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


Contents:
  A dream of 'cream' (Darin Bennett)
  New England Brewpubs etc (attn: Bill Freeman!) ("Pamela J. Day 7560")
  Major into micro (was re Koch\etc.) (Allan Janus)
  full volume boils? (Art Steinmetz)
  Beer Sphere and chillers (GNT_TOX_)
  Beer King mini-kegsystem (JMO01)
  Re: Various (Jim Busch)
  high gravity ferments (Steve Lichtenberg x79300)
  re:chiller efficiencies ad nauseum (Thomas_Tills.Henr801h)
  Bottles (Patrick Seymour)
  re: PH Meters and Water (Darryl Richman)
  Re: Extraction/Returnables/etc. (Jeff Benjamin)
  Holiday Cheer (JMO01)
  Re: dishwashers, etc (Jeff Frane)
  pump sources? ("Anton Verhulst")
  Ideas on fermenter heaters for mead making? ("Victor Grigorieff")
  Propane Burner Question (Philip J Difalco)
  Stainless steel screen (Dennis J. Templeton)
  Sam Adams Taste-Alike (Mike Westra)
  belgian double ("JSDAWS1 at PROFSSR")
  Boilovers (William Furnish)


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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 04:51:27 -0500 (EST)
From: Darin Bennett <dbennett at mailstorm.dot.gov>
Subject: A dream of 'cream'


Greetings fellow homebrewers,
I am an almost virgin (1 batch) homebrewer on a very tight budget (and in
a small apartment no less) which has for now constrained me to extract
brewing.  My first batch, a 'Dutch Light Lager', was racked about 2 weeks
ago and my sample at that time showed a good bit of potential.  My true love
(besides beer in general) is heavy stout beers and in particular, Watneys'
Cream Stout.  I was told that the 'creaminess' can be created by using
particularly large amounts of malt.  My question is, is this really true,
if so, can I add malt (powder, other?) to an extract kit or is there
another simple and inexpensive way to pull this off?  

If you are willing, reply to HBD or mail me at dbennett at mailstorm.dot.gov
either is fine.

TIA,
darin

)-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-(
Darin Bennett                         <|> "I don't pretend to comprehend
Residing in Cyberspace at:            <|>  the universe.  It is much
dbennett at mailstorm.dot.gov            <|>  bigger than I." - A. Einstein
)-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-(



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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 07:26:00 EST
From: "Pamela J. Day 7560" <DAY at A1.TCH.HARVARD.EDU>
Subject: New England Brewpubs etc (attn: Bill Freeman!)

Hello All & especially Bill F.,
	I also live in New England, and am currently working in Boston.
As a result, I've tried to hit every brewpub/microbrewery in the area
that I can. If I haven't been to the establishment itself, I most 
likely know someone who has. If you want/need details, e-mail me
direct (DAY at a1.tch.harvard.edu) & I'll try to give you any info I
can. BTW there are guides on Breweries & Brewpubs, I don't remember
the name off hand, but there's one for east of the Mississippi, & one
for west.
	PS, I won't be around `til next week, so be patient about a
reply.

Merry (hic) New Year!

Pam

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Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 93  09:08:04 EST
From: Allan Janus <NASARC07 at SIVM.SI.EDU>
Subject:      Major into micro (was re Koch\etc.)


On the subject of major breweries going after the micro dollar, can anyone
confirm a rumor I heard (from the founder of Capital Brewing Co. of Madison,
WI) that Miller's will be test-marketing a stout?  Gad, can a Bud Kriek be
far behind?!


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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 09:06:50 EST
From: asteinm at pipeline.com (Art Steinmetz)
Subject: full volume boils? 

> how _does_ one get all that water boiling in a single 
lifetime?

That's an easy one.  Buy that cajun cooker (note how 
application of money solves yet another homebrew problem :-))  
They go under various names like Cajun Cooker, King Cooker, 
Fish Cooker.  Home depot sometimes has  'em.  Any self 
respecting homebrew store has 'em.  Cost <$50.  The put out 
over 100,000 BTU and sound like a jet engine at "Military 
thrust."  Outdoor use preferred.  The don't throw off carbon 
monoxide but they do suck up lots of oxygen and throw off mondo 
water vapor.  I use it.  I like it.

Frugal gadget heads will scavenge water heater burners and hook 
'em to their natural gas line.  Usual liablity disclaimers 
apply.  You're SOL on that one anyway.

Last resort.  Split your full boil into multiple pots on your 
electric stove.


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Date:     Wed, 29 Dec 93 09:31 EST
From: <GNT_TOX_%ALLOY.BITNET at PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject:  Beer Sphere and chillers

Ok, first I have a question, then a helping hint from Zymurgy.

First off anyone have any experience with the "Beer Sphere" CO2
dispensing system.  It lets you store 5 gallons of homebrew with a
tapping system using CO2 cartridges, and I saw for sale for $49.95.

Now the hint.  Chilling wort.  Someone in the newest Zymurgy had the
best method of cheap chilling I've ever read:

Take three 2-liter soda bottles.  Sterilize them with bleach and
rinse.  Fill 3/4 with boiled water and freeze.  When it comes time to
cool the wort, remove the bottles from the freezer and sanitize with
your choice of sanitizing agents.  Immerse bottles in the hot wort.
Author claims the wort is colled in 20 minutes, and bottles can be
placed in the freezer for reuse.


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Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 93  09:47:16 EST
From: <JMO01%ALBNYDH2.bitnet at UACSC2.ALBANY.EDU>
Subject:      Beer King mini-kegsystem

OK, it just goes to figure.  After glancing by recent postings on the
Beer King dispensing system, Santa dropped off one of these German-made
contraptions under the XMAS tree.  With nothing more than instructions
and simple figures printed on the box, I can't help but ask for some
Beer Kingexperiences - be it good, bad, or indifferent.  Is this thing
the next best thing since sliced white or is it worthy of exchange for
some good old-fashioned homebrew equipment?


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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 10:12:51 -0500 (EST)
From: Jim Busch <busch at daacdev1.stx.com>
Subject: Re: Various

> >Subject: Dishwasher Bottles
> >
> > Hello,
> >  I have been wondering if it would be acceptable to use my dishwasher
> >to setrilize my bottles.  

If you are lucky, you might get 165F water out of your water heater,
but this is barely enough for *santization* much less *sterilazation*.
Of course, who needs sterilazation for bottles?  I find it simpler to
use a sanitizing agent and a quick rinse.  Finished beer is not too
likely to get infected, unless it already harbours the beasts in the
still beer.

> From: cmryglot at disney.CV.COM (Chuck Mryglot X6024)
> Subject: sparge and extraction rate
> 
> First, I mash in a picnic cooler with a manifold pipe arrangement on
> the bottom. I single or double step mash. I achieve a step mash by adding
> boiling water to increase temperature.  I finally add all of the sparge
> water to the cooler (I guess that this is called batch sparging), stir and
> let everything settle.  Finally, I open the drain plug and start filling 
> the boiler (I usually recirc the first bit for clarity). This takes 15 -
> 20 mins.
> 
> Now,  - I usually get 20 - 25 pts/lb/gal.
> 
>       - Is there a relationship between sparge rate and extraction?

Yes, but more important is the conversion during mashing.  First, the
sugars need to be created in the mash, then adequate sparging is required.
Batch sparging is fine, but you need to add more water as the first 
run through, otherwise you are leaving lots of sugars stuck to the grain.
After the bed is set, sparging of around one hour is quite normal.
> 
>       - Does any one get 30 - 35 pts/lb/gal?

Sure, but I use a perf sheet bottom. I'm sure you can up the efficiency
from 25 pts.

> 
> From: npyle at n33.stortek.com
> Subject: Specialty Malts at Mashout / Smooth Operator
> 
> I've just now finished making a batch of brown ale based on my best pale ale
> recipe.  I substituted 1 lb. of Belgian Special B 200L Crystal malt for the
> light crystal I usually use in the recipe.  That Special B is special stuff,
> wonderful taste and aroma.  I'll never use American chocolate malt again as
 long as I can buy the SB.  It adds sweetness and maltiness that plain old choco
> malt can't touch.  This beer really worked out well for hitting temperatures
> without adjusting anything, and I had no problems at all with my newly-built
 hop back.  Whirlpooling helped keep the hops (pellets in the boil) from getting
> sucked out the drain.  This was the smoothest (in terms of the procedure)
> all-grain beer I've made.  I'll report later on how the beer comes out.

Just want to point out that while SB is a great malt, it is not chocolate.
I have a brown ale that used too much SB and it very different from the 
chocolate character.  I'm not convinced that porters are as good using 
SB as when using chocolate.  Now, a blend of both......
> 
> From: ari.jarmala at mpoli.fi (Ari Jarmala)
> Subject: Diluting beer
> 
> Timothy R. Peters wrote about adding water to already fermented
> beer to dilute it and to increase the volume at the time of
> bottling.
> 
> a) Be sure that the water you dilute the beer with is suitable. It
> must not be contaminated with nasty microbes and it's chemical
> composition should be good enough. It may be wise to boil the
> water for 30 minutes and cool it down before you add it to your
> beer.

Watch for chlorine, too.  This is one of the main advantages to bringing
the water to a boil.  Or, carbon filter it, but I would still get the 
water up to 160-170F at least.

Good brewing,
Jim Busch


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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 10:43:43 -0500
From: steve at Pentagon-EMH6.army.mil (Steve Lichtenberg x79300)
Subject: high gravity ferments

 Hi all--
 I have a couple of comments and a question or two.
 
 For each of my last two brews, I have been experimenting with getting two
 different beers out of each batch.  I recently made an upgrade to my set up
 that allows me to brew 10-15 gallon batches.  This has proven to be fantastic
 as the difference in the amount of work required to brew a 5 gallon batch
 and a 10 gallon batch is practically nil.
 
 I have been brewing fairly high gravity batches (1.080++) and either 
 diluting part of it to 1040 -1050 before or after fermentation.  I 
 am beginning to believe that doing high gravity boils and high gravity 
 ferments causes some nice things to happen to my beer.  There are some 
 down sides as well (hop utilization is poorer so you have to use a lot ;-))
 but the positives make it worth the effort.  I can ferment in one vessel
 instead of having many carboys bubbling away all over the house. (very
 important with a wife that is scared of big glass carboys, two kids running
 around and assorted pets).  IMHO this makes for a smoother beer and I can 
 play around with different tastes.  I split the strong beer into two kegs
 one full strength and the other diluted with one or two gallons of boiled
 and cooled water.  Since the flavor of the diluted beer is spread out 
 further, I can experiment with adding spices or dry hops to gain additional
 flavor.  This has worked out well for me and I am propably going to make
 it SOP.
 
 Now, on to my questions.
 
 While mashing last night, I had a small problem with grains sticking 
 and scorching to the bottom of my pot.  What does anyone do to help
 prevent this.  Of course, the obvious turning down the heat and stirring
 more frequently will help but if I turn down the heat too far I will be
 heating water till next week (kitchen stoves are not very good heat sources
 Oh for a commercial stove :<(  and more frequent stirring is difficult
 due to other demands on my time ;newborns do that) .  Also what is the 
 best method for removing that burnt material from the bottom of the pot
 TSP and a Scotch BRITE pad worked but with a lot of scrubbing.
 
 Second, I recently purchased a 50 pound bag of diatomaceous earth (supposed
 to be good for keeping ants and slugs out of the garden)  I doubt I will
 be using all of this for pest control and would like to explore using it
 as a base for a filter.  Is Plain Jane DE of sufficient consistency to 
 be used in this fashion?  If so does anyone have any plans for building/
 maintaining a DE filter?
 
 TIA for any help in this matter.
 
 {disclaim.i}
 --S
 -----
 Steven Lichtenberg
 Senior Programmer
 Datanamics, Inc
 1E247 The Pentagon
 Washington, DC
 ENJOY LIFE-- THIS IS NOT A REHEARSAL

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Date: 	Wed, 29 Dec 1993 08:54:50 PST
From: Thomas_Tills.Henr801h at xerox.com
Subject: re:chiller efficiencies ad nauseum

>I see a lot of equations and design theory being tossed around and my
>gut reaction is: So what? I probably use more water taking a shower than I
>do chilling my beer. And I only use water out of the cold water tap for the
snip
>Or is this a case of overdesign for the sake of overdesign?

Believe it or not, there are parts of this country and in the world that are in
an almost perpetiual state of drought(sp?, as in really dry, not as in kegged
beer).  Even if water is abundant, clean drinkable water has probably gone
through a lot of processing to make it that way.  It seams a shame to put clean
drinkable water down the drain, to mix with all the other sewage, just because
we have added heat to it.  If we could capture it and re-use it for some other
purpose, or waste less of it, we have achieved something, if not just a little
self-ritious smugness that we are doing a small part in conserving resources.

Remember, Detroit had the same attitude toward designing cars, now look at the
mess we/they are in.

Thomas N. Tills
Programmer/Analyst

disclaimer: these opinions are my own...

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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 09:01:00 PST
From: Patrick Seymour <seymour at ucs.ubc.ca>
Subject: Bottles


Many of the local homebrew shops here in Vancouver, BC sell plastic beer 
bottles in 1 and 1/2litre sizes.  Some are a green (Mountain Dew-type 
bottle), and others are a brown long neck stlye.  Both use a plastic screw 
top.
After emptying a bottle, I rinse & air dry, but before bottling, I rinse 
again with a weak iodine & water solution.  Although I have used lables 
which I've produced via PC & laser printer, I prefer the wine-tag (the type 
that fits over the bottleneck) labels.
I highly recommend this type of bottle!  I've never had an infected bottle, 
they hold carbon & flavor and travelled well when I sent them as XMas 
presents.
I wonder though ?  I've never kept a bottle around for more than 5 months, 
these may not store beer as well as glass bottles.
The plastic bottles are affected by altitude - evidenced by my foamy 
lunchtime treat when skiing.

 - Cheerio

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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 09:17:39 TZ
From: Darryl Richman <darrylri at microsoft.com>
Subject: re: PH Meters and Water

Tom Clifton <0002419419 at mcimail.com> writes:
> >   Since the tap water here in the Phoenix area is so "interesting" - PH
> > about
> > 8.0, very hard, Ca, Fe, Mg, Benzene, TCE
>                               ^^^^^^^  ^^^
>                             ACK! Phoee!
>
> You can get rid of the PH problem by boiling your water with
> gypsum.  I think this may also reduce the magnesium (Mg) some
> which can help with the bitterness in your Black beers.  If you
> are doing all grain, the high PH is definantly a problem as it
> causes excessive exraction of tannins from the grain husks.

The pH of the water may or may not be a problem.  The hardness
has no relation to this, but rather, the alkalinity is what's
important.  You cannot tell if the pH of the water will affect
the pH of the mash without having a handle on the alkalinity.

For black beers, you DO want a high alkalinity water because
these grains are very acidic and can counter the buffering power
in a high alkalinity water.  If you check water profiles, you
will find that the world's dark beers all originate in locales
with highly carbonate (high alkalinity) water.

One comment about using high alkalinity waters:  they drastically
increase hop utilization, and not in a pleasant way.  They will
produce a very harsh bitterness when the hopping rate goes above
an estimated 30 IBUs.

To tell if your mash is reacting well to your water, CHECK THE PH OF
THE *MASH*.  If it's within 5.0-5.5, RDWHAHB.  If it's not, consider
adjusting it into this range:  use CaCO3 if it's too low, use
CaCl2 or CaSO4 if it's too high.  (This is a bit simpleminded, but
this issue is brought up so often that it needs a simple solution
that is 95% right.)

		--Darryl Richman


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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 10:21:00 MST
From: Jeff Benjamin <benji at hpfcbug.fc.hp.com>
Subject: Re: Extraction/Returnables/etc.

Chuck Mryglot (cmryglot at disney.CV.COM) asks:

> Does any one get 30 - 35 pts/lb/gal?

Yes.  I use a stove-top masher, a 10-gal stainless stock pot with a
copper manifold, and do a 3-stage temperature step mash (122F, 150-156F,
and 170F).  My yields are consistently 30 pts/lb/gal or slightly higher.
Sparge rate and recirculation are always a hot topic on HBD, so I can
only speak from personal experience, but I do very little recirculating
and my sparge only last 20 minutes, so obviously one can get good
extraction with short sparge times.  BTW, I sparge with "standard" 170F
water.

You may want to try "continuous" sparging rather than "batch" sparging.
Someone posted a good explanation for this a while back.  I can't seem
to find the original reference, so I'll quote JS who paraphrased the
argument pretty well (no wise cracks, please :-) :

   It has to do with the gradual dilution effect and that the grain is
   always meeting up with a differential between it's remaining sugar and
   the disolved sugar in the sparge water.  The greater this differential
   is, the more sugar will be removed.

   It is also easy to see that in the last batch, after stirring the water
   and mash, the whole liquid will arrive at some gravity.  When the
   liquid is drained, the liquid held by the grain will be that gravity
   and that sugar is Lost.

Other variables are your sparge water temp, sparge water acidity, grain
bed configuration, etc.  I've never messed with these so I'll let others
comment on that.

On the subject of reusable bottles, Stephen P Klump
<sklump at magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> writes:

> Bar bottles are excellent for homebrewing
>      One drawback, is that the lables are tough to remove compared
>      to the "no refill" variety.

I have to disagree with this statement.  Not all refillables have
hard-to-remove labels.  In fact, you would think that the brewer would
want easy-to-remove labels themselves.

If you get Huber in you neck of the woods, get a couple of empty cases.
The labels soak off after 5 min in hot water.  No ammonia, no scrubbing.
They just float off of their own accord.  I'm sure there are other
brands of beer that have labels that behave similarly.

Jonathan G Knight <KNIGHTJ at AC.GRIN.EDU> asks about high terminal
gravities:

> I seem to have chronically high terminal gravities, usually around the
> low-to-mid teens.

May I suggest that "low-to-mid teens" isn't really all that high for a
terminal gravity.  I will admit that I probably under aerate, pitch too
little yeast, etc., but I find my beers often finish at 1.012 - 1.015 or
so with no ill affects; they don't seem particularly sweet or have any
tendencies to overcarbonate.  I don't have any data to back me up, but I
think that a beer that finished much below 1.010 might have sweet/bitter
balance problems just like a beer that finished too high.  Does anyone
out there have a list of *finishing* gravities for commercial brews?

- --
Jeff Benjamin                               benji at hpfcla.fc.hp.com
Hewlett Packard Co.                         Fort Collins, Colorado	
"Midnight shakes the memory as a madman shakes a dead geranium."
					    - T.S. Eliot

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Date:         Wed, 29 Dec 93  09:58:57 EST
From: <JMO01%ALBNYDH2.bitnet at UACSC2.ALBANY.EDU>
Subject:      Holiday Cheer

During the XMAS weekend, I decided it was time to crack open a bottle
of "young" Holiday Cheer.  Recalling a recent posting on this Papazian
recipe, I halved the amount of ginger root used, hoping that the brew
would not take on that soapy after taste.  Well, the ginger flavor is
still very noticeable, maybe a little too much.  Will the aging help to
mellow the ginger's effect?  Have any other subscribers had similiar
experiences with the recipe?

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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 09:47:12 -0800 (PST)
From: gummitch at teleport.com (Jeff Frane)
Subject: Re: dishwashers, etc


Hey!  How come Norm Pyle can submit an article with lines greater than
80 chars in length, and when I respond to it, my article gets bounced!
NO FAIR!

 So here we go again:
 
 I missed the originally posted query about using a dishwasher for
 sterilization of bottles, but caught two responses.  I have to weigh in
 in opposition to this concept, for several reasons.
 
 When I first started brewing, I used the dishwasher and discovered
 several problems:
 
 1.  No way of knowing how hot the dishwasher actually got -- so no way
 of knowing whether heat alone would sanitize my bottles.
 
 2.  I added sterilant to the water (poured bleach into the dishwasher
 before turning it on) -- but there's no way to determine whether it
 really gets sprayed up into the bottles.  Probably not.
 
 3.  The damn dishwasher wouldn't hold enough bottles for a complete
 five-gallon batch.
 
 4.  The dishwasher needed to be run first, because it always had dirty
 dishes in it.
 
 5.  The bottles needed to be run through the dishwasher and kept in the
 dishwasher until it was time to bottle.  Not very convenient.
 
 Believe me, I *hated* bottling in those days.
 
 But -- absolutely free!!! the miracle solution!!! (theory courtesy of
 WYeast's Dave Logsdon, practice courtesy of 7-8 years of bottling): USE
 THE OVEN!!!!!!
 
 I've found the best way to preserve sanity in bottling is to isolate the
 phases.
 
 Phase 1: Clean bottles.  This may require de-labeling, although after a
 few years you'll build up quite a supply (especially if you run a
 competition --additional FREE TIP!).  Soak the bottles in TSP and water;
 a rubber trashcan works great.  (ANOTHER FREE TIP: change the water
 periodically and do not leave the nasty bottles soaking for weeks on
 end.  You will get some truly disgusting things growing in the water,
 especially if you followed the previous FREE TIP and added bottles from
 a competition.  Some of those people grow some really weird stuff in
 their bottles.)  
 
 Rinse well inside and out (Jet bottle washer a handy gadget!).  Put 'em
 away.
 
 Phase 2: Sanitize bottles.  Take each clean bottle and wrap a little
 piece of aluminum foil over the mouth.  Put the bottles in a cold oven,
 turn to 350F and bake for 90 minutes.  Let the bottles cool, remove and
 put 'em away in cases.
 
 Phase 3: Bottle.  
 
 See?  This way you're never doing all three phases at once, each one
 takes a very short time, and you never burn out.  I bottle five gallons
 in something under an hour these days and never stress out.  Although I
 keg a lot of my beers, being able to bottle this easily means the
 basement stays well stocked, and I have portable beer for visits,
 competitions, or to send to friends.
 
 And to answer to question that always comes up: NO!  The oven doesn't
 break the bottles.  I've bottled literally hundreds of gallons of beer
 with this method, and I have *never* lost a bottle to heat exhaustion.
 
 
 Norm Pyle writes: (but I had to chop it out because his lines were TOO
 DAMN LONG!!!!)

 > 
 
 While I agree with Norm wholeheartedly that Special B is fantastic malt
 (but a whole pound, Norm!?  whew!) I don't think it's a substitute for
 chocolate malt.  It doesn't have the nuttiness of chocolate malt, and it
 does have that sweetness -- which isn't always the idea.  Additionally,
 a number of people have discovered that using a big chunk of Special B
 adds a peculiar flavor to their beer, something that might be described
 as "raisin-y".  I've discovered that 1/4 pound or so adds a nice round
 note and good color without that funny taste.
 
 I notice that Norm says "American" chocolate malt.  I didn't even know
 there *was* an American version, but I wouldn't touch the stuff either.
 The American black malt is useless, and I can't believe the chocolate
 malt is any better.  British chocolate malt, however, is every bit as
 wonderful as Special B -- just different.
 
 -----
 
 I inadvertently chopped out a query about bringing five gallon batches
 to a boil, so can't properly credit it.  But, I will say from many years
 of experience that a big gas cooker is no different than a big gas
 stove.  True, it produces more heat (which does help!), but I've never
 found myself gasping for air when I use mine.  Of course, the houses
 may not be airtight...  but I believe the problem is using charcoal
 briquets -- that's what kills people.  On the other hand, I've never
 heard of anyone brewing on a barbeque, either.
 
 --Jeff
 

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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 13:17:40 EST
From: "Anton Verhulst" <verhulst at zk3.dec.com>
Subject: pump sources?


Lifting 10 gallon batches has gotten to be a bit of a pain :-) for me and
I'm not quite ready to set up a gravity system and drill holes for spigots in
my SS pots just yet.  I'd like to get an electric pump in the 5 to 10 gallon
per minute range to move hot wort and sparge water around.  Does any one
have reccomendations and/or sources?  Several months ago some one mentioned
WW Grainger as a possible source but provided no address or phone number.
Thanx.



- --Tony Verhulst

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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 12:01:45 PST
From: "Victor Grigorieff" <VGRIGORI at us.oracle.com>
Subject: Ideas on fermenter heaters for mead making?


 
Hello all, 
 
I live in the San Francisco Bay area, and have no trouble making ales and 
lagers in my cellar (about 55 degrees).  I am about to emabrk on mead-making 
which (as I understand it) requires temperatures of 80 to 85 degrees. 
 
Does anyone out there know of some sort of heater for a fermenter?  I assume 
it would either be a band which wrapped around the fermenter or something the 
fermenter would sit on top of.  I use glass carboys as well as plastic 
siphonless fermenters.   
 
Any help is greatly appreciated. 
 
 - Vic 
 
      +------------------------+ 
      | Victor Grigorieff      | 
      | vgrigori at us.oracle.com | 
      +------------------------+


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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 10:45:26 -0500
From: Philip J Difalco <sxupjd at fnma.COM>
Subject: Propane Burner Question


For those of you that use (high BTU) propane burners:
Do any of you use them in your house (indoors)?
If you use them indoors, How do you vent them?
If you use them oudoors, what is your set-up like?

Thanks

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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 16:32:33 -0500
From: djt2 at po.cwru.edu (Dennis J. Templeton)
Subject: Stainless steel screen

A couple of folks have sought a source for stainless steel screen.

I have a surplus catalog from Amer. Science. Surplus (in Chicago-Skokie)
phone (708) 982-0870.

They list a Stainless screen part that is "1/16 inch grid... rolled into a
tube 2-3/16" diameter by 4-1/4" long with a single seam. Cutting down the
seam gives 7+" x 4-1/4" flat piece." The price is $2.00 per pack of 6 and
the item # is 10652, stainless filter screen. Their bimonthly catalog is a
hoot and has some actually useful stuff like pipettes and flasks, as well
as stuff like fake vomit.

have fun,
dennis



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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 17:03:22 CST
From: Mike Westra <root at hpuspma.stpaul.msr.hp.com>
Subject: Sam Adams Taste-Alike

Greetings...

I know there has been a lot of Sam Adams bashing going on, but
I love the taste. I would love to brew a Sam Adams Taste-Alike
so I wouldn't have to buy it anymore.

Does anybody have a good extract/specialty grain recipe (I haven't
attempted all-grain brewing yet) for a Sam Adams clone?? I have
checked the "cat's meow ed2" and found only 1 recipe that calls for
a Cooper's Ale kit and only Saaz hops. I have a lagering fridge and
would love to go for the gusto... but any recipes would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks and cheers,
Mike Westra
HP-St.Paul

Please reply to: mwestra at stpaul.msr.hp.com -or- to the Digest


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Date: 29 Dec 1993 15:00:15 PST
From: "JSDAWS1 at PROFSSR" <JSDAWS1 at PB1.PacBell.COM>
Subject: belgian double

*** Resending note of 12/29/93 14:57
To: HOMNEBRE--PB1

SUBJECT: belgian double
I've decided to brew a double, which I've never attempted, and I've seen very
few recipes for all-grain.  With the recent introduction of belgian malts in
the bay-area I've decided to go for it... But first I got questions:

1.  I'm planning a 5-gal batch with a total grail bill of 14 lbs, hoping for
    an SG of 1075.    Is this appropriate for a double.
2.  Can I substitute 9-10 lbs two-row for belgian pale malt.  Is there a
    unique character to belgian pale malt that makes it inherently better.
3.  planning on 1 lb each of 'aromatic' and special-B    too much/too little ?
4.  Is candi sugar, or some other sugar, realy needed for this style ?
5.  should I assume extended aging time similar to that required for barleywine
I'm using the Wyeast abbey ale strain and hallertauer hop pellets, mostly at
the start of the boil.
Advice & suggestions greatly appreciated.  Prost

|    Don't anthropomorphize computers...  They don't like it.         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| JACK DAWSON  -  JSDAWS1  -  415 545-0299  -  CUSTOMER BILLING  (BG) |


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Date: Thu, 30 Dec 93 00:19:40 EST
From: William Furnish <fw26828 at lawmail.law.columbia.edu>
Subject: Boilovers

          Just subscribed to the digest and have already gotten many
          great ideas/hints to refine my (admittedly) rough brewing
          process. I thought I'd pass a tip along, directed especially
          to those who are somewhat new in this art (as I am).

          The best way I've found to prevent your wort from boiling
          over is to keep an eye on it until it just starts to rise.
          As it is rising, take the pot off the heat until it returns
          to its original level. You can then put it back on without
          fear of another boilover. Really does work.

          Disclaimer: the author assumes no liability nor makes any
          warranties, express or implied, as to the information in
          this article. ;)

          ------------------------------------------------------------
          William Furnish
          Columbia University Law School
          "If you enjoy sausage and respect the law, you should avoid
          watching either one being made."


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End of HOMEBREW Digest #1311, 12/30/93