HOMEBREW Digest #1197 Thu 05 August 1993

Digest #1196 Digest #1198


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


Contents:
  more on FaceMail... (Paul dArmond)
  re: yeast questions (Jim Sims)
  AHA results (CHUCKM)
  Ice Beer--now there's a concept! (Kieran O'Connor)
  Re: *EXTRA* EARWAX KILLS BEER FOAM (Kevin L. McBride)
  Recipe for Dunkelweizen needed ("Andy Phillips, Long Ashton, Bristol, UK")
  Home Brewery Info (Tom Tomazin)
  repeat question: Spice Additions (Chris Pencis)
  Minneapolis Brewpubs ("Tom Stolfi")
  hops,1007,overnight mash (Russ Gelinas)
  Multiple Styles from single mash/boil (Kelly Jones)
  signoff (471-7875)" <GARTHH%NAITVM.NAIT.AB.CA at VM.UCS.UALBERTA.CA>
  rebottling (Robert Chizmadia)
  Critters (Jack Schmidling)
  1007 Wyeast (Lee=A.=Menegoni)
  Alcohols (WEIX)
  Basic algebra (lyons)
  Decoction a must?/Mashing techniques (korz)
  Substitutions and Bulk Malt Extract  (geotex)
  starters/Widmer/HopPicking/Flora&Fauna/SNPAyeast/Wyeast1007/HopUtiliz (korz)
  RE: Ethan's Earwax (John Mare)
  Re: Counterflow Questions (John Hartman)
  Hot yeast (LIFE'S TOO SHORT TO DRINK CHEAP BEER)
  Beer (the magazine) (Jimmy Patrick)
  RE: Yeast = animals? (John Mare)
  Mead ("/R=GTC/R=A1/U=BRANNAGJB/O=College Marketing/TN=250-8384/FFN=Gretchen Brannaman/")
  Chiles (thomas ciccateri)

Send articles for __publication_only__ to homebrew at hpfcmi.fc.hp.com (Articles are published in the order they are received.) Send UNSUBSCRIBE and all other requests, ie, address change, etc., to homebrew-request@ hpfcmi.fc.hp.com, BUT PLEASE NOTE that if you subscribed via the BITNET listserver (BEER-L at UA1VM.UA.EDU), then you MUST unsubscribe the same way! If your account is being deleted, please be courteous and unsubscribe first. Archives are available via anonymous ftp from sierra.stanford.edu. (Those without ftp access may retrieve files via mail from listserv at sierra.stanford.edu. Send HELP as the body of a message to that address to receive listserver instructions.) Please don't send me requests for back issues - you will be silently ignored. For "Cat's Meow" information, send mail to lutzen at novell.physics.umr.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1993 21:34:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Paul dArmond <paulf at henson.cc.wwu.edu> Subject: more on FaceMail... I've had a request via private e-mail to be more forthcoming about the facemail project, so here goes... There are several software packages available that produce low-quality, motion images on your, well maybe not your, but many computer screens. They go by a number of names, of which Quick Time and Video for Windows are the most advertised. As usual with multimedia, the advertising is overblown and deceptive.... (I will skip my usual rant on the damage done by advertising hype in my field) None of these packages do video. What happens is that the incoming video stream is sampled and converted into a bitmap for every so many frames. Very few of the systems offer 30 frame per second (video speed) display rates. Those that offer sound with the video interleave digitized audio with the picture bitmaps at substancial reductions in frame rate. The net result is much more like the cartoon flip books than true motion video. Some systems use special hardware to get the frame rate up, but this is an expensive compromise. Most of the animated images occupy only a small portion of the screen, a postage stamp.... So don't get your hopes up too much... The good news: I should be able to prepare complete runtime packages for DOS, this will require a 33Mhz 386DX with a standard vanilla VGA for acceptable performance. These systems should be widely available. I will also produce a Quick Time version for the user-interface impaired, uh I mean the rest of them, uh, you know, the fruit machine people.... Quicktime viewers are reasonably available among the Mac tribes. The Quick Time version will be later in arriving, since I have to steal machine time at another site to convert the video. Any Quick Time users out there (Spigot owners?) who want to volunteer to speed up this process will be very welcome. So, I should be able to get stand alone programs for DOS and Mac owners should be able to lay hands on the appropriate drivers. These motion video (sic) files are pretty big, even when heavily compressed. Expect to spend a while downloading them. Don't even consider sending them UUencoded.... As I slowly work my way into this project, I'll be posting progress reports. The next step will be to do a rough edit on the videotape. At that time I'll report how things are looking and approximate runtimes. With any luck, this will be a Xmas present. While I was in Portland, I had a huge backlog of high-priority stuff pile up on me.... patience, Paul. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 08:06:05 EDT From: sims at pdesds1.scra.org (Jim Sims) Subject: re: yeast questions Thanks for the all the yeast question replies. I had a coupla other folks reply directly via email yesterday, so now i've got another question: Is the yeast in the Wyeast packet in the inner (break to open) pouch, or the outer pouch. I got one reply saying it was in the inner packet, other replies seem to indicate otherwise. btw, the beer was gurgling away when I got home yesterday and both batches have a healthy amount of krausen started. I re-hydrated and pitched a packet of EDME dried yeast into one of em just in case, and to see if I could taste the difference in the final beers (assuming they both survive). thanks, jim Return to table of contents
Date: 04 Aug 93 07:12:24 EDT From: CHUCKM at PBN73.CV.COM Subject: AHA results It seems that Steve and Tina Daniel always take a good share of the AHA brewing awards. Too bad they are not plugged into this digest so that we may pick their brains. Does anyone out there know these two..they are obviously doing something very right. ANd has anyone sampled any of their brews? Prost chuckm at pbn73.cv.com Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1993 08:41:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Kieran O'Connor <koconnor at mailbox.syr.edu> Subject: Ice Beer--now there's a concept! NY Times, Page D3, August 3, 1993: "Our northern neighbor is putting ice in our beer." Banking on strong performance of a new product called "ice beer" in Canada, Molson Breweries palns to introduce Molson Ice next week on a trial basis in Atlanta and Michigan. Basically they go on to say that they almost freeze the beer--and then remove the ice crystals. It supposedly leads to a smoother and (this is true) more alcoholic brew. However, "It is being marketed for its smoothness and distinctive, full flavored taste. The fact it has higher alcohol is a fact not a market element" (yeah right!) Anyway, an interesting "New Brew From Molson," too bad the Germans already invented it. Kieran O'Connor E-Mail Address: koconnor at lor.syr.edu Syracuse, N.Y. USA Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 8:45:30 EDT From: klm at mscg.com (Kevin L. McBride) Subject: Re: *EXTRA* EARWAX KILLS BEER FOAM "Chris" writes some nonsense: > I was with my friend ethan last night, enjoying some homebrew. well, > he poured some into his glass with a marvelous head (maybe even too > much head say about 4", and yes, he poured it correctly, of course, it > was an old mayonaise jar, but that's beside the point). he then > swirled his finger in his ear and said, "watch this." whilest > swirling yonder finger in the beer foam, he said, "earwax kills beer > foam," and it did, quite remarkably too... and then asks us to reply to an account at UNH that is not owned by someone named "Chris" (I fingered the account 'cause I had this gut feeling that something just wasn't right.) Can you say FORGERY boys and girls? I thought you could. Should you reply to this utter tripe, thus filling the innocent victim's mailbox? NO. Just a friendly reminder, folks, that there are some people out here in net.land who won't think twice about USING you to play their practical jokes or fight their petty flame wars. If it looks like a joke, it probably is. Don't waste your time. - -- Kevin Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 14:11 BST From: "Andy Phillips, Long Ashton, Bristol, UK" <phillipsa at afrc.ac.uk> Subject: Recipe for Dunkelweizen needed I'd like to have a go a making a dunkelweizen soon. I have a few questions about recipe formulation: 1. What grain should I use, and how much, to get the colour right? I can get hold of chocolate, black patent and crystal malt, and roast barley. I could probably roast my own malt to give an amber malt. I can't buy Cara or (mainland) European speciality grains. My best guess is crystal plus some chocolate. 2. Hops? Hallertauer? 3. Yeast? I know of no source of liquid cultures of wheat beer yeasts in the UK. I can buy several HefeWeizens, which of these do you think would make the best starter: Thurn und Taxis HefeWeizen or Roggen, or Erdinger DunkelWeizen? The last of these seems to throw a good sediment, so this is my first choice. Are all HefeWeizens bottle conditioned, or are some pasteurized? 4. Temperature? Unfortunately, I have no control over this, so I may have to wait for autumn before I start. The temperature in Bristol today is a sizzling 67F. Thanks for any help, Andy Phillips Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 08:51:13 CDT From: tomt at nano.sps.mot.com (Tom Tomazin) Subject: Home Brewery Info Hello. I am very interested in building a complete home brewery that would make ~10 gallon batches. I've seen the some adds for complete set-ups for $800.00 and up. I'm sure I can do it myself for a lot less. Since I know someone out there has built one themselves, I'm hoping that someone can share advice, cost approximations, or even schematics (in any form, I have access to all platforms). Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Tom tomt at nano.sps.mot.com Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 9:05:17 CDT From: chips at coleslaw.me.utexas.edu (Chris Pencis) Subject: repeat question: Spice Additions Hey folks - Last week I posted a question regarding the pros and cons of different methods of spice addition to a spiced ale (in boil, in fermenter, as a tea, alcohol derivatives etc) - note: I have investigated the Cat_s Meow and back HBD issues (back to 950)and have found no real good "do this...dont do that" kind of information. I have also received several requests for a repost/forwarding of this information. So (since maybe a good deal of the readership was in Portland), can anyone still answer this question? TIA In addition I am looking for extract spiced ale recipes w/ o.g.s at 1040-1060. I have received one so far that looks promising....thanks again good luck and good beer Chris ps. thanks for all the responses to my clean glass question last week. ====================================================================== |Chris Pencis chips at coleslaw.me.utexas.edu | |University of Texas at Austin Robotics Research Group | ====================================================================== Return to table of contents
Date: 04 Aug 1993 08:59:08 GMT From: "Tom Stolfi" <WAUTS at cwemail.ceco.com> Subject: Minneapolis Brewpubs From: Tom Stolfi WAUTS - CWE1IIN To: Open-Addressing Application for Internet Acc INLINE - CWEMAIL Subject: Minneapolis Brewpubs I will be stopping overnight in Minneapolis on my way to Canada for a well deserved vacation :-). Could someone recommend a clean cheap place to stay and give me the lowdown on the Brewpubs in the area. Thanks. Tom Stolfi wauts at cwemail.ceco.com Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1993 10:15:42 -0400 (EDT) From: R_GELINAS at UNHH.UNH.EDU (Russ Gelinas) Subject: hops,1007,overnight mash FYI, male hops flowers are easily distinguished from the female cones we all know and love. Whereas mature female flowers are, well, cones, like pine-cones, male flowers are quite different. The male flowers will consist of a number of short stalks, maybe 6 or so, about 1/2" to 1" long, with a ball (hopefully) at the end of each, which contains the pollen. I say hopefully a ball, because if it's not a ball, it's an small open flower, and the pollen has been (is being) released. Wyeast 1007 (German ale) has produced a very vigorous fermentation every time I have used it. Probably a good yeast to use in the summer. Surprisingly, it can make a very fine Porter. Never mashed overnight, but I have mashed and sparged, and then boiled the next day. I know it sounds dangerous, but I've seen no indication of souring. My mash/sparge technique is such that exposure of the wort to spoiling organisms is minimized, but then again, I may have just been lucky. It is a very convenient way to brew. I don't think I'd recommend it during the summer though, or in a less than squeaky clean environment. Russ Gelinas esp/opal unh Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 08:33:14 -0600 From: Kelly Jones <k-jones at ee.utah.edu> Subject: Multiple Styles from single mash/boil I have just recently begun doing 10gal batches, and am looking for ways to get two separate styles from a single mash/boil. For example, my last batch was a 50% wheat mash. After boiling and cooling, I separated the wort into two 5gal fermenters. Into one, I pitched Wyeast 3056 (a Weizen strain). Into the other, I pitched Wyeast 1007, with which I have had good luck making wheat beers. In a few days, I will add some fresh fruit to this batch (perhaps blackberries or peaches), thus I will end up with two separate batches from a single mash/boil. Does anyone have suggestions for other mixed-batch recipes, from a single mash/sparge/boil? For example, I had considered making both a Helle- and Dunkel-Weizen by doing a separate, very small steep of some chocolate malt, boiling the resulting liquor, and adding this to one of the fermenters. Would this have worked out? Any other suggestions? E-mail is fine; I'll post any interesting suggestions. Kelly <k-jones at ee.utah.edu> Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 08:31:32 MDT From: "Garth Hidson (471-7875)" <GARTHH%NAITVM.NAIT.AB.CA at VM.UCS.UALBERTA.CA> Subject: signoff signoff Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 10:35:58 EDT From: chiz at atmel.com (Robert Chizmadia) Subject: rebottling Hi, As a favor for my upcoming wedding, I decided to brew a batch, print up a label and give it out. My usual container for bottling is a two liter glass container ( carry-out from my local brew pub ). My problem is I only bottled 55 12-oz'ers for the wedding, put the rest in 2-liters ( hey, I like to drink my beer ), and last night my fiancee informed me that I would need 60 bottles because she miscounted. The beer is an ESB from extract, OG of 1.054 and FG of 1.012, using a Munton and Fison dry yeast. It was bottled 3 days ago. My question is is it possible to rebottle from the 2-liters to the 12-oz bottles? I assuming I will need to re-prime the smaller bottles, and that enough yeast will still be present to carbonate the beer. But what effect will the dissolved CO2 have ? should I allow the beer to go flat first? Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 09:54 CDT From: arf at genesis.mcs.com (Jack Schmidling) Subject: Critters >From: korz at iepubj.att.com <Subject: Flora & Fauna >I've read that yeast are technically a "slime mold" and that they are animals, which would make them fauna rather than flora. I would then assume that non-slime molds would then also be fauna. However, what are bacteria, flora or fauna? My guess would be, again, fauna. I have seen "microflora" and I think I've used the word myself, but I'm playing with this topic just for fun anyway (so don't take it too seriously). And I am responding because I am bored and can't find anything else in this issue to argue with. Many modern taxonomists prefer to create an entirely new kingdom for all fungi and hence they are neither flora nor fauna. The general concesus however, is to place fungi in the Plant Kingdom and they therefore become flora. Although some slime mold plasmodium do migrate impresively over a substrate, this does not change their taxonomic position as flora nor are they any more closly related to yeast than a mushroom. Yeasts are somewhat unique in that they are single celled organisms with little or no propensity to form colonies. This is also true of most bacteria but they are miles away from each other taxonomically. Yeast is as evolutionarily removed from bacteria as far as humans are from yeast. The fundamental difference between bacteria and all the rest of us is that they lack a nucleus and all the genetic implications involved it that. Bacteria are exceedingly primitive plants in current thinking although some would again put them in a kingdom of their own. My reference to fauna invading the mash was in terms of flies or other animal types that could get it if not covered or small enough to get in under the cover. js Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 11:45:17 EDT From: Lee=A.=Menegoni at nectech.com Subject: 1007 Wyeast I too had a very vigorous fermentation when I used this yeast. It was my 3rd or 4th batch and I thought I did something wrong since the fermentation spewed out of the top of the airlock. The beer came out fine. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1993 12:00:43 -0500 (CDT) From: WEIX at swmed.edu Subject: Alcohols Hi all, IHTNPB (I Hate To Nit Pick But): Methanol=wood alcohol=denatured alcohol, but NOT rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is isopropanol(or 2-propanol). Another thing, Korz writes us saying: >Jack writes: >>There is no doubt a multicultural flora ready to do a number on the mash but >I've read that yeast are technically a "slime mold" and that they are >animals, which would make them fauna rather than flora. I would then >assume that non-slime molds would then also be fauna. However, what >are bacteria, flora or fauna? My guess would be, again, fauna. I have >seen "microflora" and I think I've used the word myself, but I'm playing >with this topic just for fun anyway (so don't take it too seriously). >Al. To which I say (not that I am taking this seriously), IHTNPB, yeast?, slime molds? I think not. Yeast are unicellular fungi, and although some yeast can grow into multinucleate organisms complete with psuedohyphae and other technical words, they cannot move, aggregate, grow a stalk, or do any of the other nifty things that slime molds can do. Slime molds, however, make bad beer, so I would call it even. Also, to relegate fungi to the animal (fauna) kingdom or to the plant (flora) kingdom seems to me to be unnecessarily restrictive. I believe that the correct scientific term for anything that is smaller than a mouse and that does not nurse its young is the word "bug" (from the greek, I believe). at at at at (o o) |----------------------ooO---(__)---Ooo----------------------| | | | Patrick Weix weix at swmed.edu | | UT Southwestern Medical Center tel: (214) 648-5050 | | 5323 Harry Hines Blvd fax: (214) 648-5453 | | Dallas, TX 75235 | |------------------------------------------------------------| || || (__) (__) Have fun y'all! Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 14:07:42 EDT From: lyons%adc2 at swlvx2.msd.ray.com Subject: Basic algebra >Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1993 16:31:05 -0700 >From: reeves at lanl.gov (Geoff Reeves) >Subject: Algebra and extraction rate > >I got quite a bit of mail regarding my assertion that extraction should >properly be expressed as pt-gal/lb. Basically most people said that I had >forgotten my algebra and that pt-gal/lb == pt/lb/gal. Their arguement >depends on where you mentally draw the parentheses. pt-gal/lb = >pt/(lb/gal). However this is not the common way of expressing things. Think >of gravity. g = 32 feet per second per second. 32 ft/s/s is not the same Do you mean the acceleration of gravity ... 32 ft/(sec**2) ??? >as 32 ft similarly energy flux is expressed as >particles/second/steradian/keV or similar units. Dimensional analysis >assumes that a/b/c = a/(b*c). Similarly computer codes that evaluate a/b/c >will evaluate a/b and then divide by c. Is this a joke? I can't stop laughing! Actually we shouldn't be laughing about the mathematically ignorant. In case that this is not a joke, please review your concepts of dimensional analysis or seek help. >Now this may seem nit-picky but it pisses me off when people tell me that I >don't know algebra. I didn't get one of those mail-order physics PhDs. Did you get a high school diploma? Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 12:32 CDT From: korz at iepubj.att.com Subject: Decoction a must?/Mashing techniques Jim (as well as one other poster) writes: >Decoction is a must for all grain weizens, and is very beneficial for >many styles of lagers, pils and bocks in particular. It is not worth >the extra effort for ales, esp if you are using domestic 2 row pale or Well, despite the fact that I haven't done an all-grain Weizen, I would like to propose that perhaps it's a good protein rest that is essential for a brew with a large percentage of wheat and not necessarily a decoction mash that's essential. Indeed, the decoctions will help convert the starches in wheat, especially raw wheat, but I've tasted quite a few very good weizens made with temperature-controlled (step) mashes. On a semi-related topic: mashing technique nomenclature. There's a lot of conflicting information in the books and magazines regarding the following point. The point is that: "step-infusion mashes == temperature-controlled mashes." What I mean here by temperature-controlled, is stovetop mashing, where the burners are used to raise the mash from protein rest to saccharification rest to mashout. *I believe* that step-infusion mashing is NOT the same, rather it is a method whereby hot water is *infused* into the mash to raise its temperature. Do I have this nomenclature right? I've read conflicting views on this. This would imply that there are basically four methods of mashing (the last having multiple variations): 1. single-infusion -- add a measured amount of water at a calculated temperature to bring a measured amount of grain to saccharification temperature. Mashout is often not done and the hot sparge water is what effectively ends the conversion. 2. step-infusion -- add a measured amount of water at a calculated temp to bring a measured amount of grain to protein rest temperature. Add another infusion of hot water to bring the mash to saccharification temp. Finally, add boiling water to get the mash to mashout temp. 3. temperature-controlled -- dough-in (cool water) or mash-in (protein rest temperature) with the full mash volume of water. Add direct heat to raise the temperature to other rests. 4. decoction -- dough-in or mash-in with the full mash volume and then remove parts of the mash to a kettle in which this "mash fraction," which is called a decoction, is heated to boiling and then returned to the rest of the mash to raise it's temperature. There are several variations to this (double (two decoctions), triple (three decoctions), etc.) in which some of the decoctions are replaced by infusions or the entire mash is moved to a kettle and then direct heat is used in place of one or more decoctions. It is interesting to mention that decoction mashing can be done WITHOUT A THERMOMETER, given enough experience, which I've read is the reason that it was invented (they did not HAVE thermometers at the time). Al. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 15:54:55 -0400 From: <geotex at engin.umich.edu> Subject: Substitutions and Bulk Malt Extract Question #1) I am planning to make a porter whost recipe calls for 5# of dark malt extract. I have 3.3# of dark and 1.7# of light. I have heard that their is a way I can use the light in place of dark if I add roasted barley, black patent, or chocolate malt. Is this wise? Which should I use if it is? How much? On that note, is there any rule o' thumb for substitutions like this? Question #2) I was at the local health food store (People's Food Coop, Ann Arbor) yesterday and I noticed that they had bulk "barley malt" they sold by the pound. Is this type of stuff ever suitable for brewing? Anyone ever try? It is about $1.50/lb so it seems it would be a cheap experiment to brew something with it? Any suggestions? respond by email if possible Alex geotex at engin.umich.edu Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 13:49 CDT From: korz at iepubj.att.com Subject: starters/Widmer/HopPicking/Flora&Fauna/SNPAyeast/Wyeast1007/HopUtiliz John writes: >To make a yeast starter: > obtain a 1/2 or 1 gallon juice jug (or any similarly size glass container). > obtain an appropriate sized rubber stopper and fermentation lock. > santitize your starter, fermentation lock, and liquid yeast packet. > > boil 1 pint water with 2/3 cup light dry extract for 5 mintutes. > add 1 point cold water to your starter jug. ^^^^ This had better be boiled and cooled water -- *everything* must be sanitized (sterilized would be even better -- I use a pressure cooker). > add your "mini wort" to your starter. > The addtional pint of cold water helps to bring the mixture's temp. > down to 80-90degress. I usually fill my sink with more cold water and > sit the starter jug in the water until the temp. drops to ~70. > > figerously shake the starter to help oxygenate the "mini wort." > carefully open the liquid packet and add the contents to the starter jug. > cap with the fermentation lock and wait. Good description... I just wanted to highlight the sanitized-cold-water point. ***************** David writes: >What did you think of Widmer Bock? I recently tried this, and >thought it was fantastic... but since I'm used to drinking Henry >Weinhard, or (ACK!) Miller Genuine Draft, I don't have much to >compare to. I'd like to get the opinion of some of those who are >"in the know" of what a fine beer should taste like. Yes... I did, at that place with three names (something Bakery, something Restaurant and Widmer Brewery (although it is technically next door)). I don't have my tasting notes here, but I remember it was very good. I recall it had an OG of 1066 and did have a noticable alcoholic component to the flavor. It was really the first American- made Bock I've tasted which I feel deserved to be called a Bock. Most I've had don't have that alcoholic component. If you like Widmer Bock, you might as well take any remaining Henry's and MDG out of your fridge and store it warm for rinsing kegs... you'll need the room for some of the great bottled beers in the PNW! ************************* Tim writes: >I have two hop plants, (out of three planted last March), >and I am wondering when to collect the flowers. There Ideally, and if you have the patience, harvest each cone as it becomes ripe. Ripe cones are noticably lighter, drier and "fluffier" than un-ripe. If it begins to turn yellow at the tips, then it's over-ripe. Note that you will still have to dry them before storing them away. I don't have my notes here, but last year, I believe my hops lost 90% of their weight during drying -- I used a food dessicator, but I think it was too hot (too rough on them). *********************** I wrote that yeast are animals. Apparently, two or three additional kingdoms have been created in addition to plants and animals. Yeast appear now to be neither plants nor animals. *********************** Bob writes: >Is it possible to culture yeast from the last inch or so of a bottle of >Sierra Nevada Pale Ale by pouring it into the starter I am making for a >batch? I am re-hydrating from dry yeast, and adding the beery slurry from the >SNPA. It was the cleanest ale Ihave made yet, very good. Do you suppose I >picked up some viable yeasties? Yes it's possible, but you need to give it a day or two to start. You may have picked up some viable yeasties, but dry yeast is quite a bit faster starting than the small amount of SNPA yeast (which by the way bears a striking resemblence to Wyeast #1056), so the SNPA yeast contribution was probably imperceptable. ******************** Dave writes: >I brewed up a batch of German Dusseldorf style Alt over the >weekend with about 20 % German wheat malt and Wyeast 1007, >(German) and got the strongest fermentation I have ever seen. This >is in a 15.5 gallon batch and by strongest I mean the speed and >amount of blow off that was generated. I had between 1.5 and 1.75 >gallons of blow off and after it settled I had a least 3/4 of a pint of >yeast. (Of course the batch is still going strong.) Am wondering if >this is the effect of the 1007 yeast, the wheat malt or both. The Both. The 1007 is notorious for a BIG kraeusen and the wheat malt will add some head-retaining small proteins. ********************** Brian writes: >lfk at veritas.com (Lynn Kerby) writes about boiling all hops << 1 hour: >>Are there other brewers out there that are doing something similar >>with their hopping techniques? I would be interested in hearing about >>experiences with beers that get a significant percentage of their IBUs >>in later stages of the boil. > >Perhaps It's my water (soft, though certainly not softened), >or the pH, or maybe something else, but I never seems to get >as much bitterness out of my hop additions as would seem to >be correct from HBU/IBU/boil time charts. For instance, a recent >barleywine with 9.5 oz of fresh goldings/fuggle/N Brewer plugs, >the longest of which was boiled for over an hour (should have had >150+ IBU) was criticized as being way too sweet in a contest. > >To compensate, I have taken to longer hop boils. So far, I have not >had any problem with off-tastes in young beers (even barleywines). >Note also that I use a blowoff, which loses some hop bitterness, >and that I do not use high-alpha american hops. First off, I virtually always use some flavor hops in the last 15 minutes of the boil, often 20 to 40% of the IBUs in the last 15 minutes. Secondly, I use Jackie Rager's formulas, but add 10% since I use a hop boiling bag and another 10% if I use whole hops in stead of pellets. I have not had my beers tested for actual IBUs, but my taste buds seem to confirm that my numbers are right. My boil hops are usually in for 60 to 90 minutes. >Many (Most?) breweries (PU and Traquiar I know for sure) >boil the bittering hops 4+ hours. As long as you have an handle >(from expreience) on how much hop bitterness to expect, I see no >reason to boil the bittering hops for an extended period of time. I'm quite certain that most breweries don't boil that long, let alone boil their hops that long. I've read that the maximum utilization one can expect from hops is 30% of the alpha acids and according to various hop utilization tables I've seen, anything more than 60 minutes does not increase hop utilization significantly. Al. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1993 14:09:01 -0600 (CST) From: John Mare <cjohnm at ccit.arizona.edu> Subject: RE: Ethan's Earwax Ed Fromohio raises a serious problem confronting brewer's and especially tipplers, namely how to keep earwax out of beer. When I started brewing and imbibing I too struggled with this problem, but I have it licked! Common earmuffs (any colour works) do a wonderful job if donned prior to coming in contact with beer. Since these are hard to come by in Arizona I have resorted to wearing a swimmer's rubber cap, works wonders! Hope this helps Ethan. John from John's Alehouse. Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 10:42:36 PDT From: hartman at varian.CSB.Varian.COM (John Hartman) Subject: Re: Counterflow Questions In HBD #1195 Jim Grady <grady at hpangrt.an.hp.com> asks: > 1. Some have mentioned that they sanitize their counterflow chillers by running boiling water through them. How do you get the boiling water in the chiller without scalding yourself? I'd like to point out a technique I've been using with my counterflow chiller for about the last 8 batches. It improves sanitation while reducing the work involved. I must say first of all that one needs a hot water pump. About 5 minutes before the end of the boil I setup the counterflow chiller: To do this I place a pick up tube in the boiler and attach its output to the input of my hot water pump. The output of the hot water pump is then attached to the input of my counterflow chiller. It's important (for priming purposes) to have the pump upstream of the counterflow. Otherwise there's too much dead-volume and priming becomes a nightmare. Leaving the counter-flowing water turned off (sic) I start the system from the output-side of the chiller. Once started I direct the output back into the boiler. Within 15 seconds this tepid wort reaches a temperature of 180F, since it's not being chilled. I leave the system pumping this way for 5-10 min. During this interval the entire chiller is sanitized. Any pathogens originally in the chiller are quickly killed either in place or as they are carried to the boiling vat. At this point I turn the burner off and the counter-flowing water on. Within a minute the effluent drops to pitching temp and I then direct it to the waiting fermentor. The nice thing is the system only needs to be plumbed once--for both sanitizing and chilling. This saves a lot of time and minimizes the hassle of sanitizing the chiller. Comments? John Oakland, CA hartman at varian.varian.com Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 21:44:22 PDT From: LIFE'S TOO SHORT TO DRINK CHEAP BEER <UNDERWOOD at INTEL7.intel.com> Subject: Hot yeast Hey all, First..I made my first all grain a month ago. I'm pleased with the results...no it wasn't harder but it took a while longer to clean up. Anyway, the plunge has been took. Now. I saved the leftover yeast slurry in a (hopefully) clean sanitized Mason Jar. It went into my beer fridge and nicely settled out into several layers of color. Well my electric bill decided the beer fridge had to be shut off. Now a month later, I have this mason jar in a hot fridge in a hot garage (New Mexico is HOT in July) full of hoy yeast. Are they still good? The top has bowed up quite a bit. Should I throw it away and buy more or if I can use it....what now? Thanks in advance Cu Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 93 15:34:01 -0700 From: jimmyp at netcom.com (Jimmy Patrick) Subject: Beer (the magazine) I saw the recent article about All About Beer by (sorry, I forgot.) I just received the premiere issue of a magazine called "Beer the magazine " It is put out by Bill Owens, founder of Buffalo Bill's in Hayward and publisher of American Brewer magazine. The book is about beer, not specifi- cally brewing. But, it may be of interest to some of you. I talked to Bill about 8 months ago andhe mentioned a Wine Spectator (ie tabloid, high-gloss) format. The magazine looks way better than I could have imagined. Some articles: Hot&Wet - Chili Beer Wheat Beers - Feature article & reviews Beerspective - A column by (you guessed it) M. Jackson Interview with Alan Eames (the Beer King) Easy Homebrew - Easy Steps to Better brew etc. etc. The magazine is fat and contains many articles. It might be worth a look but again, it is aimed for consumers. I have no financial interest in the magazine but I thought you all might be interested. E-mail me for more info. Jimmy Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1993 15:38:45 -0600 (CST) From: John Mare <cjohnm at ccit.arizona.edu> Subject: RE: Yeast = animals? The perception that bacteria are "plants", and protozoa are "animals" is an old one, no longer held to be useful or valid. While no single biological classification is accepted by all, a currently popular one is the so-called "Five Kingdom System". The imbibers of beer are in the "Animalia", the hops and barley are in the "Plantae", the yeasts are in the "Fungi", the unwanted (but sometimes necessary) bacteria are in the "Monera", and the protozoa (often in the water until boiled) are in the family "Protista". Another name for the "Monera" is "Prokaryotae", the kingdom in which the bacteria reside. All monerans are unicellular, and have no no organized nucleus, in contrast to the multicellular members of the "Plantae". As you can see there is little sense in persisting with the idea that bacteria are plants! The term "microflora" has been and still is widely used to descibe populations of bacteria, but this usage too is falling away, to be replaced by the more neutral "microbiota". I hope this helps! John's Alehouse John Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1993 21:59:00 EST From: "/R=GTC/R=A1/U=BRANNAGJB/O=College Marketing/TN=250-8384/FFN=Gretchen Brannaman/" at mr.gvltec.edu Subject: Mead I'm chomping at the bit to get started with my first attempt at a sparkling mead, but I'm reading about all the micro-nasties in the hot summer air waiting to destroy my efforts. Since it takes yeast longer to get going in mead (thus giving opportunities for intruders) should I wait until Fall to begin? I'd hate to wait nearly a year for my mead to ferment only to crack one open and find that some other critter got to it before my yeast-of-choice got there! I'll wait if you all think I'd have better luck. My sanitation must be OK because I havent had any bad batches of beer. But I REALLY want this mead to be wonderful. Please reply to brannagjb at yogi.gvltec.edu or publish it if folks are interested. Thanks Gretchen Return to table of contents
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1993 21:11:13 -0600 (MDT) From: thomas ciccateri <tciccate at carina.unm.edu> Subject: Chiles For informative reviews of various varieties of Chile Peppers and their contributions of flavor and heat to food and beer, check out Chile Pepper Magazine. Contact: Out West Publishing, Box 4278, Albuquerque, NM 87196, (505)889-3745. Can anyone report the collective review of the grind-off between the Maltmill and the PhilMill which occurred at the AHA Conference Jambeeree last Tuesday night ? Has anyone analyzed the grind from the Glatt Malt Mill, specifically, do the deep grooves in the rollers tear the husks apart too greatly ? For those lucky enough to have some of the Chile Extract given away by The Beverage People during the conference, could you please post the results of its use. Regarding yeast starters beginning with a petri dish. At the Yeast Culturing class given by Siebel at the conference last Saturday, they tell commercial brewers to increase volume by no more than 5 times per step so that the yeast would get accustomed to eating various sugars as they'll be found in the wort. The did concede that homebrewers with low volumes of well-areated wort could get by with step increases greater x 5. I go from 5 ml to 50 to 500 then finally to 1500. Diacytl or excessive unfermentables don't seem to be a problem. They also recommended starter gravities around 1048 unless the target beer is high gravity. Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #1197, 08/05/93