FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org *************************************************************** THIS YEAR'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Northern Brewer, Ltd. Home Brew Supplies http://www.northernbrewer.com 1-800-681-2739 Support those who support you! Visit our sponsor's site! ********** Also visit http://hbd.org/hbdsponsors.html ********* Contents: Fermentation times (Graham Stone) RE: one final Ferm Chiller question ("Mike Pensinger") Wort Kits ("Mike O'Brien") Re: Premier Malt and DCL Yeast ("RJ") Great British Beer Festival (Ant Hayes) JudgeDigest Down? ("Houseman, David L") "home-use" malt syrup/names please/Beer in England (David Harsh) Forced Carbonation ("David Craft") RE: pearls before swine (Brian Lundeen) RE: insulation woes (Brian Lundeen) beer fest in Florida ("Beerhunter01") Re: Copper RIMS chambers (Rob Dewhirst) Homebrew Tri-Nations ("Keith Menefy")
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 10:40:10 +0100 From: Graham Stone <gstone at dthomas.co.uk> Subject: Fermentation times I've noticed quite a few postings with fermentation times for ales (not lager, that's different) running into weeks and sometimes months. Most UK commercial breweries endeavour to have fermentation completed within 4-5 days (some may remember I posted a message a little while ago asking for feedback on fermentation times with worts containing dark grain - 2 replies!). If yours takes more than this, your wort is either: 1. At the wrong temperature for the strain of yeast 2. Your worts have insufficient oxygen at pitching time 3. Your are not pitching sufficient viable yeast (we use 130g solid yeast per 43 litres) 4. Your worts have insufficient nutrient This last point took me several years to appreciate. Wort from 100% grain actually contains insufficient nutrient for healthy yeast activity. Try using a good yeast nutrient and watch the difference it makes! Another thing worth trying if you collect and re-use your yeast is to acid wash it with 0.1% (or molar) phosphoric acid at pH 2-2.2 for 2 hours. Then pitch the whole lot into the wort. Besides killing lots of nasty bacteria, this appears to allow the yeast to metabolism maltose quicker. Naturally this effect doesn't last. However, we always acid wash once fermentation times start to exceed 4 days or 7 generations, whichever comes sooner. Get the fermentation times down and the quality of your ale with increase dramatically. Graham Stone www.portchesterbrewery.co.uk Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 07:14:47 -0700 From: "Mike Pensinger" <beermkr at bellatlantic.net> Subject: RE: one final Ferm Chiller question Alan, Last time I made one of these chillers it oly took one sheet of 2" material. I have built three so far and the pink R-10 material is what I used. Mike Pensinger beermkr at bellatlantic.net http://members.bellatlantic.net/~beermkr Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 04:49:33 -0700 (PDT) From: "Mike O'Brien" <picobrew at yahoo.com> Subject: Wort Kits You can get beer wort kits from Home Winery Supply Co. and the River Rasin Brewing Co. here in Michigan. http://www.homewinery.com/ They have been brewing beer wort since 1996 on a 2BBL pico-Brewing System. They brew one beer a month and sell the beer wort to their customers in 2.5 gallon plastic jugs - just add yeast - ferment and bottle. Mike O'Brien pico-Brewing Systems, Inc. pico-brewing.com Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 08:01:20 -0400 From: "RJ" <wortsup at metrocast.net> Subject: Re: Premier Malt and DCL Yeast "Bob Hall" <rallenhall at hotmail.com> wrote: "I think that I've mentioned before that I got my brewing start 30 years ago with cans of hopped Blue Ribbon Malt, bags of sugar, and packs of Red Star bread yeast from a local grocery. Perhaps because of this, I've been conditioned to check for the presence of malt in syrup sections of groceries. I had not seen malt in years until this past week, when on a camping trip in Appalachian Ohio we popped into a small grocery and there next to Mrs. Butterworth was a stack of Premier Malt - Hopped, in 2.2 lb. cans. According to the label, a product of the UK, great for cooking and brewing ("Use this can to make six 8-packs" .... right!). Anyway, there was even a packet of yeast under the lid and an address to write for recipes. Just wondered if any of you had come across, or even used Premier malt before. It was new to me, and a twist on the days when the cans even said "Do not add sugar, Do not add yeast" ... as if everyone loved the flavor of hops in their cookies. Also, I've been following the discussion of the DCL yeasts. What is the collective's opinion on Saflager S-189 and S-23? I recently acquired a lagering freezer, and am about to make a serious attempt at cold conditioning." Bob, You sound like me... I too, started brewing in the late 70's with Blue Ribbon malt, sugar & bread yeast... Making ales that were "Canadian-like". Before going all-grain in the early 90's, I often brewed with Premier Malt - Hopped 2.2lb cans... But, be aware that they have two products in basically the same cans (I can't remember which way it goes now, but one has a clear plastic top and the other has a solid white plastic top; this difference being one is from the UK and the other is made in North America). The Blue Ribbon & Premier are basically the same (actually, Pabst sold the extract company to Premeir in the early 80's). You can find out more about their other products at: http://brewingtechniques.com/bmg/premier.html IMHO, DCL's line of dry yeasts are of the same quality as liquid yeast, though I've not had a chance to try S-189; S-23 Lager and A-04 English Ale are excellent strains. Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 14:16:38 +0200 From: Ant Hayes <Ant.Hayes at FifthQuadrant.co.za> Subject: Great British Beer Festival I was fortunate to attend the last day of the Great British Beer Festival (and even more fortunate to find my back to where I was staying afterwards) A festival with a hundred odd real ales is a treat - although it does present a bit of a tasting nightmare. The minimum dispense volume at most stalls was half a pint - and they add up quickly. I think my friends and I were the only ones wearing homebrew T-shirts there - did any other HBD subscribers make it? The beers ranged from fantastic - to some that I would score as Problematic were I judging. The vast majority of beer present were bitters, with about 15 milds and a few stronger ales. I chatted to a few people at the CAMRA desk about the lack of any porters, but they only seemed interested in bitters and milds. That being said, CAMRA's organisation of the event is fantastic and it is well attended. If you can align a trip to the UK with a future festival, I highly recommend it. Ant Hayes Gauteng; South Africa Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 07:55:34 -0500 From: "Houseman, David L" <David.Houseman at unisys.com> Subject: JudgeDigest Down? Is JudgeDigest down? For an extended period? David Houseman Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 09:41:59 -0400 From: David Harsh <dharsh at fuse.net> Subject: "home-use" malt syrup/names please/Beer in England The mention of malt syrup for home cooking reminds me of a prohibition era picture of Crosley field (old Cincinnati Reds park) one of my friends has. In the panoramic view you can see a shop across the street that advertises malt syrup with the subtext: so you can make 'it' - -------- As many before me have suggested, it would help if submitters sign their actual name and mention where you are from. Rennerian coordinates optional ;) - -------- On beer in England- Its been a few years since I've been to England, but I recall prices being very similar to US costs, but in pounds instead of dollars. So lunch in a pub might be 5 pounds instead of $5. As a result, a trip to England isn't cheap. Well worth it, but not cheap. Plan ahead though - two mandatory stops in London are the Orange Brewery (at Pimlico and St. Barnabus - an easy walk from Victoria Station) and the White Horse Pub (in Parsons Green off the Wimbledon line - a trek but REALLY WORTH IT!) Dave Harsh Cincinnati, OH Bloatarian Brewing League P.S. Beer and Sweat was a great time and you should have been there! Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 09:27:41 -0400 From: "David Craft" <David-Craft at craftinsurance.com> Subject: Forced Carbonation Is there any problem with force carbonating a keg at close to room temperature? I may not have enought room in my freezer for what I have planned. I know that the liquid will absord less gas at higher temps, so is it safe to say that I could put 20lbs on the keg instead of 15 lbs and Thanks, David B. Craft Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 10:46:07 -0500 From: Brian Lundeen <blundeen at rrc.mb.ca> Subject: RE: pearls before swine Amidst his shameless self-promotion ;-), Stephen Ross writes: > This restriction is why BrewHouse stopped > production of its > excellent Wheat kit. Too many customers were unprepared for the > characteristic wheat yeast flavour, and were unhappy with the > kit. Although > it was a fine kit, they dropped it This reminds me of our recent adventures in La Belle Province. We were at a restaurant (and if you are ever in Quebec City you must go to the Restaurant aux Anciennes Canadiennes and hope that their wild game tourtiere is available)that offered a Unibroue beer as part of the lunch specials. I chose a Blanche de Chambly, a Belgian wit-style. An American chap at the next table, upon being presented the choices and having the wit recommended by the server but without really explaining what the beer was, also went for the Blanche. Suspecting the fellow was ill-prepared for what he was about to have placed before him, and being a gregarious Canadian sort, I showed him my beer, explained that the cloudy appearance was normal for this type of beer, and told him that it had a very refreshing tangy, spicy type of flavour from the way it is made. Well, he grunted something back which may have meant either "thank you" or "why are you talking to me?", and I left him to enjoy his beer which was just arriving. Sure enough, one sip and then it sat ignored for the rest of the meal. The lowest common denominator does indeed rule much of our lives, Stephen. BrewHouse's mistake was not trying to make it taste like Big Rock's insipid Grasshopper ale. Surprising really from a company that feels compelled to include both an American Lager (read: Miller) and Mexican Cerveza (read: Corona) in their product line. Cheers Brian Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 10:51:11 -0500 From: Brian Lundeen <blundeen at rrc.mb.ca> Subject: RE: insulation woes Alan McKay writes: > The blue "foundation" extruded foam that we get at Home Depot has a > lip all around it which kind of throws off measurements a bit. Alan, the easiest solution is to say to the burly fellow behind the order counter at Home Despot, I want some blue extruded insulation, and I don't want any lip! ;-) Cheers Brian Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 13:05:49 -0400 From: "Beerhunter01" <Beerhunter01 at email.msn.com> Subject: beer fest in Florida On November 10 and 11th in Orlando Fl. at Universal Studios City Walk = there is a beer fest of giant proportions approx. 240 different beers = and some 60 different vendors will be serving there wares over the 2 day = fest. All the biggies and all the smaller breweries in Fl will be there. = For more info contact Universal Studios Vacations at 1-888-322-5537 or if = you wish to be included in the fest contact Alex Spiotta at 407224-7766. = Cheers, Dave = Miller owner/brewer = www.ubrewit.com = www.homebrewwolesale.com=20 Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 12:39:30 -0500 From: Rob Dewhirst <robd at biocomplexity.nhm.ukans.edu> Subject: Re: Copper RIMS chambers I generally don't like "me too" messages, but I must agree that building a copper heater chamber was a good option BEFORE Moving Brews starting selling their SS chamber. You can't build a better one for less money unless you have free copper pipe. Their chamber also disassembleds for easy cleaning. Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 10:19:20 +1200 From: "Keith Menefy" <kmenefy at ihug.co.nz> Subject: Homebrew Tri-Nations Hi Brian A query about the format of the Tri-Nations competition. Ant sez. We are not limiting beer to a single style - the judges need to score each beer to BJCP standards. Does this mean that a lager could be competition against a stout, against a high gravity beer. To my mind that just could not work. They are all beers but very different in taste and style. It would be like trying to pick the best team out of rugby, soccer, and cricket teams. Hmmmmmmmm, probably not a good example. The NZ cricket team will always be bottom of the heap. What do the beer judges on the HBD think? Could it work???????? Cheers Keith Return to table of contents
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