---

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

Contents:
  Siphoning (florianb)
  Precipitate in wort. (Richard Hargan)
  Cyser (dw)
  1989 NATIONAL HOMEBREWERS COMPETITION WINNERS (drutx!homer)

Send submissions to homebrew%hpfcmr at hplabs.hp.com
Send requests to homebrew-request%hpfcmr at hplabs.hp.com


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

Date: 26 Jun 89 17:27:24 PDT (Mon)
From: florianb%tekred.cna.tek.com at RELAY.CS.NET
Subject: Siphoning

When siphoning my brews, I've gotten the flow started by sucking on
the end of the hoze (after rinsing my mouth with whiskey).  I've 
never had a problem with contamination.  However, I often wonder if
there isn't a better way to do this.  I have tried filling the hoze
with water first, but this seems like a silly thing to do: expose
the brew to fresh water.  I don't think bleach solution is the    
solution either.

Does anyone have a better idea on how to get the flow started when
siphoning?

[Florian Bell, Boonesborough, Oregon]

Return to table of contents


Date:         Mon, 26 Jun 89 19:46:15 EDT
From: Richard Hargan <HARGAN at UMDD.UMD.EDU>
Subject:      Precipitate in wort.

I recently brewed up a 3 gallon batch of wort which I plan to use as a
yeast starter for liquid yeasts.   I used a can of John Bull Light Malt
Extract (hopped) dilluted to 3 gallons.  I brought this to a boil in my
stainless steel stock pot and maintained a rolling boil for about a
half hour.  I noticed that the wort darkened somewhat during this process,
but did not pay much attention to it.  I transfer the hot wort to one
quart canning jars and placed them into a pressure cooker.  I maintained
the pressure cooker at 10 psi for about 30 minutes.  When I removed the
jars from the cooker, I noticed that the wort was VERY dark and a light,
fluffy precipitate had formed in the bottom of the jars.

My questions are,

 - Why did the wort darken from an amber color to a dark color?  Is this
   normal?  Personally, I prefer dark beers, but I am a little curious as
   to why there should be such a pronounced change in color.

 - What is the precipitate that has formed in the bottom of the jars?  I had
   placed a small amount of vivegar in the water in the bottom of the pressure
   cooker to prevent water stains (or so the instruction manual advised),
   and I suppose it is possible that some of the vinegar vapor could have made
   it's way into the jars, but that seems a little unlikely to me.  I had
   originally planned on using an unhopped malt extract in this batch, but
   after checking on my supplies, all I had was hopped extract.  Could this
   explain the precipitate?

I am going to go ahead an use one of the jars of wort as a starter for some
Wyeast and brew up a batch of Irish Ale and see what happens.  I had planned
on getting a yeast bank kit and preserve some of the starter culture for later
use, but now I just want to see if the starter wort is contaminated.

If anyone has any suggestions/explainations for what happened, I would be
interested in hearing them.  Thanks.

Return to table of contents

Richard B. Hargan                      hargan at umdd.umd.edu
Systems Programmer

Room 1309                              (301) 454-2946
Computer Science Center
University of Maryland
College Park, MD  20742-2411

Return to table of contents


Date: 26 Jun 89 13:08:22 EDT (Monday)
From: dw <Wegeng.Henr at Xerox.COM>
Subject: Cyser

Jackie Brown asked if anyone has made cyser. I made a one gallon
"experimental" batch last fall with very good results. My second batch (5
gallons) is settling out in a carboy as we speak.

I don't have the recipe here at work, but here are some comments. I made up
my own recipe, starting with apple cider that contained no preservatves.
Using that as a base, I added honey until the specific gravity reached the
approximate SG of grape juice (I wanted the cyser to have about the same
amount of alcohol as wine). I then added potassium metabisulfate to the
honey/cider mixture to kill any wild yeast. After letting the must sit for
a couple days, I added two packages of Red Star Champagne yeast and let
nature take it's course.

The first batch turned out semi-dry, with a definite apple flavor (though
not sweet). With age the sharp apple flavor turned rather smooth. Very
nice, I think. I racked the second batch a couple weeks ago (tasting it in
the process), and it's coming along fine.

I can provide specifics about my recipe if anyone is interested. Note,
though, that it's very easy to make up your own recipes. I'm sure that
there are purists who will say that I cheated by using wine as a model for
my experiments, but that's how it goes.

/Don

Return to table of contents


Date: Mon, 26 Jun 89 19:43:14 mdt
From: att!drutx!homer at hplabs.HP.COM
Subject: 1989 NATIONAL HOMEBREWERS COMPETITION WINNERS

Compiled by the American Homebrewers Association
PO Box 287, Boulder, CO  80306  USA
(303) 447-0816

BEST OF SHOW Homebrewer of the Year sponsored by Munton and
Fison, Stowmarket, England
      Paul Prozeller, Hamden, Conn.
      Dubbel Queensberry Framboise

Meadmaker of the Year sponsored by Home Wine and Beer Trade
Association
      Shelby Meyer, Tuscon, Ariz.
      Nogales Black Walnut Leaf Mead

Club High Point Award House Beer Measure of Excellence,
sponsored by House Beer, Dallas, Texas
      Sonoma Beer-O-Crats, Santa Rosa, Calif.

1.  Alt (34 entries) Great Fermentations of Santa Rosa
Award, sponsored by Great Fermentations of Santa Rosa,
Calif.
   1st:  Steven Daniel, League City, Texas
         Accidental Alt
   2nd:  George Mika, Takoma Park, Md.
         Alter Hickory
   3rd:  Kelly Dunham, Pacifica Calif.
         Brewbird of Hoppiness Alt

2.  Barley Wine (44 entries) Dover Vineyards Barley Wine
Award Champion, sponsored by Dover Vineyards, Westlake, Ohio
   1st:  Clay Biberdorf, St. Louis, Mo.
         Willy's Best
   2nd:  Norman Dickenson, Santa Rosa, Calif.
         Old Fogfoot Hardy Ale
   3rd:  Ron Page, Middletown, Conn.
         Eviction Ale

3.  Belgium-Style Specialty Beer (20 entries)
Manneken-Brussel Imports Chimay Award, sponsored by
Manneken-Brussel Imports, Austin, Texas
   1st:  Paul Prozeller, Hamden, Conn.
         Dubbel Queensberry Framboise
   2nd:  Phil Markowski, New Haven, Conn.
         It Is Waloon
   3rd:  J. David Wallace, Bend, Ore.
         Blackberry Weisen

4.  Brown Ales (71 entries) Premier Malt Brown Ale Award
Champion, sponsored by Premier Malt Products, Grosse Pointe,
Mich.
   1st:  Thad Smith, San Francisco, Calif.
         Smith Tn Heller
   2nd:  Steven Daniel, League City, Texas
         S.E. Texas Northern Brown Ale
   3rd:  Mark Gryska, Northampton, Mass.
         Untitled

5.  Cream Ale (18 entries) The Wine Works Trophy, sponsored
by The Wine Works, Denver, Colorado
   1st:  Rodney Howard, Oakley, Calif.
         Colby's Cream Ale
   2nd:  Jeffrey Sternfeld & Paddy Giffen, Santa Rosa,
         Calif.
         Sean Furgeson's Chapeen Cream
   3rd:  Vern Wolff, Esparto, Calif.
         Cream Ale

6.  Fruit Beer (26 entries) Purple Foot Trophy, sponsored by
The Purple Foot, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
   1st:  David G. Hammaker, Roaring Spring, Pa.
         Cherry Ale
   2nd:  Mark Gershen, Glendale, Calif.
         Cranberry Stout
   3rd:  Stephen Weiler, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
         Jane's Thing

7.  Herb Beer (38 entries) The Homebrewery Herb Ale Beer
Award, sponsored by The Homebrewery, Fontana, Calif.
   1st:  Mark Fjeld, West Valley City, Utah
         Friendly Spruce Lager
   2nd:  David Perlman, Philadelphia, Pa.
         Wissahicvion
   3rd:  John Masters, S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.
         Christmas Ale

8.  Best of Pale Ale Class EDME Centenary Trophy, sponsored
by Edme Ltd., Mistley, Manningtree, England
      Norman Hardy, Seattle, Wash.
      Cascade Bitter

8a.  Pale Ale / Classic Pale Ale (52 entries)
   1st:  Charles Milan, Baton Rouge, La.
         Half and Half Ale
   2nd:  Mark Bartkowiak, Warrenville, Ill.
         Gold Rooster Pale Ale
   3rd:  Rande Reed, Milwaukee, Wis.
         Fountainhead Pale Ale

8b.  Pale Ale / India Pale Ale (16 entries)
   1st:  James Reese, Amarillo, Texas
         Diving Duck Ale
   2nd:  Padraic Giffen, Cotati, Calif.
      L & P  IPA II
   3rd:  John Hall, Worthington, Ohio
         One More Time Ale

8c.  Pale Ale / British Bitter (43 entries)
   1st:  Norman Hardy, Seattle, Wash.
         Cascade Bitter
   2nd:  Byron Burch, Santa Rosa, Calif.
         Manhunt Bitter
   3rd:  Dr. Keith Dorschner, Greenleaf, Idaho
         Greenleaf Bitter

9.  Porter (69 entries) The Brass Corkscrew Award, sponsored
by The Brass Corkscrew, Seattle, Wash.
   1st:  Grant C. Johnston, Berkeley, Calif.
         Packer Porter
   2nd:  Craig Olzenak, Grinnell, Iowa
         Prancing Pony Porter
   3rd:  Paul Macchia, Martinez, Calif.
         Bellboy Porter

10.  Scotch Ale (28 entries) Wine & Hop Shop Award,
sponsored by Wine & Hop Shop, Denver, Colo.
   1st:  Ron Page, Middletown, Conn.
         Butterscotch
   2nd:  Robert Burko, Milwaukee, Wis.
         "Beam me up, Scotty"
   3rd:  Michael Nazarec, Toronto, Ont., Canada
         Heavy Scottish X-mas Ale

11.  Specialty Beer (40 entries) Buffalo Bill's Brewpub
Award, sponsored by Buffalo Bill's Brewpub, Hayward, Calif.
   1st:  Victor Gottlieb, Manakin-Sabo, Va.
         Gottlieb's Victory Beer #11
   2nd:  Guy Ruth, Albuquerque, N.M.
         Todo La Tienda
   3rd:  James Johnson, Kenosha, Wis.
         French Lager

12.  Stout (85 entries) Coal Black Kidney Award, sponsored
by Great Fermentations of Marin, Calif.
   1st:  Rande Reed, Milwaukee, Wis.
         Fountainhead Black Magic
   2nd:  Tom Hauge, Sunnyvale, Calif.
         One Hop Beyond
   3rd:  Padraic Giffen, Cotati Calif.
         New Year's Day

13.  Wheat Beer German Style (46 entries) Wheat Growers
Challenge Cup, sponsored by National Association of Wheat
Growers Foundation, Wash., D.C.
   1st:  Grant C. Johnston, Berkeley, Calif.
         American Dark Wheat
   2nd:  Quentin Smith, Rohnert Park, Calif.
         Beat Your Feet Wheat
   3rd:  Jill Kirkland & Dana Kukkonen, Lakewood, Colo.
         Bitch Brau

14.  Bock (62 entries) Yakima Valley Hop Growers Trophy,
sponsored by Yakima Valley Hop Growers, Yakima, Wash.
   1st:  Ronald Brubaker, Cincinnati, Ohio
         Stimulator
   2nd:  Charles Lambert, Romulus, Mich.
         O-So-Bock
   3rd:  Peter J. Jelinek, Portland, Ore.
         No Stupid Name

15.  Continental Dark (25 entries) Dave Line Memorial
Trophy, sponsored by Crosby & Baker, Westport, Mass.
   1st:  Ross Herrold, Laporte, Ind.
         Lady of the Morning
   2nd:  Mary Frances Richardson, St. Catharines, Ont.,
         Canada
         Dark Star
   3rd:  Eric McClary, Carson City, Nev.
         Erasmus Dunkel

16.  Export (26 entries) DeFalco's Wine & House Beer Trophy,
sponsored by DeFalco's Wine & House Beer, Dallas, Texas
   1st:  Todd Hanson, Sheboygan, Wis.
         Reagan Knew
   2nd:  Rodney Howard, Oakley, Calif.
         Colby
   3rd:  Robert Carter, Watsonville Calif.
         Pale Lager

17.  Munich (20 entries) Wines Inc. Trophy, sponsored by
Wines Inc., Akron, Ohio
   1st:  Steven Daniel, League City, Texas
         League City Munich
   2nd:  David Miller, St. Louis, Mo.
         Helles
   3rd:  John Polstra & Peter Laffan, Seattle, Wash.
         Gold Im Munde Helles

18.  Pilsener (79 entries) Alexander's Pilsener Trophy,
sponsored by California Concentrates, Acampo, Calif.
   1st:  Eric McClary, Carson City, Nev.
         Oasis Lager
   2nd:  Dr. Keith Dorschner, Greenleaf, Ida.
        Andenken
   3rd:  John Maier, Newport, Ore.
         Shaun's Real Lager

19.  Rauch (17 entries) Jim's Homebrew Supply Shop Award,
sponsored by Jim's Homebrew Supply, Spokane, Wash.
   1st:  Jeffrey Sternfeld, Santa Rosa, Calif.
         Cerveza Ahumar
   2nd:  John Maier, Newport, Ore.
         Smokehouse Lager
   3rd:  Ralph Bucca, Huntingtown, Md.
         Smoky Mash

20.  Steam (43 entries) Anchor Steam Beer Cup, sponsored by
Anchor Brewing Co., San Francisco, Calif.
   1st:  Stephen Morelli, Portland, Ore.
         Fat Brothers Original American
   2nd:  Robert Carter, Watsonville, Calif.
         Amber
   3rd:  Phil Markowski, New Haven, Conn.
         No Nuggets

21.  Vienna (39 entries) Frank H. Steinbart Memorial Award,
sponsored by F.H. Steinbart, Portland, Ore.
   1st:  Charlie Olchowski, Greenfield, Mass.
         Does Ek Ki?
   2nd:  David Blossman, Baton Rouge, La.
         Bloss Brau
   3rd:  Dave Kimber, Toronto, Ont., Canada
         Yo Vienna

22.  Traditional Mead (3 entries) Havill's Mazer Mead Award,
sponsored by Havill's Mazer Mead, Rangiora, New Zealand
   1st:  Wayne W. Waananen, Lakewood, Colo.
         Full Moon Mead

23.  Melomel, Pyment, Cyser, Flavored Mead (33 entries)
   1st:  Shelby Meyer, Tuscon, Ariz.
         Nogales Mead (Black Walnut Leaf)
   2nd:  James Runkel, Fredonia, N.Y.
         Sparkling Elderberry Mead
   3rd:  Joseph Hauge, Portland, Ore.
         Apricot Aphrodisiac

Thanks to Paul Echternacht, at the AHA, for helping to move
this file from their Mac to my PC.

The conference was great, I will try to write more about it soon.

Jim Homer
att!drutx!homer

Return to table of contents


End of HOMEBREW Digest #187, 06/27/89

---