Homebrew Digest Tuesday, 20 August 1996 Number 2151
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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:
Hop Thanks ("Huyck, Randall W.")
Re: Guinness recipe (Don Trotter)
Births and brewing ("Donald A. Put")
Carbonic maceration (Douglas Thomas)
Building RIMS, need heater element info (Jim Elden)
Maple Sugar Breakdown (eric fouch)
Brass fittings? (Jim Elden)
RE: sunlight (John Wilkinson)
Re: colored carboys (Joseph Kral)
Pub Crawling on the Web / powdered amylase in mash ("Keith Royster")
RIMS/HBRCP (RUSt1d?)
Won't You Wear My Ring Around Your Neck... (Benwrtr at aol.com)
Re: nut brown ale (lheavner at tcmail.frco.com)
Hydrometer Conversion/Fridge Question (sharrington at CCGATE.HAC.COM)
Stovetop brewing ((Ed, Quantum PE (508) 770-2251))
Re:Simple Beer Recipe For Virgin Brewer ("Mike Bernardoni")
Alagash Brewing (Eugene Sonn)
re-using yeast, refrig&freezer storage ("Ed J. Basgall")
malt mfr/IM/Dough-in/sunny boil/#1968&oak in IPA/brown carboys/white sugars (korz at pubs.ih.lucent.com)
Re: Greg Krehbiel, Heath `Q' Doane, and Mike Bernardoni - WELCOME (Dave Greenlee)
re-using yeast, refrig&freezer storage ("Ed J. Basgall")
dark mash pH testing (M257876 at sl1001.mdc.com (bayerospace at mac))
Painting Carboys (Miguel de Salas)
[none] (Nina and Mike)
Protein Suspension ("Karel J. Chaloupka")
Colored Carboys? ("Houseman, David L TR")
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Huyck, Randall W." <rwh0303 at hub.doh.wa.gov>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 8:56:06 -0700
Subject: Hop Thanks
Thanks to all who replied privately to my hop question. The overwhelming
consensus was that the hops were OK, just a little immature. Everyone
recommended I just be patient, though some expressed concern that I
should be harvesting ripe hops by now.
Well, I checked the vines again on Saturday and felt like Gomer Pyle
saying "Surprise, surprise!" (Snide Jim Nabors jokes NOT necessary). The
upper portions of the vines (8 feet +) are COVERED with gorgeous hop
cones. From what I've read on HBD and the advice of the respondents, I
should be cheerfully harvesting ripe hops very soon! Thanks again for
the advice and sorry if I wasted your bandwidth. Novices like me benefit
greatly when answers are posted publicly after the advice is applied.
Randall W. Huyck
Travel Desk
Office of Financial Services
Washington State Department of Health
MS: 47901
Voice: (360) 753-0711
Internet: RWH0303 at hub.doh.wa.gov
Return to table of contents
From: Don Trotter <dtrotter at imtn.tpd.dsccc.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 11:25:24 -0500
Subject: Re: Guinness recipe
Bob Bessette writes:
"Fellow HBDers,
I would like to brew a stout this Fall and would like an all-grain recipe
utilizing an infusion mash. I'm too lazy for step mashes. I love Guiness on
tap and would like anything slightly resembling Guiness. Would appreciate
private email to bbessett at pictel.com...."
Well, I wooda wrote to you directly, but your e-mail address didn't
show up in HBD. Anyway, there are directions for a Guinness Stout in
one of Charlie P's books.
don
Return to table of contents
From: "Donald A. Put" <daput at pe.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 09:56:26 +0000
Subject: Births and brewing
Rob Moline's (Jethro Gump's) enthusiastic report on the arrival of
his new brewer snipped.
Rob,
Congratulations. My daughter is now three years old and has watched
me brew for all of those years. Every time I give her a glass of
juice--apple, cherry, peach, etc.--she holds it up to the light and
says, "nice color." Gee, I wonder where she gets that from?
My best wishes to you folks and the new addition to your "brewing"
family.
don
Idyllwild Brewing Company--Classic Metal Specialties
Idyllwild, CA
daput at pe.net
Return to table of contents
From: Douglas Thomas <thomasd at uchastings.edu>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 10:17:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Carbonic maceration
Carbonic maceration is a wine making process where the grapes (along with
stems, usually) are placed into a fermenter whole, and uncrushed. Into
this closed, stainless steel fermenter, carbon dioxide is pumped, while
the oxygen is blown off. This gives a completely oxygen free
environment, which encourages fermentation to take place inside the
grape. This tends to give a smoother taste, yet has some drawbacks as
well. That is the process, basically.
hope this helps
Doug Thomas
thomasd at uchastings.edu
Return to table of contents
From: Jim Elden <elden at accumedic.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 13:32:04 -0400
Subject: Building RIMS, need heater element info
I am in the final stages of building a RIMS system and need some
information about electric heating elements and how to attach them to
the heating unit. The heating chamber is to be constructed of 1 1/2"
copper pipe. For the heat source, I was planning to use a standard
4500W water-heater replacement element such as may be found at Home
Depot. The only units I saw mount with a ~3"" square flange and gasket
with a hole in each corner.
Has anyone used this type of element and if so, how did you mount it to
the copper pipe (Read: is there an available copper fitting or did you
have to manufacture something) ?
Has anyone seen an element of this approximate wattage that has a
standard NPT male thread mount?
Thanks!
Jim Elden
elden at accumedic.com
Return to table of contents
From: eric fouch <S=eric_fouch%S=fouch%G=eric%DDA=ID=STC021+pefouch%Steelcase-Inc at mcimail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 12:45 EST
Subject: Maple Sugar Breakdown
Date: Monday, 19 August 1996 1:42pm ET
To: STC012.HONLY at STC010.SNADS
From: Eric.Fouch at STC001
Subject: Maple Sugar Breakdown
In-Reply-To: Questions that ought not be asked, need not be answered
HBD Sucrosophytes:
I recently found a source for Maple Sugar. At ten dollars a pound, it looks
like a reasonable substitute for maple syrup for brewing.
Anybody got an idea as to the chemical breakdown of maple sugar (in terms of
sucrose, maltose, dextrose, fructose, etc.)? How 'bout how to substitute it
for other sugars for priming? Seems like that might be a good economical way
infuse maple goodness into a brew without $30 worth of adjuncts. My "don't
analyze it- just DO it" technique would be priming 5 gallons with 1 cup. I
don't imagine maple sugar is going to be more fermentable than corn sugar.
I suppose I could try to match the S.G. of 3/4 cup corn sugar disolved into
1/2 quart of water with x cups maple sugar in water, but that'd be an
expensive experiment.
Also, what styles of beer should I use my 1 pound of "Special Roast" grain?
(I saw it in the window, and just HAD to have it)
Is this stuff made from malted grain or what?
E-man
"You can lead a horse to water, but why do I have to shovel the shit?"
Return to table of contents
From: Jim Elden <elden at accumedic.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 13:41:20 -0400
Subject: Brass fittings?
Recently I came across some ball valves that were of mainly copper
contruction with a stainless steel ball. I noticed that the fitting at
on end of the valve is made of brass. I have seen some discourse on the
subject of lead, so here goes:
Can I use these valves in my RIMS or not?
Will pickling them in a low-ph solution such as vinegar help reduce the
chances of lead leaching into the wort?
What are the approximate percentages of the metals in brass? Does this
vary; if so, how widely?
Thanks!
Jim Elden
elden at accumedic.com
Return to table of contents
From: John Wilkinson <jwilkins at imtn.tpd.dsccc.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 12:48:10 -0500
Subject: RE: sunlight
Wayne Holder wrote in HBD #2150:
>As I watch my wort boil, I wonder what the effect of sunlight peeking
>into my pot might be.
I brewed a few weeks ago in the full blazing July Texas sun. I mashed in the
sun, drained to the kettle through a clear vinyl tube, cooked in the sun,
drained through a clear vinyl tube to my counterflow chiller through another
clear vinyl tube to buckets, poured back and forth to aerate, and then to
the fermenter. All in the bright sunlight. Later it hit me what I had
done and I kicked myself (figuratively) for screwing up my beer.
However, when the beer was finished I found nothing wrong with it. If
there is any skunkiness there, I can't detect it. It tastes quite good
to me. It is an IPA (kind of) that I am drinking now and like a lot.
I don't know that I would chance it again as it is easy to avoid, but the
sun seems to have done no harm to this batch. I don't think I would go to
a lot of trouble to avoid the sun. Some, perhaps, but not a lot.
John Wilkinson - jwilkins at imtn.dsccc.com
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From: Joseph Kral <kral at hpljlk.hpl.hp.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 10:53:03 PDT
Subject: Re: colored carboys
The simple solution is to slip an old sweat shirt over it. Personally, I
like having a clear carboy as its easier to watch the frenzy.
- --
Joseph Kral
Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
kral at hpljlk.hpl.hp.com
Return to table of contents
From: "Keith Royster" <keith.royster at ponyexpress.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:03:22 -0500
Subject: Pub Crawling on the Web / powdered amylase in mash
Hello all!
I found a web page recently that may be of interest to HBDers.
Perhaps in response to all of the requests here for "I'm travelling
to XXX city this weekend and need recommendations for brew pubs to
visit", someone has created a searchable index of micros, brewpubs,
and beer bars on the web. You can use any combo of area code, zip
code, address info, or even bar name to narrow your search. Check it
out at http://www.pubcrawler.com
- ------------------------
Also, nobody responded to my recent question regarding the pros/cons
of adding amylase in powdered form to my mash. I assume that it
won't really make much difference on well modified malts with strong
enzyme concentrations, but what about other grains such as wheat?
Will it throw my enzyme concentrations (alpha VS beta) out of whack?
I find it hard to beleive that nobody had an opinion on it, so I'm
assuming it was missed during the HBD mailer problems a few weeks
ago. If anyone does have any thoughts on the matter, I'd love to
hear them. TIA!
Keith Royster - Mooresville, North Carolina
"An Engineer is someone who measures it with a micrometer,
marks it with a piece of chalk, and cuts it with an ax!"
mailto:Keith.Royster at ponyexpress.com
http://dezines.com/ at your.service - at your.service
http://dezines.com/ at your.service/cbm -Carolina BrewMasters club page
http://dezines.com/ at your.service/RIMS -My RIMS (rated COOL! by the Brewery)
Return to table of contents
From: RUSt1d? <rust1d at li.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:04:23 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: RIMS/HBRCP
Any RIMS brewers out there using Brew Crafts RIMS control unit and
heating element? I have one of these and was wondering what kind
of time frame it takes to boost mash temps. With a grain bill of
15 lbs, and enough water to cover the bed a couple of inches, how
long does it take to raise the mash temperature 1 degree F? This
weekends' mash took 45 minutes to raise 5F (with the above specs).
Is this typical? or is something amiss?
HBRCP - The Homebrew Recipe Calculating Program Version 1.2
An upgrade to my homebrew software is now available. This includes
fixes to some minor bugs.
http:/www.netaxs.com/~vectorsys/varadyindex.html
John Varady
Boneyard Brewing Co.
"Ale today, Gone tomorrow"
Return to table of contents
From: Benwrtr at aol.com
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:05:26 -0400
Subject: Won't You Wear My Ring Around Your Neck...
Oh wise collective,
The $64,000 Question O' The Day is:
"Is a ring around the neck of a bottle ALWAYS a bad sign?" (he asked
infectiously)
I've got an oatmeal stout that's been in bottles for about five months now.
This past weekend, I finally got around to sticking some labels on the
bottles that are left (a little more than half--I've been letting it age),
and I
noticed that every damn one of them has a ring of crud around the neck.
Having never had such rings before in any of my beers, I immediately
feared infection.
The bottles we've already consumed did not have a ring, and they tasted
fine; in fact, they tasted pretty darn good, IMHO as brewer. The few
that are currently in the fridge don't have the ring, either. So...IMBR?
I know the smell/taste test will determine the answer, but I'm wondering
if the "Ring Of Crud" (wasn't that a Johnny Cash song?) is always a sign
of infection, or if there are other explanations for it.
Thanks in advance,
jeff tonole
SlothBrew
Menlo Park, CA
Benwrtr at aol.com
Return to table of contents
From: lheavner at tcmail.frco.com
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 13:38:47 -0500
Subject: Re: nut brown ale
This is a Mime message, which your current mail reader
may not understand. Parts of the message will appear as
text. To process the rest, you will have to use a Mime
compatible mail reader. Contact your vendor for details.
- --IMA.Boundary.840480737
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Description: cc:Mail note part
Alex Banta asked about a nut brown ale recipe. The following one
is a standard for me and was responsible for making my father a
beer drinker. I've used different yeasts and different water, but
it always turns out pretty good.
Specialty grains steeped prior to boil:
3/4 # Cara-Munich Crystal
1/4 # Special B
1/8 # Chocolate Malt
Boil:
6.5 # Amber Malt Extract Syrup
Hops:
1 oz Brewers Gold - 60 min
1 oz Fuggle - 5 min
Single stage fermentation between 65 and 72 Deg F (ie room temp)
for 1 to 2 weeks. The original recipe (from Austin Homebrew
Supply) called for Whitbread dry yeast, but I've also used Windsor
& Nottingham dry and Wyeast 1098 & 1968 all with good results.
I've used tap water, bottled water, and softened water w/ water
crystals. Occasionally I've used Irish Moss, but I don't think it
does anything. OG 1.045 - 1.050. FG 1.011 - 1.015.
Regards,
Lou Heavner
<lheavner at frmail.frco.com>
- --IMA.Boundary.840480737--
Return to table of contents
From: sharrington at CCGATE.HAC.COM
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 11:40:17 PST
Subject: Hydrometer Conversion/Fridge Question
Is there a simple formula which allows one to take a Hydrometer
reading at any temperature and convert it to the standard 60F? I
vaguely remember some discussion in this area. I have only seen look
up tables (and I have lost mine).
Changing gears....
A remotely brewing related question: My fridge seems to take a long
time to have the compressor kick on. The fridge is running and clicks
every now and again, and then finally the compressor kicks on after
one of the clicks. Does anyone have any idea what the problem might
be? I am afraid that it might be on its last legs. Is there an easy
fix for this problem?
Thanks,
Stephen Harrington
Manhattan Beach, CA
Return to table of contents
From: iaciofano at leds.enet.qntm.com (Ed, Quantum PE (508) 770-2251)
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:55:56 -0400
Subject: Stovetop brewing
Hi,
I posted a week or two ago regarding the canning element that I
bought for my electric stove, if anybody wanted more info. to contact
me, ect. Response was brisk. If I missed any private E-mail, sorry,
please resend it to me. I'm writing this because I was mysteriously
dropped from the HBD after my last post. I'm back on line, for now.
If anybody sent a reply to the HBD instead of private E-mail, I missed
it, so please resend it to *me*.
/Ed_I
Return to table of contents
From: "Mike Bernardoni" <mikeb at pso.siu.edu>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:13:02 CST
Subject: Re:Simple Beer Recipe For Virgin Brewer
Hello, Thanks to all who have tried to help me lose my brewing
virginity!!! I will let you know when that occurs....Mike Bernardoni
Return to table of contents
From: Eugene Sonn <eugene at dreamscape.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 16:20:18 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Alagash Brewing
Hello HBDers,
A friend of mine swears by the brews made by Alagash Brewing in
Portland, ME and I've wanted to try some. Anyone in Upstate New York or
Massachusetts seen any in stores? I believe they make Belgian Ales. I
have asked several owners of micro-friendly beer stores and none have
heard of this brewery. The place does exist and does make beer, the
question is whether I have to go to Portland to try it.
Thanks,
Eugene Sonn
Return to table of contents
From: "Ed J. Basgall" <edb at chem.psu.edu>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 16:30:00 EDT
Subject: re-using yeast, refrig&freezer storage
Return to table of contents
From: korz at pubs.ih.lucent.com
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 15:33:22 CDT
Subject: malt mfr/IM/Dough-in/sunny boil/#1968&oak in IPA/brown carboys/white sugars
Charlie writes:
>Could we have a little glossary lesson here? What's the difference between
>roasting, toasting and kilning?
As far as I know roasting and toasting are the same thing. A "roaster" is
what's used for making "toasted" malt (such as Victory or Biscuit) or
"roasted" grains (such as chocolate malt, roasted barley or black patent
malt). Kilning is done in the kiln and is the process of drying the wet,
"green malt." If you kiln at relatively cool temps, you get pils or pale
malt. Kilning at higher temps for longer times you get Vienna or Munich
malts. Crystal malts are made by closing the vents and retaining the
moisture for some period of time so that the grain actually converts in the
husk. The temperature and time of the subsequent drying (vents open)
determines the colour of the crystal malt. Roasting is done on dried
(already kilned) malt and can be done at cooler temps for a short time
(Victory, Biscuit), longer times and higher temps (Chocolate malt) or
even higher temps (Roasted Barley or Black Patent malt... aka Roasted Malt).
***
Brian writes:
>I am relatively new to brewing and thought the purpose of irish moss was
>to aid in the reduction of chill haze, not clearing in the fermentation
>process. What are the benefits of irish moss? Are there any drawbacks?
In an experiment I performed, I found that Irish Moss used in the boil
increases the rate at which yeast will flocculate -- more accurately,
a 1 liter starter with no Irish Moss took 2 weeks to clear whereas a similar
starter using the same yeast cleared in four days. My thoughts are that
the protein left in suspension interferes with the flocculation of the yeast.
This has been mentioned in both DeClerck and Malting and Brewing Science:
excess protein in the wort can interfere with nutrient uptake and flocculation.
***
JC writes:
>When doing an all grain mash; is there a reason to put the grains in first
>and then add hot water? any problems if I put the water in first? It is
>easier to measure the amount of hot water this way. TIA
Yes. Adding grain to water increases starch balling. All commercial
breweries add water to grain or use what is known as a Steel's Masher
which mixes malt and water and delivers it into the mash tun.
***
Wayne writes:
>As I watch my wort boil, I wonder what the effect of sunlight peeking
>into my pot might be.
As soon as alpha acids are isomerized, they are subject to skunking the
beer. Keep the boil out of the sunlight.
***
Vincent writes:
>I'm considering using London ESB ale yeast (Wyeast #1968) in my next India
>pale ale. Any disadvantages to this "highly flocculant" strain? Any
>unique charactistics of the yeast that may conflict with the IPA style? I
>plan to use oak chips in the secondary to achieve that "cask-conditioned"
>taste.
London ESB is relatively un-attenuative and (in my opinion) IPAs should
be on the dry side (not sweet). I would recommend a different yeast, such
as Wyeast #1028 London Ale. "Cask-Conditioned" means only that the beer
is live and that yeast in the cask caused the carbonation. It has nothing
to do with whether the beer was in a wooden or stainless steel cask.
Furthermore, it has been posted here before many times that an oaky flavour
in IPAs is a fallacy. Well-used European oak casks were used for IPAs
and these simply don't impart an oaky flavour. Many casks were even
coated with brewer's pitch!
***
Daniel writes:
>I've been wondering why some savvy manufacturer
>has not come out with dark brown glass carboy.
That should be "savvy marketer." Brown glass only helps *reduce*
skunking. Light of blue-green colour will skunk beer, not only UV,
through a process called non-radiative energy transfer. Brown glass
reduces, but does not eliminate, blue-green light.
***
Dave writes:
>White sugar, whether corn, cane, or milk
>- - does nothing but make your brew taste thinner and adds alcohol, cane
>sugar can add a 'cidery' flavor if misused,
Milk sugar (lactose) is not fermentable and will not make your beer thinner.
It will make it sweeter and thicker. Not only cane, but beet and corn
sugar will give your beer a cidery flavour if overused.
Al.
Al Korzonas, Palos Hills, IL
korzonas at lucent.com
Copyright 1996 Al Korzonas
Return to table of contents
From: Dave Greenlee <daveg at mail.airmail.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 15:39:38 -0500
Subject: Re: Greg Krehbiel, Heath `Q' Doane, and Mike Bernardoni - WELCOME
A P.P.S. to my last post:
I missed a couple of sites which are too good to be missed. You're
eventually going to want to think about different beer styles. The four
I use the most (the 5th is in Charlie Papazian's book, the Homebrewing
Companion) are Tim Dawson's at
http://www.mv.com/ipusers/strange/styles.html
the American Homebrewer Association's at
http://www.aob.org/aob/styles.html
and the New England Homebrew Competition's which, though not official, is
almost the only guide with a link to it on the Beer Judge Certification
Program's homepage
http://www.rsi.com/wort/style-guide.html
I said almost, because the Beer Judge Certification Exam Study Guide by
Greg Walz on that same page has a style guide in it, too, that's pretty
good; it's at
http://oeonline.com/~pbabcock/bjcp.html
and has quite a bit of other good information in it, too.
Finally, I neglected to mention that The Brewery is the home of Cat's
Meow III, which is one of the more comprehensive recipe collections
around, though you should realize that some of these are untested and
others are failed recipes. The text is usually explicit about these
issues, however. Cat's Meow III incorporates the earler Cat's Meow II,
btw.
Nazdrowie,
Dave
Return to table of contents
From: "Ed J. Basgall" <edb at chem.psu.edu>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 17:05:24 EDT
Subject: re-using yeast, refrig&freezer storage
To the collective:
Since several brewers have responded to my freezing yeast post (HBD # 2138 )
I thought I'd put this together for everyone to share. I too could not find
much info regarding this, so I had to develop my own methodology based on
my micro and cell biology background.
Starter stock DME solution:
I typically make up a 15% stock (wt/vol) boiled, cooled DME mixture in filtered
tap water for starter and freezing purposes (we have hard water, I would add
1/4 tsp gypsum/gal if using distilled). Yeast like some calcium, but there
is probably some in the DME anyway.
I dilute this no more than 1:1 (>7.5% wt/vol) with about an equal volume of
yeast slurry/trub from my fermentor. You can also pitch rehydrated dry yeast
into this. The yeast should be able to handle 7.5 - 15% DME with no problem.
Specific gravity of this 15% stock solution is ~ 1.060.
Freezing;
Months ago I started freezing small amounts of yeast suspensions to free up
some space and to test for survival under those conditions. So far so good.
For freezing, I let the pitched starter go for a couple of days to be sure
the yeast is active, then take aliquots out and mix them with an equal
volume of fresh starter stock. I just put the sealed tubes in the freezer.
(eg: 7.5 ml of active yeast swirled suspension to 7.5 ml of
fresh sterile stater in a sterile 15 ml screw-capped polypropylene tube)
Sterile tubes are available by mail order from a number of biotech suppliers.
I've considered using glycerol as a cryoprotectant but figure the yeasts
probably prefer an environment that's relatively easy to start feeding on
after their cold sleep. It may not make a lot of difference in
viability though, but I haven't made a comparison. Glycerol, sucrose and
dimethylsulfoxide(DMSO) are used to freeze and store mammalian cells in
liquid nitrogen. I would not recommend DMSO for brewing purposes.
Any sugar solution will be slightly hypertonic and draw
water out of the cells thus reducing ice crystal damage inside. For freezing
the presence of sugars, proteins and ions in DME are helpful.
I ONLY add DME if I'm going to freeze the culture.
Refrigerator storage:
I don't think it's wise to give the yeast any more food if I'm going
to store the culture in the refrig. Even when the yeast have
exhausted their food supply at the end of a ferment they still seem to be
able to keep building up some CO2. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I've never
had any stored cultures explode under refrigeration (and I do have a rather
large number stored there). I think the key to storing refrigerated
yeast is to be at the end of fermentation. With no more food the yeast
should shut down and sporulate.
For recycling yeast I simply sanitize a funnel and a few extra bottles.
After I'm finished bottling, I swirl the fermentor bucket and pour about
6 oz of yeast/trub into each of several bottles and cap them.
I try to chill them ASAP and keep them cold until I'm ready to use.
When I open the refrigerated yeast/trub, I vent it slowly to determine
whether or not there is a lot of pressure built up.
If there is, you can see the stuff start to froth up in the bottle, if it
does, I stop and keep it cold then vent more pressure until I can open it
without wearing it. (grolsch style bottles might be useful here, but
I have been using crown capped ones) Unfortunately, it's very subjective.
My first attempts were rather graphic when I would just hold the bottle
pointing into the bucket fermentor and "let her rip". It pitched both the
wort and half the kitchen. Now I take my time and even try to make
a fresh starter the day before I brew. That way I can tell if the yeast is
still viable.
Regarding storage periods:
I really don't know what the maximum storage time is for either refrigerated
or frozen. I expect it will be longer in the freezer. Some of the yeasts
I have isolated from imported beers have been in the original bottle for at
least a year before I isolate them. So, it appears that they are pretty
well preserved, even without refrigeration.
2-3 months in the refrigerator should be OK, make a fresh starter with it
a day or two ahead of brew day. Use ~10-15% boiled, cooled DME in water.
I also believe you can just use the yeast sediment from a bottle of
homebrew to make a starter (haven't tried it though). I have slurries that
are at least a year old stored in the refrigerator. It is concievable that
long term storage in the refrigerator my induce some mutations.
No hard data though to verify this.
Regarding washing the yeast:
It sounds like it would be OK to do so and will probably give you a "cleaner"
culture. I've never attempted it myself. Just be sure your rinse water
is sterile.
Flaming bottle and tube openings (optional):
It may be overkill, but I always flame sterilize the openings of starter
bottles, storage bottles and storage tubes whenever I open and close them.
This is easily accomplished by passing the opening breifly through a
propane torch flame after opening and before reclosing.
Starter cultures:
I just dump the stored slurry contents into the starter, after
swirling it a bit to resuspend most of the slurry and flaming the opening.
It's not important to get every last drop, you have a WHOLE LOT OF YEAST CELLS
IN THERE.
I typically add about 6oz of slurry to 2-3 pints of starter. It may take
up to 48 hrs to get going. I usually cover the opening with a sterile
gauze sponge cover and rubber band it in place for the forst 24 hours.
Then I switch over to an airlock (it helps me see the bubbling). Or you can
pitch the slurry directly into your wort. I only do a starter to check
to see if the yeast is still OK.
For reusing frozen yeast, I always make a starter to get the numbers up.
I thaw the tube in a cup of warm water. Dry off the outside and quickly
flame the mouth of both the tube and the starter bottle. Again, I allow about
48 hrs before I plan to picth.
I dump the entire starter into the primary after swirling to
resuspend (sometimes I keep some back for freezer storage and add fresh 15%
DME). I also sample the active starter and do a cell count with a microscope
counting chamber(hemocytometer). Viability can be asessed by mixing the
aliqout to be counted 1:1 with a vital stain such as 0.4% trypan blue solution.
I don't think there is enough of hops in the 6oz or so of slurry out of a 5
gallon batch to alter subsequent hop requirements.
Comments, opinions, suggestions and job offers are always welcome......
Best Regards and good luck to all
Ed Basgall
SCUM (State College Underground Maltsters)
State College, PA 16801
"Beer - It's more than just a breakfast drink, it's a way of life."
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From: M257876 at sl1001.mdc.com (bayerospace at mac)
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 16:26 -0600
Subject: dark mash pH testing
collective homebrew conscience:
when mashing dark beers, checking the pH is a pain in the rear for me, since
my plastic pH strips pick up dark color from the mash. this makes it very
hard to judge what the real color of the strip should be.
i use 3 color plastic strips made by baxter, and they work great for pale
beers, but this dark beer thing really drives me crazy. what's the solution?
brew hard,
mark bayer
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From: Miguel de Salas <mm_de at postoffice.utas.edu.au>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 09:24:42 -1000
Subject: Painting Carboys
Daniel wrote:
> How about simply painting a carboy black, or some
>other designer color to match your decor. This may
>cause some problems in cleaning as you won't be able
>to see it as well.
^^^^
>2. Has anyone painted their carboy? What problems did
>this cause?
I have never done that, since I brew in a dark basement where no light ever
shines...:), but I distinctly remember using special paints for lightbulbs
to paint on glass when I was little. I think it could be something to
consider. Anybody know the paint I'm talking about? Anybody ever tried it on
a carboy? I don't see why it shouldn't work...
Miguel
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From: Nina and Mike <nina-mik at metalhead.azaccess.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 19:19:12 -0700
Subject: [none]
Greetings!
I just recently joined this list so I hope the question that I am about to
pose is not dredging up a thread only recently put to rest!
I was wondering if anyone out there has run across some type of listing,
article, etc. or has personal knowledge of enzyme potentials for
grains/seeds other than barley and wheat? It stands to reason that all
seeds, to some degree, need to be able to convert starch into sugars as they
begin growing; hence the malting process. Being in the mood to experiment, I
was curious to what degree other grains could be malted, mashed, and made
into "beer" without either using barley malt or the chew and spit process as
an enzyme source.
Thanks for your thoughts. My initial library research has turned up nothing
(though the library wasn't very well stocked with brewing science entries!).
Mike Yeatts
nina-mik at mail.azaccess.com
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From: "Karel J. Chaloupka" <KJC at diac.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 02:40:19 GMT
Subject: Protein Suspension
I just brewed an Octoberfest beer yesterday and got a lot of protein
suspension. I used around 9 lbs of Pilsnet Malt & 1.5 lbs of assorted
crystal malts. I mash in at 158F and sparged at 172F. I also used irish moss
at the end of the boil. I've never really have had this problem before. Any
suggestions on why this happened?
Karel Chaloupka
Hughes Information Technology Systems
Staff Engineer
Sensor Data Processing
Bldg 485, M/S 6M70
Aurora, CO 80011-9046
(303)306-8153
email:
KCHALOUP at redwood.dn.hac.com
KJC at diac.com
EMAIL: KCHALOUP at redwoord.dn.hac.com
KJC at diac.com
- ------------------------------
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From: "Houseman, David L TR" <DLH1 at trpo3.tr.unisys.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 22:56:00 EDT
Subject: Colored Carboys?
Volume and supply and demand. Who wants colored carboys other than
perhaps homebrewers? If that were the only demand, you'd pay a lot more
than what you do. As it is, we're leveraging other uses for the product
of the glass industry. A simpler trick than painting the carboy (how
would you know you'd got it clean on the inside if you can't see inside?)
is to cut a 1.5 inch hole in the bottom of a grocery bag and invert over
the carboy. Works like a champ.
Dave Houseman
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