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


Contents:
  Re: Color computing (Mike Fertsch)
  Lager ferment temp (M Nevar)
  Re:  Wort Chiller (Bob Clark - Sun Engineering)
  Re:  Homebrew Digest #254 (September 15, 1989) (Greg Wageman)
  Hunter Energy Monitor (Crawford.WBST129)


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Date: Fri, 15 Sep 89 09:30 EDT
From: Mike Fertsch <FERTSCH at adc1.RAY.COM>
Subject: Re: Color computing

Pete Soper posted a good article regarding calculation of wort and
beer color in yesterday's Digest.  I too, use a spreadsheet to
predict color (among other things), but am much less careful than
Pete.  Even so, I've got a few comments to make. 

> First, wort darkens while you are making and boiling it. The amount
> of darkening can vary over a broad range. 
Very true - I've tried to standardise on my boiling techniques (one
hour - no more, no less) so that I get consistient results. 

> The very dark malts can produce color contributions that are hard to
> predict. The way you grind, steep and sparge them makes a big
> difference in the amount of color contributed. 
Again, very true.  I've noticed a big effect in the length of the
mash.  Long mashes extract a lot more color than short mashes.  I've
standardised on one hour (no more, no less) mashes.  Sparge time and
temperature makes a big difference too, but I have not come up with a
standard sparging technique. 

The big problem (as I see it) is getting correct Lovibond numbers for
grains.  I've noticed a big variation in color in many malts.  Crystal
can vary from 20 to 100!  I've never pushed the issue with my homebrew
shop proprietor, but are these numbers usually available from
suppliers?  The numbers in the literature are averages and might not be
the same as the actual grains used. 

Another big problem is with regard to extracts.  I use some extract in
almost all my batches.  For a Lovibond-based color prediction scheme
to work, we need to come up with equivalent Lovibond ratings for
extracts.  The only way I can think of doing this is to make a batch,
measure its color, and work backwards to get the equivalent Lovibond
rating of the extract.  Does anyone have any experience with this? 

Mike Fertsch 

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Date: 15 Sep 89 07:36:12 EDT (Fri)
From: M Nevar <man at garage.att.com>
Subject: Lager ferment temp

>From Mark Nevar

I made a batch of Steam Beer that called for a lager yeast (I used WYeast 2007)
fermented at 50 - 55 degrees.  I did this and it fermented well for 2 weeks
and then stopped.  I aged it for the recommended 2 weeks and removed it from
the fridge for bottling.  As it warmed to room temperature, it began to ferment
again.  I returned it to the fridge and it stopped.  Now, I don't think it is 
infected, but why would a lager yeast prefer this warmer temperature.  Should
I bottle it and keep the bottles refrigerated.  I haven't taken a sample yet.
Any ideas are welcome.

Mark Nevar


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Date: Fri, 15 Sep 89 11:55:38 PDT
From: bobc at Sun.COM (Bob Clark - Sun Engineering)
Subject: Re:  Wort Chiller

> Jim Kipps asks about wort chillers, buy/build, etc.

My brewing buds & I bought a wort chiller from the local shop for
~$45.  I priced the components first, and had a hard time finding
the proper fittings to go from small diameter copper to hose fittings.
That aside, the price for 50 ft. copper tubing was in the area of $30,
so we were getting to be in the same ballpark, anyway, although I'm
guessing that there is actually half that length in the one we bought.

I wanted to comment that I prefer the hose fittings to faucet fittings.
I run a hose into the kitchen for the supply side, and I run the outlet
to a sprinkler in the yard.  In the SF bay area, water use is an issue,
so it's nice to be able to not waste the water used in the chiller.

Finally, we are big proponents of the chiller - we feel that it greatly
reduces exposure to contamination due to reduced chilling time, increases
reproducability, and enhances the effect of aromatic hops.  The last is due 
to the reduced amount of time which the hops goodies spend at an elevated
temperature.

	Bob Clark

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Date: Fri, 15 Sep 89 13:36:47 PDT
From: greg at sj.ate.slb.com (Greg Wageman)
Subject: Re:  Homebrew Digest #254 (September 15, 1989)

Hello, everyone.

I'd like to request the list's consensus on the usefulness of the indices
being posted by Mr. Haberman.  I in no way wish to denigrate Mr. Haberman
for his efforts.

My personal opinion is that these indices consume quite a bit of room
in the digest, and are useless to me.  I can "grep" through the digests
if I need to find a subject; having a list of subjects in yet another
digest is at best redundant.  I do not want to have to edit them out.
Perhaps Mr. Haberman would be willing to mail them to requestors?

No doubt others feel differently.  Can we get a majority opinion?

Thanks.

Greg Wageman			DOMAIN: greg at sj.ate.slb.com
Schlumberger Technologies	UUCP:   {uunet,decwrl,amdahl}!sjsca4!greg
1601 Technology Drive		BIX:    gwage
San Jose, CA 95110-1397		CIS:    74016,352
(408) 437-5198			GEnie:  G.WAGEMAN

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Date: 15 Sep 89 07:49:15 PDT (Friday)
From: Crawford.WBST129 at Xerox.COM
Subject: Hunter Energy Monitor



Thanks to ERIK A. HENCHAL for recommending the Hunter Energy Monitor.  I
bought mine this weekend and it is exactly what I need.  I just got my Fall
issue of Zymurgy and they include an article on how to install a thermostat
in a fridge.  The only problem is that their method uses a $45 honeywell 
unit (my Hunter cost $39.95) and it is more work to install.

Greg Crawford


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End of HOMEBREW Digest #255, 09/16/89
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