HOMEBREW Digest #1562 Wed 26 October 1994

Digest #1561 Digest #1563


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


Contents:
  pressure treated wood, molds (CLAY)
  Caledonian tour, judging beer (Bob Jones)
  Wit beer synopsis (BrewerLee)
  1994 GABF Trip Report (John Adams)
  Starting a Pilsner , help? (OfficerRon)
  Pale Ale Hops (Michael L Montgomery +1 708 979 4132)
  Not to style & winning homebrew contests ... (Chris Lyons)
  Kriek (RLANCASTER)
  Homebrewer's Companion Errors (Steve Robinson)
  Coor's Infection (Steve Robinson)
  Press. Treat. Lumber (Steve Scampini)
  "dry"-hopping (Bruce Wiggins)
  GABF 1994 Winners [from James Spence] (Spencer.W.Thomas)
  DMS, Glassware (Dan Wood)
  beer bread / open fermentation in brewpot (25-Oct-1994 0953 -0400)
  Uses for grains (Jeff Stampes)
  Malta Goya (Rich Larsen)
  SIGNOFF (Brett Lawson)
  Re: National judging ("Ulick Stafford")
  Jim Koch saga continues.. (Keith Frank)
  A beginners question (JONATHAN)
  Yeast won't settle.... (Jack Skeels)
  Colman 10 Gallon Won't Last (Gary S. Kuyat)
  rousing yeast ("Dulisse, Brian")
  phone no. for Home Brewery stores (CGEDEN)
  beer in fridge (again!) / making lagers with ale yeast (Eamonn McKernan)
  Labels (HDIP9235)" <HDIP9235 at BCITVM.BCIT.BC.CA>

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 22:47:46 -0500 (EST) From: CLAY at prism.clemson.edu Subject: pressure treated wood, molds 1) Pressure treated lumber is not dangerous to grow plants on. If you burn it you should stay out of the smoke, and if you cut it you shouldn't eat the sawdust or use it for mulch. The CCA (chromated copper arsenate, or some such) bonds chemically to the cellulose in the wood during the treatment process. (Dimensional lumber is placed in huge stainless steel retorts, placed under vacuum and heated, and calibrated amounts of the CCA solution are injected. The retort is then pressurized and kept hot for some period of time. During this process the CCA binds chemically to the cellulose in the wood. The failure rate - defined as the production of wood that will not meet the specified decay- resistance criteria - is dependent on the skill of the operator and the proportion of sapwood to heartwood in each piece of lumber being treated. Heartwood absorbs progressively less CCA as its resin content increases. At some point the CCA retention rate is insufficient to protect that piece, or that part of the piece, of lumber. Overall failure rate is about 10%, depending on the retention rate and use rating specified.) Significant amounts of CCA do not leach out, even when in contact with soil. Your plants certainly will not absorb CCA from dry treated lumber. If you think about this a bit you'll see that the alternative hypothesis, that the stuff leaches out, doesn't make any sense. If it did the lumber would not be resistant to insects and decay, and it would be worthless. The lower grades of treated lumber (retention rates of .25 lbs/cubic foot) are not resistant to decay or native subterranean termites when in contact with the ground or kept constantly wet, although they do decay, or get eaten, more slowly. 1a) Diesel oil and creosote/pentachlorophenol mixtures are toxic, carcinogenic, leach into groundwater, and don't preserve wood very well. I just looked at a large condominium complex in Myrtle Beach, SC which has subterranean termites happily infesting about 20% of the creosote-treated pilings. Redwood, cedar, cypress, etc. used to be resistant to rot and decay forty years ago when there was still some old resiny heartwood available. The stuff they're cutting these days is second and third growth stuff and has very littel resistant heartwood. Red redwood these days is mostly dyed. Termites and decay will eat all of it - I see 'em all the time. Apologies to Dr. Coyote. 2) Molds: The world is full of molds. If you live in a crawlspace house, or one with a dirt-floored basement, try a polyethylene vapor barrier over the soil in the crawlspace. No more than 70-80% coverage or your hardwood floors will warp. Extreme situations (e.g. medically demonstrated allergies, not some mumbo-jumbo from your chiropractor, guru, clinical ecologist, kid at the local feed store, etc.) may benefit from treating the substructural wood with borate solutions ("Tim-bor," "Bora-Care," TM's, no connection, in fact I'm not very popular with the manufacturers) to kill the moldies. If your dwelling has a slab foundation peel your carpet back and see what's growing in the padding... If this is you, might be you, or is something of interest to you I'd be happy to discuss via e-mail. This information derives from my own experience and training as a structural entomologist, as well as contacts with academic researchers in the forestry and wood-products fields. Regards, Cam Lay clay at clust1.clemson.edu "...bright enough, but not likely to be a good long-term fit in the corporate environment." --DowElanco, Inc. apologies for use of bandwdth for peripheral subjects. Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 20:14:23 +0900 From: bjones at bdt.com (Bob Jones) Subject: Caledonian tour, judging beer Andy Kligerman spoke about his tour at the Caledonian brewery in Scotland. Sounds like you had the same tour from the same fellow that gave us a tour about a year ago. Indead it was my favorite tour. I fell in love with the Deuchars IPA, what a beer! We also went down to the tasting room and pulled a few with the workers, great fun. I would highly recommend this brewery tour if you are in the Edinburgh area. Ulick Stafford complains about the AHA guidelines on judging and observes that bigger beers win competitions. Well its true. I would put more of the blame on judges, however. Most judges seem to be swept up in the judging event and decide that bigger is better. It is a judges duty to not be distracted by the bigness of the beer and give it an honest score based on style, regardless of what the AHA style guideline says. Your palate and experience should rule here, in my opinion. Note my new home email address, Bob Jones bjones at bdt.com Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 23:33:55 -0400 From: BrewerLee at aol.com Subject: Wit beer synopsis Howdy All! I'm in debt to all of you that helped me with my Wit Biere recipe. I have amassed enough knowledge to sink a ship! Thanks especially to Martin Lodahl, John DeCarlo, Dirk Houser and all the rest who sent me info. Some of the following is directly from them, some is from a re-post of Phillip Seitz's article on Wit Beers. Style Guidelines: Suggested guidelines: 1.044-1.055, 4.5-5.5% ABV, 15-22 IBU, 2-4 SRM. Golden yellow, cloudy when chilled. Coriander flavor and mild acidity essential. Wheat and bitter orange peel flavors desirable. Mild hop flavor and aroma ok. Low to medium bitterness. Low to medium body, Medium or higher carbonation. No diacetyl. Low to medium esters. Grain Bill: The general concensus seems to run towards a Pilsner malt for the crisper taste it will impart to the beer. The extract will be lower (one source quotes a 6 point difference) than a domestic 2-row due to the lower diastatic potential of the Pilsner malt. Higher degrees of conversion seem to lend a fuller palate which is generally considered undesirable in this style. Martin Lohdal spoke with Peter Camps, a brewer at Celis in Austin, and he indicated that at Celis they use a six row malt of an unidentified variety. The next grain to consider is wheat. The wheat you use should be unmalted. Whole grain wheat either winter red or soft white is acceptable, or you may choose to use wheat flakes. The flakes are pre-gelatinized and may be added directly to the mash while the whole grains need to be ground and gelatinized in order to convert the starches to fermentables. I have not been able to find two sources that agree on the gelatinization temperature of wheat nor whether the wheat needs to be pre-cooked. I suggest that you do pre-cook the wheat in order to insure gelatinization as the wheat must be included in the mash for a protein rest and it is doubtful that the gelatinization would be complete at those low temperatures in the time alloted for the rest. The final consideration in the grain department would be Oats. Many brewers indicated that they feel a small amount of oats (5-10%) adds a silky character desirable for this style. Rolled, cut, quick, whatever. The same considerations apply as the wheat. Hops: Hops should be of the classic varieties such as the East Kent or Styrian Goldings. Some brewers use Saaz or Hallertauer as well. The range to shoot for ideally is 16-18 IBU in a 60 minute boil with some of that (about 1/2 ounce for a 5 gallon batch) going in for a discreet flavor addition at fifteen minutes. Spices/Flavorings: One of the most distinctive flavors in a Wit Beer is orange. Use bitter orange peels (sometimes called Curacau) at about 1/3 to 1/2 ounce for a 5 gallon batch. Add them in the final 20 minutes of the boil. Something worth trying in addition to the bitter orange would be sweet orange peel or even tangerine peel (as suggested by Martin Lohdal). This would be added in the last 5 minutes or at knock-out at a rate of perhaps 1/2 ounce for a 5 gallon batch. Coriander! 'Nuf said! Start with whole coriander seeds at the rate of 1 ounce per 5 gallons and grind them fresh for your brew. Add them to the boil in the last 5 minutes or at the end of the boil after the heat is off. Experimentation is in order here. Another important characteristic in a Wit is acidity. This comes from lactic acid produced by a strain of bacteria known to the brewer to produce a clean lactic sourness. Clean seems to be the operative word here. The sour mash method recommended by Charlie Papazian doesn't seem to be a good idea as there are many organisms found on grain and all of them may not be conducive to a good clean sourness. Adding lactic acid (88%) at bottling at a rate of 5 to 15 ml per 5 gallons will give a clean lactic sourness. Yeast: Yeast Labs, WYeast, BrewTek and probably others have specific strains for Wit Beers. The one from BrewTek has been highly recommended. The Mash: A decoction mash would be the traditional method for this style. Include in your mash schedule a 45 minute protein rest at a temperature between 117-126 deg F. This will loosen up the gummy mess of a mash that the wheat has created without breaking down all of the starches that will contribute to the beer's finished character. The protein rests discussed lately at 132 deg. F would not be indicated here. These rests promote a breakdown of the larger chain starches into particles that will promote head retention. This shouldn't be a problem with a grist of this makeup. One added benefit if you choose to do a decoction, you can use the first decoction to cook your wheat and oats for gelatinization and add them back to your mash to raise the temperature to the next rest. This should about cover it for anyone out there who is thinking about doing a Wit Beer. Thanks again to all who helped me with mine. -Lee C. Bussy BrewerLee at aol.com October 24, 1994 9:43 pm Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 23:01:28 -0600 From: John Adams <j_adams at hpfcjca.sde.hp.com> Subject: 1994 GABF Trip Report I attended the 1994 GABF as a Professional Panel Blind Tasting steward and as a festival attendee and this was by far the most enjoyable festival I have every attended. The "festival" started Tuesday evening at Boulder's Hop Barley and the Aler's AHA club meeting. Mark Dorber of England's White Horse on Parson's Green presented his views on cask conditioned real ales and brought many, many, MANY English pub ales with him (included a firkin of cask conditioned Martens' Owd Rodger)! The festival judging started Thursday and continued thru Friday afternoon. As a steward I have the priveledge of serving this year's judges for the Herb and Specialty, India Pale Ale, Fruit and Vegetable, American Malt Liquor, and German-style Wheat catagories. This year's judges include: Mark Dorber, Fred Eckhardt, Hans Kestler, Finn Knudsen, Brad Kraus, Jeff Lebesch, Phil Moeller, Bill Seibel, Alex Vigil, and Eric Warner. As well as Michael Jackson, George and Laurie Fix, and Charlie Papazian. Not only did I get to meet many of the judges and watch the judging process but I was able to sample a multitude of excellant beers before the festival started (actually as they were being judged). Friday evening started with a one hour invitation-only sampling followed by the offical opening to the public. I focused my attention on past favorites and the lookout for new favorites. I also took the time to talk with many of the judges and brewer's in a more relaxed setting. Saturday afternoon was open to AHA members for private tastings and the announcement of the judging. During this time I focused my tastings on Scotch Ales, Mai bocks, Smoked beers, and Barley Wines. Saturday evening was once again open to the public and after the previous two days I was ready to settle back open enjoy more beers in a relaxed (but very crowded) setting. I focused my attentions on medal winners and favorites of the judges and brewers I talked with (I offered Pete a nickel for his autograph and beer surfed with Fred). This year's GABF was an excellant experience and I am already looking forward to next year. Being a steward to the judging I was fortunate to be able to take home the extra beers. For me the GABF still has about 4 cases of great beer to go! John Adams - ------------------------ Dixie Holy Smoke (Bronze) + Dixie Brewing Company A very Rauchbier-like brew. Very smokey and malty but a tad bit harsh. Bhagwan's Best India Pale Ale ++ Big Time Brewing Company A velvety smooth and hoppy IPA. This beer was my second favorite of the entire festival. Rauchbier Zip City A nice smokey aroma and malty/smokey finish. Very nice. Ol' Avalanche Barley Wine Assets Grille and Brewing Company Not sweet enough and a bit too hoppy for a barley wine. DeGroen's Mai Bock Balimore Brewing Company Somewhat sweet in the nose and flowery. Could be a bit more alcoholic. Smoked Scottish Ale Birkebeiner Brewing Company Not a very smoked aroma but has a medium smoked flavor. Good hop and malt balance but could use a bit more malt in the taste. SOB's ESB + Bluegrass Brewing Company A bit diacetyl but nicely hopped and somewhat refreshing. Really too bitter for the style but very enjoyable. Bosco's Famous Flaming Stone Beer + Bosco's Pizza Kitchen and Brewery This is a favorite brewery of mine since my visit to Memphis 1 year and a half ago. A nice hop nose and somewhat bitter but malty sweet flavor. Very enjoyable. Bannatyne's Scotch Ale + Cambridge Brewing Company Malty nose and flavor. No harshness and finishes malty clean. Celis Grand Cru Celis Brewery Inc. A very nice malty aroma and taste. Very smooth and finishes clean. Grant's Scottish Ale Grant's Ales/Yakima Brewing A nice malt aroma but finishes a bit dry and harsh. Wit's End Great Lakes Brewing Company A very nice coriander aroma. Finishes a bit harsh. Mai Bock Hops! Bistro and Brewery Sweet and medium mild, very enjoyable. Low hop bitterness. Hickory Switch Smoked Amber Ale + Otter Creek Brewing Inc. A bit light in the smoke aroma and medium smoked taste. No harshness and very enjoyable for a lighter smoked beer. Triple +++ Pacific Coast Brewing Company Malty aroma and a little buttery but very nice. Smooth taste and finishes clean. My personal best of show! No. 119 Maibock Riverside Brewing Company A bit too hoppy for the style. Too bitter flavor and possibly a bit diacetylic. Chicken Killer Barley Wine + The Sante Fe Brewing Company Malty sweet and smooth. Not too alcoholic for a barley wine but very nice. Sea Dog Maibok Sea Dog Brewing Company Malty sweet and of medium alcoholic strength. Low to medium hop bitterness and finishes clean. Hop Head Red Squatter's Pub and Brewery Medium hop bitterness and rather bland. Given the name (and my love of hoppy beers) I was disappointed with the low amount of hops. Mai-bock (Bronze) + Stoudt Brewing Company Very smooth and finishes clean. Not overly hopped. Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 03:49:57 -0400 From: OfficerRon at aol.com Subject: Starting a Pilsner , help? I have decided to try Don McDaniel's PU recipe from Cat's Meow, and I have a few questions. I am a new brewer, and this will be my first try at liquid yeast. (Wyeast #2007), any suggestions?? Also, I neewd 15 AAU's Saaz hops, how do I convert HBU's to AAu's? Or probably more importantly,, AAU's to Ozs?? Please help, Ron in Peoria Return to table of contents
Date: 25 Oct 94 11:06:00 GMT From: mlm01 at intgp1.att.com (Michael L Montgomery +1 708 979 4132) Subject: Pale Ale Hops I would like to pose a question to the masses. I brewed an India Pale Ale and used Northern Brewer as the bittering hop and had Cascade additions at 30 minutes, 15 minutes and 0 minutes. I also dry hopped with Cascades. According to Terry Fosters "Pale Ale" book, almost any hop suits the style. The table on page 50 supports his comments. He states that he personnaly likes Goldings, but the table on page 50 lists many varieties of hops to be used for aroma and flavoring. Now the question? I entered the India Pale Ale in a local contest and the most comments were on the absence of Goldings hops. The beer took a first, but probably could have scored higher had I used Goldings for aroma and flavor hops. Is there an unwritten rule that an India Pale Ale has to have English Hops? Mike Montgomery mlm01 at intgp1.att.com Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 08:47:12 EDT From: Chris Lyons <Chris.Lyons at analog.com> Subject: Not to style & winning homebrew contests ... Regarding the topic of people winning homebrew competitions by entering brews not to style ... I had an interesting conversation with a BJCP certified judge in which he mentioned, that in general, you have to accentuate the ingredients in your brew in order to win a competition. He gave as an example, using a significantly greater amount of hops in a pale ale. The reasoning ... you need to make you beer stand out from the rest of the crowd. Apparently the judges will taste several different beers (especially in the pale ale category), and you need to do something to make your's stand out. Although he did not state this explicitly, I infered from our conversation, that after tasting several overly bitter beers that the next appropriately hopped beer would be preceived as under hopped. His final comment kind of struck a cord with me ... in concluding, he mentioned that the beers that they rate the best, are not always the beers they would like to have frequently, they are too over done for the style. In fact, this judge recommended using different amounts of ingredients depending on whether you were brewing for a homebrew competition, or whether you were brewing for your own personal enjoyment. Regards, Chris Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 08:46:27 -0400 From: RLANCASTER at ntia.doc.gov Subject: Kriek begin 666 KRIEK2 M_U=00T at "```!" at `!`````/O_!0`R``H!``#__PX```!"````! at `0````4``` M`/__6 at ```*8```#__PH``````0``0V]U<FEE<B`Q,&-P:0``,WP`>`````$` M`````````0````"J!_0!>`#^%3806`<````$$4#)`),XQP$[`% at "0/[^_O[^ M_O[__O____[___[__________________________TA0($QA<V5R2F5T($E) M240```````````````````````````!(4$Q!24E)1"Y04E,`]`%X`/X5-A!8 M!P````010,D`DSC'`3L`+`$(`5P!+`'P.QV'=E at "0-`&! at `!``8`!M#[_P4` M, at `$` at ``!P`.````/`$```\`5 at ```$H!```,`%H```" at `0```P`*````^ at $` M`$-O=7)I97( at ,3!C<&D`\`'__XD`/P!X`' at `>``L`0$`````VT[T`7 at `_A4V M$% at '````!!%`R0"3.,<!.P!8`D#^_O[^_O[^__[____^___^____________ M______________](4"!,87-E<DIE="!)24E$```````````````````````` M````2%!,04E)240N4%)3`-L!>``4' at P7C`H````$$4#)`(?/`0`!`"P!"`%< M`2P!\#L=AW98`D#0! at 8``0`&``;0^_\%`#(``````/__$````#8"``#__T8` M``! at ````"``"````1 at (`````````````````,WP`>`````$```````````#! M` at at '"`</`,%,87-T($IU;'DL('1H97)E('=E<F4 at <V5V97)A;"!C;VUM96YT M<R!A8F]U="!"<F5W9F5R;2!+<FEE:RP-=VAI8V at at 22!H860 at :G5S="!B;W5G M:'0N("!/;B!T:&4 at 861V:6-E(&]F('-A;4!T;V]L<VUI=&AS+F]N+F-A+`U) M(&1I9"!N;W0 at 8F]I;"!T:&4 at 97AT<F%C="P at :G5S="!H96%T960 at :70 at =7` at M<F5A;"!W96QL+"!W:&EC:`UP<F5V96YT960 at =&AE(&-H97)R>2!F<F]M(&)E M:6YG(&1R:79E;B!O=70N("!)(&%M(&5N:F]Y:6YG('1H90UR97-U;'1S(&YO M=RP at 9&5T86EL<R!B96QO=RP at =VET:"!A('1I<"!O9B!T:&4 at ;75G('1O(%-A M;2X at (`H*PP[#0G)E=V9E<FT at 2W)I96O$#L0L(&9R;VT at 0F5L9VEU;0H*,B!C M86YS($)R97=F97)M($MR:65K(&5X=')A8W0L(&AA<R`B:&]P<&5D(&UA;'0L M(&-H97)R>2!F;&%V;W(L#6=L>6-E<FEN92P at 8VET<FEC(&%C:60L('EE87-T M( at H*,B!P;W5N9', at 8V]R;B!S=6=A< at IT:&5I<B!Y96%S=`H*P0((!P at '#P#! M075G=7-T(#$L(#$Y.30L(&)O:6QE9"`R(&=A;&QO;G, at =V%T97(L(&%D9&5D M(#( at 8V%N<PUE>'1R86-T+"`R('!O=6YD<R`H86)O=70 at ,3`P,"!G*2!C;W)N M('-U9V%R+"!B<F]U9VAT('1O(&$ at 8F]I;`UW:&EL92!S=&ER<FEN9RP at 9&ED M(&YO="!B;VEL+B` at 061D960 at =&\ at =V%T97( at :6X at 8G5C:V5T('5P('1O(#8- M9V%L;&]N<RP at 8V]O;&5D(&)U8VME="!I;B!I8WD at <VEN:R!U;G1I;"`V."!D M96=R965S($8N+"!P:71C:&5D#7EE87-T+"!S96%L960 at =7`N("!+97!T(&EN M(&)A<V5M96YT('=H97)E('1E;7!E<F%T=7)E('=A<R!A=`UA8F]U="`W-R!D M96=R965S($8N+"!W:&EC:"!C;W)R97-P;VYD960 at =&\ at =&AE:7( at :6YS=')U M8W1I;VYS(&9O< at UA(")W87)M(B!P;&%C92X at ("!.97AT(&1A>2!B;&]W:6YG M(&]U="!L;W1S(&]F(&)L;V]D(&-O;&]R960-:W)A=7-E;BP at 8G5B8FQE9"`U M(&1A>7,L('!U="!O;B!A:7)L;V-K('1H96XL(&)U8F)L960 at ,R!M;W)E#61A M>7,N("!/;B!!=6=U<W0 at .2P at <VEP:&]N960 at =&\ at 8V%R8F]Y+"!A:7( at ;&]C M:RP at <V5T=&QE9"!O=70-=6YT:6P at 075G=7-T(#$T('=H96X at 22!A9&1E9"`Q M(&-U<"!S=6=A<BP at 8F]T=&QE9"X at (%1R;W5B;&4 at =VET:`UB;W1T;&5R+"!B M<F]K92!S979E<F%L(&)O='1L97, at =VAI;&4 at 8V%P<&EN9RP at ;VYL>2!G;W0 at M-# at -8F]T=&QE<RX at (%!U="!I;G1O(&)O>&5S(&EN('1H92!S86UE(#<W(&1E M9W)E92!&+B`B=V%R;2( at 8F%S96UE;G0-87)E82!F;W( at -R!D87ES+"!T:&5N M('-E="!O;B!T:&4 at 8V]L9"!C96QL87( at 9FQO;W( at 9F]R(# at at =V5E:W,L#71E M;7!E<F%T=7)E(&%B;W5T(#4P(&1E9W)E97, at 1BP at 8V%U<V4 at =&AE>2!A<VME M9"!F;W( at 82`B8V]O;&5R( at UP;&%C92X at ($]N($]C=&]B97( at ,C$L('1R:65D M+B` at 1FEN92!R960 at 8V]L;W(L(&=O;V0 at 8V%R8F]N871I;VXL#7-L:6=H=&QY M('!I;FL at :&5A9"!L87-T<R!A(&QO;F< at =&EM92X at (%1A<W1E(&ES(&QI:V4 at M82!L:6=H="!A;&4-=VET:"!J=7-T(&$ at =&]U8V at at ;V8 at <V]U<FYE<W, at 870 at M=&AE(&)A8VL at ;V8 at >6]U<B!M;W5T:"P at 869T97(-=&%S=&4 at :7, at ;&EG:'1L M>2!C:&5R<GDL(&%G86EN('-L:6=H=&QY('-O=7(L(&YO="!S=V5E="X at (%1H M96XL#6YO(&QI;F=E<FEN9R!T87-T92!A="!A;&PN("!%=F5R>6)O9'D at ;&EK M97, at =&AI<R!O;F4L('=I;&P at 9&\-86=A:6X at ;F5X="!S=6UM97( at 8V%U<V4 at M:70 at <V5E;7, at =&\ at 8F4 at 82!G;V]D(&AO="!W96%T:&5R#7)E9G)E<VAE<BX at M(%)E;65M8F5R+"!S96YD(')E<W5L=', at =&\ at <V%M0'1O;VQS;6ET:',N;VXN #8V$* ` end Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 09:01:23 EDT From: Steve Robinson <Steve.Robinson at analog.com> Subject: Homebrewer's Companion Errors I was thumbing through Charlie P.'s new HOMEBREWER'S COMPANION this weekend and noticed a couple of glaring errors that people should watch out for. In the section on mashing, he reprints the triple decoction mash schedule from Noonan's BREWING LAGER BEERS, but manages to screw it up. Charlie talks about doughing in with 5/8 quart of BOILING water per pound of malt to get to acid rest temps, then adding an additional 3/8 quart boiling water to get to the protein rest. Those of us who have used this schedule know that the initial dough-in is with 5/8 quart of ROOM-TEMP water per pound of grain, followed by an infusion of 3/8 quart boiling water per pound to reach the acid rest. Getting to protein rest temperatures is accomplished by the first DECOCTION. In the section on water treatment, Charlie equates 5 grams of gypsum with 1 TABLESPOON volume measurement. At least with the gypsum that I use, 5 grams is closer to 1 TEASPOON. Of course, Charlie's fly-by-night techniques made much more sense once he explained that as an undergraduate he was never able to grok either Chemistry, the science behind brewing, or Electrical Engineering, the chosen profession of all right-thinking individuals :-) Hoppy Brewing to the other Steve! Steve R. steve.robinson at analog.com Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 09:09:34 EDT From: Steve Robinson <Steve.Robinson at analog.com> Subject: Coor's Infection Hey, I read in the paper recently where Coor's had to recall 150,000 cases of beer due to a bacterial infection. Guess it can happen even to the big boys. Steve R. steve.robinson at analog.com Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 9:27:14 EDT From: Steve Scampini <scampini at hpangrt.an.hp.com> Subject: Press. Treat. Lumber Concerning the use of pressure treated lumber in the garden. My wife's aunt and uncle run a pressure treating operation in Idaho. According to them (and they of course have a financial interest in this subject) the chemistry of pressure treating "locks" the chemicals into the wood fibers. Also, one of their biggest customers is (surprise to me) vineyards in California! I personally don't like the idea of using the stuff near plant roots but this is based more on the fact that using conventional wood is not a big problem. I do use pressure treated for decking and the sills of my home but I treat it as I do pesticides...good products to be used sparingly where clearly the benefits outweigh my estimation of the risks. As a precaution I now put on my ASBESTOS (glup) flame suit. P.S. Never, ever burn the stuff...it liberates the metals (copper, chromium and arsenic) from the wood. Apparently one of the horror stories in the industry concerns someone who routinely burned the stuff in their wood stove...high levels of arsenic in the kid's hair samples and other bad stuff. Steve Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 09:54:21 -0500 (EST) From: Bruce Wiggins <FAC_BWIGGINS at VAX1.ACS.JMU.EDU> Subject: "dry"-hopping I've been wondering: Why is it called "dry" hopping? The hops are always "dry", whether you add them in the boil or to the secondary. The difference is the temperature of the wort/brew when the hops are added. Why not call it "cold" hopping, or something like that? What is the history of the term "dry-hopping", anyway? Inquiring minds want to know... Hoppy brewing, Bruce Wiggins fac_bwiggins at vax1.acs.jmu.edu Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 10:02:17 EDT From: Spencer.W.Thomas at med.umich.edu Subject: GABF 1994 Winners [from James Spence] > American Brown Ale > Silver Oregon Trail Brown Ale, Oregon Trail Brewery - Corvallis, OR > Bronze Tut Brown Ale, Oasis Brewery - Boulder, CO What IS it with brown ales, anyway??? First the NHC, now the GABF! > Blonde Ale > Bronze Big Nose Blond, McNeill's Brewery - Brattleboro, VT Does anyone know what a "Blonde Ale" is supposed to be? And why can't anyone brew it??? Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 08:55:46 CDT From: wood at ranger.rtsg.mot.com (Dan Wood) Subject: DMS, Glassware I posted several weeks ago about a problem I was having with infections. Many thanks to those who provided excellent advice. I was almost ready to summarize the responses and gloat over my triumph over the evil bacterial forces, when the cornbrew (no TM) hit. I racked my latest batch into a secondary last night, and it smells EXACTLY like cooked corn. Charlie P's troubleshooting chart says bacterial infection, but I'm not so sure. Following the advice of other HBDers, I've improved my techniques a number of ways: - sanitize with Idophor, either no rinse or preboiled rinse water - thoroughly clean all equipment with TSP before sanitizing - handle wort in still air - pitch alot of yeast I brew 5 g extract batches, full boil, immersion chiller sanitized in boil. I ferment in glass carboys. I pitched 1/2 gallon of starter of Wyeast London Ale into the "cornbrew", and had large amounts of blowoff when I checked it 6 hours later. I grew the starter to that size in 3 generations (4 counting the pack), and it smelled fine when I pitched it. I used the entire starter, not just the slurry. OG was 1.050. The air temp for the ferment was about 65-70 degrees. The smell/taste is much different than the infection (suspected coliform) I was having trouble with. The corn smell/taste is distinct, but smells sweet and not unpleasant, it just doesn't belong in my beer! The infection, which I still think I may have beat, smelled nasty and rank, like rotten vegetables. Is this DMS? Any ideas on where it came from? How to prevent it? Any hope for this beer? Again, I seriously doubt infection, my sanitation practices are pretty rigorous. However, I appreciate any input, even "it's an infection, dummy", if accompanied by some hints on where it came from. Glassware: Does anyone have a source for all glass 'S' shaped airlocks? I've melted a couple of the plastic ones. How about a source for reasonable cost 1L Erlenmeyer flasks? Hoppy Brewing Steve! Thanks much, Dan Wood wood at cig.mot.com Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 09:59:41 EDT From: 25-Oct-1994 0953 -0400 <ferguson at zendia.enet.dec.com> Subject: beer bread / open fermentation in brewpot >Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 10:59:41 -0700 (PDT) >From: Aaron Walls <awalls at u.washington.edu> >Subject: Bread from Beer > > Does anyone have a recipe for bread made from the grain left over >after lautering? A local bakery does it in conjunction with some local >breweries and its real good. after i lauter my grains, i give about a 1/2 gal worth of grains to my wife who makes bread. bread is pretty easy shit to make; we rarely use a recipe and just prefer to shoot from the hip when making it. it goes something like this: 3c white flour 1c wheat flour 2c brew grains (or so) 1/2c sugar 1 1/2c of warm H20 yeast make a yeast starter. while that is frothing away, mix flour and crap together. add yeast/h20 to flour. kneed. you may have to add more flour to make it right. (i'm guessing on the amts here). BAKE for 40mins at 375; put tin foil over the top of the loaf for the last 15 mins or so. >Date: Mon, 24 Oct 94 14:13:34 CDT >From: "Hapke, Jeff" <jhapke at usr.com> >Subject: Open primary ferment in brew pot? > > > In my last batch of brew I tried something a little different, instead > of racking to a primary, I pitched into the brewpot. I did this to > eliminate as much sterilizing, and handling as possible. I used an > immersion chiller (60' of copper chills FAST!), pitched, covered, and > placed in a cool dry place. Fermentation was going strong by morning, > and I racked to a carboy secondary 5 days later. My Question is, why I do this and it works great. i've done 4-5 batchs, 10 of 'em 10gallon, using this method. i make a yeast starter, ferment for 48 hrs, rack to kegs for conditioning. less mess to clean up as well! jc Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 08:09:29 MDT From: jeff at neocad.com (Jeff Stampes) Subject: Uses for grains Does anyone have a recipe for bread made from the grain left over after lautering? A local bakery does it in conjunction with some local breweries and its real good. I do not have any such recipe, but I do have another good use for grain after brewing . . . cereal! I take my grains after sparging, spread them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle them with sugar & cinnamon. Then bake in the oven at about 425F, turning frequently, until they have baked bone-dry all the way through. It comes out a little chewy, and is the dietary equivalent of eating a push-broom, but it's really tasty! Any other ideas out there for how to use those spent grains other than composting them? Jeff Stampes jeff at neocad.com And on the Eigth day God created homebrew . . . and hasn't been heard from since. Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 09:25:31 -0500 (CDT) From: Rich Larsen <rlarsen at free.org> Subject: Malta Goya Well I found a source of Malta Goya. Actually the proper name is simply Malta. Goya is the brand. What is it? According to the bottle, it is brewed from the finest malted barley, corn, corn syrup, hops, and water. Notice there is one special ingredient missing. Yeast. This stuff is basically a malt soda pop. A product aimed at the Hispanic market. The label points out that it contains less than 0.5% (or was it 0.05%) alcohol and therefore exempt from taxes under bill... blah blah blah. Here's the funny thing. Its brewed in PA. Anyway, the stuff has 280 claries per serving, has a specific gravity of 1.060, and tastes like wort. Not simply like wort... Exactly like wort. We're talking heavy duty malt extract flavor. The body is a bit thinner than a 1.060 wort, but its still pretty sweet. If you love malt you'll like Malta. The color is about the color of a good porter, nice ruby brown, but it does not seem to have much roasty dark malt flavor. Maybe its mostly dark crystal malts. The hops seem to be pretty non-existant, probably there only for balancing the intense sweetness. No.. I didn't finish the bottle.. but my 2 1/2 year old son kept saying "more? more?" I found it a (of all places) Jewel Food Store at 22nd and Rockwell in Chicago in the Mexican food eisle. I think I will see if the stuff will make a good source of wort for yeast starters. At 35 cents a bottle, it is a pretty cheap and simple source. => Rich (rlarsen at squeaky.free.org) _______________________________________________________________________ Rich Larsen (708) 388-3514 * Also on HomeBrew University (708) 705-7263 "I never drink... wine" Bela Lugosi as Dracula _______________________________________________________________________ Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 10:54:08 EDT From: Brett Lawson <blawson at Wittenberg.EDU> Subject: SIGNOFF SIGNOFF BLAWSON por favor Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 10:20:31 -0500 (EST) From: "Ulick Stafford" <ulick at ulix.rad.nd.edu> Subject: Re: National judging I went back to check the winner's circle in the recent Zymurgy after Spencer Thomas informed me that the winning Scottish Ale was really a Scotch Strong ale that was way over gravity. The brewer of this beer was the same as the brewer of the big 'bitter' I mentioned, and won the prestigious Ninkasi trophy as a result of these two first places. One curiosity about the beers that won that were not to style because they were much too strong was that a suspiciously large number went through first round judging in California. Jeff Frane mentioned that when he judged the final round in Portland many of the beers that had passed the first round were not to style. I believe the last question on the judging sheet should be is the beer a good representative of its style (and it would not be more appropriate in another style). Give it a big score if it earned it, but don't consider it a winner. And please have judges read the guidelines on the day before they start to judge. Spencer's comment that the judges didn't seem to have a clue what a heavy was supposed to be is revealing. __________________________________________________________________________ 'Heineken!?! ... F#$% that s at &* ... | Ulick Stafford, Dept of Chem. Eng. Pabst Blue Ribbon!' | Notre Dame IN 46556 http://ulix.rad.nd.edu/Ulick.html | Ulick.Stafford at nd.edu Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 10:55:14 -0500 From: keithfrank at dow.com (Keith Frank) Subject: Jim Koch saga continues.. ***** (From Bruce DeBolt) ***** I have followed the messages on the Boston Beer Co. litigation practices with more interest since visiting Boston Beer Works this summer and thoroughly enjoying the place. How could they pick on such a small business? Now I am incensed that they are plying these tactics in Texas with one of our historical legends. To quote from Southwest Brewing News (SWBN), Oct./Nov. issue, p. 34: "According to Waterloo Brewing Company's Billy Forrester, a Boston Beer Company rep has contacted him, claiming that BBC has trademarked the name 'Sam Houston'. They recommended that the Austin publican stop calling his beer Sam Houston's Austin Lager, given that further use will constitute 'intent'. Given that the beer is already entered in the GABF, the 'Duel Between the Sams' should be quite entertaining. Stay tuned for a blow by blow account." I for one can't wait two months for the next SWBN issue to come out to find out how things went in Denver. Did anyone see if Waterloo kept their beer and name at the GABF? For those who don't know Waterloo is a brewpub (can't bottle in Texas) and ran some tongue in cheek radio ads promoting their lager by comparing Sam Adams (the man) to Sam Houston (the man). Just when did BBC trademark Houston's name anyway? After those ads ran? Now I must join the ranks who are boycotting BBC products. The thought that these guys would trademark "Sam Houston" is too much to take. I would like to run my own radio commercial with the sound of breaking bottles and a voice-over of thousands of angry Texans breaking perfectly good Sam Adams bottles. How about it Texas homebrew club members? A protest of this sort at the Texas Brewers Festival on Nov. 6 might be fun. Unfortunately I can't be in Austin that weekend but will gladly spread the word down here. In the Festival brochure I didn't see BBC listed as a promoter. Bruce DeBolt c/o keithfrank at dow.com Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 1994 16:26:28 +0000 From: JONATHAN at seiph.umds.ac.uk Subject: A beginners question The time has arrived to try to brew some holiday ale. The problem that I have is that the recipe demands that I boil 3 gallons. Problem - I only have a pan that will take about 1.5 gallons. Should I brew half the quantity, just use less water and make it up later or wait 'till I have a larger pan ? All advice gratefully received... Jonathan Pennick Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 12:41 EST From: Jack Skeels <0004310587 at mcimail.com> Subject: Yeast won't settle.... HELP! I brewed a partial mash version of Miller's British Bitter, using Demerara sugar about a month ago. All went well with the ferment -- I used Brewtek's CL-170 Classic British Ale yeast, at 60F for a week. I then racked (SG 1.013) to a corny keg for the secondary. This is where the "fun" started. I thought "Gee, I probably won't get much pressure build up from the secondary, so I'll just leave it sealed (yikes!)". Well about a week later (55F) I thoght I'd see how it was doing. I flipped the pressure relief, and the air just kept on coming, for about two minutes, and then foam and hop-bits. And then it clogged. Hmmmmm. After much wrastlin' about, I finally punched down the top and was showered by hops and foam. After cleaning up, I removed the gas-in fitting and attached an airlock. I put it back in the fridge for about two weeks. When I racked (SG 1.010) last weekend (four weeks after brewing) the yeast seemed to be totally suspended STILL. The beer was as cloudy as when it was in the primary. So, I dumped some Polyclar into it, sealed it, and put 25lbs of pressure to force carbonate. What gives? The beer tastes great, but is a bit yeasty. I've never had this kind of problem before (15 batches). Oh BTW, I used a wort aerator for this batch. Any advice is welcome (private e-mail is fine). Also, I agree with Norm -- the HBD has never been better. THanks for a great year! Jack Skeels JSKEELS at MCIMAIL.COM Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 15:47:16 EDT From: Gary S. Kuyat <gsk at sagan.bellcore.com> Subject: Colman 10 Gallon Won't Last Full-Name: Gary S. Kuyat Yesterday's HBD carried an endorsment of the Coleman 10 Gallon cooler by Jim Robinson. Jim mentioned that his cooler had survived 4 mashes. I have done more than 20 mashes, and the cooler is now a puddle of slag. Actually COOLER is a great name for it, since it cools my mashes pretty quickly! This thing was GREAT in the beginning, but as time went by it deformed, and the layers of insulation pulled apart. Do yourself a favor and buy something rated to take the heat. The Gotts are Great! The Coleman is a good product, but it's just not meant for heat. - -- -Gary Kuyat gsk at sagan.bellcore.com (908)699-8422 Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 17:06:00 EST From: "Dulisse, Brian" <BBD4 at CIPCOD1.EM.CDC.GOV> Subject: rousing yeast a while back there was some discussion on the flocculation characteristics of the wyeast 1968 london special bitter yeast. as i recall, users had noted that the yeast drop out quite readily, often before the wort has thoroughly fermented out. some users recommended rousing the yeast to get them to finish their work. how is this actually done? i imagine it would be a bad thing to start shaking a carboy filled with partially fermented wort, because of the oxidation which would result. is stirring with something long enough to reach the bottom of the carboy appropriate (assuming the stirring is done without discontinuously breaking the surface, i.e., splashing)? or is my simple mind being too literal about the term "rousing", and what is actually done is not a physical treatment? e-mail is fine; i'll post a summary. tia bd Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 17:37:47 EDT From: CGEDEN at NERVM.NERDC.UFL.EDU Subject: phone no. for Home Brewery stores In yesterday's HBD I mentioned that "The Home Brewery" stores were selling Mittelfrueh hops but neglected to give their phone number. Each of their stores has its own 800 number. Here are two of them: 800-245-BREW the Brooksville, Florida store that I've bought stuff from 800-321-BREW the flagship store in Ozark, Missouri Chris Geden (cgeden at nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu) Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 18:45:35 EDT From: Eamonn McKernan <eamonn at rainbow.physics.utoronto.ca> Subject: beer in fridge (again!) / making lagers with ale yeast Greetings again, My first posting in HBD 1535 did not get a very string response, so being rather stubborn, I'm trying again! From HDB # 1535: " I've had very bad luck when refrigerating my bottled homebrew. 3 or 4 days in the fridge is enough to kill all sweetness in the beer, and make it quite unpleasant to drink. I know that sweet taste buds are less sensitive at cold temperatures, but equally cold homebrew which is not refrigerated (cooled quickly in the freezer) tastes delicious. This effect happens with a number of different kinds of brew, and sometimes even seems to vary between bottles. I've also noticed that some micro-brewery beers also behave strangely when refrigerated. What's going on here? " Only a couple of people responded to my queries, and thanks to my own incompetence, I was not able to thank one or two of them (damn mailer!). To the one or two people I lost track of : sorry, and thanks for the effort! One theory that popped to mind yesterday was hot side aeration. I don't have a wort chiller (starving student), and things sometimes do splash around. I know that this decreases shelf life of beer, but could refrigeration be what triggers the process of going bad? Perhaps Glenn and the people discussing the "extend homebrew life with refrigeration" have something to add? Apparently I'm not alone with this problem, so at least I know I'm not totally crazy. As for Rick complaining that breweries shouldn't make lager with ale yeasts, what's the big deal? If you can't tell the difference, then why would you care? If the beer is good, drink. If it isn't, then buy something else, or better yet, brew your own! I suppose that there is something to be said for "tradition" and all that. Granted. But the real distinction between ale and lager yeasts has become fuzzier as new strains are bred. Of course, if they are trying to cover up their actions, then flame them at will! Just my own 2 cents worth. Eamonn McKernan eamonn at rainbow.physics.utoronto.ca Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 94 16:04:23 PDT From: "Peter Hadikin (HDIP9235)" <HDIP9235 at BCITVM.BCIT.BC.CA> Subject: Labels FROM: Peter Hadikin (HDIP9235) (604) 432-8452 Is there anybody out there that knows where are person could get hold of some gummed labels that you could run through a laser printer to use as wine labels and beer labels. I don't want the peel and stick type ... soak in water and place on bottle is what I am after. Thanks in advance for any help any of you may be able to provide. Peter. BC Institute of Technology Computer Resources 3700 Willingdon Avenue Return to table of contents
End of HOMEBREW Digest #1562, 10/26/94