---

   FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
        Shawn Steele, Digest Janitor
        Thanks to Rob Gardner for making the digest happen!

Contents:
  quick disconnects (Wallinger)
  RE:  Transferring between Kegs (FRANK KEITH)
  ENOUGH already, At-a-boy Shawn, EKU-28 synopsis (Chris Cooper)
  HBD Reader 4.0 -- Now AOB-compatible (KennyEddy at aol.com)
  Freezing Yeast (KennyEddy at aol.com)
  [Re:] Pneumatic fittings for CO2? (Bill Ballhorn)
  legality question (Gregory King)
  Bottling buckets (why?), recipe ideas (Dave Mercer)
  Re: Iodophor precipitate ("Paul Kensler (SMI)")
  [none] ("Gregory, Guy J.")
  Stupid Brewer Trick / Repitching  ("Herb B Tuten")
  re: Email problems (00bkpickeril at bsuvc.bsu.edu (Brian Pickerill))
  keg transfer technique (billj at mails.imed.com)
  Precipitate, etc. (Russell Mast)
  Weight of Honey (Ted=Davidson%IS%PIT at RnD.SWITCH.COM)
  RE:Sparge water temp (George_De_Piro at berlex.com (George De Piro))
  Re: Quick-disconnect type fittings for CO2 ("Prior, Mark")
  Melomel (Schwab_Bryan at CCMAIL.ncsc.navy.mil)
  REPLY TO Marty Tippin Concerning Pnueumatic fittings  (Steve Potter)
  oh no! not another grain mill posting!! (Steve_Rosenzweig at wb.xerox.com (Rosenzweig,Steve))
  Yeast blends/ Sears/ Nostalgia (RANDY ERICKSON)
  Quick disconnects/BOD/Precipitate (ajdel at interramp.com (A. J. deLange))
  Can I get archived HBDs in bulk? (Dave Eddington)
  RE: Pneumatic fittings for CO2 (John Wilkinson)
  Summary: Using Fruit in Beer (Marty Tippin)
  Pts/Lb/Gal again (Kerry Drake)
  Summary: CO2 Quick-Disconnects (Marty Tippin)
  Stout Marinade (jwc at med.unc.edu (John W. Carpenter))
  Decoction Mashing (Wallinger)
  1.25 lb co2 cylinders (The Holders)
  Sankey Kegs for Fermenting (Kallen Jenne)

NOTE NEW HOMEBREW ADDRESSES
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wallinger <wawa at datasync.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 06:44:18 -0500
Subject: quick disconnects

marty asks about quick disconnect fittings. i use these CO2 =
quick-disconnect fittings routinely. they do not leak. sometimes when =
you disconnect them you have to make sure that the female fitting valve =
reseats. if it doesn't on the first try you just push the male fitting =
back in and out and it will usually reseat. it's really no trouble. i =
put the female on the CO2 bottle side. i then have several devices =
outfitted with the male fitting: the main line to my distribution header =
for the kegs, a stand-alone pin-lock fitting if i want to take the =
bottle and one keg somewhere, a stand-alone ball lock fitting for the =
Carbonator, and a valve that i use to sweep air from the headspace of =
carboys on racking.

wade wallinger
pascagoula, mississippi
http://www.datasync.com/~wawa/gcbb.html
with tips for the newer brewer

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From: FRANK KEITH <keithfrank at dow.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 08:59:17 -0400
Subject: RE:  Transferring between Kegs

>What is the best way to transfer beer out of a one keg into another.
>The beer is under light pressure (5-10 psi)

I use a transfer hose I fabricated that connects from the liquid side of
one keg to the liquid side of the other.  By allowing pressure to bleed
from the gas side of the receiving keg, beer will flow gently from the
bottom of one keg to the bottom of the other.

Keith Frank
kfrank at brazosport.cc.tx.us

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From: Chris Cooper <ccooper at a2607cc.msr.hp.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 09:28:51 -0400
Subject: ENOUGH already, At-a-boy Shawn, EKU-28 synopsis

Hi all!  First a short rant: 

   <RMO>  Let's all try to play nice with each other, no
   more Jack bashing, ENOUGH already! and could we please move all
   the "mailer problem" disscussions to private e-mail with Shawn 
   (after all he is the only one that can do anything about it anyway!)
   <RMO>

Secondly, I'd like to say thanks to Shawn for his diligence and work in
   moving the home of the HBD.  A few bugs always show up when an information
   system is moved from one host to another but they are being resolved in
   a very timely manner!  Your efforts are appreciated.

And now for a beer related topic, I recently posted a request for information
   on a German beer named EKU-28 and recieved several knowledgable responses.
   The following is a short synopsis:

   EKU stands for Erste (First) Kulmbach Union which refers to a
   union of two breweries in 1872 to form the present company and is 
   located in Kulmbach, Germany (in northern Bravaria).
   The EKU 28 title refers to 28 degrees Plato, analysis has shown the
   gravity to be as high as 30.54.  Each bottle is lagered for 9 months
   with a period of freezing to settle the protein. This brew has the
   reputation of being the the highest OG commercial lager in the world,
   with an alcohol content of about 13.5 by volume.  Some of the brewing
   details include a very large grain bill of German pale malt) and a
   combination of Perle, Hersbrucker and Tettnang hops for an IBU of 26-30.
   The 1995 Special issue of Zymurgy has a all-grain recipe for this
   beer but it is an advanced brew!  This beer while considered a doppelbock
   to me qualifies as a barley wine and is truly a joy to taste.

   Thanks to Thomas Aquilla, Jeff Sturman, Paul Demmert, Calvin Perilloux,
   and Spencer Thomas for their input.  The following is a brief profile
   of EKU-28:


Chris Cooper , Commerce Michigan    --> Pine Haven Brewery <--
ccooper at a2607.cc.msr.hp.com         --> aka. Deb's Kitchen <--
 


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From: KennyEddy at aol.com
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 10:09:40 -0400
Subject: HBD Reader 4.0 -- Now AOB-compatible

Due to some minor changes in the Digest text file format under the new
janitorship, HBD Reader vers 3.x will not read the "new" Digests.  I've
updated the Reader to read these files (as well as the "old" ones) and
incorporated some other improvements.

Shareware version 4.0 of the HBD Reader is now posted at

ftp://users.aol.com/kennyeddy/files/hbd40.zip

and

ftp://users.aol.com/kennyeddy/files/hbd40nv.zip

Use the first URL if you don't have VBRUN300.DLL on your machine; use the
second (MUCH smaller file) if you do.

You can also access it through my web page (URL below).

Ken Schwartz
KennyEddy at aol.com
http://users.aol.com/kennyeddy

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From: KennyEddy at aol.com
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 10:09:40 -0400
Subject: Freezing Yeast

The styrofoam block sounds like a good idea, but here's another:  Stand your
vials up in a jar of alcohol (ethyl, rubbing, whatever).  The alcohol will
stay liquid in your freezer and will help buffer temperature changes.   It
also will bring the vials' temperature down MUCH quicker than just exposure
to the air.  Be sure the tops of the vials are well above the alcool level --
you only need enough alcohol to slightly exceed the level of liquid in the
vials.

That said, I too have had mixed results with freezing.  An 8-week-old
European Ale took 3-4 days to revive but fermented beautifully; a 6-week-old
ESB took a week to give off a few measly bubbles.  I've since switched to
slants.  Check out Dave Draper's article at The Brewery for the basic
process.  I found gelatin stayed pretty gooey (aren't you NOT supposed to
boil the stuff) but managed to get some agar (thanks Tim!) and everything is
peachy.  Ask me again in a couple months, but making slants is really pretty
easy.

Ken Schwartz
KennyEddy at aol.com
http://users.aol.com/kennyeddy



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From: Bill Ballhorn <optimg!ballhorn at insosf1.netins.net>
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 09:03:05 CDT
Subject: [Re:] Pneumatic fittings for CO2?

>Has anyone used the quick-disconnect type fittings designed for air
>compressors, etc. in a CO2 kegging system?

I've used this method in my brewery for the last couple of years and have
been generally pleased with the results. I have not noticed any leakage with
these fittings or any off flavors attributed to the fittings (my off flavors
are usually brewmaster related :-)). I've got a 5# and 15# tank, artifically
carbonate and have a permanent line drilled and o-ringed through the side of
my fridge. So I do a fair ammount of connecting and disconnecting fittings.
The only down side that I've noticed is once you get these fittings wet they
tend to get permanently sticky when connecting/disconnecting (try to keep
them dry). Food grade silicon spray helps loosen them back up somewhat if
this happens to you.


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From: Gregory King <GKING at ARSERRC.Gov>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 10:38:21 -0500 (EST)
Subject: legality question

Hello HBDers,

The owner of a small restaurant/pub wants to enter into an arrangement
with me where he sells my homebrew, offering it as a house brand.

Do any of you know if/how this can be done legally?  (the restaurant is,
in Pennsylvania if that matters)

TIA,

Greg King
gking at arserrc.gov


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From: Dave Mercer <dmercer at path.org>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 04:59:06 -0700
Subject: Bottling buckets (why?), recipe ideas

The other night, as I was hauling out my bottling equipment (one of these
days I swear I'll switch over to kegs) I looked at my beer, sitting nice and
clear in its secondary, and I thought to myself, "Self? Why are you going to
go to all that hassle to rack this beer into a plastic bucket only to have a
large surface area exposed to toxic oxygen and invisible critters when you
could 'pitch' the priming sugar solution directly into the secondary, gently
mix, then bottle directly from the fermenter. No fuss, no muss." So that's
what I did. Did I independently arrive at a no-brainer that everyone else
has known for years? Or is my beer ruined? Seriously, what purpose do
bottling buckets serve if you routinely let beer clear in a secondary
fermenter? The only positive I can conjecture is that the process of racking
to the bucket might help distribute 'stuff' (technical term) like residual
yeast and trub that would otherwise end up concentrated in a few bottles.
But if you're careful, and the beer has cleared, I don't see that as a big
threat. And the reduced chances of contamination and oxidation by skipping
the bucket would counterbalance that small possible advantage. Am I missing
something?

Now for the recipe help:

I am knocked out by a Bavarian wheat doppelbock, Aventinus, and have a
summer (or maybe autumn) project in mind to attempt something similar. The
label says the bottles are primed with the same ale yeast used for
fermenting, so yeast shouldn't be a problem. I'm not intimidated by
decoction. My problem is the grain bill and target fermentation temps. This
is a pretty unique beer - a style in itself, really. Any suggestions from
folks who have tried this beer, or tried to duplicate it, on what to put in
it and how to manage the fermentation would be greatly appreciated. 


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From: "Paul Kensler (SMI)" <pkensler at ix.netcom.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 09:58:54 +0000
Subject: Re: Iodophor precipitate

Richard,
    I had the same thing happen to me, using a bleach-water solution. 
 I spoke to some brewers / chemists, and verified that it was some 
sort of carbonate precipitation.  Using 100% distilled white vinegar 
dissolved the precipitate for me;  if your deposit is a similar case, 
I am sure it would work for you, too.

Paul

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From: "Gregory, Guy J." <GGRE461 at eroerm1.ecy.wa.gov>
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 08:14:00 PDT
Subject: [none]

Marty Tippin <martyt at sky.net>
asks in HBD 2053:
"Has anyone used the quick-disconnect type fittings designed for air
compressors, etc. in a CO2 kegging system?"

Yes.  Are they 100% airtight?  Well, I don't know, but I haven't had 
significant leakage.  Do they have grease? No, not that I've noticed. You 
can buy'em at an industrial supply house pretty cheap. I have a female 
fitting downstream from my regulator.  .I use it for connecting my tank to 
my normal gas in fitting; my carbonator (a liquid-out fitting which I bubble 
CO2 through green beer for force carbonating); and for connecting up a 
double-keg pressurizing gizmo for parties.  I also use one for  my keg-keg 
transfer apparatus, allowing me to transfer from my old corny lagering 
vessel to a final keg.  Works great.  

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From: "Herb B Tuten" <herb at zeus.co.forsyth.nc.us>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 11:19:12 -0500
Subject: Stupid Brewer Trick / Repitching 

Ok, I'll confess, this was a stupid thing I did 3 batches ago.
When siphoning from secondary to bottling bucket, I always
cover the top of the carboy, just to be sure no airborne stuff
falls in (common sense, right?)  Usually a small piece of plastic
wrap does the trick.  Well, on this particular day, the siphoning
was taking 45 mins and the carboy was 3/4 full!  This can't be
happening, I thought.  I had restarted the siphon several times
and yes, I was starting to worry! (There, I said it.)   Have you 
guessed it by now?   I finally discovered that the plastic wrap
had sealed around the mouth of the 'boy and racking cane. No
air coming into carboy means no beer coming out !  Kids, don't
try this at home.  A piece of foil works much better.

Here's an easy way to repitch that I just tried.  After racking to
secondary, pour the leftover trub/slurry/sediment into some
sanitized bottles and cap them.  Put these into a fridge.   Weeks
later, when you're going to brew, pull 2 of these out and sit them
on the counter as you start the process.  I put mine a foot or so 
from the stove, so they'd be a degree warmer than the room temp.
(They'll be room temp when you're ready to pitch. )  When it's 
time to pitch, simply uncap em and decant the top half off.  If
it tastes good, the yeast is probably ok.  The bottom half of the
bottles is whitish slurry, just pour them into the fermentor.  I had
great bubbling 6 hours after doing this, and it was so easy.  One
bottle would probably suffice, but I wanted to be sure.

Cheers,
Herb
herb at zeus.co.forsyth.nc.us

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From: 00bkpickeril at bsuvc.bsu.edu (Brian Pickerill)
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 11:13:02 -0500 (EST)
Subject: re: Email problems

Chris Jeffries said:
>>I have know received ~20 copies of HBD 2044.  I have tried every thing =
>I can
>>think of to get this to stop, including unsubscribing and they are =
>still=20
>>coming.
>>Are any other subscribers having this kind of problem? These extra =
>copies >are coming in on my business email and creating a lot of =
>problems and=20
>>frustrations.
>
>This is probably your email reader.  The last beta of Eudora didn't =
>always delete messages from the mailhost.  It looks like you are using =
>EMC, which, as I remember it, is kind of flaky. =20

Guess again.  I've had the same problem.  Yes, I'm using Eudora, but it's
NOT Eudora.  I'm not using a beta of Eudora, and I don't have the flakey
Windoze version.  This has never happened in years of using Eudora--the Mac
version is excellent.  Besides, I've seen the multiple copies sitting on
the POP server when logging directly into it.  Also, I am missing a _lot_
of issues since AOB started the service.

Nonetheless, thanks Shawn, for working on it.  I'll ftp the missing issues
if I get the time.  I'm waiting awhile to see if things get straightened
out before complaining about the free service.  :)

- --Brian



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From: billj at mails.imed.com
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 11:29:52 cst
Subject: keg transfer technique

 jltaylor at ix.netcom.com (John Taylor) asks:

>What is the best way to transfer beer out of a one keg into another.
>The beer is under light pressure (5-10 psi)

I use a keg for secondary fermentation and then transfer to a serving keg. 
The setup that I use for the transfer requires a liquid hose with Liquid 
quick connects on both ends. This allows me to transfer with no aeration. 

I typically clean my serving keg with boiling water then dispense the water 
with co2 (great for killing unwanted grass, weeds, or ants). After cleaning 
I have a co2 filled keg that I transfer my beer into. I connect my 
secondary L.O. (liquid out) to my serving L.O. and add co2 pressure of 
about 5 psi to the secondary. I bleed off pressure a little at a time in my 
serving keg to maintain the co2 atmosphere and slow the transfer. 

Hope This Helps
billj at mails.imed.com (Bill Joy)
Brew Bayou, Lake Jackson, Texas



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From: Russell Mast <rmast at fnbc.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 11:58:55 -0500
Subject: Precipitate, etc.

> From: rmoucka at omn.com (Ronald Moucka)
> Subject: lager storage

> Here's a nice problem:  I think my production has out stripped my
> consumption....
> Appreciate any thoughts.

I'm thinking "ROAD TRIP".  

> Date: Tue, 28 May 1996 23:21:02 -0500 (CDT)
> Subject: Iodophor precipitate/white deposit in carboy

> Questions: What is it?  (AJ?)

Lime.  Calcium Carbonate, I think.  

>            Any suggestions on how to clean the carboy? (biggest concern)

There's a cleanser called Lime-Away.  Another called RLE or something like
that.  Both will lift it right off.

> Could this be a problem in corny kegs in which Iodophor is stored?           


I think it's just from your water.  Not sure.  

Since everyone's weighed in once on the Pub Ettiquette thread, I'd like to 
have second.  There's nothing wrong with asking to be topped up, and there's
nothing wrong with NOT asking to be topped up.  There's something TERRIBLY
wrong if your waitperson is not serving you properly.  (And there's nothing
"PC" about saying waitperson, it's just to indicate that it's just as bad 
coming from a waiter as a waitress.)

I love you guys.  No, I mean it.  I really love you guys.

- -Russell Mast,
copyright 1996, Ennio Morricone

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From: Ted=Davidson%IS%PIT at RnD.SWITCH.COM
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 13:02:23 EDT
Subject: Weight of Honey

I have a honey porter recipe that calls for 3lbs of honey.  The place I 
called for honey prices only sells by the pint or quart.  Does anybody know 
the weight of honey?

Ted Davidson
New Technology Development
Union Switch & Signal Inc.
tedavidson at switch.com


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From: George_De_Piro at berlex.com (George De Piro)
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 13:14:35 -0700
Subject: RE:Sparge water temp

     In HBD #2046 Dave Beedle notes that the temperature in the lauter tun is 
quite a bit lower than the sparge water. I too, have wondered about this.      

Since I get good yields and the beer tastes good, I've not really worried      

     about it.
     
     I have been toying with the idea of heating the sparge water enough to 
     maintain the bed temperature at 165F.  I've not tried it though, because 
     I'm afraid of getting the grains too hot and washing unconverted starch 
     (damn heathens!) into the kettle.  I'm also unsure of what benefit there 
     would be.  Perhaps sparging would be more efficient.  I don't know.  
Anybody out there know what the pro's do? I never thought to ask during a      

     brewery tour.  Next time I will.
     
     George_De_Piro at Berlex.com

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From: "Prior, Mark" <PRIORM at IMS.IMSINT.COM>
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 09:58:00 EST
Subject: Re: Quick-disconnect type fittings for CO2

Marty Tippin asks:

''Has anyone used the quick-disconnect type fittings designed for air
compressors, etc. in a CO2 kegging system?  ...."

and continues...

"My only real concerns are that a.) the fittings may not be 100% airtight 
and
could leak, wasting CO2 and generally being unsafe and b.) there might be
grease or other stuff in the fittings that I don't want in my beer.  Are
either of these problems I should worry about?"

I've used air compressor quick-disconnect fittings for my CO2 lines for 
about 6 months now.  The quick disconnects are attached in line to my CO2 
line via two brass hose barbs.  So far, I've experienced no problems.  The 
fittings have been airtight and are designed to be used at higher pressures 
than I apply to my kegs.  I've found them to be quite handy and easy to use. 
 In addition, I've seen no evidence of grease or any other lubricant within 
the fittings nor have I experienced any off flavors in my beer.

I'm interested in adding a similar functionality to my dispensing line.  I 
use both Corny's (Pepsi-style) and commercial beer kegs (two prong tap) in 
my system.  I like the idea of being able to swap faucets, depending on 
where my beer is being served without having to yank my dispensing line off 
a hose barb each time.  When I am at home, I dispense the beer through 
chrome faucets that I've mounted to the exterior of a refrigerator.  When I 
take a keg to another location, I would like to use a plastic faucet.   Does 
anyone know of a safe and effective way to add some sort of quick disconnect 
functionality to a dispensing line?  I know it's easy and inexpensive to 
have an extra soda keg dispensing line; that's not a problem.  I really want 
to avoid buying another two prong tap.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

Mark Prior

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From: Schwab_Bryan at CCMAIL.ncsc.navy.mil
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 13:03:54 CDT
Subject: Melomel

     
     Don't mean to be so anal butt:
     In preperation of my first melomel I have ask;
     Is tai-tai honey an adequate choice if thats all I have available 
     [13 pounds] on hand?
     Why does one add the fruit to the must instead of during the secondary 
     fermentation process? Is this method of adding the fruit to the 
     secondary completely forbidden or can it be done successfully?
     I plan on using at least 6-8 pounds of fresh orange along with 6 
     pounds of fresh raspberries without the use of any hops, but citrus 
     acid will be used along with a yeast nitrient for the champange yeast.
     Would one turn this into a sparkling Melomel upon bottling by the use 
     of corn sugar [ 3/4-1 cup] or leave it still?
     
     Thanks
     Bryan

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From: Steve Potter <spotter at Meriter.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 13:37:03 -0500
Subject: REPLY TO Marty Tippin Concerning Pnueumatic fittings 

Marty - 

I have used Schrader "Twist Lock" fittings on my system for three years
and have never experienced a problem.  I set my system up with a "y" so
that I can leave a keg on pressure and still tap CO2 for either purging
carboys prior to racking or for use on my counter pressure filler.  Works
like a charm.


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From: Steve_Rosenzweig at wb.xerox.com (Rosenzweig,Steve)
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 14:29:25 PDT
Subject: oh no! not another grain mill posting!!

Don't worry, I'm not going to fan the flames - I want to get back to 
 basics and have a project I'd like some input on.

Over memorial day, I was mentioning to my father-in-law up in Vermont 
 my plans for getting into all grain brewing and that one thing I would 
 need to acquire would be a mill.  (I've also got him on the lookout 
 for huge SS pots!)

Well, he had an idea, and lo and behold, out in his barn, was an old 
 wash ringer.  (If it were in better shape, it might make more sense to 
 clean it up, sell it as an antique, and buy a mill!)

It is basically a wooden frame with two rubber rollers attached to a 
 gear set-up that turns with a crank handle - it is somewhat adjustable 
 with two screw handles that turn to push either end of one of the rollers.  

First off - the rollers are shot - the rubber has been pretty well 
 weathered.  The wood is all solid, and all of the metal looks to be in 
 good shape and rust free.  I haven't yet taken it apart to check out 
 how the rollers are put together, but I assume that they are easily 
 replaceable (on the wood, it has written in that the roller size is 
 10" x 1 3/4 "). 

My plan is to take it apart, and start putting the mill together piece 
 by piece:

First I need to figure some way to put the roller hardware in a new set 
 of rollers:  there's the first decision - best roller material . . . 
 in my tradition of conspicuous overkill I'd like to go solid SS, but 
 is that really necessary? - I read of someone using a cardboard or PVC 
 tube to form his own concrete rollers - this may be a possibility . . .

The easiest tactic I came up with is wood.  I have a wood lathe - could 
 I get by with lathing a set of hardwood rollers??  They may not last 
 forever, but you can't beat the cost - I could make several sets at 
 once and store them to replace as necessary.  This also is my only 
 real milling experience as I previously have just used a rolling pin 
 on the counter to crush specialty grains.

I'll need to be sure that the spacing adjustment is fairly robust (e.g. 
 it doesn't push apart as grain goes through) so until I look at it a 
 little closer, I won't know what to expect here (I can look at it 
 right after I stain the deck, plant the garden, mow the lawn, build my 
 shed . . . Calvin was right - the days are just packed!!)  Also I 
 might want to think about rigging up some spacing jigs that are 
 exactly 0.05" or whatever the spacing I need is . . .

Then I would need to fashion a hopper to place atop the rollers - this 
 is the easiest of the tasks - probably just a plywood box cut to fit 
 to roller level, maybe with something at the end to insure that grain 
 doesn't sneak through, brushes maybe?

Put the whole thing over a bucket to catch my grain and I'm in business 
 - all with minimal investment!

I'll appreciate any and all comments, suggestions, grain samples, 
 bottles, brew samples, etc!

Thanks,

Stephen
Steve_Rosenzweig at wb.xerox.com

ps - c'mon guys, lighten up on Shawn!   We should be thankful that 
 there still is an HBD to rant and rave on - Rob did a great job and 
 tried to make the transition a smooth as possible, I'm sure Shawn is 
 doing his level best!  All will be well in time.  Typical honeymoons 
 are at _least_ a week!  ;->

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From: RANDY ERICKSON <RANDYE at mid.org>
Date: 
Subject: Yeast blends/ Sears/ Nostalgia

Chris Strickland asks about blending Wyeast American with London to
get the best of both worlds.  While I've never tried this with these strains,
I have been happy with the Wyeast Ale Blend (1087?).  This is supposed
to be a combination of three strains, a quick starter, a strong fermentor,
and a good attenuator.  IMHO, the flavor profile is very neutral --
reminiscent of 1056.  Give it a try!
===================
I have to second the earlier advice not to scrap the old Sears fridge with
a blown fan.  For an organization that is so screwed up in so many
ways, Sears still manages to sell and service high quality appliances and
maintains a great inventory of spare parts.

When my garage door opener went out a few years back I partially
disassembled it then called the repairman.  We he showed up, he
suggested to the wife that he write the service call off as a no-show,
and gave her the right part number to order the part directly.  Saved us at
least $30.  It may help if the SO (or you, as the case may be) has a nice
figure.

====================
Being a long time lurker on the HBD -- and I mean really lurking, as my
only access was through the club's BBS -- I was recently reflecting on
some of the old timers whom we used to hear from ALL the time
(Coyote, Bob & Micah, Ulick, Spencer, and even the World's Greatest
Demagogue, and a host of others).  I've missed 'em.  At least until
recently.  My favorite saying is Be careful what you wish for, you just
might get it.  Boy did I get it!  Welcome back, Jack.
 

Randy Erickson
Modesto Irrigation District
Modesto, California
************************************************************
Beer is a little bit like sex in that when it's good,
it's REALLY good, but when it's bad, 
it's STILL pretty good -- Dave Hinkle



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From: ajdel at interramp.com (A. J. deLange)
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 19:19:38 -0500
Subject: Quick disconnects/BOD/Precipitate

Marty Tippin asked about quick disconnects for CO2. There are quick
disconnects made for service with CO2. They look similar to those used for
compressed air and propane but are dimensionally different. If you are
going to do it, might as well use the right part. The example I'm looking
at is made by Hansen Coupling Division of Cleveland. There may be other
manufacturers. Check with a better than average home brew supply shop.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ulick Stafford asks about brewery effluent BOD. Nick Huige writing in
"Handbook of Brewing" (W. A. Hardwick Ed.) indicates that loads are
variable and difficult to predict but gives some example numbers. The
average for 12 large North American breweries ranged from 0.96 - 3.7 pounds
per barrel packaged with an average of 2.1 lb/bbl. German brewers reported
an average of 1.55 lb/bbl with a range of 0.9 - 3.03. Translation of these
numbers to the usual mg/L BOD5 depends on the volume of effluent produced
for each barrel of beer packaged.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Richard Gardiner asks me to guess what his precipitate is. If chlorine
bleach were involved I'd certainly guess calcium carbonate and guess I'll
try that in this case as well. See if vinegar will dissolve it. If it does,
I'll accept the prize beer.

A.J. deLange   Numquam in dubio, saepe in errore!
ajdel at interramp.com



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From: Dave Eddington <homebrew at aristotle.net>
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 18:08:22 
Subject: Can I get archived HBDs in bulk?

Hi,
    I've been lurking for a couple of months and have saved every digest 
since #1991.  I really would like to store some of the archived HBDs for 
reference (maybe even all of them!), but find it extremely slow to download 
each issue singly from the ftp/stanford.edu archives.  Is there any way to 
download past HBDs in bulk, maybe a year at a time?  Any generous 
colleagues out there want to ZIP up their collection and mail it to me, if 
possible?  Am I being an idiot newbie?  Thanks already.

Dave Eddington				"Those who have no clever quotes 
					should not write in this space !!!"
Little Rock, AR							Me
***************************************************************************
**



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From: John Wilkinson <jwilkins at imtn.tpd.dsccc.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 18:43:52 -0500
Subject: RE: Pneumatic fittings for CO2

Marty Tippin asked about using pneumatic fittings for CO2 to facilitate
having the CO2 tank outside the beer fridge and easy disconnect for
other uses.

I thought about that and looked at pneumatic fittings but was afraid, like
Marty that they would leak.  What I finally came up with was a Cornelius
keg gas in QD fitting.  The trick was finding a standard thread to fit
the removable post.  I found what I needed at South Bay Homebrew Supply
(800) 608-BREW.  They had the gas in QD fitting posts and adapters to screw
to the fitting with a male npt fitting on the other side.  I don't remember
the size of the npt part but they can tell you.  I screwed the adapter to
the fitting and to a connector into which I screwed a pipe nipple.  At the
other end of the pipe nipple I screwed on an npt to compression fitting
connector and a hose barb onto that.  The thickness of the fridge wall will
determine the necessary length of the pipe nipple.  I used large metal fender
washers and rubber washer on each end to seal with the refrigerator wall.
I now connect my CO2 tank to the side of the refrigerator just as I would
to a keg.  Inside a hose runs from the hose barb to a manifold I bought from
Brewer's Resource (800) 827-3983.  It is plastic and expandable.  I have 3
outlets on mine.  Each outlet has a cutoff valve and there is a safety valve
on the end.  A two way manifold cost US$18.95 and each additional outlet was
US$8.50.  I think the gas connectors from South Bay are US$5.50 for Firestone
type and US$6.50 for Cornelius but I don't remember what the adapter was.
It seems like it was about US$5 but ask.  These were ball lock, by the way.
As these places are mail order, you will have to add shipping, of course.
They are both in the L.A. area for those out there.  I don't have any 
connection to either.
This kind of setup lends itself to using the CO2 for transferring, carbonating
outside the refrigerator or anything else using QD fittings but not so much
for purging.  I still have to remove the female QD with a 9/16 wrench
for that.  I guess I could make an adapter from the same setup I made for
the refrigerator to connect to a blow gun but it seems like it would be 
awkward
and too much trouble.

I hope this helps.

John Wilkinson  Grapevine, Texas

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From: Marty Tippin <martyt at sky.net>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 19:31:49 -0500
Subject: Summary: Using Fruit in Beer

Thanks to everyone who responded regarding how I should go about adding
raspberries to my wheat beer... Here's my summary of the responses (sorry
for leaving out individual attributions...):

* Fresh or frozen fruit seems to be preferred over extracts.  Extracts can
have a "flat" taste that the real thing doesn't have.  However, Tracy Aquila
says he's had great success with raspberry extracts from HopTech and
Brewer's Resource.  He recommends keeping a bottle on hand just in case...

* 1 lb of fruit per gallon is a good starting point - some said that was way
too much; others said it might not be enough.  Sounds like a personal
preference thing to me.  Some of the lighter fruits (strawberries, etc.)
might need 1.5 to 2 lbs per gallon; heavier ones like cherries may require 
less.

* If using fresh fruit, freeze it first to break down the cell walls.  Then
thaw it out, mash it up a bit and dump into the fermenter

* Pasteurization of the fruit is an option but apparently isn't necessary;
infection is not that big of a risk.  If you feel the need, steep the
berries at 170F for 30 minutes, cool to 90F and add some pectic enzyme,
according to the directions on the package and allow to cool.

* Add the fruit either to the secondary after it's pretty much done or to a
"tertiary" fermenter - in any case, provide lots of room for blowoff -
things can get pretty violent.  Adding to the primary isn't recommended as
the bubbling CO2 can scrub off much of the raspberry aroma.

* Let the fruit ferment for at least two weeks before bottling.

* Use a copper chore-boy to act as a filter at bottling time - there are
lots of seeds and pulp that can get into the finished product.

My wheat beer is happily fermenting away right now;  it'll be about another
10 days until I add the raspberries and probably a month after that until
it's ready to drink.  I'll be sure to report back the results if it turns
out well.

- -Marty
=======================================================================
Marty Tippin                 |  Tippin's Law #8: No matter where you
martyt at sky.net (preferred)   |    are, you can always tune in a bad
martyt at geoaccess.com         |    radio station.
http://www.sky.net/~martyt/2tier.html
=======================================================================


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From: Kerry Drake <drakes at oklahoma.net>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 19:35:25 -0500
Subject: Pts/Lb/Gal again

Would someone please E-mail me the pts/lb/gal formula.  I saw it the other
day but lost it in the transfer to a new server.  TIA
Kerry Drake

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From: Marty Tippin <martyt at sky.net>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 19:49:12 -0500
Subject: Summary: CO2 Quick-Disconnects

I received several replies to my question of whether one could use the
quick-disconnect fittings designed for air compressors, etc.  A brief summary:

* Jim Busch and Eric Peters recommended contacting a company called Rapids
(800-472-7431) who sells quick-disconnect fittings specifically designed for
use with CO2 systems.  I called and ordered one female ($7.75) and 3 male
($4.50) today; they should arrive in a few days.  Apparently this company
sells lots of beer-kegging-related stuff for less than most other places and
has a free catalog.  Might be worth a call if you're in the market for this
kind of stuff.

* Pat Babcock says you *can* use the regular compressed air fittings but
that they tend to leak a little.  Liberal amounts of keg lube seem to
minimize the leaking.  He wouldn't recommend them for long-term connections,
which was my planned use.

* Pat also had this nifty tip:
>BTW: by setting up this way, you end up with a few male QD's on Gas In        

>connectors. Go buy one of those plastic pesticide/garden sprayers (Like an    

>Ames 2.5 Gallon sprayer, for instance). Cut the hose to the spray wand, fit a 

>spring (one of those tubing benders will do nicely) over the hose to give it  

>strength, then put a female QD on the end of the hose. Presto! You now have 
an
>air pump for pushing cleaners and iodophor out of your kegs. You can also 
fill
>the spreayer with cleaner or sterilant and pump it into a keg using this. Put 

>a beverage out connector on the wand, and you have either an industrial       

>strength beer sparkler, or a means to spray infected brew onto your lawn 
(I've
>used it for the latter, haven't tried it as a sparkler. Yet ;-)               


* Wayne McCorkle suggested using a bulkhead fitting - his ASCII artwork 
follows:
>                        |      |
>                        |      |
>                        |      |
>                       ||      ||
>                    -----------------
>          <----- TO CO2       To Mainifold ---->
>                    -----------------
>                       ||      ||
>                        |      |
>                        |fridge|
>                        | wall |
>                        |      |
>                        |      |
>
>There are two nuts on either side of the fridge wall. The bolt itself is
>threaded, the correct size for gas side fittings. The set up has worked well
>for me, I can keep three five gallon cornys inside at one time. Whenever I 
>need to refill CO2, just disconnect and take it to the store.


* Bill Ballhorn says he's used the regular q/d fittings for quite a while
with no real problems.  He says that if they get wet, they tend to get
sticky; food-grade silicone spray helps lube them.

* A few others also said they used the regular compressed air fittings with
no major problems.

Based on the replies, I've decided to go with the fittings specifically
designed for CO2; I don't need a nice layer of CO2 leaking out of the
fitting and blanketing my basement floor, pilot lights and all... 

Thanks to all for the prompt responses (as of this writing, I *still*
haven't seen the Wednesday edition of HBD, but apparently many of you are
getting it or you wouldn't have responded... ;-)

- -Marty


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From: jwc at med.unc.edu (John W. Carpenter)
Date: Wed, 29 May 96 22:11:50 EDT
Subject: Stout Marinade

- -- 
John W. Carpenter, CB# 7260       .***.   .***.           .***.   .***.
Biochemistry and Biophysics    * | | | * | | | *       * | | | * | | | *
University of North Carolina * | | | *   * | | | *   * | | | *   * | | | *
Chapel Hill, NC 27599      * | | | *       * | | | * | | | *       * | | | *
phone (919) 966-6781         '***'           '***'   '***'           '***'
email - jwc at med.unc.edu

              ****      Never Trust a Brewer with an       ****
             O|~~|    inseam larger than his waistline.    |~~|O
              `--'                                         `--'

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From: Wallinger <wawa at datasync.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 22:23:08 -0500
Subject: Decoction Mashing

I thought I would share my first experience with decoction mashing. I =
would like to acknowledge the efforts of (IAO, in alphabetical order) =
Jim Busch, Dave Draper, and Spencer Thomas for the pointers on decoction =
mashing. Although all three tried to steer me in the direction of making =
a lager, I opted for a Kolsch to get more immediate results. This beer =
was made on May 18, and is now in the secondary at room temperature. I =
will keg and age at 40 deg F for at least a week :-) when the yeast has =
settled.

Let me start by saying that 8 hours makes for a long brewing day =
outdoors in 90 degrees beneath a South Mississippi sun. Nonetheless, I =
persevered (beer in hand) to make it through what was supposed to be a =
two-step decoction mash. Let me describe my process along with three =
questions for those who have done this before. Those interested in my =
notes from the brewing session should email me (to save the bandwidth).

1. I developed heat and material balance equations for determining the =
strike temperatures for each decoction. It seems to me that the heat =
capacity of the decoction and the heat capacity of the remaining stuff =
can be approximated by making an estimate of the volume of grain and =
liquid pulled with each decoction. I assumed that the 'gravity' of the =
grain was 12 pounds per gallon and water 8.3 pounds per gallon. I also =
assumed a heat capacity of 0.4 BTU/F-lb for grain and 1.0 for water. The =
heat and material balance then follows from an estimate of the =
composition (in my case by volume) of the decoction that is pulled. Are =
these assumptions reasonable? I would be happy to share the details of =
these calculations.

2. What led me to the first question is that these equation do not match =
what I did in reality (damn theory). I was led to believe from the =
literature that a thick decoction should be pulled. When I scooped 1.25 =
gallon of decoct from the 8 pounds of grain and 2 gallons of water (the =
decoct being almost all grain) and boiled it I ended up with a temp =
increase from 122 to 136. The calcs would suggest that I only pulled 2/3 =
gallon of 100% grain to achieve this miserable increase in temperature. =
I infused enough boiling water to hit 142 for saccharification. My =
second decoct was another 1.25 gallon of very thick composition, and =
this only raised the mash to 144F!!! I was quite dismayed. I must be =
pulling too thick a mash (or my thermometer is broken or my eyeballs are =
skewed). So I then pulled the same volume with more liquid, and this =
struck 158. I can only describe the final 'thick' mash as having enough =
liquid in the pot to cover the grains slightly, whereas the previous =
decocts had only a half inch or so of liquid that accumulated in the =
bottom of the decoct pot. I drained the free liquid off of the grains =
for the first two decoct but retained the liquid with the grain I =
scooped with the third. Could someone more experienced describe the =
thickness of a thick decoct in either subjective or technical terms?

3. For those who are still with me, I am also curious about the risk of =
HSA. I ladeled the stuff from each decoct into the mash by the (big) =
spoonful with occasional stirring. I am concerned that I overheated the =
remaining grain by piling up a few spoonfuls on the surface of the mash =
before each stir. Even moreso, I am concerned that I introduced HSA by =
ladeling the stuff in from a height of perhaps a foot. Is splotching the =
decoct back into the mash risky behavior? Do I need protection?

Any help would be appreciated.

Wade Wallinger
Pascagoula, Mississippi
where every homebrew is a barleywine by legislative decree


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From: The Holders <zymie at sprynet.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 20:24:07 -0700
Subject: 1.25 lb co2 cylinders

In digest 2053,Jeff Anderson said regarding some 1.25 lb cylinders
>The people at the CO2 fill up place had no idea who would carry such a
>thing and they said they could test it but they could not refill it
>because of the weird fitting on the head. They were also unwilling to
>remove the head  and try to put a standard one on (Me Too), 700psi is
>nothing to play with.
If I'm not mistaken, and I don't think I am, a cylinder cannot be tested 
with the valve on. The valve must be removed in order to hydro test, so 
why can't it be left off, and a standard valve be installed? If the 
cylinders are being tested, they have to be empty, so there is no fear 
of liquid co2 being released. Try that on your local fill plant. If they 
balk at this, try looking for someone who specializes in hydro 
testing-like a fire extinguisher company. Are you sure this is a co2 
cylinder? If the valve can be removed, then it can be replaced. 
Good luck!!

Wayne Holder
Ocean Ave. Brewery
zymie at sprynet.com

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From: Kallen Jenne <tirado at sprynet.com>
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 21:14:49 -0700
Subject: Sankey Kegs for Fermenting

Background:
I brew larger 10-15 gal batches and have, in the past, used old 
Sankey-styled (straight-sided) kegs with a #2 stopper and a fermentation 
lock - very successfully.  My method of sterilizing thus far has been 
bleach.  My last batch went awry and I ended up dumping 15 gallons of a 
Foster's clone.  The problem, according to my hb supply person probably 
lies in not being able to adequately remove the beerstones on the inside 
of the keg.  Now I am looking at a two step cleaning/sterilizing 
process:  first, a hot lie solution to melt away any sediment; and then 
a warm TSP soak, followed by vigorous rinse.

Question 1:
I understand that commercial brewers use steam to clean these filthy 
things out, but any practical ideas for a homebrewer?  Is my 
cleaning/sterilization method worth a go or destined to fail due to my 
inexperience in this area?

Question 2:
I have seen a device for fermenting in an upside-down carboy 
("Fermentap").  Do these work?  If so, could does anyone have any idea 
how to make one for use with the Sankey keg?

Thanks

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