---

	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
		Many thanks to the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers of 
		Livonia, Michigan for sponsoring the Homebrew Digest.
				URL: http://www.oeonline.com


Contents:
  re white film  on top of beer- my $0.02 (Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative)
  South Asutralians ("Darren Darren")
  Sooky La La And His Magic Mini Keg ("Phil & Jill Yates")
  full wort boils ("Mark Tumarkin")
  Re: High priced Brewing Text recommendations (Jim Adwell)
  Alpha and Beta Amylase (Dave Burley)
  re:no sparge haze ("Nathaniel P. Lansing")
  re: brazing stainless/copper ("Nathaniel P. Lansing")
  re: Imperial Stout (Charley Burns)
  low gravity problems and carbonation delays ("S. SNYDER")
  imperial stout and yeast ("Czerpak, Pete")
  Acetaldehyde and Budweiser ("Dittmar, Robert D")
  Sorbate usage? ("Paul Kensler")
  Confessions of Two Bitter Men (Nathan Kanous)
  Dracos and his Disciples (Epic8383)
  Re: Mash Times and Temps ("John Palmer")
  Rail City Ale (Jeff McNally)
  I Love Beer ("Peter Garofalo")


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* 
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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 11:35:59 +1000 (EST)
From: Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative <Scott.Morgan at Aus.Sun.COM>
Subject: re white film  on top of beer- my $0.02

morning/afternoon

2 days- 2 beer related posts. a wonder in itself.

I cant remember the postie who wondered what that white stuff on
top of his beer is? My questions is is kinda flacky?

As a very young grasshopper, when racking beer i used to splash it around 
and add hop teas (without the water cooling). A couple of days later
a white film used to form accross the top.

I spoke to a freind of mine doing his PHD in chemisty, and his thoughts
were along the oxidation vein. To test this idea he suggested adding
vitamin c to see if this inhibited the oxidation.

Well the vitamin c definatley worked, and i stopped being so rough with
my beer (it was rough love and that is never pretty). I saw in the
last Zymurgy this same question, and meant to write, but forgot as usual.
Paul you may like to add this in if you like.

A couple of other chemist types have also supported this hypothisis,
and my readings always stress the importance of not adding further
oxygen after yeast is added to beer.

hope this helps and thanks to all the responses re my HK post. As well,
look at all these lovely paragraphs!

Scotty



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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 16:49:25 EST
From: "Darren Darren" <bookakurra at hotmail.com>
Subject: South Asutralians 

Thought I'd say a quick hello as I'm heading over to Adelaide
next week for a conference. Not that I'll have much time for
leisure as it will be pretty busy. It would be great to have
time to catch up with a few of you, but that might
have to wait until next time.

I guess what I'm interested in is, are there any pub breweries
etc in Adelaide. Also what beers over there are worth checking
out. I mean I'm familiar with all the Coopers range of course,
but are there any other local brews of note that I haven't found
out about over here in Victoria.

Cheers

Darren

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com



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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 20:27:46 +1000
From: "Phil & Jill Yates" <yates at acenet.com.au>
Subject: Sooky La La And His Magic Mini Keg

With all this talk of drunks and DUI and prohibition, crikey joves!!, a
bloke might just have to run for cover.
Today, whilst Jill was out shopping, I tried on her new dress. What with the
fish net stockings Eric sent me, I looked smashing if I may say so myself.
Thought I might stroll on down to the Burradoo Hilton tonight and introduce
myself as Sooky La La. I reckon the name has a ring to it.

And to keep everyone in here happy, I'll walk back home with a helmet on!
But what about the magic mini keg?

I'm on to something new here, I thought someone might be interested.
Dan Listermann and I have in the past championed the promotion of the 5
litre mini keg here in the HBD. I know Dan was working on his own dispenser.
I have the German made one. I must admit it is hard to get around to using
the little mini kegs when you are busy using cornies. But last weekend I had
a need.
An urgent message came through with a short notice request for some of the
Baron's famous brew to be supplied at a four year old's birthday party. Not
for the four year olds of course!! But for the dads. We're not that sinful
in Oz, Pat.
Here is what I did:
I no longer use the pissy little sparklets but have screwed onto the
dispenser a carbonating cap where the sparklet fitting once attached (thank
the lord the thread is the same).
Now I can supply CO2 from my big bottle via regulator to the mini keg for
dispensing the beer. Nothing here that hasn't been done before. Of course I
can convert straight back to sparklets if the need arises.

But what I have never tried before is gassing up flat beer in the mini keg
using the above arrangement. Usually a secondary fermentation in the keg
achieves this, as per standard bottling procedures.
But I had only flat beer available and the demand for it was now!!
So I ran nearly five litres of flat beer into the mini, purged the head
space (as best I could with CO2) , whacked the dispenser on and pumped it up
to two atmospheres - don't think I'd like to push my luck much past this
with these little babies - and shook the keg for a few minutes.

The result was spectacular! Now don't jump to conclusions and guess that the
keg exploded. It didn't. But the resulting carbonation of the beer was
excellent. Somehow these little fellows pour the creamiest head I have ever
seen with CO2 alone. I thought it had something to do with using secondary
fermentation to carbonate the beer, but this little experiment proved
otherwise. So it must be the dispenser. This is great news if you like to
make a few Guinness style stouts, or any style of beer where nitrogen is
used for dispensing, but don't want to bother mucking about with nitrogen.
I am curious to know if Dan's dispenser achieves a similar creamy head.
Anyway, this little set up proved a big hit.

I didn't want to tell you I actually took a lot more beer to the party than
this five litre keg.
I didn't want to tell you as operator, I of course had to drink one for one
with everyone who wanted a glass (and believe me, it was very popular!)

I didn't want to tell you I endured a ride home rolling around in the back
of the ute (along with the kegs) with an angry Jill at the wheel.

I know I have stated I only have four beers a night and one cigarette, and
this is true.
But there are occasions when the devil gets the better of me, and this was
one such occasion.
I know I had a great party.
I hope the kids did too!

Cheers
Sooky La La




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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 06:58:50 -0400
From: "Mark Tumarkin" <mark_t at ix.netcom.com>
Subject: full wort boils

I'd like to thank Steve Michalak for answering questions here on the HBD, and
also thank John Sullivan for making the interchange possible. I have a couple
of questions about one of Steve's answers -

>2. What are the best lessons from A/B brewing methods that would usefully
>scale down to the homebrewer level? (ok, that you CAN reveal :^)

A. I like to focus on kettle boiling and yeast handling.  I've occasionally
been invited to assist some home brewer in their craft and what I've
occasionally seen is a rather poor kettle boil.  Usually the  heating
equipment just cannot deliver sufficient BTUs to produce and maintain a
proper rolling boil.  They therefore do not coagulate as much trub as they
should or evaporate the dimethyl sulfide (DMS) well.  See related answer
below.  One "trick" that can be employed here is to use high gravity
brewing.  If you concentrate your wort through mashing and straining,
you'll need less heat for the smaller volume.  After the
wort boiling, sterile water can be added to return the gravity to that
desired before starting fermentation.

Firstly, you say that you have seen poor kettle boil in some homebrew
situations - I would agree that it is difficult to maintain a good rolling
boil on a kitchen stove when doing a large volume boil. Do you feel that the
Cajun Cooker type propane burners used by many of us are also insufficient -
or are they adequate? One of the main reasons I (and many of us) switched to
brewing outside with these burners is to be able to be able to do a full boil
of all the wort while maintaining a good rolling boil.

As to doing a high gravity boil and then diluting with sterile water; that is
the technique used by many homebrewers doing extract or partial-mash brewing
on the stove. Another of the other reasons often suggested for switching to a
full wort boil technique is that you get better hop utilization. Can you
comment on this issue?

thanks again,

Mark Tumarkin
Gainesville, Fl



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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 07:59:50 -0400
From: Jim Adwell <jimala at apical.com>
Subject: Re: High priced Brewing Text recommendations

John Palmer writes:

>George asked for opinions on Malting and Brewing Science, Volumes 1
>and 2, plus Handbook of Brewing by Hardwick.
>I have not read Hardwick, but I have read M&BS. M&BS are good, but it
>is a lot of money for how applicable they are to homebrewing.

>In my opinion, if you want a book that summarizes M&BS and is
>reasonably priced, get Brewing by Lewis and Young, Aspen Publishers,
>1995. It's about $40. It covers the nitty gritty details without
>laboring over industrial scale practices like M&BS does.

In case anyone wants to know, the "Lewis" of Lewis and Young is Dr. Michael
J. Lewis, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Brewing Science at the University of
California at Davis.  He has a website at:

http://www.brewingatdavis.com/page1.htm

with articles, essays, links, and so forth about brewing ( and other
things).  He also has brief reviews of various brewing books.  Give it a
visit; well worth the time.

Cheers, Jim

Jim's Brewery Pages:
http://home.ptd.net/~jimala/brewery/


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 08:03:40 -0400
From: Dave Burley <Dave_Burley at compuserve.com>
Subject: Alpha and Beta Amylase

Brewsters:

Brad Miller asks for additional information on thinking about alpha and
beta amylase and how they relate to mashing temperatures and times.

Brad, from your question, I assume you don't understand that by-in-large
the beta breaks down the products of the alpha amylase's action on starch. 
These are sequential actions. Beta, therefore, produces glucose from the
shorter chain carbohydrates  produced by the alpha acting on the starch.
With minor exception, beta cannot attack starch and alpha cannot produce
glucose.

What may also confuse you is that the temperatures often quoted are quoted
like they are exact numbers when, in fact, alpha and beta amylase are
active over a pretty wide range of temperatures which overlap. It is true
that beta is more active than alpha at lower temperatures and beta is
rendered inactive by denaturization at lower temperatures than alpha
amylase. Both enzymes are more active in breaking down carbohydrates at
higher temperatures, just that as you move up in temperature the
disappearance of these enzymes is higher also,so there is an optimum rate
of disappearance of higher carbohydrates and formation of their lower
molecular products. It is these optima which are most often discussed in
brewing texts.  Basically, the higher mash temperatures produce more
dextrins because the alpha is still around and highly active while there is
less beta because it denatures faster. Ergo higher mash temperatures
produce more dextrins as a percentage of the starch input.

Traditional German brewing technology uses a hold at 148-149F as a
"glucose" hold before going through a range of higher temperatures, ending
typically around 158-162F to finish off any starch with the remaining alpha
amylase. So having more than one mash temperature is not unheard of,
especially in the decoction methodology. It is also common to use
temperature programmed infusions.

People often do not recognize that beta amylase is actually active below
149F, but the barley starch is not gelatinized and is therfore is not
readily available to the enzyme. So the lower temperature of the mash range
is set by the gelatinization ( ~solubilization) temperature of the starch.
Rice and corn and many other cereal adjuncts have a much higher
gelatinization temperature and therefore are boiled in a cereal cooker or
steam flaked  before bringing them to the mashing vessel.

So, yes, in answer to your question, holding at various mash temperatures
will produce a different set of dextrin/glucose ratios than say infusion
methods or other different time, mash temperature combinations. 

Keep on Brewin'

Dave Burley


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 09:38:03 -0400
From: "Nathaniel P. Lansing" <delbrew at compuserve.com>
Subject: re:no sparge haze

Steve had mentioned, >>enough tannins to create haze
but not enough to precipitate it in the no-sparge.  <<
  When I first read that I was thinking it said "enough
_protein_ to create haze, not enough tannins to precipitate"
Did you say that right? Tannin haze I never heard of.
Also I was thinking that on the next no sparge batch that instead of
adding tannin to get the flocculation, and nullify the benefit of no sparge
technique; how about upping the dose of Spanish Moss to about 1 1/2
gram to do the job the missing tannins would have done, without the risk of
astringency.

N.P. Lansing


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 09:38:13 -0400
From: "Nathaniel P. Lansing" <delbrew at compuserve.com>
Subject: re: brazing stainless/copper

Forrest responded >>I commonly
silver-braze the two metals with good success using All-State No.155
food-grade alloy rod and their No. 110 flux. This is what I used to
attach fittings to my half-barrels on my RIMS.<<
 Thanks, I think Grainger's carries All-State and they are 2 blocks from
me.
Easy enough to find. When I asked the welder again why not? he say cuz
the heat runs away from the stainless. But it sounds like if I use enough
heat
on the stainless and let it conduct to the copper I'll get it done. 
 Thanks to everyone that responded. It looks like I'm got it handled with
all yun's
help.

N.P. (Del) Lansing


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 07:05:53 -0700
From: Charley Burns <cburns99 at pacbell.net>
Subject: re: Imperial Stout

Per Russ's recipe request, here is my wife's favorite beer:

King of the Valley Imperial Stout

   Starting Gravity :  1.102
   Ending Gravity   :  1.025
   Alcohol content  :  9.9%
   Recipe Makes     :  5.5 gallons
   Total Grain      : 28.50 lbs.
   Color (srm)      :466.5
   Efficiency       :  60%
   IBUs             : 87.1

Malts/Sugars:
  1.25	lb.	Chocolate                
  2.50	lb.	Crystal  60L (darker can be substituted)            
 21.50	lb.	Pale Ale                 
  2.75	lb.	Roast (Stout) Barley     
  0.50	lb.	Wheat                    

Whole Hops:
 2.50	oz.	Centennial     	10.0%	60 min
 2.50	oz.	Kent-Goldings  	 5.9%	10 min

Grain/Water Ratio: 1.0 quarts/pound
Strike Water:  7.13 gallons of water at 174F
Single infusion Mash Temperature: 158F

Sparge with 7.5-8 gallons

Wyeast 1968 2 quart starter (leave it sweet) 65-70F



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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 11:08:48 -0400
From: "S. SNYDER" <SSNYDER at LBGHQ.com>
Subject: low gravity problems and carbonation delays

Greetings drunks and non drunks (tongue in cheek):

I just finished brewing an extract recipe of Theakston's Old Peculiar which
should have had a gravity in the 1.060 to 1.070 range if I recall correctly.
After the brewing I chilled the wort to below 80F, added water to a little
over the 5 gallon mark, and pitched the yeast (XL Wyeast 1089 I believe).
Then I remembered I forgot to check the gravity.  It was about 1.020 to
1.030.  Why the hell would it be so low?  The boil was a perfect rolling
boil for 60 minutes.  First I steeped the grain bill for 20 minutes at 150F,
then boiled that with 6.5 lbs. of extract, 4 oz. of syrup, 1/2 lb. of brown
sugar, etc... I added the hops all at the right time for the right amount of
time.

I brewed it last night, should I recheck the gravity today?  I've been
brewing for 3 years now and in the last 2 batches (including an ale and a
Petrus Tripel) the gravities have been lower than expected.  The taste is
great but the gravity is not on.
- --
I also am having a problem with carbonation again.  It always seems I need
at least 3 weeks for adequate carbonation.  At 70F it shouldn't take that
long should it.  The homebrew store recipe says 1.5 weeks.  It's been 2 and
the ale is still no even close.  Do I need to add more yeast at bottling, I
will if it will speed up the process.

Thanks for the help.

Brew on soldier.

Scott Snyder
ssnyder at lbghq.com

"The eye seldom sees what the mind does not anticipate."



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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 12:02:45 -0400
From: "Czerpak, Pete" <Pete.Czerpak at siigroup.com>
Subject: imperial stout and yeast

Russ asks about imperial stout.

I have a decent allgrain recipe (5 gallon batch) although I don't remember
the hops (I used 85 IBU using Tinseth formula though)

16 lbs english 2 row
1.5 lb 60L crystal
1.5 lb chocolate
1.5 lb roasted barley 
1.5 lbs flaked oats
1.5 lbs flaked barley
0.5 lb special B
might be some black patent although I don'tt have my recipe on hand

Used Wyeast 1056 slurry from previous beer

OG 1.078 FG 1.020 in 2 weeks, secondary for 2 weeks FG 1.02, dry hopping for
4 weeks at 65F.

OG was low due to a mash temp miscalculation (desired was 1.085).  also
mashed at 1 qt./lb ratio for 120 minutes.  I batch sparge too so that is
another reason.

The key to big beers is lots of yeast.  Use multiple packets (like 4 to 6)
of dry yeast or the slurry from a previous batch (this is the way I go).  I
have never used champagne yeasts in barley wines or imp. stouts either.

Yeasts for me that I have used and take big worts to below 1.025 are 1028
and 1056.  I'm sure others work but I like these two for their
characteristics.

The beer was tasting excellent when I racked to keg for the dry hoping a few
weeks ago.

Nice and roasted with slightly alcoholic taste. very smooth too.  Dry hops
are 2 oz willamette and 2 oz centenial. not too burnt.  not too estery.

3 more weeks left on the dry hops then taste and continue to age for atleast
1 month before starting to drink it more regularly unless I am happy with it
at that time. hard to wait ya know although these kegs tend to last for 6 or
8 months of tasting every few days a wine glass full.

Pete Czerpak
albany, NY


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 11:12:35 -0500
From: "Dittmar, Robert D" <Robert.D.Dittmar at stls.frb.org>
Subject: Acetaldehyde and Budweiser

This topic has been brought up obliquely before, but Steve Michalak's recent
postings have made me wonder once again.

I remember during the MCAB here in St. Louis, some attendees visited the A-B
brewery here and were told that acetaldehyde levels in Budweiser were below
the taste threshold.  Steve Michalak's recent post in response to a yeast
handling question mentions it again.

My question then is - does anyone know what exactly it is that gives
Budweiser that somewhat sour, fruity flavor?  Even in my beer-guzzling
college days, I could distinguish Bud from other light lagers by that unique
flavor note.  Upon learning more from my home-brewing, I just ascribed the
taste to acetaldehyde, but the people in the know seem to have dismissed
this as the source of the taste.

Any one have any ideas on this?  As an aside, I've wondered if Pete's Extra
Special Pub Lager is made with the A-B yeast, as it seems to me to share
that slightly sour, fruity taste.

Rob Dittmar
St. Louis, MO


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 12:30:08 -0400
From: "Paul Kensler" <paul.kensler at attglobal.net>
Subject: Sorbate usage?

I have a question and need some help regarding the use of potassium sorbate
for preventing fermentation.  I have a product labeled "sorbistat K", the
label said usage is 1 tsp. / 5 gallons.  It is a white substance, sort of
rod-shaped pieces which float when put in liquid and dissolve rather
readily.

The problem is that I recently used it to prevent fermentation on a mead and
a cider after they were sweetened, and it didn't work.  In both the mead and
the cider, fermentation was complete and they were clear when I added the
additional sugars and the sorbistat K.  The mead was intended to be still
(now its quite bubbly) and the cider, which was force-carbonated, is
insanely overcarbonated.

How do you use it?  Boil it?  Never boil it?
Does 1 tsp. / 5 gallons sound right?
Does this stuff "go bad"?
Any other tips on using it, or on preventing fermentation when I want to
sweeten a mead or cider?


Thanks,
Paul Kensler
Lansing, MI



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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 11:46:02 -0500
From: Nathan Kanous <nlkanous at pharmacy.wisc.edu>
Subject: Confessions of Two Bitter Men

Hi All,
I seem to have loaned my copy of Zymurgy with this article to someone who's 
managed to never return it.  Has anybody got the recipes from this?  Could 
you zap me some electronic version?  TIA.
nathan in madison, wi


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 13:13:44 EDT
From: Epic8383 at aol.com
Subject: Dracos and his Disciples

    I'd like to see some of those 'scientific' analyses that go into 
determining DWI/DUI thresholds. I'm afraid Pat is right; legislation 
concerning hot-button issues has much more of a political motivation rather 
than scientific fact. Take a look at guns, the Dems are pushing for all kinds 
of Draconian laws when they don't enforce the existing ones, and all the 
evidence shows that more restictions lead to more crime! England banned just 
about everything, yet London police are dealing with a spike in violent 
crime. This is just one example, I could fill this post with others.We now 
return to your regularly scheduled hbd ;{).
    As far as the COPS reference, do you want to be arrested constantly for 
things that are wholly legal only to have to hire a lawyer to get it sorted 
out? Suppose you were in the middle of brewing and a bunch of cops pulled up, 
dumped your batch, confiscated your equipment and hauled you away. A minor 
inconvenience? I think not. You probably wouldn't get everything back, and 
what you did would be damaged. This is certainly the result of opinion, not 
law or fact.
   Unfortunatly, beer doesn't get the same respect as wine or liquor, and it 
is public opinion that drives it. If you want to stick your head in the sand 
and tell yourself public opinion doesn't matter or foolishly believe that 
your government loves you and only passes laws that are well thought out and 
based on fact, then don't be surprised "when they come for you, bad boys bad 
boys..."
    Gus Rappold
    Inwood, NY    


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 13:05:50 -0700
From: "John Palmer" <jjpalmer at gte.net>
Subject: Re: Mash Times and Temps

Brad asked how additional time at Beta Amylases optimum temperature
affected the mash sugar profile (in a nutshell). I am going to repeat
most of his text for clarity.

These were the specific questions:
1. What if you mash at 148 for 45 min then at
155 for 45min, would it make a difference if you did a 148 for 120min
and a 155 for 45?  Would the Beta A take care of everything and leave
nothing for the Alpha A?

No. Beta amylase will stop working about 3 glucoses away from a
amylopectin branch joint, leaving behind a beta amylase limit
dextrin. A lot of them.

2.I thought (and I've been wrong once or
twice) that the Beta A broke things down further than the Alpha A
does, so are there so many starches to be broken down and depending
on the times at what temps would give a fermentable/dextrin ratio?

It's not a matter of breaking things down further, but how it breaks
it down. There are two types of starch molecules: straight chains and
branched chains. Here is how I explain it in chapter 14. (I hope y'all
aren't sick of these citations, but it's easier to paste than re-type)

>Starch Conversion / Saccharification Rest
Finally we come to the main event: making sugar from the starch
reserves. In this regime the diastatic enzymes start acting on the
starches, breaking them up into sugars (hence the term
saccharification). The amylases are enzymes that work by hydrolyzing
the straight chain bonds between the individual glucose molecules that
make up the starch chain. A single straight chain starch is called an
amylose. A branched starch chain (which can be considered as being
built from amylose chains) is called an amylopectin. These starches
are polar molecules and have different ends. (Think of a line of
batteries.) An amylopectin differs from an amylose (besides being
branched) by having a different type of molecular bond at the branch
point, which is not affected by the diastatic enzymes. (Or,
theoretically, feebly at best.)

Let's go back to our yardwork allegory. You have two tools to make
sugars with: a pair of clippers (alpha amylase) and a hedge trimmer
(beta amylase). While beta is pre-existing, alpha is created via
protein modification in the aleurone layer during malting. In other
words, the clippers are in the garage, but the hedge trimmer is out in
the grass somewhere. Neither amylase will become soluble and useable
until the mash reaches protein rest temperatures, and in the case of
moderately-modified malts, alpha amylase may have a bit of genesis to
complete.

Beta amylase works by hydrolyzing the straight chain bonds, but it can
only work on twig ends of the chain, not the root end. It can only
remove one (maltose) sugar unit at a time, so on amylose, it works
sequentially. (A maltose unit is composed of two glucose units, by the
way.) On an amylopectin, there are many ends available, and it can
remove a lot of maltose very efficaciously (like a hedge trimmer).
However, probably due to its size/structure, beta cannot get close to
the branch joints. It will stop working about 3 glucoses away from a
branch joint, leaving behind a beta amylase limit dextrin.

Alpha amylase also works by hydrolyzing the straight chain bonds, but
it can attack them randomly, much as you can with a pair of clippers.
Alpha amylase is instrumental in breaking up large amylopectins into
smaller amylopectins and amyloses, creating more ends for beta amylase
to work on. Alpha is able to get within one glucose unit of a
amylopectin branch and it leaves behind an alpha amylase limit
dextrin.

The temperature most often quoted for mashing is about 153F. This is a
compromise between the two temperatures that the two enzymes favor.
Alpha works best at 154-162F, while beta is denatured (the molecule
falls apart) at that temperature, working best between 131-150F.

3. In turn wouldn't that mean that there would be a maximum amount of
time you could mash and the rest after that would be a waste of time?

Yes. Depending on which temperatures your mash has seen, there is
going to a be a surviving ratio of Beta to Alpha enzymes as you near
the end of your mash time. Once you have achieved full
saccharification (or 99%) the enzymes are now working the ratios of
glucose, maltose, maltotriose and limit dextrins, which changes the
fermentability of your wort. If you kept on mashing, depending on what
surviving enzymes you have, the sugar profile and other mash factors,
you could conceivably produce a wort consisting entirely of glucose
and alpha limit dextrins- which would not make a good beer. This is
why the Mash-out step was invented- to halt enzyme activity for a
consistent wort batch-to-batch.

Hope this helps!


John Palmer
jjpalmer at realbeer.com
Palmer House Brewery and Smithy
http://www.realbeer.com/jjpalmer/
How To Brew - the book
http://www.howtobrew.com
(sitemap located at http://www.realbeer.com/jjpalmer/SitemapA.html )





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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 16:59:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: mcnallyg at gam83.npt.nuwc.navy.mil (Jeff McNally)
Subject: Rail City Ale


Hi All,

  I was recently on vacation in VT and tried a brew named Rail
City Ale.  I really enjoyed this brew and was wondering if anyone
knows any specifics about it (like OG, IBUs, hops, yeast strain,
etc.).

  It is brewed by the Franklin County Brewery in St. Albans, VT.

                                              Hoppy brewing,

                                              Jeff

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

Geoffrey A. McNally                  Phone:  (401) 832-1390
Mechanical Engineer                  Fax:    (401) 832-7250
Naval Undersea Warfare Center        email:
Systems Development Branch              mcnallyg at gam83.npt.nuwc.navy.mil
Code 8321; Bldg. 1246/2              WWW:
Newport, RI  02841-1708                 http://www.nuwc.navy.mil/


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Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 19:22:14 -0400
From: "Peter Garofalo" <pgarofa1 at twcny.rr.com>
Subject: I Love Beer

Pat has obviously struck a nerve with his sensitivity to offhand references
to "drunks," especially in the same context as homebrewers. I couldn't agree
more (no sucking up here, nosirree!), and have a few thoughts to add. No
wonder Pat and I hit it off so well at MCAB II!

I was concerned about the direction of my local homebrew club (of which I
was an officer) a few years back. Seems the "bigger is better" school of
overindulging was taking ahold of a good percentage of the members. As an
officer who could potentially be held legally liable if one of the
aforementioned meatheads crashed headlong into a carload of innocents (I
know, maybe not, but I didn't feel comfortable with the perceived risk), I
exercised my right to vote with my feet. I have not been a member of the
local club for about three years now, instead devoting my efforts to the
BJCP.

I do not like the feeling of being drunk; for one thing, I consider myself
to be a role model for my five children. I also want them to understand that
beer is a wonderful beverage, with a whole range of flavors (but then, so's
ice cream...). In short, I love beer. I love it too much to abuse it, which
I consider drunkenness to be.

I can't count the number of times that I've had to explain to someone (a
co-worker, business associate, someone at a party) that I brew beer. A lot
of beer. And I give most of it away! In my humble opinion, beer is worth
nothing unless you share it. It is the most social of beverages, and has led
me to many friendships.

Oh, I also like to brew for others. I've brewed for five or six weddings
(including my own), several graduation parties, and a couple of birthdays.
There is no bigger thrill (at least, not while clothed) than a novice beer
drinker looking at me with wide eyes and saying, "You made this!?" It beats
any ribbon I've ever won, hands down.

Finally, an anecdote: a co-worker who is an occasional homebrewer and
excellent golfer told me he has no time to brew lately. After giving it some
thought, I replied that golf and brewing took about the same time, but when
I'm finished brewing I have ten gallons of beer. Besides, I'm much better at
brewing than golf! Of course, he felt somewhat the opposite, being a
near-scratch golfer and novice brewer. I don't have to brew very well to
beat my golf game...

Cheers,

Peter Garofalo
Syracuse, NY



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