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FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
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Contents:
A Certain Death? (BShotola)
bacteria in carbon filters ("Richard & Laura")
Re: Do you ever feel bad (Matthew Arnold)
Simple Question From Tony Meets Wrath From Down Under ("Phil & Jill Yates")
Kids and drinking... (Rod Prather)
Am I (Peter) Slipping? ("Peter J. Calinski")
kids ("Dave Sapsis")
Re: Yeast Starter Aeration (Demonick)
Help with a grain bill (John Adsit)
Re: starting syphon ("Don and Sarah Cole")
crankandstein and counterflow chiller questions ("Richard Sieben")
Humour, replies (craftbrewer)
re: Drinking Age (John_E_Schnupp)
coolers - ("Stephen Taylor")
uh-oh ("chuck duffney")
CFC length (Keith Brown)
Correction | re: LA/NA beer | MousyBocks+dead yeast | content | Is Dave Missing ? ("Stephen Alexander")
strange things in my beer ("Cass Buckley")
Re do you ever feel bad ("Richard Hampo")
Conical fermenter plans (Ralph Link)
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* Beer is our obsession and we're late for therapy!
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Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 00:32:30 EST
From: BShotola at aol.com
Subject: A Certain Death?
Thanks to all who wrote me about raising children around brewing. Lots of
wisdom and support-that's the best of the digest. In response to the person
who said, "If something goes down the drain, it doesn't necessarily die," I
have another pondering on the topic of yeast fate....
So you wash the yeasties down the drain and they slide on down the pipe into
the septic tank. Do they die, thrive, or just get by? Its not exactly wort in
there! Lager vs. Ale yeasts? Attenuation and floccuation? Hmm...
If, in the course of your usual pursuit of brewing sanitation, you wash a few
glugs of bleach down the pipe, say when emptying a carboy, are you killing
your friendly bacteria in the septic tank? I haven't had to pump my tank in
seven years of bleaching. I do put in some of that enzyme activator stuff
from time to time. In reading the label of this activator, it contains:
Cereal Grain Stabilizers, Activated Organic Solids.
Cereal Grain Stabilizers. Now don't that just dangle your chad!?
Bob Shotola
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 23:28:50 -0700
From: "Richard & Laura" <dromedary at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: bacteria in carbon filters
A recent post claimed that carbon filtered tap water still needed to be
boiled because the filter would harbor bacteria. I searched that
unimpeachable source of information, Al Gore's own internet, and found the
following information at the Water Quality Association web site:
http://www.wqa.org
"Do microbiological bacteria colonizations in drinking water treatment
products pose a health significance?
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsored emipdemiological studies at
Yale University (Report numbers R39 and R46 are available through the WQA
Publications Department) substantiate the finding of no ill health effects
caused by bacteria colonization in drinking water treatment equipment.
It is not true that disease-causing bacteria amplify in water treatment
equipment, such as RO storage tanks and activated carbon filters.
We know that flowing and disinfected drinking water will contain up to a few
hundred common aquatic-type organisms per milliliter of water. When such
water is held quiescent, such as overnight in a carbon filter, in an RO
storage tank, or even in household plumbing, these heterotrophic plate count
(HPC) organisms typically multiply to 1,000 to 10,000 or more colony-forming
units per milliliter. But these are harmless organisms to ingestion; they
are not coliform or enteric pathogenetic bacteria. Coliform organisms grow
naturally in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. But, coliform and
enteric organisms begin to die-off once outside the intestines, and they
especially cannot successfully compete for survival with the cool
water-loving organisms that often proliferate in drinking water.
A 1998 Water Quality Research Council research study with Drs. Joan Rose,
University of South Florida; Charles Gerba, University of Arizona; and
Charles Haas, Drexel University concludes that "the risk from HPC bacteria
in drinking water is only a transient colonization, and the probability of
infection is low."
Microorganisms from RO and water filter systems are greatly less than exist
in foods, such as milk and vegetables. The available WQA position statement
sheds more light on this subject. Federal health standards appropriately do
not regulate HPC organisms in drinking water nor in drinking water treatment
products."
The Canadian Water Quality Association came to a similar conclusion. See
their policy statement at: http://www.cwqa.com
Obviously, your own water treatment requirements depend on the quality of
your tap water. And certainly these trade associations have their own vested
interests in claiming that their members' water filtration products are
safe. But paranoia about bacterial growth in carbon filters appears to be
unwarranted.
Salud!
Ricardo
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 00:30:00 -0600
From: Matthew Arnold <revmra at iname.com>
Subject: Re: Do you ever feel bad
On Sat, 16 Dec 2000 00:24:49 -0500, you wrote:
>The pangs of guilt you are feeling are merely the effects of societal
>brainwashing initiated by the same folks who brought you prohibition and are
>trying to push the .000whatever alcohol limit. Don't let the ultra-right
>conservatives get you down. Their misplaced anti-alcohol legislation and
>propoganda is really just misplaced childhhood bed-wetting trauma.
Careful. I'm an "ultra-right conservative" but I am also involving my boys
(albeit minimally since they are both rather small) in my brewing. I'd rather
teach them responsibility at home than have them try to figure it out on their
own when they're in college.
Matt
- -----
Webmaster, Green Bay Rackers Homebrewers' Club
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 21:34:07 +1100
From: "Phil & Jill Yates" <yates at acenet.com.au>
Subject: Simple Question From Tony Meets Wrath From Down Under
The Scurrilous One writes:
>Any Idea on whether the aeration as it stands will make a >significant
>difference? Any further suggestions? (Careful Mr Yates!) I >can get a 5
>Gallon Carboy but think it would be a bit of overkill for yeast >starters
>(But Maybe Not :> )
Tony
I forget to respond to your emails just once and now you are back at this?
I don't know how hard I have to shout it but for all concerned.
YOU DON'T NEED ANYTHING FANCY FOR YEAST STARTERS!! NOR FOR THAT MATTER
BREWING BEER!
Stir plates and filtered air pumping in looks scientific and fancy, you may
want to wear a white coat whilst all of this is going on. But it certainly
isn't necessary!
I have come to realise that a lot of homebrewers get more of a kick out of
tinkering about with equipment than perhaps they do in drinking the result.
And some get a kick out of both.
Some get a kick out of playing super scientist.
Some ARE super scientists!
Some are unemployed.
Some are absolute drop kicks.
Some are pilots (should be on the line above)
Some are eccentric esoteric Swedish Doctors.
Just one is a right pain in the arse from North Queensland!
Now you can get as deep as you want in this exceptional hobby or past time
of ours. Part of the fun for some. But what I have always objected to is
people insisting that their particular idea or ideas are correct. More to
the point, that no other way is acceptable.
You can spin a cat many ways.
But whatever you do, the critical velocity always occurs at 15000rpm. Pete
Calinski succumbs completely at this point. Even Dave Humes missed the point
of my original post, but at least he was sharp enough to respond.
This is the only conclusive piece of scientific fact I have encountered in
all my years of homebrewing. Apart from good sanitation, good technique and
good ingredients.
That is the basis for making good beer.
The rest of it is a world of gadgets.
Good luck to you with as many gadgets as you feel comfortable with.
Good luck to you with all the scientific papers you want to read and quote.
But please don't come in here trying to convince practical, sensible and
humorous brewers that all this crap is necessary!
Now I have to get this off my chest before January when my new years
resolution comes into effect.
I'm going to be nice to everybody.
No matter what they say.
No matter what they do.
I'm even going to be nice to that mongrel loathsome Bast**d living in North
Queensland!!
But for now,
I'm not going to be nice at all.
Sorry about the bandwidth
Phil
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 08:22:45 -0500
From: Rod Prather <rodpr at iquest.net>
Subject: Kids and drinking...
I have three boys... 10, 13 and 15. The oldest and the youngest don't like
alcoholic beverages... Wine, beer, what ever. The middle one developed a taste
for beer at a young age, sneaking glasses at a kegger at my home. He LIKES
beer. So I let him have a taste, from time to time. My wide tastes in craft
brewed beer has given him a joy of them. He loves dark beers, Guinness. He
does turn up his nose at a strong Wit or a Grand Cru.
I personally believe that teaching children responsible drinking is important.
I am supported by Italian and German customs and by the customs of both the
Catholic and Jewish religions. Religiously they respect wine as a part of the
religious ceremony. As a gift from God not to be abused.
Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy..
- --- Benjamin Franklin.
- --
Rod Prather, PooterDuude
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 00:04:17 -0500
From: "Peter J. Calinski" <PCalinski at iname.com>
Subject: Am I (Peter) Slipping?
Phil asks:
>Pete Calinski writes:
>>First Yates, and Sanders, now Pivo. All these lengthy,
un->understandable
>>posts. It must be the water.
>
>Pete, I have noticed of late your attention span has been a little
suspect.
>When you fail to understand clear and lucid posts I begin to get
concerned.
>
>In order for us to help you, we must first ask the question.
>Just what is it about these clear and lucid brewing posts that seems to be
>skimming right over your head?
>
>Cheers
>Phil
Well, part of it is I don't have an Aussi "English" to US "English"
dictionary.
Part of it is, when I do finish reading it, I am not sure where the Beer
related stuff was.
After the fourth re-read, I sometimes think I have found it but by then I
don't know what to do with it. (Kinda like a dog chasing a car, what will
he do if he catches it.)
I can't believe you spend all the time it must take to compose such great
prose. It is almost Shakespearean. In fact, I think I could fathom
Shakespeare in less re-reads.
Bottom line, I have as much desire to decipher it while I drink my morning
coffee as I have a desire to decipher Shakespeare.
Pete Calinski
East Amherst NY
Near Buffalo NY
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 19:13:06 -0800
From: "Dave Sapsis" <dsapsis at earthlink.net>
Subject: kids
All the talk about drinking age made me remember the following: On my first
trip to Spain I was in the lovely town of Jaca at the base of the Pyranees.
As was custom, my wife and I made it down to the local cafe for cafe
("Grande sin, por fa vor" to looks of "strange americano") and tortilla to
start our day off right. It was then that I noticed a group of about 8 kids
at a table, all with backpacks full of stuff. Two or three of them were
enjoying a freshy. I watched another come and get a beer and join them.
These were the standard approx. 200 ml glasses were common everywhere we
went. I liked them too, but not till after 10 am or so.
The entire group seemed to talk a million miles an hour, and laugh almost
continuously. They finished and dutifully headed out to the local high
school. Strangely, I found the kids in Espana to be better educated and
well conducted than out counterparts over here.
- --dave sapsis, sacramento
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 08:45:05 -0800
From: Demonick <demonick at zgi.com>
Subject: Re: Yeast Starter Aeration
From: Tony Barnsley <tony.barnsley at blackpool.gov.uk>
>In order to improve my pitching rates, I have been building starters up to
>20 litres ...
If that's the starter, how big is the batch!?
>...Switched the pump on, then discovered that wort bubbles take
>too long to burst. Luckily pulled the tube out of the wort in time....
There are anti-foaming compounds for use in brewing. I've never
used one, but they are available, and they do work. Perhaps someone
else can comment on their suitabilty in a starter.
>I remember a post from AJ Delange (?) saying that O2 diffuses quite
>rapidly across the liquid interface, so I have left the pump on flushing
>the space above the wort with air. I know that a stir plate would be
>really handy here to aid out gassing of CO2, but I don't have one.
I expect that the currents set up by the fermentation itself will help
stir and circulate the wort.
BTW, I've added a page on yeast starters to the website below.
Domenick Venezia
Venezia & Company, LLC
Maker of PrimeTab
(206) 782-1152 phone
(206) 782-6766 fax orders
demonick at zgi dot com
http://www.primetab.com
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 10:25:21 -0700
From: John Adsit <jadsit at jeffco.k12.co.us>
Subject: Help with a grain bill
I would like to attempt something I've never tried before, and I am
hoping someone who has done it successfully can give me some advice.
I would like to create a 3 gallon barley wine from the first runnings
(or a brief sparge) and then make a 5 gallon smaller beer, perhaps a
mild, with the rest. I need help with the amount of grain I should
begin with and rough prediction of what I can expect with the second
beer, so I can have some idea of what I will need to do in terms of
hops.
I appreciate any ideas.
- --
John Adsit
Boulder, Colorado
jadsit at jeffco.k12.co.us
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 11:53:31 -0600
From: "Don and Sarah Cole" <dcole at mc.net>
Subject: Re: starting syphon
Jeff wrote:
>>I did it for years with practicing safe sucking
>I meant to write *without* practicing safe sucking.
If this didn't trigger content filters nothing will!
With all this commentary on how people start siphons
I thought I would add my thoughts. I have always
been paranoid about sucking on the end of the tube.
I always filled it with water or sanitizer.
Recently I've had problems with an infection that
has reared it's ugly head while transferring or
bottling. I'm fairly sure that I've traced it back
to my water. My last three batches that I had
problems with I've started a siphon using tap water.
Siphons started with a sanitizer in the hose have
worked out just fine. I'll use a siphon starter or
the fermentation lock sucking trick from here on out.
Don Cole
Somewhere in a snowbank in Northern Illinois
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 12:26:18 -0600
From: "Richard Sieben" <sier1 at email.msn.com>
Subject: crankandstein and counterflow chiller questions
I have no experience with the crankenstein mill directly, they look ok to me
except for the fancy 3 roller model. If the top two rolls are the intake
rolls, which way is the idler roller underneath supposed to turn? (since
both top ones are turning opposite directions to take grain in) I would
think all the third roll is going to do is tear at the husks, which is
exactly what you don't want. At least the JSP mill comes with a base, these
guys want you to make your own or pay extra.
The counterflow chiller I purchased from PBS has a 1/2 inch interior coil
and a 3/4 inch exterior coil. Looks to be about 10 feet of copper total as
a rough guestimate. I would not use the 3/8 inch interior copper as it may
restrict flow too much and it would be a lot easier for hop particles to get
stuck and that would be a real bitch to clean out, the 1/2 interior model I
have slows the flow enough (in fact I would like to see less restriction)and
I do gravity feed through it. I was thinking about making one, but
chickened out and just bought it instead. What I was going to do was take a
10 foot piece of straight copper (1/2 inch and 3/4 inch) and make four 2.5
foot elements with the same kind of reducing tee fitting on the ends of each
element that you see on the PBS chiller. Then I was going to mount it on a
rack and connect the ends with hose jumpers so that I could clean the
interior of each element with a long brush and not have to worry about
unseen contaminants. After I started pricing the parts out, I was already
about 1/2 way or more to the price of the PBS chiller and I had to absorb
any costs of screwing up. What was attractive about the idea however was
that I could either run jumpers for cooling water from element to element or
run fresh cooling water to each element if I wanted to, depending on the
temperature of pitching desired or the temperature on the cooling water.
Also, I could, with a cheapo pump, run ice water through the last element if
I wanted to seperate from the others, thus using a lot less ice to get to
lager temps. I may still someday make an element for the ice water purpose,
but the PBS chiller gets me down to within .4 degrees F of the chilling
water.
Rich Sieben
Island Lake, IL
Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 09:47:07 +1100
From: craftbrewer at telstra.easymail.com.au
Subject: Humour, replies
G'day All
You can certainly tell the election is over. Did I say election,
opps, I meant 5 elderly eccentrics (have you seen the gear they
wear) decided for the rest of USA who should be your new
dictator - opps again president. Any way you lot must be bored.
Since the infamous decision, the humour index has shot up
dramatically to 4.8 and shows no sign of stopping. I will have to
do something about this shortly if you all are not careful.
Even Steve, who is now starting to regularly burn my fragile
straw ego, is not impressed
>>>>>From: "Stephen Alexander"
This forum is for all topics regarding beer and brewing. It's the
politics (mea culpa) and blather that are inappropriate.<<<<<
Now Steve and myself are on the same wavelength here. Fun
and the HBD have no right being in the same sentence, let
alone associated with each other. My - next I will start enjoying a
beer, instead of its critical analysis. Now that would never do. I
would loose that sharp edge and quickly fall fowl of of some
tourist searching for that great beer XXXX.
Now I thought I had sorted Dr Pivo out. I was even starting to
respect his opinion and found some of his postings even
remotely interesting. But could our dear Dr Death must have
left his book "Moral American for Beginners" at home. Comes
over here and what happens. Well our re-education camp for
all foreigners, situated at Burradoo, converted him to a pusudo
Aussie in one night. And what results from this expensive
educational exercise. This cr+p
From: "Dr. Pivo" <docpivo at hotmail.com>
Subject: Enzyme Kinetics:part 56 and category 5
One might wonder who asked anyone at all to write on the
above subject.
One might indeed.<<<<<<
And I tell you who actually asked you to abandon the high
morals I set for this digest and write about - FUN. Steve was
my first thought but he has already denied it. If its that bloody
Yates character, well he's dead meat. But I realise is wasn't him
>>>>And then it was time to deal with this Yates character. It
urns out that he is a real pleasant guy,<<<<<
Well simply thats not our Phil. And speaking of that gallah.
>>>From: "Phil & Jill Yates" <yates at acenet.com.au>
Subject: The Burradoo School Of Brewing Balance
What I'm wondering is just what it could be that troubles Mr S
when he cautions newbie brewers to ignore the blather which
goes on in here.
I must say, the last bloke who asked me how to make a
Tooheys New was taken out the back and shot!!<<<<
Now who says he is content free. I would be more than willing
to hold them down for you, mate, but any guy who goes out of
his way to meet Marilyn each night does not fill me with
confidence that they will hit the target. But this is where Phil
now gets well and truly bogged down.
>>>>At the Burradoo School Of Brewing Balance we teach
students to blend ignorance with excellence, and make
bloody good beer. Graham Sanders was one of our better
students until he was caught rolling in the mud with Marilyn,
and was sent home in disgrace. He's been real cranky
about it ever since!<<<<
Now I did attend such a worthy school, until I realised Phil took
the word craftbrewing to new heights. Thrown out, well yes, but
I was on the outer anyway. One day i was with Phil at the
heights of a mash. Here was I eager to learn all, young mind
open and vacant (do go there people).
So I ask him. "hop Utilization Phil, what's it about" he looked up
"No I'm not into World Domination Graham, but you have a go
if you like". Now a man deep into a mash may not hear you
clearly so I tried again . "Phil - Sterols and Lipids ???????" Well
he looked up and smiled. He it comes wise words of wisdom.
But I got "Yep, I'm sure he's sterile and limp like a week old
lettuce, thats why all he can do is accuse me of not saying
anything worthwhile."
Now I can't work out who he's talking about but when it came
to brewing, Phils approach was "let her rip and hang the
scientists." When the revolution comes Phil will right next to the
chopping block - "bring on the scientists out there"
Now it was said
Darell comments:
> Do you ever feel bad ..... for the yeast?
Just remember people, if you happen to believe that you may
return to this earth as another life form it may be a yeast. There
are some on the board that would qualify. So Do what i do, dont
kills the buggers, one day it might be me
Now It was asked if anyone had experience with whitelabs 500.
Well yes I have. It is said that it is a Chimay yeast. Well that is
also said of Wyeast 1214. I have put them side by side to
compare and I can tell you they are not the same. But if you are
after that yeast to impart that Chimay character (and yes there
is grains involved here to) but the yeast to do it is Whitelabs 500.
Shout
Graham Sanders
Oh
From: "Peter J. Calinski" <PCalinski at iname.com>
Subject: It must be in the Aussi water
First Yates, and Sanders, now Pivo. All these lengthy,
un-understandable posts. It must be the water.<<<<
Now Pete I take exception to you comments. You can
obviously tell my post here is nowhere related to the rubbish
the other two put out. I have content, but I understand your
viewpoint. It must be hard when you never finished school.
Ah yes and a yank as well - explains all
Return to table of contents
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 18:06:26 -0800
From: John_E_Schnupp at amat.com
Subject: re: Drinking Age
Many good posts on this subject and I can't quote them all but here is
an excerpt from one of the many:
>If youths are allowed to drink alcohol in a supervised fashion, they form
>proper drinking habits. Instead, in our society, they are forbidden
>alcohol until age 21. However, they get their first exposure to alcohol in
>unsupervised situations and drink themselves to death.
I just wanted to add a data point here that is contrary to the school of
"supervised drinking." Before I do let me state that I believe supervised
exposure (or early age exposure, which ever you prefer) is a good thing and
probably the best route. That being said:
<soapbox on>
I was raised in a very religious family. There was absolutely NO alcohol
drinking in my immediate family. My parents strictly forbade it. In fact
there is practically no drinking in even my extended family (grandparents,
aunts, uncles and cousins) all of which are devoutly religious.
I didn't have my first drinks until college and at age 18 (legal then). I
was quite responsible. To that I give my parents the credit for making me
realize that I was responsible for my actions (drinking or otherwise). Yes,
I had the occasionally "drunk" but it didn't take but once or twice to realize
that this was NOT the enjoyment I was looking for. It's no fun being out
of control.
Parents need to teach responsibility for ALL actions, not just alcohol
consumption. For me it was this teaching the lead me to be responsible
with my drinking from the start. My parents could never teach me about
everything but by laying the proper foundation, I have grown to an adult
who is able to make decisions based upon those principles my parents laid
(even though it might have not been "specifically" covered at home).
So how do you deal with cigarette smoking? What about other issues such
as smoking dope, sex, and the myriad of other issues other young adults
face as the grow up? Surely not all things can be addressed by "supervised
exposure." Parents need to take active roles in the lives of their children
from the very start so that when children face tough decisions they will
turn to their parents instead of from them for advice. I feel strongly
that a strong family upbringing makes for strong adults.
<soapbox off>
Hope this wasn't too far out of line. I don't want to start a parenting
thread or flame-fest.
John Schnupp, N3CNL
Georgia, VT
95 XLH 1200
Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 14:25:39 +1100
From: "Stephen Taylor" <stephentaylor at one.net.au>
Subject: coolers -
HI,
Just in reply to a question on wort coolers which have been an
obsession of mine for a long time.Iam going to install a chest freezer with
a stainless coil of 15 mt mounted inside and pump my wort through it, but,
and i have seen this at a mates place who is a fridge mechanic, a 100 lts of
water in it. He uses his to keep his kegs cool with a johnson controler on
it.Operates as afridge or freezer.No more waiting on immerson coolers, no
stuffing around, turn on the pump and instant cold wort. One ? that i have
being new to brewing, 2 yrs, is how long does it take to settle wort after
centifuging, whirlpooling,before i could pump off having never done it
yet.Oh my mate said to get even colder water in freezer to add some salt
solution to get it below 0 deg c. should get agood cold break , eh .
Merry Christmas to all,
Stephen Taylor, Newcastle in OZ.
Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 01:59:42 -0800
From: "chuck duffney" <cduffney at mail.wesleyan.edu>
Subject: uh-oh
ok, so i brewed a batch on monday december 4th. tossed it in the carboy and
it surprisingly started feremnting only 4 hours after i pitched the yeast.
i racked about a week later to a secondary, when the krausen had
significantly fallen and bubbling in the airlock had slowed. now the beer
has a slight layer of bubbles on top and the airlock is still bubbling
slowly (about 6x/min). the problem is, i'm leaving on tuesday for winter
break, and this is my holiday brew to take home. my quesiton is would
bottling now create a bunch of pint-sized time bombs? or should i just go
ahead and bottle, but use less priming sugar? any thoughts, suggestions or
comments welcome. please email privately as i am leaving here about 50 some
odd hours from the time of this writing.
thanks,
chuck_d
Return to table of contents
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 09:19:31 +0000
From: Keith Brown <bahalana at wt.net>
Subject: CFC length
Adam Ralph asked:
"Wondering if anyone can relate their practical experience with the
length of
counter flow wort chillers. I am going to build my own with 3/8
copper tube
inside a larger copper tube. The two opposing prerequisites are that
it
must be gravity fed (so I don't want it to take all day and will not
be
getting a pump anytime soon) and it must be able to get the wort temp.
down
to around 10C for lager pitching. I will be using my current
immersion
chiller as a pre-chiller."
"So what say you? Closer to 30 feet, or aim for 50 feet?"
IANAE, but I just built me a CFC based on pictures I have seen of the
Fearless Wort Chiller. I only used a 20 foot length of 3/8" ID copper
tubing inside of an 18 foot length of 3/4" ID vinyl tubing and various
PVC and brass fittings, so effectively the cooler is only 18 feet
long. I added a ball valve at the bottom of the copper line so I can
regulate the flow rate and also make starting the siphon easier. It
works beautifully! By setting the ball valve about half open, the wort
goes in at about 200+ F and comes out at 75F. I do a 3-1/2 gallon
concentrated boil, and it takes only a few minutes to chill the batch
(didn't time it, but it was definitely less than five). You can easily
extrapolate the time requiremnt for larger boils. Of course I suppose
this varies with the temperature of the water from the tap so YMMV.
There should be no need to use your immersion chiller anymore.
- --
Keith Brown | I am a professional Air Traffic Controller --
bahalana at wt.net | There are hours when I may be overpaid,
web.wt.net/~bahalana | but there are seconds when you can't pay me
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Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 17:29:35 -0500
From: "Stephen Alexander" <steve-alexander at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Correction | re: LA/NA beer | MousyBocks+dead yeast | content | Is Dave Missing ?
To Adrian Levi I posted ..
>Your question couldn't be more inappropriate.
but I meant just the opposite of course.
===
Chris Campagna noted ...
>LA/NA beer
AJ gave a more complete and detailed response that I would have
but ...
Keep in mind that the evidence in favor of alcohol induced birth
defects from non-alcoholic mothers is weak - not that I'd throw
caution to the wind in this extremely important matter. Many
natural foods, from sauerkraut, cider and root beer are permitted to
contain up to 1/2% alcohol or so without a warning label. I suspect
your beer is at a similar level.
==
Drew Avis - inventor of Mausinator
<<
Now
from reading past HBDs I know that there are some things that you can never
clean sufficiently out of a container, such as benzene. Are mice and their
droppings in this category?
>>
A good friend uses a huge SS brew pot that was recovered from a morgue.
This added a whole new meaning to his 'Dead Guy Ale' and 'Stiff Stout'.
I'd suggest you clean till nothing is visible and then clean again with
caustic
and brushes and follow up with a week in a strongish sanitizer solution -
more
for confidence than necessity. Then have a beer and pretend it never
happened.
===
Dustin Norlund writes ...
>I am
>nearing completion of the [homebuilt] aircraft and now am looking to start
>brewing again.
I guess it's driving and drinking that don't mix !
===
Thanks to Phil Yates and DocP for proving again that they have nothing
to say about brewing. Their personal attacks against me for suggesting
that they follow the HBD policy tells just how interested they are in
trashing
HBD.
>Homebrew Digest Policy Statement
>
>The purpose of the Homebrew Digest is to discuss the amateur
>production of beer, and includes all aspects of brewing.
...
>We, the janitors, will not bar anyone from receiving or posting to the
>digest, except those that are obvious spam, chain letters, blatantly
>non-beer related [...].
Too bad Phil can't post about his brewing efforts as he once did.
A previous Doc Pivo (prob'ly not the guy who currently uses the
pseudonym) used to post some interesting opinions on european
brewing; now PU applies more to his attempts at humor.
I've seen enough of the current sex, bathroom, cat mutilation,
burradoo humor and the staggering off-point limp attempts at
anecdote offered by Pivo the Nth to be bored stiff. I'd strongly
prefer that you each decided to post about brewing, but if you decide
otherwise, then why not follow HBD policy and post somewhere else ?
Yes - I know that if you mention peach beer or rice lager in the midst
of a non-brew related tirade that janitors will give it a 'pass'. That
the
janitors are too polite to censor you doesn't mean you shouldn't be
polite enough censor yourselves.
-S
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Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 18:02:06 -0500
From: "Cass Buckley" <cassnsyd at mediaone.net>
Subject: strange things in my beer
Hey now folks ---
I have a lager that has been in a carboy for about 50 days. I had not
looked at it for the last 45 days or so. I had it in my NH basement. I
have one "room" in the basement that stays very cool (about 45+/- this time
of year.) I know that this is not optimal for a lager but it is the best I
can do. I'm sure the temp fluctuates but I don't think it ever gets above
50. This is only my second lager attempt. The first one came out very good.
Anyway back to my question... I brought it upstairs to rack it to one of my
kegs. When I got upstairs I noticed a layer of what looks like fat or
something on the top. The best way I can describe it is to say that it
looks like the layer of fat that forms on fatty things after they have been
refrigerated for a while. This layer of stuff was broken from my moving the
carboy and some of it floats while some sinks. I did a gravity check and it
is down to .011. It's OG was 1.043. The beer now has a "smoked ham"
flavor. Other than the stuff floating in it, it looks clear and good.
My big problem is that my keg with a porter in it is just about kicked and
this lager was to be next. I have a keg fridge and two kegs. Only one keg
has beer in it now so I can fit the carboy in the fridge if it will do any
good to get the beer real cold.
Will dry hopping help to mask the "off" flavor? what is this substance on
the beer? will cold temp's make it fall out? can this beer be saved? Any
comments are welcome... Private emails are OK
my sanitation levels while brewing are not the best (I'm lazy I guess) but I
have not had any infections to this point. I do clean and sanitize all of
my equipment but I sometimes start a siphon with my mouth
Thank you
Almost out of home brew in NH
Cass -
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Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 18:11:19 -0500
From: "Richard Hampo" <rhampo at peoplepc.com>
Subject: Re do you ever feel bad
Hi all,
I saw Bob's post and had to chime in. I have 3 kids (5 1/2, 3 1/2 and 9
mos) and the 2 older ones also love to help me make beer. When I was in
Germany last year I got them tiny beer mugs of their own (maybe 1 oz)
with their names on them. So whenever we have "drinktime" they get their
own tiny taste of beer. My son (3 1/2) has begun to ask me for a beer at
other times during the day! So we have tapered off his consumption to
special occasions only ;=) I believe that having them grow up around
responsible, very moderate beer consumption will help them avoid the
bingeing that many teens (including myself) went through since there
will be no mystery for them.
Anyway, Brew on & Happy Holidays!
Richard Hampo
H&H Brewing Ltd.
Livonia, MI
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Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 18:53:54 -0600
From: Ralph Link <rlink15 at home.com>
Subject: Conical fermenter plans
Hello Collective.
Does anyone out there have a set of plans for a conical fermenter. I am
giving serious thought to trying to build or have one built in the new
year. Something that would hold between 25 to 30 gal. imperial. I can do
the calculation to decide the volume, what I need is some information on
the design concepts. What is the angle of the cone? How high should the
main drain be above the turb drain? Personal e-mail is much appreciated.
Have a Great Christmas people.
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