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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  Chest REFRIGERATORS? ("Peter A. Ensminger")
  Re: Chest REFRIDGERATORS ("Todd K.")
  Argh! Or The Yeat That Ate The HBD... (Pat Babcock)
  Decoction in a cooler ("Craig Wheeler")
  theory of sulfur in witbiers ("Tom M")
  Liquid maltose for yeast starters? ("Steve Dale-Johnson")
  AHA Board Election (Jeff Renner)


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Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 01:21:56 -0500
From: "Peter A. Ensminger" <ensmingr at twcny.rr.com>
Subject: Chest REFRIGERATORS?

Regarding Brian's post to HBD 4507, 
<http://www.hbd.org/hbd/archive/4507.html#4507-2> ...

For my chest keg refrigerator (nee freezer), rust -- due to moisture 
buildup -- is more of a problem than mold. On the inside bottom, I put a 
layer of that granular kitty litter-like stuff used to absorb oil 
spills. I suppose this helps, but it's not a cure-all. A chest 
REFRIGERATOR would be much preferred.

Cheerio!
Peter A. Ensminger
Syracuse, NY
http://hbd.org/ensmingr/




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Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 07:05:06 -0800 (PST)
From: "Todd K." <toddk63 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Chest REFRIDGERATORS

I have about 10 years experience using chest freezers
as beer fridges.  To address your concern about mold
first.  Yes, mold can accumulate.  It is not as much
of an issue in my lager/serving fridge (since
everything is already fermented and seal up) as it is
in the fermenting fridge.  Even a little mold in there
has never caused a ruined batch since I ferment in
closed buckets.  A spritz and wipe with a weak clorox
solution will keep it at bay for a while.  Just don't
go crazy with clorox concentration or amount as it
will corrode steel.

As far as dessicants,  I always sprinkle a good layer
of baking soda on the bottom after every cleaning
(about twice a year).  This serves 2 purposes. 
Absorbs moisture and raises alkalinity to retard
corrosion.  I drain the fridges often with the little
plug that all of them should have.  My lager/server
(40F) accumulates much more moisture than my fermenter
(50-68F).  You can also try "Damp Rid" (calcium
chloride).

I also caulk the seams with silicone before I ever put
one in service, because some freezers are not sealed
at the metal seams of the wall.  Moisture gets behind
the wall and corrodes your refrigerant tubing causing
leaks (dead freezer).

Also, these things need to run ALL the time to prolong
their life, particulary if it is in a hot garage. 
That's not a problem with my lager/server.  It always
runs at 40F.  But I'm not always fermenting so I when
I'm not, I run it at 50 to 60F depending on the
ambient
temp.

You can find gads of my posted research on
rec.crafts.brewing archives.  Just search for "chest
freezer todd k."

Good luck,

Todd K.



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Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 14:02:52 -0500 (EST)
From: Pat Babcock <pbabcock at hbd.org>
Subject: Argh! Or The Yeat That Ate The HBD...

Greetings, Beerlings! Take me to your lager...

Gads! A note from a reader qondering why the HBD wasn't
delivered today prompted an investigation: a disk error zapped
the HBD mailing list. That's not as bad (for most) as it seems - 
I was able to restore a version of the list from 3/23 - so, if
you unsubscribed or subscribed to the HBD since then, you'll
have to redo (sorry!)...

We're working on an equitable solution to allow me the time to
fix the HBD up. Bear with...

- -- 
 -
God bless America!

Pat Babcock in SE Michigan         pbabcock at hbd.org
Home Brew Digest Janitor           janitor at hbd.org
HBD Web Site                       http://hbd.org
The Home Brew Page                 http://hbd.org/pbabcock
[18, 92.1] Rennerian
"I don't want a pickle. I just wanna ride on my motorsickle"
                                   - Arlo Guthrie




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Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 11:15:54 -0800
From: "Craig Wheeler" <craigwh at xbox.com>
Subject: Decoction in a cooler

I have a passion for Bavarian Hefeweizen, but performing a decoction
mash intimidates me. I currently perform single infusion mashes in a
10-gallon cooler and I was reading a book on wheat beer that describes
the (proper) mash process as a combination decoction/direct heat mash
(ie: mash in at 99F, raise the temp slowly to 127F, pull decoction, etc.
etc.). Obviously, I can't directly heat my mash and I don't know if
infusions will thin the mash too much on the way to a decoction. I'm
sure there are many of you who have successfully created true
Hefeweizens using a similar setup as mine, so I'd love to hear from you
how you did it.

BTW: In response to the pet names thread: I have a Chesapeake Bay
Retriever named Kemper (after the old Thomas Kemper brewery that has
since been swallowed by Pyramid).

Thanks,
- --Craig Wheeler
Woodinville, WA


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Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 15:30:44 -0500 (EST)
From: "Tom M" <tomomeier at excite.com>
Subject: theory of sulfur in witbiers



One of the homebrew clubs I participate in, the Rocket 
City Brewers, has a 'house' recipe for belgian witbiers 
that a former member won BOS with. It always turns out 
a good beer, so many of us brew it regularly.

One thing we have noticed, is that regardless of yeast 
strain, there always seems to be alot of sulfur produced
in the primary. For this reason I have always just 
considered that witbier yeasts are sulfur producers. 
However, a club member recently used a different strain,
WY3463 Forbidden Fruit, with the same sulfur stink. He
also noted that his starter using DME did not produce 
detectable sulfur

This led to a group discussion regarding the reasons 
behind sulfur production. Could it be that it is not 
necessarily yeast strain specific, but that our recipes
use of roughly 50% raw unmalted wheat contributes to 
low FAN levels?

I have found a reference that states in winemaking low
nitrogen levels will favor H2S production. I am not 
sure what contribution to FAN levels raw wheat makes in
comparison to say, malted wheat or barley, but my guess 
would be "little". Can any armchair brewing scientist
out there answer this puzzle?

Incidentally, the recipe uses a single temp infusion, 
so no FAN is created during a protein rest.

The sulfur always seems to dissipate with aging, as 
it does with lagers, although I have had to bubble 
CO2 through a bier blanche to reduce it once. Even so
I am curious if there is explain as to why it is 
produced.

Thanks for any answers,
Tom Meier
Antioch Sud Suckers - Antioch, TN
Rocket City Brewers - Huntsville, AL






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Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 14:25:47 -0800
From: "Steve Dale-Johnson" <sdalejohnson at hotmail.com>
Subject: Liquid maltose for yeast starters?

My LHBS is now offering bulk liquid maltose (apparently derived by 
hydrolyzing wheat starch) as an adjunct.  It supposedly adds a nice nutty 
maltiness to beers when used in moderation, which I have found to be true.  
Granted the two batches are far from a scientific proof...

The question I have is regarding the potential use of this as a yeast 
starter medium... does anyone know whether there are sufficient 
concentrations of other sugars in this type of "extract" that would run the 
risk of the crabtree effect, or is it possible that this is a good (and much 
less expensive) starter alternative to using DME??



Steve Dale-Johnson
Brewing at 1918 miles, 298 degrees Rennerian
Delta (Vancouver), BC, Canada.



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Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 19:43:34 -0500
From: Jeff Renner <jeffrenner at comcast.net>
Subject: AHA Board Election

Brewers

Those of you who are American Homebrewers Association members, and I 
hope that's all of you, have only until the end of the month to cast 
your vote for six members of the AHA Board of Advisors.  The 
candidates' statements are at 
http://www.beertown.org/homebrewing/election.html, and there is a 
link to the ballot there.  Steve Ford is still on the ballot, but 
sadly, he passed away earlier this month.

Vote early and often,  Well, early, at any rate.  Well, it's too late 
for even that.  But please vote.  The AHA is only as strong as its 
membership participation.  I'm proud to be your representative on the 
board, and others want to represent you as well.

Not a member?  Go to 
http://www.store.beertown.org/shopdisplaycategories.asp and join now, 
then vote.

Cheers

Jeff
- -- 
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, JeffRenner at comcast.net
"One never knows, do one?"  Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943


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