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

Contents:
  Potential Happiness and Aging (JOHN L. ISENHOUR)
  Ullage; casks (pbmoss!mal)
  Crystal And Wheat (pri=8 Marc San Soucie ms 019-890 x76723)

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Date:     Thu, 29 Jun 89 21:17 EDT
From: <LLUG_JI%DENISON.BITNET at CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> (JOHN L. ISENHOUR)
Subject:  Potential Happiness and Aging

My apologies to Gordon,  the article I referred to concerned aging hops (and
its subsequent effect on hoppiness when brewed) not on the effects of its aging
after turning into beer (I think thats why the authors called it 'potential
happiness' - yea!).  After 11 years of brewing, I use only hop flowers, and
avoid pellets when I can.  I generally buy at least 5 pounds of flowers at a
time (and frequently more) and store 'em under barrier plastic with a CO_2
layer in a freezer.  This makes me concerned about the storage potential.
 I do this because I'm really into the noble aromatics, and it sure shows
up in a fresh bale of kent goldings!  I am considering doing a data regression
on the data in the article I mentioned before, but I want to get permission
from the authors first, this could provide interesting charts/data on how
to maximise certain qualities while minimising others, in terms of aromatic
vrs. bittering effects with aging.  This brings up another question I have,
 I am always trying to get wholesale prices, has anyone tried getting a
net-co-op for buying a fresh bale of hops? We should be able to get top quality
hops for around 5-7 dollars a pound at the +15 lbs or so quantity.  If anyone
is interested, mail me and I'll talk to some of my hop dealers to see about
this.  I would be willing to do the splitting of it and remailing if it
seems like we could get a better deal.

John L. Isenhour  - LLUG_JI at DENISON.BITNET   P.O. 714 Gambier OH 43022

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Date: Fri, 30 Jun 89 09:59:36 -0700
From: pacbell!pbmoss!mal at hplabs.HP.COM
Subject: Ullage; casks

I'm one of those who subscribes to the "minimum ullage" theory, mostly
because of the sounds made by my first batch as I removed the caps.  Due
to general ineptitude, there were a wide range of levels in the bottles
of that batch (the very least of my sins).  I couldn't help but notice
that as I pried of the caps of those bottles with very little ullage,
the sound would be a sort of "(pss ...)", and the carbonation would
remain vigorous in the glass as I slowly sipped.  On the other hand, the
less-full bottles would lustily holler, "PSSSTT!!!", and if I dawdled
at all over the glass, the carbonation would be lost.

On a completely different subject, I too am fed to the gills with bottles.
I've seen pictures in a quirky British book on homebrewing (sorry, I
don't remember the author or title at the moment.  If you're dying to
know, please e-mail) of small (2 - 5 gallons, it appears) nearly
spherical casks of a white plastic material, with a spigot in the
side, near the top (presumably using a float take-off).  Does anyone
know what these are, what they might cost, and where I might get one?
>From my wife's point of view, the less refrigerator space they use,
the better.					- Martin

= Martin A. Lodahl    Pac*Bell Minicomputer Operations Support Staff =
= {att,bellcore,sun,ames}!pacbell!pbmoss!mal            916/972-4821 =
= If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, =
= Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me!  8-)   =

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Date: 30 Jun 89 15:40:35 EDT (Fri)
From: wang!mds at uunet.UU.NET (pri=8 Marc San Soucie ms 019-890 x76723)
Subject: Crystal And Wheat

Dr. T. Andrews wrote in #189 about Yellow Dog:

> Has anyone had a chance to make this stuff yet?  Any particular hops
> which seemed to go well with it?  Views on adding crystal malt to it?
> In general, I like to add crystal to most everything, but the stuff
> does have 12% wheat in it and so may not want a lot of body-building.

I recently put together a variant on a standard amber ale recipe, on the
recommendation of Karin Baker, which consisted of a Kwoffit Bitter Kit
malt extract, 3 lbs. of light dry malt extract, 1 lb. of crystal malt,
1/2 lb. of wheat malt, additional leaf hops (Fuggles), and the Kwoffit yeast.
All grains well crushed.

The result is extravagantly tasty - very rich and full-bodied, strongly
hopped but not tart. The difference in body between this brew and a host of
crystal-only amber ales was noticable and very pleasing to my palate.
I am quickly becoming a believer in the value of a little wheat malt for
adding flavorful body. It seems to work very well with crystal malt.
Body, crispness, sweetness, hoppiness ... heaven.

My first two cans of Yellow Dog should be arriving soon. You can bet there
will be crystal malt in at least one of the batches. The other may be a
minimalist batch to see how Yellow Dog stands on its own. Maybe not. I can't
help thinking that malt extracts get lonely as they boil...

By the way, I was very impressed with the action and character of the Kwoffit
yeast. A lovely aroma while fermenting, a nice flavor in the bottle. Anyone
else have such good experiences with this yeast?

    Marc San Soucie
    The John Smallbrewers
    Massachusetts

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End of HOMEBREW Digest #191, 07/01/89

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