building a system as you describe. I do think you need a mixer along with the coil to improve the efficiency. I've just published a web site describing some of the brewing equipment at the Flat Iron Brewery, including the SHMS. If you go there, keep in mind it's a work in progress. The address is http://www.us.hsanet.net/user/dludwig/index.html. Cheers, Dave Ludwig Flat Iron Brewery SO MD Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1998 23:25:46 EDT From: MLogan8534 at aol.com Subject: Collar design for an upright freezer Dearest Collective: I have recently had the good fortune to acquire a mid-sized upright freezer for free. It has the coils fixed to the shelves, making the shelves fixed. Since I need a place where I can ferment my 5 gal carboys I am looking into expanding the cooled space.. Here is what I am thinking.. I want to remove the door, build a collar out several feet, and re-attach the door to the collar. I haven't settled on the exact dimensions but I want room for at least 2 carboys. I have read the archives concerning the matter, and it seems this has been done sucessfully on the chest-type freezers. Has anyone this sort of thing to an upright? Here are my thoughts so far.. Since I live in a hot climate (in the summer at least), I want to insulate the collar. I have considered using plywood and 2x6 studs with regular fiberglass insulation and, a vapor barrier of course. Although it is a bit more expensive, I have also considered using 2 inch thick ridgid foam insulation that has a foil backing on both sides. Maybe one layer of this could be used as a vabor barrier/insulator in combination with a thinner fiberglass insulation designed for a 2x4 wall, all set in my 2x6 frame. Is there an easier way? Also, I will be hooking up a temperature controller, any recommended models here? Thanks Mike Logan Bakersfield, CA Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 04 Oct 1998 18:26:43 PDT From: "silent bob" <holdenmcneil at hotmail.com> Subject: specialty malts Hello to HBD, Many folks have E-mailed me privately to comment on the need for a protein rest with specialty malts. I made the comment that specialty malts were frequently made from lower quality grain. The concensus, which I do concede is correct is that continental maltsters do not use lower quality grain for their "specialties", but do use higher protien malts. However, these malts are overmodified (even by continental maltsters) precluding the need for a protien rest. Also, although it is true that six row was commonly used by american maltsters for their specialty malts, this is no longer the rule, and even when it is, it is also over modified, again precluding the need for a protien rest. Thanks to the respondants for the clarification, and apologies to anyone to whom I didn't help to understand the topic. Adam ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1998 18:57:02 -0700 (PDT) From: Tim Anderson <timator at yahoo.com> Subject: Re: copper stains Dang! Left the subject off my earlier message. This shoulda been it. tim == Please ignore the advertisement below. Thank you. _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free at yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com Return to table of contents
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