Homebrew Digest Wednesday, 24 July 1996 Number 2121

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

Contents:
  Indoor propane ("Gregory, Guy J.")
  What's the use of HDB? ((Alan McKay))
  Hole in the Gott          ((Chuck Wettergreen ))
  Fruit Beers, Cider and Mead, and Entire ("David R. Burley")
  O2 Tanks / HBD Gets a Life (KennyEddy at aol.com)
  Made in the Shade IV (Homebrew Competition) ((Jeff Handley & Gene Almquist))
  Re: microbreweries in Atlanta ("Michel J. Brown")
  Re: Questions to improve my beer (what else?) (AJN)
  Small Batches (mikehu at lmc.com)
  Protein size ((John W. Carpenter))
  Travelling  ("Ed J. Basgall")
  Ground Ivy beer....continued (Vincent A Voelz (Vincent Voelz))
  excessive crystal (korz at pubs.ih.lucent.com)
  Conical Fermenters (Kyle R Roberson)
  HBD jr. (Maestro)
  Rodenbach and acids II (Jim Liddil)
  Oxygen Debate (cgoll at PICA.ARMY.MIL)
  infected brew?/recipe/Weisbrod and Hess (Larry N. Lowe)
  Spent grains in bread (Kevin Kane)
  Re: Large fermenters - ceramic crocks (David Cummings)
  Travelling - New Knoxville Brewing Co. ((Smith Family))
  Re: Catalogues ((Smith Family))
  Potatoes (Delano Dugarm)
  Errant messages (m.bryson2 at genie.com)
  O2 Grades/Seibolt Inst. (Jim Nasiatka-Wylde)
  Oxygen Grades/Pitching Temps/Hazelnut Extract/Decoction/Wheeler (Rob Moline)

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory, Guy J." <GGRE461 at eroerm1.ecy.wa.gov> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 09:10:00 PDT Subject: Indoor propane motten at fcmc.com ([Michael Otten]) asks: >I am currently in the planning stage of creating a Brauhaus in my basement. ... my concern right now is safety. I have heard all the warnings about not using propane cookers indoors, but are there any which are safe for indoor use (other sources of heat are currently unavailable) ? If not, does anyone know of exhaust fans or the like which are effective in reducing Carbon Monoxide and other fumes which would be hazardous to me or my family? On the topic of Carbon Monoxide, are there any recommendations for CO detectors? Are there any other suggestions from others who have made an indoor system? < Mike: Serious. The concern about Propane is not CO. It is the propane itself. Propane is heavier than air. It will sink and collect in drains, low spots in your basement, underneath your furnace or hot water heater. From leaks in your system or incomplete combustion, when enough can collect to exceed the lower explosive limit.... well, boom. Me, I don't think there is a fan or detector made which could let me sleep at night. Boats don't use propane unless the tanks and fittings are vented to the exterior without going to the living quarters. They use CNG or alcohol, both fairly low BTU fuels, I think. As I am just a bit above ignorant on this, my advice is before you do this, contact a serious HVAC guy. Guy Gregory GuyG4 at aol.com Return to table of contents
From: alan.mckay at acadiau.ca (Alan McKay) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 13:26:45 -0300 (ADT) Subject: What's the use of HDB? I don't mean to be the devil's advocate, but is there any real reason why HBD even exists anymore? Personally, I'd much rather read all this stuff in a newsgroup where it is far, far easier to follow threads and so on. Getting a big long text file like this is an real pain in the butt. What use does this mailing list serve that cannot be served by rec.crafts.brewing? Again, I don't mean to be a trub disturber, I'm just curious. My guess is that this mailing list began before the days of newsgroups, and still hasn't died out yet. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Surely there has to be a *much* better way to do this nowadays. - -Alan - -- 5 out of 6 macho men prefer Russian roulette http://www.acadiau.ca/cc/alan/ Return to table of contents
From: chuckmw at mcs.com (Chuck Wettergreen ) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 12:04 CDT Subject: Hole in the Gott To: homebrew at aob.org In HBD 2112 "Bryan L. Gros" <grosbl at ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu> wrote: HH> I'm suprised Phil (TM) or no one has come up with a commercial HH> solution the the hole in the cooler. There is certainly a market HH> for something... Here's my solution to the hole in the Gott: How to make a bulkhead penetration in a Gott cooler Materials needed: (1) 3/8"OD brass close nipple (2) rubber garden hose washers (2) 3/8"ID stainless steel washers (2) 3/8"ID X 1/2"OD brass reducers Proceedure: 1. Remove the installed spigot from the Gott cooler by loosening the plastic nut inside. Also remove the rubber washer. 2. Assemble the parts above in the following order on the close nipple: 3/8"ID X 1/2"OD brass reducer 3/8"ID stainless steel washer rubber garden hose washer wall of Gott cooler rubber garden hose washer 3/8"ID stainless steel washer 3/8"ID X 1/2"OD brass reducer 3. Tighten the reducers until you get a snug fit. This will make the fitting water-tight. With this assembled you can attach a standard brass or stainless 1/2" ball valve to the outside, and a 1/2" copper threaded-to-braze fitting on the inside, to which you can attach your copper manifold. This method does not invalidate the (excellent) standard 6-year Gott warranty (no cutting). Cheers, Chuck chuckmw at mcs.com Geneva, IL * RM 1.3 00946 * Return to table of contents
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202 at CompuServe.COM> Date: 23 Jul 96 13:11:54 EDT Subject: Fruit Beers, Cider and Mead, and Entire Brewsters: Todd Kirby asks about those fruit flavorings seen at homebrew shops for use in beer brewing. I ask Todd, why not use the real stuff? There are more and better fruits available in your supermarket's fruit section and in the frozen fruit section than you will probably ever use. If that doesn't suit you, how about canned fruits? Just stay away from those fruits prepared with the baker in mind, since most have added thickeners. Make sure no preservatives have been added. Most fruits have pectin, so I treat them with pectic enzyme before I use them. Raising the temperature to just under boiling in the presence of metabisulfite will destroy this enzyme and prevent any problems which may arise when the fruit is used in the beer. (I don't know of any, but with something that can destroy a carbohydrate like pectin may do something to the soluble beer carbohydrates) I always sterilize fruits in some fashion either by gentle cooking or with metabisulfite ( 75 ppm), depending on the fruit. Metabisulfite, being the active ingredient in "Fruit fresh" will prevent browning so I use it in most cases. Mild cooking or freezing the fresh fruit is a good way to maximize the flavor extracted in most cases, unless it destroys the flavor you are after. Frozen fruit offers the advantage of better extraction since the cell walls have been ruptured by freezing. You should consider doing a little "wine" using beer yeast with your fruit and filtering out the pulp after the essence of the fruit has been extracted and before pouring it into your beer. This also offers you the opportunity to adjust the amount of fruit to taste, rather than guess. This "wine" method also allows you to avoid the biggest problem with fruit beers - -getting the beer out of the fermenter without plugging up your racking cane with spent fruit pulp. For filtering the pulp out of the wine, since you don't have enough to press in a wine press, I have resorted, at various times, to a cloth bag, a kitchen strainer and in recalcitrant cases a coffee filter in a kitchen strainer for a second filter following a rough filter. If you want to put the fruit in directly, than cover the lower end of your racking cane with a Copper or Stainless Steel Chore Boy (R) soapless scrubber. This will provide you the opportunity to reduce the problems with plugged racking canes and allow you to use the fruit straight, which I don't recommend. I have to admit I have tasted some pretty horrible American Weiss Beers with various fruits added. The biggest problem with them and with some extracts is the oxidation and subsequent browning reaction of the enzymes in the fruit. The beers end up tasting like a very bad, thin sherry. The second biggest problem is they are too light on the fruit. If you are going to have a fruit flavored beer it should taste like something besides watered down soda pop. I think your idea to go to a dark beer for the background taste and lightened up by a bright fruit is correct. A good Cherry Porter sounds excellent to me. How about a fake Belgian using bananas. Or maybe something really peachy? Like a peach flavored brown ale. In the canned fruit area during the winter, some waggy enthusiast might even suggest fruit coctail lager, but I wouldn't try it, someone might argue about who gets the cherry. Another neat thing about using fresh fruits as they come into season is that it is a way to celebrate each new crop and remember it when you drink the beer later on. - ------------------------------------------------------------ Jorge Blasig wants to start his home brewing career via mead and cider production, because of the time and import problems with beer products. Jorge, unless there is distinct law forbidding the import of these goods, e.g. Saudi Arabia, usually they can be imported under food products. Also, most of our mail-order houses use UPS for export, so they are very familiar with specific laws of each country and they will know about your laws. If there is a United Parcel Service or DHL office in your country give them a call or have your supplier check it for you. Since honey, fruit juices and apple juice are natural products, the sugar content can vary. Rather than providing you with a recipe, I recommend that you determine the sugar content by diluting the honey by a known amount and measuring the specific gravity using a hydrometer. If one is not readily available, but a good balance and volume measuring equipment is, determine the density by weighing a known volume of this solution to determine the weight of sugar in the honey. Honey in anything will take it longer to mellow than with sugar. Likewise the apple juice. Unless you want to make an apple wine by adding sugar, cider will naturally ferment by itself and you don't really need to measure the SG. However, I suggest a dose of 50 ppm metabisulfite followed a few hours later by a yeast of your choice, if you wish. This amount of metabisulfite will delay the browning reaction and bacteria until the yeast can take over. If you can, be at the cider mill when they press and treat the apple juice immediately. This may not have the tanginess of the acetic acid you are used to, so I suggest you also ferment a gallon or so of cider naturally and blend it to taste. Find out which apples are being pressed, I guarantee you the variety of taste from various apples is amazing. Some I like, some I hate. For other fruit, use the same basic procedure, measure the fruit juice SG, determine the amount of sugar or honey needed to bring it to the desired alcohol content and rip on. - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When I read Wheeler's comment about the people of London inventing Porter, I understood it to mean the concept of blending stale and new beer. I believe Harwood is properly credited elsewhere with introducing "Entire". I guess it was called this because it contained everything a drinker could want in that it was a preblend of stale and new beer. And responsible for that spoiled taste I sometimes get with Guiness from the tap. Entire was later called Porter either because it was popular in the Porterhouse or as some have said because it was ported out of London. I favor the Porterhouse version, just because I like those steaks. Skeptic that I am, I would credit the publicans with inventing Porter by blending off their spoiled beer. It just so happened that Mikey liked it! And a new industry was born. I had the same feeling as AlK about the comments on the origin of Rodenbach, unless Wheeler is talking about the concept of blending old and new beer, which Belgians do all the time aka Gueuze and many others. Maybe it isn't so much poor research as sloppy writing and a desire to give a different perspective. The latter of which I think is fine unless it is misleading, as these comments can be. Nevertheless, I do like articles like this once in a while to spur us on. - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keep on brewin' Dave Burley Return to table of contents
From: KennyEddy at aol.com Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 13:50:02 -0400 Subject: O2 Tanks / HBD Gets a Life On O2 for aerating: If one were to use the old Bernzomatic (sp?) cannisters availalble at the Home Square Depot Base, what's the best way to attach to the threaded mouth? Is there some kind of generic valve fitting? Or would you have to modify a torch head? ***************** Check it out: > From: majordomo at aob.org > Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 16:10:24 GMT > Subject: Welcome to homebrew-digest > > - - -- > > Welcome to the homebrew-digest mailing list! > > If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list, <<snip>> Wow, it appears that the HBD has subscribed to *itself*! History in the making, folks. ******* Ken Schwartz KennyEddy at aol.com http://users.aol.com/kennyeddy Return to table of contents
From: homebrew at infomagic.com (Jeff Handley & Gene Almquist) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 11:01:04 -0700 Subject: Made in the Shade IV (Homebrew Competition) Greetings to all: On August 17, 1996 there will be an AHA sanctioned homebrew contest held here in Flagstaff, AZ. If anyone would like to enter their prized homebrews please E-Mail us directly: outpost@ homebrewers.com and we will send via e-mail(in a MS Word format) all the necessary information. Entries must be sent between Aug 7th-Aug 14th. If you happen to be in Flagstaff or Arizona at that time you may want to come to the festival. It's a real blast. Thanks, Jeff Handley ******************************************** * Jeff Handley***outpost@ homebrewers.com * * Homebrewers Outpost-Flagstaff, Arizona * * http://www.homebrewers.com * * * * Homer: "Thanks for coming to my party. * * Wow, you brought a whole beer keg!" * * Barney: "Yeah. Where can I fill it up?" * ******************************************** - ------------------------------ Return to table of contents
From: "Michel J. Brown" <mjbrown at teleport.com> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 11:09:05 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: microbreweries in Atlanta At 02:30 PM 7/18/96 -0700, Neil Oakden wrote: >There's a web page called the "Real Beer Page" that has the ability to do >a nationwide brew pub search. Choose the "Brew Tour" option from the >main page, enter some info, and you should get a fairly decent list of >breweries in Atlanta. > >URL is: >http://www.realbeer.com > >Hope this helps! > >Regards- >Neil Oakden >Shaw AFB, SC > Thanks, Neil, I'll do that. Guess I must've missed it when I was last on the web. Oh, well, at least they *have* real beer in Atlanta! God Bless, ILBCNU! Dr. Michel J. Brown, D.C. mjbrown at teleport.com http://www.teleport.com/~mjbrown Brewer, Patriot, Physician, Husband, and Father Return to table of contents
From: AJN <neitzkea at frc.com> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 13:43:10 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Questions to improve my beer (what else?) Thanks to all those who responded (both publicly and privately) to my questions of: <<<< A. When cooling the wort, what should be the final tempature before adding it to the carboy? B. Can I use dry yeast and hydrate it pryor to pitching, or do I have to buy "smack packs"? >>>> The general consensus is to cool the wort to fermentation temp, i.e. about 68 degrees for a ale and about 55 degrees for a lager. And most everyone thought liquid yeast is best, but one peasrson thought that dry yeast is getting a bad reputation from years ago, when the quality wasn't as good as it is now. Lastly, most responses added, that full wort boils will make a large differance in the taste and quality of my brew. Thanks again Return to table of contents
From: mikehu at lmc.com Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 11:23:03 PDT Subject: Small Batches Dan Cole Writes: >Currently, I'm doing 2.5 - 3 gallon extract batches; 5 gallons is too much. >Right now, I'm using a standard 6.5 gallon plastic bucket for a primary and >then racking to a 3-gallon glass carboy for secondary fermentation. ...but >I know that the additional "head space" (or more specifically, the oxygen in >the headspace) in the bucket must be hurting my beer. Dan - Don't Worry! Your beer is fine. As the beer ferments, it is creating a protective layer of CO2 (which is heaver than air) directly on top of itself. Isn't it neat how higher life forms (such as beer) have a way of looking out for themselves? Mike H. Creating Life in Portland, OR Return to table of contents
From: jwc at med.unc.edu (John W. Carpenter) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 14:25:40 EDT Subject: Protein size In HBD 2119, George_De_Piro at berlex.com (George De Piro) writes: > The June 27, 1996 issue of NATURE (p.738) reports that the "largest > proteins in nature occur in wheat flower...these wheat gluten polymers > [have] relative molecular masses ranging up into the tens of > millions." Fascinatig! Does anyone know what the size of a protein with this molecular weight might be? 0.5, 1, 5, 10 microns? On the same subject, does anyone know what the molecular weight cutoff would be for the different pore sizes? In other words, what is the larges size protein that could pass through a 5 micron filter? (Assuming the protein are globular.) > Sorry if this bored folks. I bet Tracy liked it! I can't speak for Tracy, but I liked it. John Carpenter, jwc at med.unc.edu Chapel Hill, NC Return to table of contents
From: "Ed J. Basgall" <edb at chem.psu.edu> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 11:22:45 EDT Subject: Travelling There is a small microbrewery in Deerfield, MA. Deerfield in Western MA Just north of Amherst. They have a friendly laid back crew and do open fermentation. The micro is called the Berkshire Brewing Company and they make some nice brews and give short tours. Ed Basgall Penn State Univ Dept of Chem Return to table of contents
From: Vincent A Voelz <voel0009 at gold.tc.umn.edu> (Vincent Voelz) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 13:42:40 -0500 Subject: Ground Ivy beer....continued Last night I just brewed the English Ale (some light extract w/ crystal and brown specialty grains for color) with 1 oz. creeping Charlie (a.k.a. Ground Ivy) -- which is essentially a lawn weed -- instead of hops as the bittering agent. If this sounds interesting, check out my post "Ground Ivy instead of Hops" in r.c.b and in HBD #2114 (I think). We slurped a bit of the beer out of the hydrometer as we were waiting for it to cool; the taste was somewhat vegetable, but definitely bitter and minty. Some of us reported a stingy/numbing sensation after tasting it, which I think is the bittering component (whatever THAT is). Still, I would like to find out the toxicity of the plant, as well as determine whether or not allergic reactions to the plant are possible/probable. Any info/references/etc. would be appreciated. This is brewing on the edge, dude! Return to table of contents
From: korz at pubs.ih.lucent.com Date: Tue, 23 Jul 96 14:04:52 CDT Subject: excessive crystal Mike writes: > My question is: why is 20% crystal malt excessive? > > I usually use about one pound of a combination of crystal malts along >with 6 pounds of base malt (apx. 14% crystal). Is this too much? Does it make >a difference *which* types of crystal malt you use? i.e., carapils vs. 120L >English crystal? In my experience 16% (40L) crystal is about the max that makes "normal- tasting" bitter. If you exceed it with lighter crystal malts (Carapils, etc.) you are just going to have a little extra dextrin in your beer (not really a problem). If you exceed it with darker crystal malts like the 60L proposed in the recipe the beer will be very caramelly and can even have a bite from the crystal. Typical bitter recipes use 0 to 15% crystal with most being 3 to 10%. There are some milds that have very high levels of crystal malt (20 to 30% even!), but frankly my favourite bitter (Timothy Taylor Landlord) has NO crystal in it (100% pale ale malt). Al. Al Korzonas, Palos Hills, IL korzonas at lucent.com Copyright 1996 Al Korzonas Return to table of contents
From: Kyle R Roberson <roberson at beta.tricity.wsu.edu> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 12:27:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Conical Fermenters This is a short followup to a post I made a few weeks ago in response to a posting describing trouble getting clear beer out of the bottom of a "homemade" cylindrical- conical fermenter. I just spent a week observing and somewhat working in a brewery that used commercial versions of these tanks. Here is a thumbnail sketch of how they used them. After primary fermentation is over, the yeast at the very bottom of the tank is sewered. Then the hose is connected to the new tank for that days brew and a charge of yeast pumped over. At this point, the first tank is charged with finings if they are used and the second tank is filled with wort from the brew house. The first tank is now (or after the finings have settled) racked to the bright beer tank from a valve just under the manway and above the cone. This goes through a filter and is still pretty yeasty, but is nothing like what came out of the bottom. When the tank is emptied to this valve, then the bottom valve is purged to the sewer until it is more beer than yeast. This hose is now connected to the filter to try to recover as much beer as possible before the filter plugs. My impression is that these tanks would not work very well with only a bottom valve. Kyle Return to table of contents
From: Maestro <krusemje at martin.luther.edu> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 14:43:53 -0500 (CDT) Subject: HBD jr. Hey Fellow Brewsters, I returned to college this week and found 138 HBD isssues in my electronic mail box. What a pleasantry!! I haven't had time to read all of my back issues but I caught a little of the NOKO ONO junk, which is really disturbing for the complete novice like myself. I would like to feel more comfortable in asking bonehead questions. I enjoy reading the digest and love experiencing the glory of the knowledge that it protrudes twice daily, but to be honest 80% of it gets filed in "What-d-Heck!" I know that many of you are serious conscientious lovable brew-daddies that participate for the love of beer. But the future of beer is with me and those like me with young minds and ambitious palattes. Even older guys making their first pilgrimage to better can contribute something. But we need guidance and sponsorship. Maybe a novice version of HBD is in order (HBDjr). Those who care may participate in both forums. Those of us new to brewing want to be appreciated and encouraged without bothering the "pros" and inflicting "page-down" syndrome on the HBD. Would anyone be able or willing to begin a juniour affiliate? Jesse Krusemark Luther College Decorah, IA 52101 krusemje at martin.luther.edu R.R.1 Box 160 Griggsville, IL 62340 Return to table of contents
From: Jim Liddil <JLIDDIL at AZCC.Arizona.EDU> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 14:36:21 -0700 (MST) Subject: Rodenbach and acids II As a further followup on Rodenbach and acids the flavor threshold for acetic acid is about 300 ppm and for Lactic acid about 400 ppm. Ref: Picket et. al. J Inst Brewing 1967 (82) pp 233. Jim http://radon.gas.uug.arizona.edu:80/~jliddil/ Return to table of contents
From: cgoll at PICA.ARMY.MIL Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 17:56:26 -0400 Subject: Oxygen Debate Forgive me if I'm wrong, John Cheek, but doesn't Liquid Bread sell the Oxygenator system??? Maybe competition is the contaminant in industrial grade O2? Chris Goll cgoll at pica.army.mil Return to table of contents
From: Larry N. Lowe <lnl at awips1.abrfc.noaa.gov> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 17:34:51 CDT Subject: infected brew?/recipe/Weisbrod and Hess first question: i brewed a bass clone...or at least i had hoped. i tried the second one last night...no better than the first. i am thinking it is infected and no, i am not prepared to dump it yet. my SO tried it and she described it as having an "ashy" flavor to it. it is bitter, but the hops i added were not that much...my recipe is at home. i believe it was 1 1/2 ounces of Northern Brewer (plus or minus a 1/2 an ounce) and an ounce of Willamette. is this "ashy" taste something associated with either of these...will giving it time help to mellow the flavor? i am not dumping yet, but i am wondering IMBR? second question: i recently tried a Boulevard Wheat and UMM..UMM GOOD. does anyone have a recipe for this or thier pale ale? BTW, it is from a microbrew in KC (Jethro Gump?) and last: thinks to Brian Cornelius for answering my question on Weisbrod and Hess Brewery...BTW, it was located in *Porter* township in Pike county. - -- from: Larry N. Lowe, HAS Forecaster ? lnl at apwk01g3.abrfc.noaa.gov \\\|/// http://info.abrfc.noaa.gov (o) (o) Off: (918)832-4109 FAX: (918)832-4101 _____oOOO__(_)__OOOo_____ Return to table of contents
From: Kevin Kane <kkane at uidaho.edu> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 15:45:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Spent grains in bread I remember a thread in the HBD about using spent grains in bread. Having tried some at the Hale's brewery in Seattle (yum!), I'm interested in diverting my spent grains from the compost pile to the dough mixer. If anyone remembers the HBD issues I can look through, please let me know. Cheers! Kevin Return to table of contents
From: David Cummings <woodstok at rupert.oscs.montana.edu> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 17:01:17 -0600 Subject: Re: Large fermenters - ceramic crocks Quick note on this NOKO... guy. With all due respect, this isn't alt.flame. If you've got a beef with the guy just fill his mailbox with what you've got to say. It's been discouraging to see so many people get up in arms and post rebuttals in the forum. This is a brewing forum and should be reserved for just that. With that said i'll step off my soapbox and throw in just two more cents worth of info. I'm not sure how readily they're available, but i've got and old 10 gal ceramic crock that i'm using right now (as a primary fermenter) to brew large batches. Actually I'm doing a two gal test batch first to see if it'll be brew-worthy. Has anyone tried or used this before? My only problem was cleaning/sanitizing the beast. Dave Life's a beer, Brew it up! Return to table of contents
From: smithrh at esper.com (Smith Family) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 19:47:10 -0400 Subject: Travelling - New Knoxville Brewing Co. A new microbrewery called New Knoxville Brewing Co. just opened in Knoxville, TN. It is Knoxville's first brewery for wholesale distribution in nearly 90 years. They are open for tours and tasting on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m., and by appointment. All grain brewing and open fermenters are used. Cherokee Distributing Co. is the distributor, and Swanky English Ale is the first product. Distribution is expanding towards Nashville, Chattanooga, Bristol and Asheville NC. They still have some stock for sale. Their number is 423-521-7870. Bob Smith Return to table of contents
From: smithrh at esper.com (Smith Family) Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 19:47:08 -0400 Subject: Re: Catalogues I've been ordering from The Grape and Granary in Akron, Ohio, 800-695-9870, for a while. Their prices beat all others I've seen, but I haven't searched extensively. I've been happy with their products, but I don't claim any expertise. I'm interested in other opinions. Bob Smith Return to table of contents
From: Delano Dugarm <adugarm at worldbank.org> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 13:10:07 +0000 (GMT) Subject: Potatoes Brian Bliss writes about malting potatoes and using them as a adjunct. I've never heard of malting potates, and always thought that the sprouted ones had "gone bad." The best reference I've found for potatoes is Brad Kraus "This Spud's for You -- Potatoes as a Brewing Adjunct," _Zymurgy_ 17 (4) 78-81 (1994). From this I get three ways of using potatoes as an adjunct. 1) Peel and boil the potatoes, mash and add to the mash. 2) Peel and boil the potatoes. Cool to around 140, add amylase and let that convert the starches. Then add to the mash, sparge as usual. 3) Boil instant potatoes and add to the mash. I recently tried #3 and had the Stuck Mash from Hell(SM). Sure, I use a zapap lauter tun, particularly prone to stuck mashes. Sure, I've had stuck mashes before. This, though, was the first mash that was so solidly stuck that I could lift it out and _no_ liquid came through the false bottom. Perhaps rice hulls would have helped. I've never seen anyone claim that potatoes add much if any flavor to beer. Given the problems I've had with them, I prefer more easily used adjuncts. Delano DuGarm adugarm at worldbank.org Return to table of contents
From: m.bryson2 at genie.com Date: Wed, 24 Jul 96 00:49:00 UTC 0000 Subject: Errant messages Has anyone else received multilple email messages stating that: 1) You have been removed from the mailing list :( 2) You have been added to the mailing list :) And so on. I actually like the multiple digests/day. However, these automated messages are getting a bit irritating. Now back to brewing... Matthew Bryson Return to table of contents
From: Jim Nasiatka-Wylde <Jwylde at interaccess.com> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 21:23:03 -0500 Subject: O2 Grades/Seibolt Inst. Hey all! Time for my $0.02... Regarding the 'purity' of welding grade O2 for non-gaseous contaminants - if you're that worried about them, get yourself a HEPA capsule filter and put it in the line. You can get them from places like Fischer Scientific, and they range in size from 2" dia x 4 - 6" long to 1/2" dia x 1 - 2" long. Barnstead makes a nice small one for use on the end of thier RO water units that is of the smaller variety. It's ok for water filtering, but has such a high pressure drop (read low flow) that it's better for air. 0.2 uM will filter out just about anything, and it'll last a loooonnnnng time given the volume of gas flowed. In other questions - does anyone have the scoop on a place here in Chicago called the Seibolt Institute (sp?) I've decided it's time to educate the Homo-Heights Brewery staff and bring up our collective skills - and I want to know a bit more about them before I get on any more mailing lists. I've heard that Miller and Budweiser send all their people there, but I'd like some more hard information if anyone has it. Thanks! Jamie All the money in the world is no match for hard work and ingenuity... ____ \ / Nothing is so strong as Gentleness; JWylde at interaccess.com \/ nothing so gentle as real strength Nasiatka at anl.gov Return to table of contents
From: Rob Moline <brewer at kansas.net> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 22:10:57 -0500 Subject: Oxygen Grades/Pitching Temps/Hazelnut Extract/Decoction/Wheeler >From: "Donald A. Put" <daput at pe.net> >Subject: Oxygen grades >>Welding grae Oxygen should NEVER be used for human consumption. > So, if someone has something >to add--in agreement or contrary to what I've been told--please join in. Personally, I've used industrial grade oxygen for years in my >brewery, and I know of quite a few micros/brewpubs that do the same. I use welding grade O2 at the Little Apple, supplied to a 15 micron stone set into the cold side of the heat exchanger.... I know that the only professionally trained head brewer in this area (Bill Cherry, Masters, UC Davis, Boulevard Brewing) uses an industrial air compressor to supply his oxygenation needs, filtered through a .2 (?) micron filter, like those you would see as a transducer protector on medical equipment...He says the filter is to trap bacteria. But, when I thought of the question of medical grade vs industrial grade O2, the only negative I could think of, (or in this case was told about) was that there might be some oils in the valves or industrial grade regulators. But thinking back to scuba training, I remember that they only use a silicone or some other inert lubricants for any thing that might encounter pressurized O2 for fear of an explosion or fire. So, why would it be any different for your welder? I couldn't imagine his regulator had any oxidizable lubes within, so why should mine? Besides, most of the fellas I know in brewing use what I use, industrial grade. Is it optimal? Perhaps not, but we have had no problems here. And who wants to pay more for the same stuff with a pretty tank around it? >From: George_De_Piro at berlex.com (George De Piro) >Subject: Pitching temp for Weizen, Cu corrosion in fridge > You are correct in being afraid of thermal shock, No experience with pitching temps on lagers, but when I use a fresh block of DRY yeast for a brew, I think there might be shock involved, but one which the manufacturer recommends. My yeast is stored at 36-38 F and re-hydrated for 10/60 in 100 F H2O, then attemperated with chilled wort at 66F for 10/60 before being pitched... >From: Darrin Pertschi <darrinp at cowles.com> Can anyone recommend an >appropriate amount of Hazelnut extract to use for 5 gal.? You might try using a syringe or pipette to measure small amounts into a known quantity of beer until you like the taste, then factor it up for the full amount of your batch...this is one area where only trial and error will suffice.. >From: "Tracy Aquilla" <aquilla at salus.med.uvm.edu> >Subject: Re: decoction mashing > >George_De_Piro at berlex.com (George De Piro) wrote: >>How many people out there decoction mash? Do you know why? Do you think it >>makes a difference? How about the pro's in the audience? >I make mostly German style beers and I decoction mash all of them, strictly >for the flavors and aromas it produces, which is probably why most brewers >(who do) do it these days. I believe this is the only way to consistently >obtain certain aromatic components. I agree with Tracy on the flavors from decoction, but believe you can come pretty damn close with todays malts on just a single infusion. Most of the brewers I know do just a single, but some are capable of doing stepped infusions, with steam fired tuns and mash rakes. Most of us don't have such things. Including cereal cookers. You could always transfer the decocted portion to the kettle, but what a hassle! > >From: Jim Liddil <JLIDDIL at AZCC.Arizona.EDU> >Subject: Rodenbach and acids (Wheeler's P) Al: >> Perhaps the author should be sure before he puts pen to paper. Indeed the microbe is different. >As I recall one of the Rodenbachs studied >brewing in England and apparently learned about the storage of the beer in >large wood vessles. I have received a comment or 2 regarding Wheelers Porter, asking for references, of which I have none. I just reprinted the article from an English brewpaper, and have no idea as to it's original date.. When I spoke to Graham, he said he would send a disk with more info and references within, but I have not yet received them. I must admit that I find the article very stimulating, and tend to be a Wheeler history believer, but what do I know? He said he would soon be getting on line, and I have provided him with the HBD details, so with any luck you may soon have him personaaly answering your questions. I believe there is some work going on with an American publication for one of the brew mags, as well. Jethro Cheers! Rob Moline Little Apple Brewing Company Manhattan, Kansas "The more I know about beer, the more I realize I need to know more about beer!" Return to table of contents