HOMEBREW Digest #3200 Tue 21 December 1999

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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
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Contents:
  Re: Yeast Profiles (ThE GrEaT BrEwHoLiO)
  RE: source for SS washers? (Susan/Bill Freeman)
  mash tannins ("Micah Millspaw")
  Tannins/Efficiency (AJ)
  CO2 and Handpumps (Doug Cook)
  RE: Controlling Fermentation Temperature ("J. Doug Brown")
  Re: US state beer laws (Jeff Renner)
  Re: source for SS washers? (Jeff Renner)
  Fermentable Content of Candi Sugar (Harold Dowda)
  2nd Annual Palmetto State Brewers Competition (Harold Dowda)
  Oxygenator regulator ("Mr. Joy Hansen")
  RIMS false bottom ("Mr. Joy Hansen")
  grain bed temperature distribution ("Timmons, Frank")
  oxynater regulater (Tombrau)
  US state alcohol laws (Spencer W Thomas)
  RE: source for SS washers? ("Dana H. Edgell")
  Samson's Crystal Pilsener (Greg Remake)
  Boiling yeast starter ("John Slavik")
  GBBF 2000 ("Thomas D. Hamann")
  RE: Meads ("Frank J. Russo")

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1999 21:41:49 -0800 (PST) From: ThE GrEaT BrEwHoLiO <skotrat at yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Yeast Profiles Subject: Re: Yeast Profiles On Fri, 17 Dec 1999 12:34:10 EST Headduck at aol.com asked: >Is there a comparative list somewhere that shows what Wyeast yeasts >correspond to what to what White Labs yeasts. For example is White Labs WLP >001, California Ale Yeast and Wyeast 1056 American Ale the same strain? Hi, I got tired of searching for all my yeast profiles and put together a page a while back... http://www.brewrats.org/yeast.cfm Give it a look and see if it helps. C'ya! -Scott ===== ThE-HoMe-BrEw-RaT Scott Abene <skotrat at mediaone.net> http://www.skotrat.com (the Homebrew "Beer Slut" page) "The More I know about beer politics, The more I wish I made 120k" __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 00:21:38 -0600 From: Susan/Bill Freeman <potsus at bellsouth.net> Subject: RE: source for SS washers? Try a shop or store that specializes in bolts and fasteners. (see yellow pages) They often have SS stuffs they will sell in smaller quantities. I have found odd sized bolts and washers here. Cheers, Bill Freeman aka Elder Rat Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 06:48:56 -0600 From: "Micah Millspaw" <MMillspa at SILGANMFG.COM> Subject: mash tannins I think that this topic falls into the category of 'mommily'. Tannins from the mash is something I often heard poeple say. It is very difficult to extract tannins from the grain hulls in a mash. In fact I'm not sure that I've ever see it done. The ph of the mash is the limiter. It is however quite possible to extract tannins from hops (much more soluble than husk tannins) in the boil and possibly if they were put in the mash as well. Micah Millspaw - brewer at large - ------------------------------ >From: "Dean Fikar" <dfikar at flash.net> > >A couple of posters mention that direct injection of steam into the mash is >bad because you might heat >portions of the mash enough to extract tannins. I don't agree. After all, >when you decoct a portion of >the mash you're doing the same thing but to an even greater extent. I did >not notice any astringency >with any of my steam-injected beers, >Re: More steam (RobertJ) > >_____ >When you decoct you're taking only the thickest part of the mash and have a >low liquid to grain ration. > >Tanin is extracted in a high liquid to grain ratio causing astringency. > >I've not heard this explanation before. Can anyone else verify? I always >thought that it was the low mash pH that kept tannins from being extracted >when boiling a decoction. I also don't understand why a relatively small >change in mash thickness would have any bearing on whether tannins are >extracted. My typical "thick" decoction is about 0.8 to1.0 qt./lb. vs. >about 1.0 to 1.33 qts./lb. for a typical steam injected mash. Can any >chemist enlighten me here? Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 13:55:23 +0000 From: AJ <ajdel at mindspring.com> Subject: Tannins/Efficiency Dean asks about why a high liquid to grist ratio would improve dissolution of tannins. Lots of liquid improves the dissolution of anything. A teaspoon of sugar will dissolve faster in a gallon of water than it will in a cup. Other factors are, of course, temperature and pH (talking of tannins now). After my musing of the previous post I did recheck the two lagers I still have in the freezer. In once case the polyphenols actually went up some (298 to 396) which is most interesting as this beer (a fest) has developed a hot, smokey taste as it ages. Wild yeast? The other, a pilsner, read about 1000 mg/L and has, after 6 months lagering, fallen back to about 400. It is noticeably smoother now. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * For DawgDoctor: Your collected specific gravity of 1.042 corresponds to 10.47P which implies that your wort contains 0.91 pounds of extract per gallon. Seven gallons of extract gives you a total of 6.37 pounds and as you used a total of 11.5 pounds of grain that's 6.37/11.5 = 0.554 or 55.4% efficiency which isn't that great but considering that 30% of your grist is stuff that doesn't yield that much perhaps it isn't too surprising. I have only used Maris Otter once and got a very disappointing 62% kettle efficiency from it (whereas DWC Pale Ale malt usually gives me a little over 70%). I attributed this to my lack of experience with it. The berries are much smaller than those of the DWC and I did not reset my mill to account for this - didn't even notice it till I saw the extraction I had acheived. Note that I'm using the ratio of weight of extract to weight of grain as the definition of efficiency. There are other schemes out there in which you are told that Maris Otter, for example, should give you, say, 30 points per pound per gallon. If you realize 28 then you call the efficiency 28/30 = 93.3%. I haven't seen anyone use this system recently but always suspect it is being used when I see claims of 80% and higher. - -- A. J. deLange Numquam in dubio, saepe in errore. Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 09:03:01 -0500 (EST) From: czsqdt at agt.gmeds.com (Doug Cook) Subject: CO2 and Handpumps Some of the solutions seem a little complicated. All I do is set the regulator to about 5 psi, but I keep the shutoff valve in the off position. When I want a beer, I turn the valve on, pull a pint, then shut the valve off, and finally vent the keg. No outside air can get in, and the only time the beer sees "pressure" is during the pull. Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 15:07:42 +0000 From: "J. Doug Brown" <jbrown at labyrinth.net> Subject: RE: Controlling Fermentation Temperature I built a brew closet using the principles in the "Son of Fermentation Chiller" by Ken Schwartz. My closet can be seen at http://www.labs.net/jbrown/Doug/Brew/closet.htm and there is also a link to Ken Schwartz "Son of Fermentation Chiller" plans and description. This setup works well for me as my fermentation takes place in my garage that regularly gets in the upper 80F range during the summer. Doug Brown - -- J. Doug Brown - Fairmont, WV Sr. Software Engineer jbrown at labyrinth.net jbrown at ewa.com Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 10:20:27 -0500 From: Jeff Renner <nerenner at umich.edu> Subject: Re: US state beer laws >Famous story: Bourbon County, TN, is dry. And what's more, it's in Kentucky. ;-) Jeff -=-=-=-=- Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, c/o nerenner at umich.edu "One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943. Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 10:20:49 -0500 From: Jeff Renner <nerenner at umich.edu> Subject: Re: source for SS washers? >home depot does not have ss washers this large. Another reason to support your local hardware store! (And locally owned, independent bookstore as well. while you're at it, for similar reasons). Jeff -=-=-=-=- Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, c/o nerenner at umich.edu "One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943. Return to table of contents
Date: 20 Dec 99 10:23:49 EST From: Harold Dowda <hdowda at netscape.net> Subject: Fermentable Content of Candi Sugar What is the fermentable content of candi? Have heard it was about 25% of the crystal weight. Also what is its actual color contribution. The color contributed by a pound of 250 SRM candi is nothing at all like the equivalent contribution of say a pound of chocolate. Dumb question. Color in degrees Lovibond = color SRM = 0.5 EBC (for practical purposes? ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at Return to table of contents
Date: 20 Dec 99 10:26:11 EST From: Harold Dowda <hdowda at netscape.net> Subject: 2nd Annual Palmetto State Brewers Competition We survived the 1st Annual and are gluttons for more. Our event will be April 8th. More info later. ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 12:09:51 -0500 From: "Mr. Joy Hansen" <joytbrew at patriot.net> Subject: Oxygenator regulator Hi All, A family member uses two devices for supplemental oxygen. One is a concentrator that produces enriched oxygen air at low pressure. It could be nearly pure oxygen. The costly unit might be available as low cost salvage equipment? The other supply is a small portable oxygen breather tank. Each has a regulator and three hours of oxygen exhausted at 3 liters/minute. Seems like it would be sufficient for a life time of home brewing? Leasing these refillable tanks with regulator from a medical supply house like "Roberts" might be a practical solution for some. Joy"T"Brew Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 11:52:55 -0500 From: "Mr. Joy Hansen" <joytbrew at patriot.net> Subject: RIMS false bottom Hi, This post is intended for brewers interested in using converted Sanke like kegs for mash/lauter tuns in a RIMS like system. Just for the record, the following is my opinion. Thus, I don't consider use of converted Sanke kegs as boil pots or mash/lauter tuns to be inexpensive or appropriate for RIMS like systems. With a properly selection of SS vessels, stirring mechanisms and critically designed false bottoms would be moot. Acceptable false bottoms are dependant on the design of the system. For some, a short section of SS screen formed into a tube might be perfect. For others, a slotted plastic or copper pipe might be adequate. The important consideration that seems to be missing in most discussions is the amount of the malt charge vrs. the open area of the false bottom. The achieves might be replete with discussions of false bottom open area. The rectangular picnic cooler could have near 200 inches of open area when used for a RIMS like system. A typical Sanke keg false bottom has less than 100 square inches of open area. My experience is that recirculation changed most everything developed for picnic cooler like gravity fed mash/lauter false bottoms. Recirculation requires massive false bottom open area. The usual high flow through the mash and the limited open area promotes a stuck mash! Modern magnetic drive pumps are very strong pumpers and can develop static pressure high enough to boil liquid at normal saccharification and mash out temperatures. As a historical false bottom loser, I must protest the use of stand off type false bottoms for RIMS applications in conjunction with a Sanke keg conversion. Take it from me that I tried most every design I could think of. Fine SS screen, 10X10 monster SS screen, drilled SS sheet, etc. I tried substantial bracing under the post supported false bottom where the support looked more like a many spoke wagon wheel than a false bottom - all collapsed under hydrostatic pressure of the pump. Hours of manual stirring or transferring 25 pounds of mash and 8 gallons of liquid to a direct fired mash tun ain't my idea of a pleasant brew day! Eventually, I took the advice of a brewing mentor and purchased the Precision Brewing Systems false bottom from Brew America in Arlington, VA. This punched hole SS plate is stamped and cut to accurately fit the bottom of a Sanke keg. Thus, the edge is inherently strong due to the shape of the stamping and it's thickness. I added a center support that made the false bottom capable of with standing the static pressure force if the mash becomes stuck. Which can happen when there isn't adequate stirring to clear the false bottom while maintaining full flow through the system. A great representation of what I'm advocating is currently illustrated in the Advanced Brewing Technology advertisements in Zymurgy. There, you see the false bottom and clearly the pipe union center support. You'll note also that the mixing paddle is shaped to fit the false bottom. ABT might sell just the false bottom. I can't emphasize enough the necessity of maintaining the liquid flow at the maximum that the system plumbing allows when the heat exchanger is ON. Low flow rate promotes scorching of the carbohydrate on a heating element it is exponential. A small amount of scorching (carbon) insulates the element and allows a hot spot to develop. Then, the hot spot picks up more stuff to carbonize. Eventually large sections of the heating element are covered with burned wort. The brew will always have the scorched wort flavor! Unless a brewer designs a mash tun with an open area of more than 200 square inches for 15 to 20 pounds of malt, some type of manual or mechanized stirring is essential to allow full flow at all times the heat is ON. My system has a better design than most because my supply enters the bottom of the tun and is exhausted into the mash through a motor driven copper pipe mixing shaft. The return comes from under the false bottom. This give me optimized mixing, rapid ramps between rests, small temperature range through the mash, and a reduced potential for hot side aeration. I'm questionably able to provide pictures and a schematic of my RIMS like mash/lauter tun to interested brewers. My system isn't the best, worst, or the only a workable single level system. I do know that it works and has overcome most of the failures encountered over nearly 10 years of RIMS use. SHOULD NEW BREWERS FORGET THE USE OF CONVERTED SANKE KEGS AND SPEND THE BUCKS FOR PROPER POTS? MOST CERTAINLY! Joy"T"Brew Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 10:37:07 -0700 From: "Timmons, Frank" <Frank.Timmons at AlliedSignal.com> Subject: grain bed temperature distribution Greetings! I have a mashing question for the group. I do (mostly) single and multi-step infusion mashes with a HERMS system of my own design, in which I pump liquid wort from the bottom of the grain bed, through a copper coil that is immersed in the HLT to heat it up. The return is 3/8" vinyl tubing, set just below the top of the grain. I have been using it for two years now and am happy with it, and think I brew some pretty good beer. I have been struggling with temperature control of the grain bed for some time, however. The control is manual. I monitor the temperature with a fixed dial thermometer set at the middle of the bed, and I use ball valves to control flow through the coil. This past weekend, while brewing a 10 gallon batch, I used a digital thermometer (correctly calibrated) I borrowed from work to try to get better data to work with. I was shocked at the temperature differentials in the grain bed, which were up to 14 degrees F (142 -156 F, with the HLT temp 170F), depending on where I was around the bed, even when just recirculating with no heat addition (I allowed 10 minutes of this to allow the temps to stabilize). I have two questions: 1) Is this a big problem, or do the various enzyme reactions all "even out" to make everything ok? 2) Should I try to stir the grain bed while running the pump and adding heat to even things out, even though this seems to me to be extra work that I would like to avoid? Not having to mess with stirring was a big reason for building the recirc system. I am going to make a better distribution header/nozzle thing for the wort return, figuring that will help, but any other advice is appreciated. Frank Timmons James River Homebrewers Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 12:46:39 EST From: Tombrau at aol.com Subject: oxynater regulater brian dixon writes: the oxynater regulator is a regulator not a valve to prove this i can tell you i use an old oxynater tank and regulater to dispense beer from a 3 g keg i fill the o2 tank with 160psi of co2 (purged of course) the regulator adjusts for a perfect flow rate and does not simply dump 160psi on the keg cheers Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 14:07:04 -0500 From: Spencer W Thomas <spencer at engin.umich.edu> Subject: US state alcohol laws A long time ago, I visited the Jack Daniels distillery. The tour guide told us that the county (Boone?) in which the distillery is located is dry. Furthermore, he related, the population of the county was not large enough to vote the county wet -- even if all the voters voted in favor of "wet" status, it would not exceed a minimum set in the TN state law. Well, when Bob Devine posted to the HBD a URL for state alcohol regulations (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uniform/vol9.html#consb), I decided to check out the situation. The URL (broken into several lines to keep the HBD software happy) http://www.lexislawpublishing.com/sdCGI-BIN/om_isapi.dll? clientID=1257&hitsperheading=on&infobase=tncode.NFO& record={2F809}&softpage=Document contains the rules for the "local option" elections. It appears that the guide's story was not strictly true, but there are enough weird restrictions in the law that I think it probably was true in spirit. Check out some of this wording: In those counties wherein are located municipalities which have a population equal to or greater than the smallest county in Tennessee by the federal census of 1960 or by any succeeding federal census, or any municipality having a population of one thousand seven hundred (1,700) or more persons according to the 1960 federal census in which at least fifty percent (50%) of assessed valuation of the real estate in the municipality consists of hotels, motels, and tourist courts and accommodations, as shown by the tax assessment rolls or books of the municipality, ... How many counties do you suppose that applied to when the law was passed? Anyone want to bet on "ONE"? :-) Here's another one: Except in counties having populations of: not less than nor more than ------------ ------------- 12,100 12,200 23,500 24,000 65,000 70,000 according to the 1970 federal census or any subsequent federal census, the voters of any municipality in this state which has been incorporated under a general or special law or laws of this state for five (5) years or longer and which has a population of nine hundred twenty-five (925) or more persons according to the federal census of 1970 or any subsequent federal census, except in municipalities with a population of not less than one thousand two hundred thirty (1,230) nor more than one thousand two hundred fifty (1,250) according to the 1970 federal census or any subsequent federal census, in any county having a population of not less than thirteen thousand five hundred (13,500) nor more than thirteen thousand six hundred (13,600) according to the 1970 federal census or any subsequent federal census, ... Can you say "special cases"? I thought you could... Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 10:48:00 -0700 From: "Dana H. Edgell" <EdgeAle at cs.com> Subject: RE: source for SS washers? Patrick Finerty asks about Stainlees and teflon washers. >i need to purchase a couple of SS washers for the ball valve i'll be >installing in my brewing kettle. i'm going with a 1/2 in OD valve and >have seen 13/16 in (ID) washers on McMaster-Carr but they sell them in >packs of 25; i only need two to four. > >home depot does not have ss washers this large. if anyone has another >place i can look, i'd appreciate it. also, i'm going to be buying >teflon washers from McMaster-Carr but if you know of a store carrying >these, that would be great. While Home Depot can have good prices and a lot of large stuff, when it comes to many things like washers a plain old hardware store usually has a better variety. Look for a good larger hardware store (I use Marshall's Industrial Hardware in San Diego) for all kinds of stainless steel washers, nuts, bolts etc. As for teflon washers, I went to a local plastics supplier that carried teflon sheets (call ahead) I bought a single square foot from the scrap bin and basically have a lifetime supply. I cut my own washers out of the sheet to the size I needed. Dana Edgell - -------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Dana Edgell Staff Scientist mailto:edgell at far-tech.com FARTECH, Inc. (858) 455-6655 P.O.Box 221053 (858) 450-9741 fax San Diego, CA 92192-1053 Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 13:17:37 -0600 From: Greg Remake <gremake at gsbalum.uchicago.edu> Subject: Samson's Crystal Pilsener Hello all, I purchased my first bottle of Samson Brewery's Crystal Pilsener this weekend, and absolutely loved it. Before this bottle, Pilsener Urquell porvided my only other example of true Czech Pilseners. I found Crystal to be a bit drier than P.U., more like a German Pils, and it had a spicey character I really enjoyed. Has anyone had any success trying to brew a version of this beer, and if so, would you kindly share your recipe and process? Perhaps Dr. Pivo could provide some helpful advice, as this seems to be an area with which he is very familiar. Can I come close without using Czech malt? Right now my plan is to double decoct a German Pilsener malt mash (OG 1.052), using a 40C/60C/70C temperature profile, with 40 IBUs from Czech Saaz flowers, and Wyeast Czech Pils yeast in a one-gallon starter. Cheers, Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 16:04:38 -0800 From: "John Slavik" <brewer1 at airmail.net> Subject: Boiling yeast starter Made a yeast starter today, WYEAST Bavarian Wheat #3056. Made the first step to 500mL in a 1000mL Erlenmeyer flask. Instead of boiling outside on my 35K Camp Chef cooker I boiled inside on the electric range. My question, is it safe to place the flask directly on the electric element or did I just get lucky today. Thanks for all public and private responses. John Slavik DeSoto, TX visit my SC-RIMS Homebrewing page: http://web2.airmail.net/berwer1 Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 09:25:42 +1000 From: "Thomas D. Hamann" <tdhamann at senet.com.au> Subject: GBBF 2000 Has anyone been to the Great British Beer Festival? We are intending to be at the 2000 show, has anyone worked there as a volunteer? What did you do for accommodation? We aint the wealthiest! Many thanks in advance, Thomas. THOMAS D. HAMANN Photographer, Brewer and Tenor! Box 53 Hahndorf 5245 South Australia AUSTRALIA (still a dopey constitutional monarchy) Telephone +61 8 8388 7780 Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 18:13:36 -0500 From: "Frank J. Russo" <FJRusso at coastalnet.com> Subject: RE: Meads Bob Fesmire Madman Brewry Pottstown,PA Asked about mint meads. Bob, best to direct your questions to the mead digest; >>>>>Digest only appears when there is enough material to send one. Send ONLY articles for the digest to mead at talisman.com. Use mead-request@ talisman.com for [un]subscribe/admin requests. When subscribing, please include name and email address in body of message. Digest archives and FAQ are available for anonymous ftp at ftp.stanford.edu in pub/clubs/homebrew/mead.<<<<<<<<<<< Frank Havelock, NC "There is only one aim in life and that is to live it." Return to table of contents
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