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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  RE: keg pressures (Mike Lemons)
  wort aerating pump (Pat Casey)
  Malt vinegar ("Gene")
  Heather Ale ("Timmy R")
  Saffron in beer ("David Houseman")
  Re: Corn flour for CAP? (Jeff Renner)
  corn flour in CAP (Marc Sedam)
  Turkey fryer gift for wife ("Donald D. Lake")
  Scotch Ale Malt (SDOOMAHA)
  Thomas Hardy quote ("Mark Tumarkin")
  Wort Heaters & Yeast Starters ("Hedglin, Nils A")
  Re: Brew shop help (DC/VA/MD) (Calvin Perilloux)
  Turkey frying?/Cask-conditioning foam trouble (RiedelD)
  Brew Shop Help ("Mark Hogenmiller")
  Re: Corn flour for CAP? (blutick)
  Apparent Rennerian, Corn flour for CAP? (Bill Tobler)


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Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2001 20:31:39 -0800
From: Mike Lemons <ndcent at hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: keg pressures

Brian "double-arggh" Lundeen writes:

>Aaargh, I just don't get this kegging stuff. Carbonation pressures, serving
>pressures, turning up, turning down, balancing line pressures, ... I repeat,
>aaargghhh!

I spent a week trying to serve a wheat beer with pressure > 25 psi.  
Nothing worked.  Lots of nice people wrote me and told me to bleed the
pressure off and it would work, but no, I wanted a "steady state"
solution.

I finally gave up and bled the pressure off.  Guess what.  It worked
like a charm.  I discovered that it takes a very LONG time after
bleeding off the pressure before it affects the carbonation of your
beer.


Steve Bruns:

Please read the mini keg safety warning. (Page 32 in the Fall William's
catalog)  It states that the mini kegs cannot withstand more than 10 PSI.
It is the thin metal used to make the keg that prevents force carbonation,
not the type of pressure regulator used.

Mike Lemons
Carlsbad, CA


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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 15:37:09 +1100
From: Pat Casey <patcasey at iprimus.com.au>
Subject: wort aerating pump

I want to use an aquarium air pump to aerate worts. The idea is to
bubble the air through a jar of hydrogen peroxide and then into the
wort. Typical starting gravities are around 1045. What sort of pump
pressure is needed to achieve this? The biggest pump at the local
aquarium shop is 9 watts with a pressure of .12kg/sq cm or about 11.75
kPa. As well, I would welcome any advice about tube diameters and other
considerations.

thanks
Pat



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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 00:03:54 -0600
From: "Gene" <gcollins at geotec.net>
Subject: Malt vinegar

I sat in the fish place today enjoying my lunch when it struck me that the
amber liquid on the table was called "malt" vinegar. Is this stuff made from
malted barley and does anyone know how it's made? Is it really oxidated,
unhopped beer? I know, just a weird curosity.

Gene Collins
Broken Arrow, OK



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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 06:34:45 -0500
From: "Timmy R" <par8head at earthlink.net>
Subject: Heather Ale

<snip>

"Thanks for the tip (no pun intended).  As for an ale recipe... read on:
http://www.heatherale.co.uk/html/fraoch/recipe.html"

RJ,

I particularly enjoyed the use of animal fat.  :)


Slainte!

Timmy
par8head at earthlink.net
AIM: par8head5




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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 08:05:38 -0500
From: "David Houseman" <housemanfam at earthlink.net>
Subject: Saffron in beer

Jeff Greenly asks about the use of saffron in beer, and coincidentally has
some honey.  Well if he can get hold of a bottle (750cl) of Dog Fish Head's
Midas' Touch, that will give him a good place to start.  Midas' Touch is a
reproduction of an ancient drink derived from samples found in a Turkish (I
believe) archeological dig.  It is barley malt, honey, Muscat grapes and
saffron.  Perhaps some hops -- to at least be called beer by the BATF.  A
marvelous drink.  One doesn't really taste saffron, IMHO, but you can tell
something is different.  Then again that's the only beer with Muscat grapes
I've had either...

Dave Houseman
SE PA




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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 09:15:24 -0500
From: Jeff Renner <JeffRenner at mediaone.net>
Subject: Re: Corn flour for CAP?

"Drew Avis" <andrew_avis at hotmail.com> writes from Merrickville, Ontario:

>1) I have a large bag of corn flour (for making tortillias).  Has anyone
>used corn flour instead of grits or flakes to make a CAP before?  Is it as
>"corny" as polenta?  How would you handle flour?  I was thinking of doing a
>cereal mash with 2 lb flour + 4 lbs pale malt, and adding to the main mash
>for a step from 140F to 158(ish) (for a 22 lb mash).

I assume by corn flour for tortillas you mean masa harina.  This is 
made from corn that has been first soaked in lye to remove the outer 
hard flinty layer and the germ, leaving the endosperm.  This is 
essentially the method used for making hominy as well.  Native 
Americans and European settlers used lye (mostly potassium hydroxide, 
actually) made from soaking ashes.

Anyway, this process imparts a flavor that is wonderful in fresh 
tortillas, but I suspect would carry over inappropriately into the 
beer.  I think someone may actually have done this and reported the 
problem I suspect, but I can't remember.

Anyway, for a buck, I'd get corn meal or polenta and leave the masa 
for tortillas.  BTW, if the only corn tortillas you've ever had (not 
you, Drew) are those wretched soft cardboardy things sold in grocery 
stores, you owe it to yourself to make the real thing.  They are 
great - tender, moist and flavorful.  I always make up a couple dozen 
for Spencer's Cinco de Mayo party every year to go with his smoked 
brisket, and they are gone in minutes.

>2) Any thoughts on using Saflager-S23 as the yeast for this style?

Is that W-34/50?  If so, it ought to work fine.

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: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 09:47:09 -0500
From: Marc Sedam <marc_sedam at unc.edu>
Subject: corn flour in CAP

Hey Drew!

I don't think you'll have any problem with the corn flour.
Your amounts look good and you'll only have to worry about
dispersing the flour well.  I'd disperse the flour in water
first, heat to the proper temp, THEN add the grain.  You
certainly shouldn't have any problems with a stuck sparge as
I'm sure most of the flour will be enzymatically digested.

The last CAP I made used the Saflager S-23 lager yeast.  My
only suggestion would be to ferment it reasonably cool (50F)
to prevent any esters.  The yeast isn't very flocculent
either, so prolonged aging or fining would help.

Cheers!
Marc

- --

Marc Sedam
Chapel Hill, NC



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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 10:03:41 -0500
From: "Donald D. Lake" <dlake at gdi.net>
Subject: Turkey fryer gift for wife

Jeff Greenly wrote:
>But SWMBO says no beer brewing with HER turkey fryer,
>so I'll have to go get one for myself. <sigh>

Jeff, you haven't been married for long, have you?  The idea is to give
your wife the turkey fryer and earn marital "points" for the thoughtful
gift.  Now you can "borrow" her new canjun cooker to brew with.

Forget that inferior aluminum pot.  Go out and buy yourself a decent 15
gallon stainless pot.  Hey, you earned it with those "points" you
accumulated with that lovely gift to your wife.

Don Lake
Orlando, FL

PS  For you romantically-challenged guys out there, you really don't
earn many points with a gift like that.  In fact, before you go buy that
stainless pot, you might want to take her out for an evening to a place
"she" wants to go and bank some more points.



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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 11:53:12 EST
From: SDOOMAHA at aol.com
Subject: Scotch Ale Malt

Last spring i made a strong scotch ale slightly tweaked from ahmal turczyn's
traquair clone.  it is superb now that its 8 months old and i think another
batch should be made soon. the problem is my base grain was 12 lbs. of 3
lovibond scottish malt on a close out from williams brewing and is no longer
available.  what can i substitute and come close to the profile.  i have
supplies of schrier  2 row and st pats well modified moravian. my lhbs stocks
an english pale ale malt which i think is muntons, and i believe a marris
otter. any suggestions which way to go? 



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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 11:05:01 -0500
From: "Mark Tumarkin" <mark_t at ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Thomas Hardy quote

Hey y'all,

I was wondering if someone could help me out with a quote from one of Thomas
Hardy's novels? It is a description (of a few sentences or a paragraph) of the
ale of the Dorset area. Supposedly it was used as part of the target in
brewing Thomas Hardy Ale. I'd really appreciate it if anyone could send it to
me.

And has anyone heard anything recently about the fate of Thomas Hardy Ale?
Have any other breweries shown interest in taking over this brewing treasure?
It'd sure be a shame to lose it, though tragedy isn't the term to use (in
light of recent events).

thanks,

Mark Tumarkin
Gainesville, FL



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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 09:44:36 -0800
From: "Hedglin, Nils A" <nils.a.hedglin at intel.com>
Subject: Wort Heaters & Yeast Starters

Hi,
  Now that it's getting (relatively) cold here in California, I'm having
problems keeping my fermenting wort warm enough to fall in the yeast's
temperature range.  I remember hearing that some sort of heating box can be
constructed using a light bulb for heat.  Does someone know of some online
plans for something like this?  I'd prefer something extremely simple since
it took me 3 trips to Home Despot just to make a wort chiller.

  Also, how long is a yeast starter good after it stops fermenting?  I have
a started that I was planning on using this weekend, but because of a power
outage, I was unable to brew.  Now I have it sitting around & wonder if I
should still plan to use it?

Thanks,
Nils Hedglin
Sacramento, CA


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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 14:26:49 -0800 (PST)
From: Calvin Perilloux <calvinperilloux at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Brew shop help (DC/VA/MD)

> Does anyone know of a brew shop in the Wash DC, Alexandria, or 
Annapolis area?

There's a good brew shop here in Frederick, Maryland, just up 
I-270 from Washington DC.  It's got a decent selection of grains,
yeast, hops.  He doesn't list White Labs yeast on his website,
but he's got that.  And there's a great selection of gadgets
and parts for kegging, etc.   It's a Brew-on-Premises, but if
you're just passing through, I doubt you'd be interested in that...
unless you'd to just brew it up and kindly let us handle it at
our next club meeting.  (grin)

Flying Barrel
103 S. Carrol Street 
Frederick
301-663-4491
http://www.flyingbarrel.com

(I have no financial interest in the shop - it's just my local.)

Calvin Perilloux
Middletown, Maryland, USA




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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 19:14:39 -0500
From: RiedelD at pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Subject: Turkey frying?/Cask-conditioning foam trouble

Well,

Can't really stand it anymore... pardon my igonorance, but this whole turkey
frying thing... do you mean you dunk a whole turkey in hot oil and deep-fry
it?  Yikes! How common a meal is this?  Is it a Thanksgiving only type-
thing?  How long does it take to cook?

Sorry to ask, but I'm totally unfamiliar with this idea (I'm guessing most
of the other Canadians, Aussies and Brits are too).

- --------------------------------
On the beer side...

I have a Golden Gate cask (7.75 US Gal) that I've made two batches of 
beer in.  Both times, despite using a fairly small amount of priming
sugar (calculated based on volume, ambient beer temperature and
desired carbonation level with Draper's Priming Page), I've had the
beer despense at high rate for most of the keg - so forcefully that I've
not had to crack the air inlet to allow the flow to resume.  That is, it
all fires out under pressure.  Any ideas why?  My best guess is that
it has something to do with airspace at the top of the keg (I haven't
had the keg totally filled, yet).

Any thoughts welcome,
Dave Riedel
Victoria, Can.


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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 19:55:14 -0800
From: "Mark Hogenmiller" <hogenmiller at yahoo.com>
Subject: Brew Shop Help

> Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2001 09:51:53 -0500
> From: "redbeard47.ny" <redbeard47.ny at netzero.net>
> Subject: Brew shop help
>
> Out of lurk mode:
>          Does anyone know of a brew shop in the Wash DC, Alexandria,
or
> Annapolis area? Going to be visiting and might as well pick up some
> supplies and save the shipping if possible. Also worried about
ordering
> carboys via mail. Bob

If in Annapolis try Annapolis Home Brew
53 West McKinsey Road
Severna Park, MD  21146
http://www.annapolishomebrew.com/

Jesse and Brooks run a nice little shop and always have been helpful.  A
very satisfied customer.

Mark Hogenmiller
Burke, VA




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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 19:05:29 -0600
From: blutick at juno.com
Subject: Re: Corn flour for CAP?

Drew wrote:

>1) I have a large bag of corn flour (for making tortillias).  Has anyone
>used corn flour instead of grits or flakes to make a CAP before?  Is it
>as "corny" as polenta?  How would you handle flour?  I was thinking of
>doing a cereal mash with 2 lb flour + 4 lbs pale malt, and adding to the
main
>mash for a step from 140F to 158(ish) (for a 22 lb mash).

Masa harina? Cool idea. I use it to "tighten up" my chili but never
thought of using it in a CAP. Here's a hint to keep it from making dough
balls when you add it to the mash: Stir a bit of cool water into the masa
to make a to make a smooth paste and add this slurry to the cereal mash.

Masa has a unique flavor, very corny but not at all like regular corn
meal, grits, or polenta. It is actually made from hominy, but hominy is
just corn that has had the bran layer removed by soaking in a lye bath.
Let us know how it turns out. 

Jim Layton
Howe, TX


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Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 21:55:56 -0600
From: Bill Tobler <WCTobler at brazoria.net>
Subject: Apparent Rennerian, Corn flour for CAP?

Ok, so I looked up my coordinates, and am not "Directly South" of the Center
of the Brewing Universe.  Kinda South-southwest.  My question is why is the
bearing from point 0,0 to me?  I would think that it would be my goal
someday to reach point 0,0 myself.  (Jeff, I hope you have a well stocked
bar.)

Drew asked about using corn flour instead of corn grits/Polenta.  I'm sure
Jeff will answer that one for you, but my first impression would be that
flour and water make paste.  Your mash would probably get stuck big time.
Maybe some rice hulls and extra malt would get it through.  Just my opinion.

Bill Tobler
Lake Jackson, TX.
(1129.7, 219.9) Apparent Rennerian 



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