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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  Auf deutsch bitte! ("Thomas D. Hamann")
  strawberry pale ale ("Karl Valentine")
  Hash/beer vs. distance (Road Frog)
  Food Network Features Homebrewer Eric Hanson ("Fred L. Johnson")
  Maple Syrup pts/lbs/gal ("Brian M Dotlich")
  Re: Rye pils update (Jeff Renner)
  Beer Wars in Montreal (Alex Enkerli)
  Format of Rennerian Coordinates, Airlocks - Are They Necessary? ("Tom Williams")
  fruit juices ("Andrew Moore")
  creamy 1272 krausen (Dan.Stedman)
  keep an eye out for this ("Sean Richens")
  Older Frozen Hop Pellets (William Plotner)
  Keeping Air Out Without An Airlock ("Phil & Jill Yates")
  J-B Weld (Pat Casey)


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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 14:18:02 +0930
From: "Thomas D. Hamann" <tdhamann at senet.com.au>
Subject: Auf deutsch bitte!

At 01:42  24/10/01, Kevin wrote:
>what is the German verb for sparging?

sparging = laeutern (pronounced loitairn)

the spelling is actually with 2 dots on top of the 'a' (Umlaut) and then 
minus the 'e'  .

pfueaeti Gott und allzeit gut Sud

Thomas
Hahndorf
South Australia
(can I use Hans Renner as a start, he only lives 35 kays away?)






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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 17:44:20 +1000
From: "Karl Valentine" <karlv at hawknet.com.au>
Subject: strawberry pale ale


I managed to secure a third place in the  state [new south wales,
Australia]
championships with something i threw together one afternoon. I used
3440g tins of
john west strawberries in a wort consisting of 2 wheat beer kit cans.
The judging
notes [3 of] all said that the balance between beer and fruit was
good...I guess
that gives a guideline for a 22 litre batch.  please excuse the abnormal
units ie
grams and litres but we dont do anything else here.

cheers

KarlV


Tracking #: AFCF87030A83784684E14136733A474C06FBA6A3


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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 04:58:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: Road Frog <road_frog_run at yahoo.com>
Subject: Hash/beer vs. distance

Bjoern.Thegeby at cec.eu.int wrote:
"I have never seen a hasher do anything in a straight 
line, much less so after the beer check. As the soul
of 
hashing is shortcutting the trail, there is even an
in-built bias against straight lines."

Having hashed in many places around the US and Canada
I just want to state a couple of hash thoughts. 
Hashers will go in a straight line if it is up hill or
through thorns!  You can almost always count on that. 
Also what is a the "short"est distance between two
points, a straight line.

On a more personal note, if you are semi-fit, hashing
is a great way to drink beer!

On-On,
Looking for a "beer near" in Middle TN



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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 08:11:40 +0000
From: "Fred L. Johnson" <FLJohnson at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Food Network Features Homebrewer Eric Hanson

I read with delight this morning's newspaper which announced that the Food
Network's show, "Calling All Cooks" will feature our own HBD poster, Eric
Hanson, and his wife, Jennifer, on Sunday at 1:30 PM.  (I have no idea if
this is when the show is broadcast in other areas of the country.)

>From the newspaper description, the show highlights the details of
homebrewing and the use of Eric's beer in Jennifer's cooking.  The show
apparently filmed Eric through the entire homebrewing process!  To quote the
article, "Eric gave an excellent step-by-step guide to homebrewing of the
sort you'll rarely see on telvision."  And, "Eric, a self confessed beer
geek, insisted that the brewing process be faithfully portrayed."

Way to go, Eric!  

Repeats of the show are on Monday, 2:30 AM; Nov. 2, 11 AM; Nov. 10, 1:30 PM.
Jennifer's menu will be available at www.foodtv.com after the broadcast.

(Now if I could only find a friend who has cable.)
- -- 
Fred L. Johnson
Apex, North Carolina
USA



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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 09:00:34 -0400
From: "Brian M Dotlich" <BMDotlich at cs.com>
Subject: Maple Syrup pts/lbs/gal

Brewers,

I brewed up a  batch of pumpkin ale last weekend and I was going to add 2
quarts of maple syrup to the secondary.  Does anyone know the pts/lbs/gal
value of maple syrup?  How much gravity will the syrup add to a 5 gallon
batch?  I have seen that maple syrup has a sp/gr of 1.347 and measures about
67o brix on a refractometer

Brian Dotlich
Centerville OH



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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 10:42:24 -0400
From: Jeff Renner <JeffRenner at mediaone.net>
Subject: Re: Rye pils update

"Joel Halpine" <jhalpine at esu4.org> wrote about his rye pilsner:

>6 lbs British Pale Ale
>2 lbs flaked Rye
>8 oz Crystal (40L)

>Stickiest mash I have ever encountered.  The iodine test didn't
>change color, though there was that little reaction that reminds me of tiny
>explosions--I am having problems getting that British malt to convert
>completely.  Maybe I am not treating my water properly, or maybe I should
>blend in a little American Pale.  I would like any thoughts on that topic.
>I figured two hours mashing is enough, so I sparged patiently without probs.

A few thoughts.  First, British pale ale malt has enough enzymes to 
convert its own starch and a bit more from adjuncts.  You've probably 
exceeded its abilities.  I would suggest US 2-row brewers malt or any 
Pilsner malt as they have plenty of extra enzymes,

>First, let me say I do not like rye.  However, I really like it.

Huh?

>I do not have access to lighter crystal.

Shouldn't be a problem.  Where are you?  Mail order should be a 
possibility.  Carapils, which is like crystal but very low color, 
might be a good malt for this, although I think you could leave 
crystal out entirely.  Rye has lots of body.

>A side question:  Recent topics on the HBD include modified malts.  It seems
>I recently saw something about  Weisseheimer (sp?) pils grain being
>appropriate for brewing without the protein rest.  Many of you seem to have
>access to updated data on modification of malts.  Where do you get that?
>Also, until I manage that, what base grains should I use or avoid with my
>brewing setup.  I have always avoided pils grains, as they seem to require
>protein rests that my current set up doesn't allow.

Check out "Understanding Malt Analysis Sheets -- How to Become Fluent 
in Malt Analysis Interpretation"  by Greg Noonan in Brewing 
Techniques online at 
http://brewingtechniques.com/brewingtechniques/bmg/noonan.html

Modern pils malts can be used in a single step infusion mash with no 
problem.  However, rye could certainly benefit from a lower rest to 
degrade the gums.  Still, I think the higher enzyme levels could only 
be beneficial.

Degree of modification is hard to pin down, but the ration of soluble 
to total protein (S/T Protein), or Kolbach  index, is one place to 
start. It would be in the low to mid 40s for a well modified malt. 
While you are there, check out the diastatic power in degrees Lintner 
(there is also an EBC measurement which is different).  British malts 
are typically ~50-60.  Pils will be near double that.  US 2-row 
higher, 6-row still higher.  (Distillers malt is still higher).

Some maltsters have web sites with their specs. See 
http://www.briess.com/ and http://schreiermalt.com/ for US malts. 
http://www.gwkent.com/durstmalt.html has specs for Durst malts.

Good luck in your next brew.

Jeff
- -- 
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, JeffRenner at mediaone.net
"One never knows, do one?"  Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943


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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 11:55:20 -0500
From: Alex Enkerli <aenkerli at indiana.edu>
Subject: Beer Wars in Montreal

BTW, there was an article in a local indie paper about the wars 
fought by Quebec micros to get their products on the shelves. Do 
micros in other places have the same problem?
Here's the link: http://www.montrealmirror.com/old/2001/oct18/news6.html
- -- 
Alex, in Laval
ARC [888km, 62.5]


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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 12:20:26 -0400
From: "Tom Williams" <williams2353 at hotmail.com>
Subject: Format of Rennerian Coordinates, Airlocks - Are They Necessary?

Brewers,

Is it too late to debate the accepted format of the Rennerian occrdinates?

It seems the more vocal, or faster posters, have settled on [distance, 
azimuth] as the standard.  This causes me some heartburn since it is 
backwards from all other such pairing expressions with which I am familiar.

In marine navigation, relative positions of an object are always expressed 
as [bearing, range].  Likewise, movement is expressed as [course, speed].  I 
believe aviators use the same notations.  Polar coordinates are expressed as 
[direction, distance].  In short, the directional component of the vector 
ALWAYS comes first.  George Fergusson of Whitefield, Maine, a Professional 
Land Surveyor, expressed similar reservations based on his surveying 
experience.

Must we be reversed from the norm?

Beer related material:

Kevin Crouch and Phil Yates have started a discussion about the need for 
airlocks.  I too have experienced many batches which ferment normally in 
spite of no apparent activity in the airlock.  I continue to use one, 
however, for the reason that Kevin brought up - to keep air out of the 
fermenter.

I cannot figure out how strict I should be in my procedures to keep air out. 
  Even with a tightly sealed fermenter, the tasks of racking to secondary 
(when used) and taking gravity samples expose the beer to air.  So, why 
bother with an airlock instead of, say, a tinfoil cover over the carboy?  On 
the other hand, I do get occaisional signals that I should be generally more 
careful about sanitation and oxidation (e.g., some bottles become "more 
carbonated" over time; off flavors in some, but not all, bottles in a 
particular batch; etc.).

Comments?  Advice?

Cheers,
Tom Williams, P.E.
(CAPT, USNR)
Dunwoody, Georgia
N33deg56.5min, W84deg17.3min
182.7 deg. true bearing, 577.2 statute miles from Jeff Renner



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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 13:45:45 -0400
From: "Andrew Moore" <abmjunk at hotmail.com>
Subject: fruit juices

Lynne O'Connor writes:

>Dennis Bekaert mentioned the Belgian raspberry juice. Please note it
>contains sugars so should be added during the secondary to let it
>ferment out before bottling/kegging.

This reminds me that I had heard that one way to get a fruit flavor was to 
add a 750mL bottle of fruit-flavored liqueur at bottling, which apparently 
contains nearly enough sugar to carbonate the batch. By virtue of its 
alcohol content, it is automatically sanitized. I suppose that the extra 
alcohol might be an unwelcome contribution.

The point is, the presence of sugar in the juice could provide sufficient 
priming action by itself.

Anyone had any experience with this?

Andrew Moore
Richmond, Virginia







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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 12:50:58 -0500
From: Dan.Stedman at PILLSBURY.COM
Subject: creamy 1272 krausen



Neal wrote:

>I did an extract Holiday beer a couple weeks ago with assorted spices. It
>fermented violently for two days then settled down but the krausen(?) looked
>kind of creamy unlike the others I have done.. After 7 days I racked to the
>secondary and the yeast kicked in again and has been steadily bubbling for
>three days. Another creamy kind of krausen(?) has developed. It tasted and
>smelled good when I racked to secondary. Is this a sign of contamination or
>what. OG 1085     SG 1040   FG????  Wyeast American Ale II was used.

No problem - this is the only yeast that I have used that will actually leave a
virtual rubber mat of yeast on top of your beer. I like to think of it as a very
effective means of reducing oxidation. Don't be afraid to give your primary a
gentle shake every day for the first 3-4 days of fermentation - this will reduce
the amount of CO2 in solution, and thus give your yeasties a healthier
environment to do their thing. I am confident that this is essentially what
transferring your yeast to secondary has done - roused the yeast and removed
some of the CO2.

Dan in Minnetonka



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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 18:45:20 -0500
From: "Sean Richens" <srichens at sprint.ca>
Subject: keep an eye out for this

Watch out for email with apparently brew-related text containing the
attachment "study.exe".  It sure looks like one of those worm files that are
clever enough to pick text from stuff in your mail files.

And no, DON't send this to everyone you know.  I suspect running the
attachment would do that more efficiently.

Sean Richens
srichens.spamsucks at sprint.ca




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Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 15:17:40 -0600
From: William Plotner <beerbill at juno.com>
Subject: Older Frozen Hop Pellets

Hello Yall,
I have 4 pounds of hop pellets, unopened, in oxygen barrier bags. They
have been in the freezer since I bought them. That was about 2 years ago.
They are: Cascade, Tetttnanger, Willamette, and Hallertauer.

Are these any good? Would you use them?

Thanks for the input.

Bill
Colorado Springs, Colorado


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Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 07:51:55 +1000
From: "Phil & Jill Yates" <yates at acenet.com.au>
Subject: Keeping Air Out Without An Airlock

Kevin Crouch asks the inevitable question:
>Airlocks were concieved not to monitor
>fermentation, but to allow CO2 out,  without letting air in.  As >soon as
>fermentation slows and the positive pressure inside the >fermentor falls,
>how would one keep air out without an airlock?

Kevin
There are two likely answers to this. Firstly, I assume that like myself all
brewers brew in a sealed nitrogen filled room with not so much as even a
window to allow that nasty skunk causing sunlight in. All operations are
performed under a safe light with an O2 mask on to keep the brewer alive.

But the more likely answer is very simple. You don't worry about it. The
fermentation looks after itself and unless you left it sit for months after
the primary was completed, you aren't likely to experience any problems with
air getting to your wort.
People who rack to a secondary (as I once did but must admit these days
rarely - read never- bother) are confronted with the same problem. It just
really isn't a problem.

I have only two uses for plastic airlocks (unlike all those bras I burnt).
They fill a hole on the lid of my fermenting bucket (a hole I once drilled
believing I needed an airlock) and keep bugs out of my wort.
Secondly, my little girl Phoebe has taken to eating malted wheat as she
wanders about the brewery helping Dad make nicey beer (as she calls it). The
airlocks make an excellent dispenser of malted wheat which otherwise she
would spill all over the floor.

Sorry, one other use. When making up liquid yeast starters I always use an
airlock in a rubber bung on top of the flask. Why?
Good question. Maybe I just haven't got myself passed that hurdle in my
quest for liberation.
Come to think of it, I still wear Jill's underwear from time to time too.
Maybe I've got further to go than I thought!!

Cheers
Phil







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Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 11:25:13 +1000
From: Pat Casey <patcasey at iprimus.com.au>
Subject: J-B Weld

How does J-B Weld go bonding stainless to stainless, and stainless to
copper? Is it food safe? I am planning to use it in a mash tun and a
counter-flow chiller.

Thanks
Pat



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