HOMEBREW Digest #917 Mon 06 July 1992

Digest #916 Digest #918


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


Contents:
  RE:  B-Brite ("CMD 2NDLT ALBERT W. TAYLOR ")
  root beer (popowich)
  Silicone Rubber Caulking in Mash Tun ("Roger Deschner  ")
  cats meow 2 (eurquhar)
  rolled oats (Scott Jay)
  Dave Miller's New Book (Norm Hardy)
  Silcone again (Nick Zentena)
  Book Review: _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte (Phillip Seitz)
  MALTMILL GIVEAWAY (Jack Schmidling)

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 3 Jul 92 10:29:00 EST From: "CMD 2NDLT ALBERT W. TAYLOR " <S94TAYLOR at usuhsb.ucc.usuhs.nnmc.navy.mil> Subject: RE: B-Brite B-Brite is mostly Sodium Carbonate. It may interest some to know that automatic dishwashing powder is also mostly sodium carbonate, as well as a chlorine additive, which should help sterilizing whatever you are cleaining. Another bonus is that a big, 5.5 pound box can be had for about $5. I'm not sure, but I think this is a lot cheaper than the same stuff packaged as B-Brite. Al Taylor Uniformed Services University School of Medicine Bethesda, Maryland Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jul 92 09:45:23 -0500 From: popowich at ssc.wisc.edu Subject: root beer I am looking for a good root beer recipe. I can buy extracts at my local homebrew store, but the extracts have a lot of crap in them and after being offerred a taste-test, I definitely would prefer not to resort to using them. Does anyone have a great recipe from scratch? Or nearly from scratch? Or can someone point me to a book that has one? Thanks, - ----- Daniel Popowich --------- Social Science Computing Cooperative ----- (608) 262-9830 University of Wisconsin - Madison popowich at ssc.wisc.edu 1180 Observatory Drive popowich at wiscssc.bitnet Madison, WI 53706 Return to table of contents
Date: 3 July 1992 11:08:03 CDT From: "Roger Deschner " <U52983 at UICVM.UIC.EDU> Subject: Silicone Rubber Caulking in Mash Tun I'm about to use it, but I am going to be sure to find the variety which claims to be OK for aquarium use. I believe other types will emit trace amounts of solvents. I figure if it's formulated not to kill tropical fish, it won't do me in either. "Aquarium Seal" is likely to be slightly more costly than other types of silicone rubber caulking. Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 10:35:33 -0700 From: eurquhar at sfu.ca Subject: cats meow 2 Would you please send cat2.uuz from recipe-book Thank you Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 15:56:52 -0300 From: pgsjay at atlas.cs.upei.ca (Scott Jay) Subject: rolled oats In issue 910 Larry Barrello was replying to Chris Estes re. Pearled Barley. Larry mentioned the use of rolled oats and barley. I tried mailing to Larry directly but could not get anything through. My question is this. Are these regular, grocery store, rolled oats? How much and when would you add these? Do they add to head retention? Are Beta-glucans harmful? I am: /////// //// /////// // // // // // Scott Jay /////// //////// /////// pgsjay at atlas.cs.upei.ca // // // // // // // // // // Forestry Association // // // /////// of Brewers Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 19:18:10 PDT From: pbhya!mndavis at ns.PacBell.COM Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 19:21:16 PDT From: pbhya!mndavis at ns.PacBell.COM Greets brewsters, Sitting somewhere amongst my brewing supplies is a 5 gal carboy. Upon further inspection one will find that it contains a full load of some crystal clear mead (yummy!). A little research will show that it was actually brewed about 2 years ago, and after a couple weeks of primary fermentation, the mead was racked to the secondary where it still sits today. But this is not a history lesson... Here's the problem - due to a combination of the bottling blues and negligence, this batch has been left sitting for these past 2 years, and on more than one occassion, I had noted that the water level inside the airlock had run critically low - as in empty! Of course I immediately refilled it and followed with a quick ritual anti-infectionary dance/chant session and prayed for the best. Alas, I have asked too much of the gods... floating obnoxiously on the surface of my unfortunate mead is a layer of (for lack of a more poetic term) SCUM. A quick nasal scan shows that nothing smells afoul however. Since this mead was made with 7.5 lbs of honey for a five gallon batch, and was "safely" fermented in the primary at least, with champagne yeast, I'm assuming that there is a healthy dose of alcohol present to protect it. I also know from experience, that two years in the life of mead is equivalent to the adolescent stage, so its nowhere near its expiration date. What I'm looking for are possible suggestions as to what that SCUM is, and any ideas on how to go about bottling this. It appears that whatever is currently living off my mead can only due so at the surface, so I've had thoughts of ever so gently siphoning the mead from the bottom, and at first sign of SCUM in the proximity of the siphon head, shutting it down and using the remains to appease the great spirit of the garbage disposal. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Mark Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 92 13:36:36 PDT From: polstra!norm at uunet.UU.NET (Norm Hardy) Subject: Dave Miller's New Book At the local homebrew shop, The Cellar in Seattle, I came across several copies of Miller's new book, "Brewing the World's Great Beers". A quick glance seemed to show the PRACTICAL nature of the material. There are MANY recipes along with the gradual transition from extract to grain brewing. Interesting, I just might have to buy a copy if I can't borrow it from someone who has already bought it :) Has anyone else bought/read the book? Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1992 15:00:54 -0400 From: Nick Zentena <zen%hophead at canrem.com> Subject: Silcone again Hi, So I guess the general concensus is that Silcone is 1) Reasonably inert chemically 2) Won't kill me? Thanks ***************************************************************************** I drink Beer I don't collect cute bottles! zen%hophead at canrem.com ***************************************************************************** Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 92 17:08:47 -0400 From: parsons1 at husc.harvard.edu Persons of discriminating taste, I've been reading this magazine for almost two years now, without contributing any words of my own. I have controlled myself, because all I really have to offer are some recipes, and everyone always has enough recipes already. But I can't resist contributing these two. The first, in response to the recent popularity of Weis beer, is a recipe of my own. It is not as heavy as the German varieties, and does not have the clove-like taste: instead, I made it in pursuit of the taste of Grant's Weis Beer, which is much paler, and lighter of body; with a hoppier aroma; and drier, but not bitter, to the taste. Hefeweizen, for 5 gal: 5# wheat 3# 6 row lager 1 oz Tettnang (45 min before end of boil - alpha 4.7%) 1/2 oz Saaz (25 min - 3.8% alpha) 1/2 oz Saaz (10 min - 3.8% alpha) Wyeast 1056 ("American Ale") Mash in 11 qts and protein rest 30 min at 130 F Starch conversion 90 min at 149 F Mash out and sparge 1 hr. at 168 F Boil 1 hr., adding hops as specified above. Starting Gravity 1.042 at 72 F While I'm at it, I also want to offer this recipe. It is time to start thinking about this Winter's beer, so here is a Scotch ale recipe which yields, I think, superb beer. for 5 gal. 9# pale ale 1# crystal 1# Munich 1/2# chocolate 1/2 oz. Bullion (60 min - 9% alpha) 2 oz. Fuggles (30 min - 4.5% alpha) 3/4 oz. Golding (10 min - 4.9% alpha) 1 tsp. Irish moss (30 min) Whitbread or Wyeast 1007 ("German Ale") Heat 14 qts for 140 F strike heat Mash in, starch conversion 1 1/2 hr. at 154 F Mash out and sparge with 5 gal. at 168 F Boil1 1/2 hr., adding hops and Irish moss as scheduled above. Starting Gravity 1.055 at 72 F I am very fond of both these styles, and should be pleased if anyone would offer his own recipes. So much for my 15 minutes of fame. Thanks. P.S. nec parce cades tibi destinatis Jed Parsons : Harpsichordist, Classicist, Homebrewer Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 92 22:48 GMT From: Phillip Seitz <0004531571 at mcimail.com> Subject: Book Review: _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte Review: _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte Copies of the Association of Brewers' newest publication, _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte, are now available. Despite it's defects (most of them editorial) this will undoubtedly be the bible of Belgian-style brewing for some time to come. Anyone interested in brewing Belgian beers must read it. While it's a matter of (well founded) opinion that the Belgians are the world's best brewers, the specifics of Belgian-style brewing will come as quite a shock to many: these include obligatory use of large quantities of sugar, high-temperature fermentations (up to and over 85 degrees fahrenheit), microscopic hopping rates (take *that*, hopheads!), and deliberate production of sour and high-ester beers. The book's strength lies in Rajotte's clear explanations of the ways these can be used to generate great beers, and he does so with an eye to the practical needs of brewers at all levels. Rajotte himself is a Canadian, with a degree in mechanical engineering. He help found Montreal's first brewpub, and is a regular contributor to _zymurgy_. Chapter 1 of this book provides an historical overview of Belgian brewing and its traditions. The Belgians continue to use many procedures and ingredients that were long ago abandoned by more "progressive" brewers, yet produce the world's most stunning array of beer types and flavors. Rajotte doesn't lay his cards on the table, but obviously thinks this is not a coincidence. He also emphasizes, however, that even in a within a conservative atmosphere Belgian brewers have a continued tradition of innovation and experimentation. Despite centuries of brewing, most Belgian beers on the current market are relatively new; even their distinguished Trappist brews were only developed in the early part of this century. Chapter 2 profiles the various Belgian ale styles. This includes statistical information on gravity, color, IBU, and more, but also emphasizes that style isn't all that important; as Rajotte says, "People who like to categorize everything in an orderly manner will not feel secure in the way Belgian beers are classified." Even so, his classification system is more practical and realistic than Michael Jackson's, and better fits the categories controlled by Belgian law. In all, the discussion covers trappist and abbey beers, special beers, ales and saisons, white beers, and oud bruins (tart brown beers such as Liefmann's Goudenband). Chapter three concerns the materials and equipment and materials used in Belgian brewing, providing detailed information on malt selection and use (almost no use of colored or specialty varieties), sugar types, hops (noble types mostly, and in minute quantities), and equipment for boiling, cooling, and fermenting. Chapter 4 continues with an overview of the various Belgian brewing processes, beginning with a description of a joint brewing project between Rajotte and Pierre Gobron, master brewer of La Brasserie D'Achouff. There's excellent information here, but the book's sloppy editing makes it impossible to tell which quotes are Rajotte's and which are Gobron's. This chapter also includes a section on bottle conditioning, in which Rajotte explains why the homebrewing version (add more sugar) won't work with high-gravity Belgian-style beers. The Belgians add sugar too, but also extra yeast to replace the yeast cells worn out during high- gravity primary and secondary fermentation. Unfortunately, this technique has some dangerous implications for the inexperienced, as differences in attenuation between the two yeasts might lead to unpleasant CO2 pressure levels. It's possible that anyone who gets into this technique will risk a few explosions before mastering it. Chapter five includes recipes. Yup, lots of 'em, with information for extract and all-grain batches of five gallons, as well as all grain batches of 1 barrel (31 gallons). Hopheads be horrified to find bittering hop levels as low as 4 to 7 Homebrew Units (18 IBU) in beers with original gravities as high as 1.088. More than hops or even malt, the secret to Belgian beer flavors appears to be the yeast, and practical advice is offered on ways to collect cultures from bottles of Belgian imports. A variety of appendices are also included, one of which offers descriptions of the various commercially-available beers that illustrate--and vary from--the various styles. Overall Rajotte has done a marvelous job. He is obviously very knowledgeable about beer and brewing and has done a great deal of historical and on-site research. His information is reasonably well organized, and deep appreciation of the somewhat idiosyncratic nature of Belgian beer is apparent. He understands that Belgium is a place where unusual flavors and aromas are big selling points, and makes an excellent case for judging these beers on the basis of their inherent merits and pleasures rather than with respect to style adherence or perceived deviance from a theoretical standard of taste and character. Unfortunately the book is riddled with typographical errors and other production problems--an apparent trademark of the Brewers Publications series. It wouldn't be hard for Charlie Papazian and the Association of Brewers to turn out better, more carefully produced publications, and there's no question that authors like Rajotte deserve better. Are you listening out there, Charlie? _Belgian Ale_ is available from the Association of Brewers (PO Box 1679, Boulder, Colorado, 80306) for $11.95 plus $3.00 shipping. Copies can also be ordered by calling (303) 447-0816. Disclaimer: I am a member of the American Homebrewers Association, which is a division of the Association of Brewers, and have no financial, editorial, or authorship interests in this book. Phillip Seitz Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 92 21:10 CDT From: arf at ddsw1.mcs.com (Jack Schmidling) Subject: MALTMILL GIVEAWAY To: Homebrew Digest Fm: Jack Schmidling 100 MALTMILLS I gives me pleasure to announce the recent shipment of the 100th MALTMILL. We are currently shipping 2 a day and have a two week backlog of orders with no end in sight. Needless to say, the success of the MALTMILL has put a crimp into my retirement plans. However, in light of Greenspan's program to pauperize retirees, the new source of income is most welcome. The initial success of the MALTMILL was due, in no small part to the free publicity received on the Home Brew Digest and the flattering reviews published therein by several intrepid, early buyers. To help overcome the hostility toward my alleged commercialization of the Digest by product announcements and progress reports, I would like to show my appreciation by giving a MALTMILL to one randomly selected participant of the Home Brew Digest. To avoid more criticizm for collecting names and building mailing lists, I am simply going to give a MALTMILL to the author of the 100th article following this announcement. The next article is Number 1 and you can all help me count to 100. Thanks and good luck, js Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #917, 07/06/92