(formerly Volume 02 : Number 018)



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Contents:
  [No Subject Provided By Sender]
  many topics (Steve Alexander)
  Want to grow hops.
  Re: Homebrew Digest V2 #17
  Re: Homebrew Digest V2 #17
  EBU, EBC, etc. conversions?
  re: No Dark Beer In Boston?
  Re: Light water
  First Batch
  RIMS pump speed controller
  Stout-Lax?!?!
  local brew in Tuscon AZ
  Immersion Chiller Prep...(Darrin P.)
  re:Counter-presure bottle fillers
  Coffee Porter (on the way)
  Re: Immersion Chiller Prep...(Darrin P.)
  re:Making Brewer's Best Kit Better
  Using kegs as sparage water containers
  Brewing vessels
  Dortmunder Water
  Max. height of mash grain?
  PH meter and Temp. probe in single unit?
  Wild Yeast
  Little Giant
  Yeast Culturing Question
  splitting gas lines
  Brewing Software
  Dragon Stout from Jamacia
  Uh oh?  (Green foam)
  Re: Homebrew Digest V2 #17
  1997 National Bay Area Brew-Off
  re: coffee stout
  Yeast culturing from beer bottle sediment


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

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Homebrew Digest       Monday, December 30 1996       Volume 02 : Number 017



Procedures:

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   (including any other text) in your unsubscribe message.
If you are still having difficulty, send a message to <admin at softsolut.com>
   with a description of your message, and we shall attempt to resolve
   the problem.

1	Re: Wheeler/CAMRA
2	Hospital O2 bottles
3	Also RE: Re-using Yeast
4	Using kegs as sparage water containers

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Date: Fri, 27 Dec 1996 22:36:06 -0300
From: Steve Alexander <stevea at clv.mcd.mot.com>
Subject: many topics (Steve Alexander)

Anyone doubting that trub in suspension affects the SG reading should
examine Archimedes Principle until they too exclaim 'Eureka'.
===
Nathan L. Kanous II asks about lactic fermentation ... Of the several
references none makes a lot of sense to me in practical terms.

The Eric Warner "German Wheat Beer" book suggests pitching L.delbruckii
with the yeast pitching and 'fermenting' for 3 months at 59F !!!
Unfortunately L.Delbruckii should be dormant at 59F(15C).

In Brewing Techniques 4(3) may/june 1996, Brian Nummer writes on brewing
with lactobacilli and suggests among other things a split fermentation
fermenting L.delbruckii 2-3 weeks at 97F(37C), which is an appropriate
temp but can give any real world wort a DMS/creamed corn aroma in
spades.  Even tho' he suggests a 10 minute post lacto boil, my
experience is that this won't banish the DMS aroma.

Dennis Davison's article in Zymurgy v19,#5 describes several lacto
methods including mixed yeast+lacto fermentations at low temps, and
split ferments at high temps.  Dennis also correctly notes that
113F(45C) is about the optimal temp for L.delbruckii.  [Note that
Warner's temp is 54F(30C) lower !!!!]

My limited experience with thermophilic lacto cultures in wort is that
you are constrained by the minimum temperature at which the bacteria
will flourish and the DMS levels produced at higher temps.  Perhaps a
small hi temp lacto ferment using pale ale malt added to the mash or
boiler - thus minimizing the DMS production and giving a 90 minute boil
the remove DMS.

Nathan also asks ...
> 2) add lactic acid during boil - shouldn't boil off, ? 
Interesting question .... Lactate has two isomers D- and L-lactic acid.
D- form boils at 103C at low pressure; the L- decomposes at 119C before
it boils also at very low pressures.  We should expect the boiling point
to be substantially depressed at this very low pressure.

Some bacteria produce only L- form, while others produce D- form lactic
acid and some produce both, depending on the enzymes of the specific
bacteria.  L.Delbruckii produces only D-lactic as do quite a few
thermophilic homofermentative lacto's.  An alternative example is
L.casei, a low temperature homofermentative bacteria that produces only
L-lactic acid.  Bottom line is that your lactic acid is almost certainly
safe for a boil at 1 atmosphere but there are a lot of dependencies in
determining this. 
==
AlK asks about nitrogenous macromolecules in wort.  Proteins, RNA and
DNA and a handful of 'vitimins' and their breakdown products pretty much
define it.  Since 95% of the nitrogen from the RNA/DNA bases is
soluabilized in a normal wort I doubt the high temp extraction comment
refers to this.

Steve Alexander

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 06:23:42 +0000
From: Jim Klett <tgc at execpc.com>
Subject: Want to grow hops.

Can anybody out there reccomend a good variety of hops to grow in USDA Zone 4 (Milwaukee, WI) 
that is both ornamental and good for brewing (i.e. HIGH in lupulin content)?

Any info on sources would also be greatly appreciated. JK

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 06:44:40 -0700
From: Dudley Leaphart <jdud at mcn.net>
Subject: Re: Homebrew Digest V2 #17

greg

here you go
- -- 

Dudley Leaphart                Billings, MT                jdud at mcn.net

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 06:45:14 -0700
From: Dudley Leaphart <jdud at mcn.net>
Subject: Re: Homebrew Digest V2 #17

Greg

Here's another copy for your reading pleasure while sipping on an
expresso. Speaking of which, I have to come to town today to get my eye
checked out, I think I'll drop by and have you brew me a cup.
- -- 

Dudley Leaphart                Billings, MT                jdud at mcn.net

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 09:30:51 -0800
From: "Kitty O'Neil" <kitoneil at tir.com>
Subject: EBU, EBC, etc. conversions?

Where might I find info regarding the calculation of IBU from EBU, SG
from % solids, and EBC to SRM color units for extracts?  I've looked at
many of the obvious web pages to no avail.  TIA.
- -- 

Kitty O'Neil
Laboratory Director
Techmark, Inc.
Voice: 517 322 0250 x219
Fax:   517 322 0470
Email: kitoneil at tir.com

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 96 09:32:44 -0500
From: WILLIAM_D_MCCALLUM at Non-HP-Exeter-om2.om.hp.com
Subject: re: No Dark Beer In Boston?

Item Subject: cc:Mail Text
     John Penn in V2 #17 was unhappy with the lack of Dark beer in Boston.  
     My wife and I find this true in most places we ask for a non 
     Budmillercoors.  The usual answer is Sam Adams, your server knows it 
     is a micro brew (maybe), it is popular(we sell a lot), it cost a 
     little more (this helps the tip), and I don't drink beer but I serve, 
     have heard, or understand this beer is good.  
     
     The one I like is the Hilltop Steak House bar had a sign about their 
     own brew, it was Red Dog.  
     
     When I work as a merchandiser calling on variety store it was 
     surprising how few of the owner (1 out of 90) put any time improving 
     the lines offered to the customer. I have even talked to restaurant 
     owners about adding another tap or taps.  The answer is always, I sell 
     5 kegs of xxxx why should I change.  
     
     A lot of what we see is, if it isn't broken don't fix it or I making 
     money now why change.
     
     This is just my two cents.  I wish everyone a Happy New Year.
     
     Bill McCallum 

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Date: 31 Dec 96 10:19:56 EST
From: "David R. Burley" <103164.3202 at CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Re: Light water

Brewsters:

Peter Calinski observed that his water which was saturated with air gave him a
lower (0.992) SG than normal reading.  He wonders if the Erie County Water
Authority had just switched over from taking water from the top to the bottom as
they do annually. He also puzzles about CO2 from the fermentation causing
reading errors from this phenomenon.

I remember being told by an old-timer water authority guy about the lake
"turning over" in the Fall.  Water has its highest density at 4 deg C and when
surface water reaches this temperature it sinks.  This carries oxygen down to
the fishies and keeps the lake from freezing all the way to the bottom if it is
deep enough, since the water colder than 4C stays on top and freezes.  I
remember cloudy air filled water from the tap in the winter.

Your reading of 0.992 is equivalent to 5.5% alcohol in the water  at 15.5 deg C and
would require a considerable ( and very unlikely)  amount of air to be dissolved
in the water.  Supersaturation is a possible explanation, but the fact that the
cloudy water cleared seems to suggest that it wasn't supersaturated. A reading
of 0.992 would require water of about 100F to give such a reading, so this is an
unlikely explanation.

Typically with gases dissolved in water the problem is the exact opposite.
Bubbles clinging to the hydrometer raise the bulb and give a higher than
expected reading. Which is why using a hydrometer to spot the end of a
fermentation is extremely unreliable. 

I'm puzzled.  Can you repeat this by making daily observations?

BTW isn't Erie County home to Occidental Petroleum and Love Canal?  Hmmmm. 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keep on brewin'


Dave Burley
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
103164.3202 at compuserve.com
Voice e-mail OK

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 10:24:09 -0500
From: EPear26759 at aol.com
Subject: First Batch

Hello everyone.  This is my first message about my first batch.  I brewed it
around the 1st of Nov and followed all the directions to a tee.  It was a kit
brew for an Amber Ale.  Although I am not a fan of Amber Ales...I figured I
would try it.  The problems I have are the Following:

First, I boiled the beer for about 20 minutes which was about 15 minutes
longer than it said to(Actually it said that if you wanted a European style
beer to brew for 20 minutes).  Would this create a bitter taste when drank?

Second, I have carbonation(I use regular cane sugar instead of corn sugar),
but the head is not really frothy.  It is more like an alka seltzer drink as
for the head.  Could anyone advise me on a better brew...I am going to
attempt a light ale this weekend and would like a better tasting beer.

That is about it for the problems...it was rather easy...all I had to do was
follow directions...and the beer has a "distinct taste"...it isn't really
bad...but it is not great.

Does it get better with age?

Could anyone suggest anything to help and what ingredience should I use.  I
would like to stay with kit brewing for now(Much easy to get a consistant
product) and then maybe I will try extract brewing.

Thanks for the help and please email me back at EPEAR26759 at aol.com

Eric

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 10:56:16 -0500
From: Keith Royster <keith.royster at pex.net>
Subject: RIMS pump speed controller

Hello friends and fellow homebrewers!  It sure is good to see that
the HBD is back and settling back down into its old form (somewhat).

I've got a question regarding controlling the speed of the pump on
my RIMS set up.  In the past I have simply used a ball valve on the
outlet side of my pump to throttle the flow.  However, I am in the
process of rebuilding parts of my system and am wondering about the
possibility of using a ceiling fan speed controller.  I have spoken
about this with both Dion Hollenbeck and Evan Kraus, both RIMS
enthusiasts who employ this method of pump speed control, and they
both report that there has been no damage to their pump motor "so
far."  I know that using a dimmer switch can damage the pump motor,
but it does seem logical that a ceiling fan speed controller would
not cause the same damage since it is designed for that purpose
(controlling a motor's speed).  Plus it is a cheap solution at $7 -
$15 from what I understand.  Can anybody comment on this and assure
me that I will not damage my pump motor using this method?  Also, can
anybody comment on whether this is even a better method of
controlling the pump speed than just using a partially closed
ball-valve?

As always, TIA for the help.  As soon as I get the new system
completed, I will update my RIMS web page (address below) with new
photos and information.

Happy New Year!!!!

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 pex.net
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)

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 07:57:17 -0800
From: "M. Arneson" <marnes at bigfoot.com>
Subject: Stout-Lax?!?!

Yup!  I made a chocolate oatmeal stout that seems to keep me regular!
I can't figure out why it has this affect!
Here are my ingredients:
6Lb Northern Brewer Amber Liquid malt
3Lb Muntons Dark dry malt
1/2 Lb chocolate malt
1/2 Lb Black Patent
1/2 Lb Flaked barley
1/2 Lb Quaker Oats
2 cups Hershey's baking cocoa

I had an enormous amount of trubb (bout half of a 6 gal carboy) so instead of
racking to leave the trubb behind, I just pitched the yeast thinking it would
settle out some more.  It eventually did but, did the yeast have anything to
do with that?
If anybody has ever had this problem with a batch of beer, Please let me know!
I can't figure out if it's the chocolate, the trubb, or maybe something in my
sanitation (bleach in everything except the keg, b-brite there).

Thanks!!
***************************************
Mark Arneson
marnes at bigfoot.com
***************************************

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 11:06:36 -0500
From: Jeff <mcnallyg at in83b.npt.nuwc.navy.mil>
Subject: local brew in Tuscon AZ

Hi All,

  I will be traveling to Tucson, AZ during the week of January 8th.

  I checked out the Pubcrawler web page and found the following for
brewpubs/breweries in Tucson:

  Gentle Ben's Brewing Co.
  River Road Brewery
  San Francisco Bar, Grill & Brewpub

  If anyone has some personal experience with these (or other)
brewpubs/breweries in the Tucson area, please let me know.

  Private email is probably best.

                                      Hoppy brewing,

                                      Jeff


==============================================================================

Geoffrey A. McNally                    Phone:  (401) 841-7210 x152
Mechanical Engineer                    Fax:    (401) 841-7250
Launcher Technology & Analysis Branch  email: mcnallyg at in83b.npt.nuwc.navy.mil
Naval Undersea Warfare Center
Code 8322; Bldg. 1246/2
Newport, RI  02841-1708

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 12:08:11 -0500
From: Simonzip at aol.com
Subject: Immersion Chiller Prep...(Darrin P.)

Tomorrow (while the wife cooks that stinky sauerkraut) I'll be cooking up my
first all-grain batch!! Santa gifted me with a Gott cooler and an EM. I'm
going out right now to get a copper coil to fashion a chiller with.

Question is: what do I need to do with the coper to prep it for wort chilling
(scrub it with steel wool)? I don't need my first grain endevor to taste like
an old penny.

Direct replies would be nice, since I don't know if I'll get a digest before
I brew (I didn't get one yesterday).

TIA
Darrin in Central PA
Proprietor--Simpleton's Cosmic Brewery
- ---------------------------------------------
You never know just how you look through other peoples eyes. <B.H.S.>

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 12:18:23 -0500
From: PVanslyke at aol.com
Subject: re:Counter-presure bottle fillers

>Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 21:21:56 EST
>From: Ken G Smith <sparge at juno.com>
>Subject: Counter-presure bottle fillers
>
>Anyone with advice on Counterpresure fillers? I would like to buy one
>soon, but have no experience with them and don't know a good one from
>bad. Any help would be appreciated. Private e-mail ok.
>
>Ken Smith
>
>Britten & Smith Brewing 
>Where the B.S. stops at the label....
>
>sparge at juno.com

Ken,
I just assembled and successfully used a CBF as described by Ken Schwartz
(thanks Ken if you are reading this) at http://members.aol.com/kennyeddy.

I have an investment of less than ten bucks in the filler.

After washing and sanitizing, chill the bottles.
Try to set up on a sturdy work area - essential for capping.
Have your next bottle ready so you can set the apparatus into it while
capping the filled bottle.
Don't rush - it's not necessary.
The picnic tap I have will snap to a full open position and this is handy.
DON'T forget to close the tap before moving to another bottle.

Paul VanSlyke >>> Brewing and Relaxing in Deposit,NY

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 12:35:16 -0500
From: "Scott W. Nowicki" <nowicki at voicenet.com>
Subject: Coffee Porter (on the way)

I've seen several posts lately referring to the use of coffee in =
homebrewing, so I thought I would relay my own recent experiences to the =
Digest.

I was recently out in Seattle (in early December, before the storms!) =
and I visited the Red Hook Brewery.  Red Hook has several varieties of =
beer other than their nationally distributed ESB.  They are hoarding all =
the rest, and it's a shame because they produce and distribute locally a =
stout made with Starbucks coffee (actually, I think it was espresso).  =
And it's REALLY good.  I had really never heard of coffee in beer until =
then, other than Papazian's mention in his _New Complete Joy of Home =
Brewing_ (p. 98).  Stupidly, though, I never found out the details on =
how they add the coffee, other than it is added in the final steps =
(doesn't help much, does it). =20

Intrigued by all this, I set out to make my own "coffee" brew.  I =
researched the use of coffee in beer on the Cats Meow Recipe Database, =
and found several stouts and a few porters.  I decided to try a porter, =
already planning to name it "Mocha Java Porter" (referring to the =
"chocolatey" nature of porters).  [I also referred to Papazian's book, =
Miller's _Homebrewing Guide_, and Lutzen & Stevens' _Homebrew =
Favorites_, as well as a few recent posts on the Digest, to give =
everyone their fair credit for my recipe]. =20

It's bubbling away in the primary right now, and if it turns it out =
okay, I'll gladly post my recipe.  If you're really curious and can't =
wait, feel free to email me.

As far as the use of coffee, I used 1/2 lb. of coarse ground Sumatra =
beans (a dark roast).  I placed them in a grain steeping bag, and added =
them to the wort after the boil, and before cooling.  Starbucks says (in =
a brochure) that coffee should be brewed between 195 and 205 degrees F, =
and NEVER boiled, so I placed the bag in when the temp hit 205F (a few =
seconds after the boil stopped), and let it steep for about 12 minutes, =
stirring occasionally, until the temperature hit 190F.  I had to keep =
the pot on the stove to slow the cooling, but the heat was turned off.  =
I then removed the grounds, and cooled the wort as normal. =20

I has an obvious (and nice) coffee aroma, and a pretty good taste too -- =
so far.

When it's done, maybe in a month, I'll write an update and let you all =
know how it is.

For any craft brewers out there, I'd love to see a good coffee porter or =
stout in my local tavern or beer distributor! =20
______________________________
Scott W. Nowicki
Geologist/Homebrewer
Holland, Pennsylvania, USA
<nowicki at voicenet.com>

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 12:40:14 -0500
From: Jean-Sebastien Morisset <jsmoriss at qc.bell.ca>
Subject: Re: Immersion Chiller Prep...(Darrin P.)

At 12:08 31/12/96 -0500, Simonzip at aol.com wrote:
>
>Question is: what do I need to do with the coper to prep it for wort chilling
>(scrub it with steel wool)? I don't need my first grain endevor to taste like
>an old penny.
>

Flush it with a vinegar/water solution, rinse well, and run an iodophor
solution through it before using. The vinegar will clean any manufacturing
residue, and the iodophor is just your regular sanitizing run. BTW, don't
forget to rinse/sanitize your chiller after usage -- getting dried up gunk
out of a CF chiller isn't easy, from what I hear. :-)

LateR!
js.

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 12:44:45 -0500
From: PVanslyke at aol.com
Subject: re:Making Brewer's Best Kit Better

>Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 10:08:12 -0700 (MST)
>From: Dionysus <dionysus at dionysus.aob.org>
>Subject: Making Brewer's Best Kit Better
>
>My parents, not realizing I switched to all-grain earlier this year, gave me
>a "Brewers Best" Cream Ale Kit (from LD Carlson) for Xmas.  Actually I think
>it was a hint to brew something that Mom and Dad want to drink.  I've gotten
>hints from Dad before like "You know, I really like Genesee Cream Ale". But
I
>digress.
>snip>
>
>Any suggestions would be appreciated.  TIA
>
>Chuck
>BernardCH at aol.com
>Music City Brewers
>Nashville, TN - Music City USA

Chuck
I made this kit last summer (the only kit I have ever made). My notes don't
indicate any changes to the recipe so I guess for once I followed directions
;)

I used to drink vast quantities of Genny Creme Ale and at the time my wife
still had an occasional can - she didn't like the results of my effort. My
oldest daughter thought the brew resembled GCA. I wasn't all that fond of the
results either. The beer I ended up with had a 'grassy' aftertaste that I was
not able to determine the cause of.

Also, FWIW, I kegged this batch.

I seem to remember having read that Genny Creme is lagered and I did not.

Paul VanSlyke >>> Brewing and Relaxing in Deposit,NY

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 12:23:18 -0600
From: "LaBorde, Ronald" <rlabor at lsumc.edu>
Subject: Using kegs as sparage water containers

Gary Eckhardt <dcigary at txdirect.net> asks:

  ...Does anyone see any potential problems with using a corny keg to
hold my sparage water (with a towel wrapped around it for insulation) and
delivering the water under pressure to my sparage arm...


You did not mention your method of heating the water.  One problem would be
if you started to build up steam pressure in a closed vessel, you may find
that you will be sparging yourself as well as your entire kitchen.

If you are careful to use a pressure relief, it seems like a workable method
for you. I really canot see why you feel that the gravity method is not
practical for you.  Really, how difficult is it to place a container higher
than your mashtun?  I could see you not wanting to pour hot water into the
HLT from a high point because it would present safety concerns.

I put an empty container up higher than the mashtun, then fill it with water
from the garden hose (after flushing out any standing water in it), so
there's no lifting of weight or hot water. The only concern I had was once
we had a thunderstorm and I was worried that the wind gusts might blow the
whole thing over. I use an electric heater element to heat the water.  If I
were using propane, this would open up a whole bunch of difficulties for me.
Then, I would need to deal with getting the burner up high, the problem with
CO in the kitchen, the loss of O2 in the kitchen, etc...

So if you really want to do this, then yes I think it can be done.  But be
very careful with the pressure. I don't mean this to sound like a lecture,
but sometimes the obvious can escape us.

Happy brewing

Ron

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 10:04:10 +0000
From: DC at carlsonco.com
Subject: Brewing vessels

I'm doing some research for a class and am looking for any schematics 
on large (read brew pub or micro sized not home brew) brewing equipment,
storage tanks, mash tuns etc.  Anybody have any ideas where I might find 
something like that, web, books?

Thanks in advance for your help
doug connolly
dc at carlsonco.com

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 14:04:13 -0500
From: KennyEddy at aol.com
Subject: Dortmunder Water

Phil  Wilcox writes:

"Target profile
ca+250
mg 25
na 70
cl 100
so4 280
hco3 550
Hardness 750.
My water is not all that hard I dont soften it, If anything its high in Ca+,
I always preboil it the night before...Any help would be much appreciated.
Other tips on 5 gal stove top double decoction mashing will also graciously
be appreciated."

Try this (per 5 gal):

5 g epsom salt
5 g baking soda
4 g calcium chloride (available from HopTech, 800-DRYHOPS, usual disclaimer)
6 g gypsum

In ion-free water this would yield ppm's of

Ca = 131
Mg = 26
SO4 = 280
Na = 72
Cl = 102
CO3 = 189
Hardness = 436

Since you say you have high Ca, you'll add to the 131 figure (though maybe
not to the 250 you're after).  You could also add some chalk (up to 6 g!!) to
the mash (it won't dissolve in water).  Monitor mash pH closely if you do
this, since that much carbonate could cause it to rise above the 5.0 - 5.4
"optimum" range.  Personally, I'd skip it.

Ken Schwartz
El Paso, TX
KennyEddy at aol.com
http://members.aol.com/kennyeddy

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 14:19:55 -0500
From: Jean-Sebastien Morisset <jsmoriss at qc.bell.ca>
Subject: Max. height of mash grain?

I have the oportunity to buy an 30 gal. SS water boiler type of container
which I could possibly turn into a mash tun. I haven't seen it yet, but I
figure it's probably not that wide. Does anyone know the maximum,
*practical* height for a mash tun grain bed?

Also, this water tank is actually *two* tanks, a 30 gal. and 60 gal., one
inside the other (a deal for $50!!). I've been toying with the idea of
heating my sparge water in the 60 gal., and mashing in the 30 gal., keeping
the design intact. This would mean that I could change the mash temp. by
raising the temp. of the sparge water. Eventually, both would end up at
170F at mash-out, and I could pump the external water to the inner tank to
sparge.

Thoughts? :-)

Thanks!
js.

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 14:20:50 -0500
From: Jean-Sebastien Morisset <jsmoriss at qc.bell.ca>
Subject: PH meter and Temp. probe in single unit?

>From what I've read, several PH meters compensate for temperature. Do these
PH 
meters also display the temp.? I've been thinking of buying a temp. probe
and PH 
meter, but if I can get both in one unit.... Anyone know of some good models?

Also, I know you have to calibrate the meter with two solutions, but I've
also read 
that you have to store it in a special liquid too. What's the proper method
for 
storing a PH meter?

Thanks!
js.

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Date: 31 Dec 1996 12:21:40 -0800
From: Mark Tomusiak <Mark.Tomusiak at amgen.com>
Subject: Wild Yeast

                      Subject:                              Time:  12:11 PM
  OFFICE MEMO         Wild Yeast                            Date:  12/31/96

Greetings all...I was wondering if anyone has run into wild yeasts at some point during their brewing experience.  I have had some slightly funky batches as of late, and I have been trying to figure out who the culprit it.  I just made a Belgian strong ale with Wyeast 1338, which tastes good, but after bottling I observed some large particles adhering to the bottles close to the top, but below the liquid-air interface.  I took a sample and looked at it under the microscope - the particles appeared to be huge conglomerations of yeast particles.  Most of the yeast cells seemed to be nice, round, Saccharomyces-like ones, but I also observed the occasional group of elongated, rod-like cells.  I think they are too big to be bacteria, so I am guessing they might be wild yeast.

Does anyone know what flavors wild yeasts impart to beer?  Where is the most likely point in the brewing process where they would contaminate the beer?  Any input, speculation, etc.  would be appreciated - thanks, Mark Tomusiak.

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 16:13:12 -0800
From: Terry White <brew at buffnet.net>
Subject: Little Giant

Hi All,

I have a three tier gravity feed system and I have been trying to find a
pump to transfer water from my kettle to my hot liquor tank.  While
Christmas shoppong I came across  a water transfer pump called the
Little Giant.  It is rated at 275 GPH which is plenty fast for me, my
concern is heat and keeping my water from getting contaminated.  I seem
to remember a few people mentioning this pump on the old digest but I
don't remember any specifics.  Is there anyone out there who uses or has
used the Little Giant in this manner.  Any info would be greatly
appreciated.


Thank you

Terry White

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 13:21:29 -0800
From: "Brander Roullett (Volt Computer)" <a-branro at MICROSOFT.com>
Subject: Yeast Culturing Question

I know this subject has been beaten to death, but i have another (i've
never tried it, but i'd like to start) yeast culturing question.

i have been noticing that every one has been using Dry Malt or similar
stuff to culture thier yeasts.  Can i use some other things such as Corn
Sugar (which I got a bunch of) or something similar?  Will this work,
and how will it affect the tast of the beer?  How much would I use?
- -- 
>Badger, Innkeep of the Inn at Amberhaven 
>(SCA Frederic Badger, Red Tree Pursuivant, Barony of Madrone, An Tir)
>(Work Brander Roullett, Software Tester, Microsoft, Seattle Wa,
>a-branro at microsoft.com)
>
>badger at nwlink.com  http://www.nwlink.com/~badger/badgbeer.html

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 15:37:46 -0600
From: Robert DeNeefe <rdeneefe at compassnet.com>
Subject: splitting gas lines

I've been saving my pennies and I'm now ready to start putting together
a kegging system.  I'm going to have a two tap tower (say that 3 times
fast) on a chest freezer so I obviously need something to split the CO2
output to the two kegs.  I also plan on bottling sometimes using a
counter pressure filler so I'll need a CO2 line for that also.  The
cheapest solution I see to this is getting a stainless steel T
connector ($6) and putting female 1/4" flare swivels on all my hoses. 
The 2 resulting gas lines stay hooked up to my kegs most of the time,
but when I need to bottle I'll just disconnect the line from the keg
I'm not filling from, remove the gas connector, and attach the hose to
my filler. This seems simple enough, but since I have no experience
doing this sort of thing I wanted to see if I was missing something. 
I've seen rather expensive brass manifolds at homebrew shops, and I'm
wondering if a simple T connector for splitting to 2 lines and flare
swivel connectors for easily changing the attachments at the end of my
hose is good enough for what I want to do.  It's certainly a lot
cheaper.  Are there any hidden gotchas I'm not seeing?

 Robert

P.S. Happy new year!

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 17:44:00 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Hewit <jhewit at erols.com>
Subject: Brewing Software

Lee Bollard asks about brewing software.  I have used the Suds program, both
the DOS and Windows versons, and am very pleased.  I have not tried any of
the others Lee mentioned.  When I was Windows-impared, the DOS version of
Suds was, as I recall, the only software readily available.  I downloaded
it, and even paid to register it.  I now use the latest Windows version.  I
understand that the auther has a WIN95 version in the works.

Brew On!
- -----------------------------------------
Jeff Hewit - Midlothian, VA

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 16:34:47 -0800
From: "Brander Roullett (Volt Computer)" <a-branro at MICROSOFT.com>
Subject: Dragon Stout from Jamacia

Dragon Stout from Jamaica

Has anyone on this list ever had one of these rather tasty Stouts?  i
found it at a specialty grocery store, and bought it to put on the house
Dragon shelf.  (statues, figures, paintings, etc)  After tasting it i
was blown away!  it tasted wonderful, and I hate stouts (no flames
please, just a personal taste prefernce)  I was unable to decipher from
the taste what its made out of (grains and what not).   Can anyone help
me with pointers, information, or even  (GASP) a recipe?


any help would be appreciated.

Brander Roullett        badger at nwlink.com        www.nwlink.com/~badger/

	Filled with mingled cream and amber
	I will drain that glass again.
	Such hilarious visions clamber
	Through the chambers of my brain ---
	Quaintest thoughts --- queerest fancies
	Come to life and fade away;
	Who cares how time advances?
	I am drinking ale today.

			- Edgar Allan Poe

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Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 19:40:56 -0600
From: kjamann at students.wisc.edu
Subject: Uh oh?  (Green foam)

This is my first post to the HBD, so please be gentle.

This weekend, I started my first all-grain brew (a bock) after
a number of problem-free and tastey extract beers.  I obviously
made a number of changes in my protocol, but nothing that I would
expect to have introduced contamination.   Nonetheless, I'm 
afraid to admit that there's a green foam on top of my primary 
fermentation. 

Is there ANY reasonable explanation for this other than contamination?

I used 4 oz of hop pellets for this beer, and I didn't filter them out of the
wort before pitching the yeast.  Could the slime possibly be a remnant
of the hops?  The beer is fermenting well.  There's a nice krausen on top,
and it's bubbling nicely.  The gas blowing out the water lock smells like
beer.  No foul smell or anything.  

Am I kidding myself?  Should I just face the fact that my beer is ruined?
Or has anybody else ever observed this and not had a contamination problem?

Oh yeah, I should add that I used Irish Moss for the first time in this brew.
Boiled one teaspoon for fifteen minutes, etc.  I only mention this because
(maybe) the green moss could be floating seaweed.  Now I think I'm starting
to sound really silly.  

Help!!!

Thanks for any input.

Kurt J. Amann
Madison, WI

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Date: Wed, 1 Jan 1997 08:30:11 -0500
From: JLeClair59 at aol.com
Subject: Re: Homebrew Digest V2 #17

<< A few days before you need the yeast, you prepare 1 cup of hop
wort (perhaps just corn sugar and water).  After it's cooled to 80F you open
the beer bottle and decant off the beer (and drink it) leaving about a
quarter of the beer in the bottle. Then sanitize the top of the bottle with
alcohol. Swirl the sediment in the bottle and pour the cooled sugar water
into the bottle and attach an airlock. In a few days this should be ready
for pitching (probably pretty quickly if the beer was bottled in the past
two weeks). >>

You certainly can repitch the sediment from one of your bottles, but DON'T
pitch sugar and water...this makes the yeast enter an  unatural
cycle.....pitch an all malt hopped wort instead.

John

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Date: Wed, 01 Jan 1997 08:03:52 -0800
From: Bob Jones <bjones at bdt.com>
Subject: 1997 National Bay Area Brew-Off

 The Draught Board Homebrew Club is proud to present 
the 1997 National Bay Area Brew-Off on February 1, 1997. 
 
First, second, and third place awards (great ribbons, cash, and prizes) 
will be given in eight style categories in this AHA recognized event.  

Categories for judging are:

Dry Stout
Bock
Porter
Pale Ale
India Pale Ale
Barleywine/Wheatwine
Holiday
Mead

For additional information....

http://www.bdt.com/home/bjones/babo97.html

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Date: Thu, 2 Jan 97 18:22 +0100
From: Eckard Witte <EWitte at t-online.de>
Subject: re: coffee stout

Hello Daniel,
Ive never brewed coffee stout, but I make a walnut-liqueur, for which I need 
coffee too. Ive got a coffee-mill I can regulate how fine the coffee-powder 
will be. I grind the coffee-beans as coarse as possible. I add the other 
ingredients and the alcohol and let it stay for a few weeks: it always tastes 
strongly of coffee.
Eckard

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Date: Wed, 1 Jan 1997 11:12:03 -0800 (PST)
From: Heiner Lieth <lieth at telis.org>
Subject: Yeast culturing from beer bottle sediment

A few days ago I requested information on starting a yeast culture from the
dregs of a bottle of previously brewed beer.  Thanks to those of you who
responded. Here is a brief summary of the information I've collected:

1. The yeast cells in the bottom of the beer bottle are generally dormant
for some time (many months, sometimes as long as a year); then they die.

2. You can make a good yeast culture this way, but you want to take good
precautions regarding sanitation. Don't bother if the beer in the bottle
from which your getting the sediment is in any way suspected of being
contaminated (bad taste).

3. Each message mentioned: DON'T USE CORN SUGAR or any other sugar; use malt
extract to create the culture medium.

4. It's a good idea to hop the culture medium heavily since that is supposed
to inhibit any bacteria that might somehow make it into the culture.

5. It's apparently a good idea to do step culturing: Steve Lefebvre
suggested: "From the bottle you want to put the yeast into 50 ml (.5 cup) of
water and dried malt extract." ... "From this 50 ml you want to step up the
yeast into 10X the volume so 500 ml or about 2 cups of a malt based starter.
THis can then be pitched into a 5 gal ale recipe.  For a lager you need
about 2X this amount of yeast.  By the way it takes about 1-2 days for each
step up procedure, and the started will stay good in the fridge for about 1
week".

If I get any other comments I'll pass them on after I've had a chance to try
this in a few weeks.

Heiner Lieth.

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End of HOMEBREW Digest #2298