HOMEBREW Digest #3810 Tue 11 December 2001


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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  Re Lager Yeast + Mead (Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative)
  Peppermint Mead (Ant Hayes)
  Destin, FL ("Timmy R")
  Changes coming to the HBD... (Pat Babcock)
  Subject: bottle testing ("Charlie Walker")
  re: peppermint mead ("Paul Kensler")
  Bottle Testing (nlkanous)
  Beginner kits ("Andrew Moore")
  RE: buck ("Joseph Marsh")
  A must try this holiday season.... ("Berggren, Stefan")
  Copper soup ("Alexandre Carminati")
  Pils Nomenclature ("Michael A Nemier")
  Weihenstephaner Clone? (Nathan Dooley)
  RE: Which beginner kit? ("Thrash Librarian")
  "Buck" (jmcdonald)
  pump recalculation and grants ("Spinelli, Mike")
  Teflon washer alternative... (William & Kazuko Macher)
  ProMash Water Recipe ("Vernon, Mark")
  RE: Removal of Rubber 'Feet' from Corny Kegs (John Wilkinson)
  Re: bottle testing (Brett Hetherington)
  Mead questions (Crossno Clan)

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---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 16:17:56 +1100 (EST) From: Scott Morgan - Sun On-Line Telesales Representative <Scott.Morgan at Sun.COM> Subject: Re Lager Yeast + Mead Darrell, G'day from another wonderful Summers Day in Sydney. With much sadness I have just finished my last mead made with Lager Yeast (I took out the State Comp with one and if I had not drunk it all the Nationals maybe) I had until 12 months ago used Champagne yeast and was always unhappy with the Dry-as-a-bone finish. Whilst i love Champagne, I was looking for a liquer type finish. After a batch of both Steam Beer and German Lager (White Labs) i added the next 2 meads ontop of the racks yeast. Both were far less attenuated, more complex and sweet. So from there on in i have only used lager yeast + nutrients to ferment. Funnily enough the last batch was bottled still but after 3 months was slightly sparkling and nowhere as dry as my previous sparklings. Now not to take away from Pat and this digest - he knows I love him to death like many Australians do - but there is the Mead Lovers Digest which has some really great stuff on there about Mead. I'll send to you. Good on you for making mead, those beer only snobs dont know what they are missing out on! Scotty Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:27:19 +0200 From: Ant Hayes <Ant.Hayes at FifthQuadrant.co.za> Subject: Peppermint Mead David Craft wrote: >Has anyone ever tried using peppermint sticks or peppermint extract in Mead? >Sounds festive, doesn't it? My wife said sounded sick! I made a mint flavoured mead once. Unfortunately, toothpaste manufacturers have cornered the market for sweet minty flavours. My friends dubbed my brew "Mounthwash Methaglyn" Ant Hayes Johannesburg Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 07:00:06 -0500 From: "Timmy R" <par8head at earthlink.net> Subject: Destin, FL Esther King writes: >We will be in the Panama City/Destin area of the FL panhandle from 12/26 >to 1/1and are interested in checking out all of the brewpubs within a >reasonable area, Been there a few times. Make sure you do not miss McGuire's Irish Pub.....and kiss the moose for good luck. Cheers . . Timmy par8head at earthlink.net AIM: par8head5 Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:22:43 -0500 (EST) From: Pat Babcock <pbabcock at hbd.org> Subject: Changes coming to the HBD... Greetings, Beerlings! Take me to your lager... There are ome upgrades/changes coming to the HBD - some by choice, some by happenstance. First, our ISP was swept up in the great shrinkage of the internet, and has gone bankrupt. Another ISP has purchased our (and others') contract and will (and has been) maintain connectivity. So far, so good. THey are trying to preserve the original IPS, but there may be connectivity issues during the transition. And, since our contract with the prior ISP had expired, there'll likely be a renegotiate on the monthly fee. Second, I will be working on the mail transport to upgrade it/update it in order to (finally) incorporate filtering for email viruses et al. THere may be some stutters and hiccups as I work this out, so bear with me! Finally, we will also be swapping boxes and configurations in order to update the operating system and technology behind the Digest. Barring any schedule snafus, the last two portions will complete over the holidays. I have no control over the ISP thing, and will report back on that once we are all set. For more info, or if the Digest seems to disappear, please visit the HBD website at http://hbd.org. I'll do my best to keep the Site News up to date. - -- - God bless America! Pat Babcock in SE Michigan pbabcock at hbd.org Home Brew Digest Janitor janitor@hbd.org HBD Web Site http://hbd.org The Home Brew Page http://hbd.org/pbabcock [18, 92.1] Rennerian "The monster's back, isn't it?" - Kim Babcock after I emerged from my yeast lab Saturday Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 07:39:26 -0600 From: "Charlie Walker" <charlybill at prodigy.net> Subject: Subject: bottle testing >Subject: bottle testing I've got a few 16oz swing lids that have over time consistently failed to carbonate (bottle condition) even after replacing gaskets. Can anyone recommend a easy method of testing these? I was thinking of taking a spare corny keg, put a gallon or so of water in it, pressurize it then counter pressure fill the bottles. Problem is the only was to detect a moderate leak is soap and water. Unless someone can think of something a bit better?< Add some food coloring to the water, well carbonated, counter pressure fill the bottles as you describe then submerge the bottles in clear water and watch for bubbles, colored water leaking from the bottles. If the water is well chilled when you fill the bottles and warms as you do your check, it should show leaks if the pressure inside the bottle is greater than outside. hope this helps, Charlie Walker Lancaster, Texas Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:16:09 -0500 From: "Paul Kensler" <pkensler at home.com> Subject: re: peppermint mead David, I can't offer much but I can relate my single experience with a mint mead... it was at a competition, and everyone who tasted it agreed that it was foul and unwholesome. The mead was a dark emerald green color and tasted like you were drinking Scope. No doubt, the meadmaker used some sort of syrup or artificial flavoring - perhaps even some creme de menthe schnapps or other liqueur. There were some of us that strongly felt that he may have simply dumped a tablespoon of honey into 12 oz. of Robitussin and bottled it, but that is neither here nor there... The one positive thing we could say about it, was that (assuming you could choke it down) you could get drunk on it and still have amazingly fresh breath. I guess the point of this is, be careful with the mint! I'd say you'd have a better chance by using a small amount of real mint - perhaps a split batch of half gallon fermenters, each using a different amount of mint to see how it turns out without tainting a whole 5 gallon batch? Paul Kensler Gaithersburg, MD Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:19:50 -0500 From: nlkanous at netscape.net Subject: Bottle Testing In my experience, StarSan will foam to beat the band. Maybe just a touch of that around the seal? nathan in madison, wi - -- Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 10:01:32 -0500 From: "Andrew Moore" <abmjunk at hotmail.com> Subject: Beginner kits Tray wrote: "Making the Christmas list and of course you know what's at the top! What do you recommend for a good beginners kit? Northern brewer seems to have a good kit. I was thinking of getting one with a glass carboy as the secondary fermenter? Suggestions? Recommendations? Hints?" Andrew replies: As a beginner, I have yet to progress very far beyond the "beginner kit," and cannot comment with much authority on comparisons between various kits. However, I can make a few general comments based on my experience. 1. I did a lot of reading prior to purchase, including Lutzen & Stevens "Brew Ware" to get ideas on what was important. My first conclusion was that all of the kits I saw had adequate equipment for brewing and the variations between kits were more or less minor. My final decision for purchase was based on a "buy local" philosophy; my local brew shop (Weekend Brewer, Chester, VA, no affiliation, etc.) had a kit that was competitively priced and had most, if not all, of the items I had concluded essential. 2. As for the glass vs. plastic secondary, I would suggest that for a beginner, a plastic secondary is adequate. My kit came with a 6.5 gal. primary bucket and a 5.0 gal secondary/bottling bucket, both of which are equipped with spigots. (This eliminates any need for siphoning). My brewing sequence is: 6.5 gal for primary, rack to 5.0 gal for secondary, rack back to 6.5 gal for bottling. Works for me. I have heard enough about the dangers and inconveniences of glass carboys to delay using them and I have been perfectly happy with the results of plastic. (Bear in mind that none of my secondary fermentations have been longer that two weeks; longer periods may exceed the limits of plastic's performance). 3. I did upgrade a couple of items from the standard kit: I swapped the hand capper for a bench capper and I added a bottle tree. I think that the convenience of the bench-top capper justifies the extra cost and, in retrospect, I might go a little further and but a self-adjusting model, if I had to do it over again. The bottle tree is VERY convenient for handling bottles and well worth the cost, in my opinion. Also, the basic kit did not have a bottle brush, which is necessary if you are recycling bottles that were not rinsed thoroughly. You will also need a kettle, which you may have already. I was able to buy a 20 qt. stainless steel kettle at a chain store called Home Style for $8. That's pretty cheap for a pretty big pot. Since then, the only significant piece of equipment I have added, other than an outdoor burner, is a immersion chiller, which I made myself and find extremely useful. I hope this helps. Best wishes. Andrew Moore Richmond, Virginia Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 10:09:04 -0500 From: "Joseph Marsh" <josephmarsh62 at hotmail.com> Subject: RE: buck This sounds a lot like bildge wine to me. Way back when I was on submarines ,trees were green the sky was blue and dinosaurs roamed the earth, an "A ganger" told me how they made it with a can of grape juice and a pinch of bread yeast. Missed the orginal post. Joe Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:12:40 -0600 From: "Berggren, Stefan" <stefan_berggren at trekbike.com> Subject: A must try this holiday season.... A just wanted to wish seasons greetings to the post and its readers.... Also to let everyone know that if you can find a bottle of Fullers 1999 Vintage Ale, do so.. Run don't walk as this is one holiday barley wine to be remembered. I am still smiling over this one, and would recommend it to the masses...... Stefan stefan_berggren at trekbike.com Of doctors and medicines we have in plenty more than enough...what you may, for the Love of God, send is some large quantity of beer. -- Dispatch from the Colony, New South Wales, 1854 Return to table of contents
Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 00:02:27 +0800 From: "Alexandre Carminati" <carminat at email.com> Subject: Copper soup I've seen my cooler (cooper coil), being be "cleaned" every time I soak it my boiling wort (last 3 minutes). I use to make extract beers and probably this is a normal reaction caused by the wort acidity but I'm a bit worried if this could contaminate my beer with such copper oxid which disappears from the coil. Any tips welcome ... Alexandre (in Brazil) - -- Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 11:06:43 -0500 From: "Michael A Nemier" <Michael.Nemier at ipaper.com> Subject: Pils Nomenclature Dave Howell asked: "A question for the German Lager lovers out there: What does the 'CD' in 'CD Pils' mean?" Simply enough, "CD" stands for "Carl Dinkelacker", the founder and namesake of the brewery which produces the product of interest. I was just there a couple of weeks ago. Decent enough pils, I suppose. Michael A. Nemier - Bloatarian Brewing League (Cincinnati) Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:25:44 -0800 (PST) From: Nathan Dooley <ntdooley at excite.com> Subject: Weihenstephaner Clone? Hi all- Does anyone have a recipe for a clone of the Weihenstephaner Original Lager? I've done a fair amount of searching and haven't been able to come up with one. Thanks a lot- Nathan Dooley Austin, Texas (a long way from Jeff Renner geographically, and even further in homebrewing experience) Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 13:38:26 -0500 From: "Thrash Librarian" <thrashlibrarian at hotmail.com> Subject: RE: Which beginner kit? I'm new to homebrewing, and I purchased my kit from Northern Brewer. The only thing that I wish would have been included was a thermometer of some type, so I went out and bought that. The kit does come with some instructions (probably enough to get you through your first batch), but a good homebrew book might also be in order. I actually bought the all glass kit, but I'm sure the plastic/glass kit is comperable. They were very fast with the delivery, and the website has a great forum that has been helpful with various questions I've had. I'm completely satisfied. Mike - ----------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2001 22:18:36 -0600 From: "Tray Bourgoyne" <tray at mm2k.net> Subject: Which beginner kit? Making the Christmas list and of course you know what's at the top! What do you recommend for a good beginners kit? Northern brewer seems to have a good kit. I was thinking of getting one with a glass carboy as the secondary fermenter? Suggestions? Recommendations? Hints? Thanks, Tray Bourgoyne Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 11:22:56 -0800 From: jmcdonald at library.caltech.edu Subject: "Buck" Wouldn't something like this be similar to that Hooch or Hard Lemonade stuff that women like to drink? It might be interesting to see how close you can come to cloning that stuff - and not too expensive to toss out if it tastes as bad as Mike says (and I would imagine it does). Does anyone have a Hooch clone recipe already perfected? John >From: Brewmiker at aol.com >Subject: "Buck" > >Dwight, >After 18 years of working in prisons in Michigan, I can echo Mr Thompson's >info in that the brew is made from whatever they can steal. Usually canned >fruit, fruit juice,etc. > >Mike Mullins, in Michigan's Thumb Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 15:28:14 -0500 From: "Spinelli, Mike" <paa3983 at dscp.dla.mil> Subject: pump recalculation and grants HBDers, Thanks to all those responding to my Qs. Some felt the grant isn't necessary and others felt it's the best way to go. Since my original post, I went ahead and purchased a food grade poly-plastic 1 gallon container that will be my grant. I'll let y'all know how it works out. Mike Cherry Hill NJ Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 15:50:46 -0500 From: William & Kazuko Macher <macher at telerama.lm.com> Subject: Teflon washer alternative... Hi everyone... I think I may have posted this in the past...but there is a very simple alternative to searching out teflon washers for home-made bulkhead fittings. Simply take some of the standard teflon tape that is available everywhere, and twist it between your fingers to make a thread out of it. Well, string would be a better descriptive term. It does become thicker than a thread. Wrap several turns of this teflon string around both sides of the nipple that passes through the keg wall, then tighten the couplings that thread onto each end of the nipple. The teflon string will flatten and become that teflon washer that can be so elusive for us home brewers to find. I used this method in my RevRims system and never had even one drop leak from any of my home-made bulkhead fittings. Simple, reliable, easy...cheap! Absolutely reliable over the couple years I have been brewing on my system, which employs four of these home-made bulkhead fitting with home-brewed teflon string instead of washers. Hope this helps someone out there.... Bill Macher Pittsburgh, PA USA Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 15:40:51 -0600 From: "Vernon, Mark" <mark.vernon at pioneer.com> Subject: ProMash Water Recipe I am now the proud owner of a water distiller (I love ebay). I plan on starting to "Build" my brewing water using ProMash to formulate recipes for the ideal water profile of the beer I am brewing. Rather than spend hours clicking away trying to find just the right combination of ingredients for each water type I thought "I bet someone on the HBD has already done this". So if you have done this and would be willing to share your Water Recopies I would greatly appreciate it. I am looking for recipes that use Distilled water as the starting point to replicate the famous waters of the world. I will also compile these and offer them out to everyone else once I have them collected...if there is an interest in that. Mark Vernon, MCSE, MCT Sr. Network Engineer Global Infrastructure Pioneer, A DuPont Company EMail:Mark.Vernon at Pioneer.com The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it. - -- Chinese proverb Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 18:34:50 -0600 From: John Wilkinson <jwilkinson at goquest.com> Subject: RE: Removal of Rubber 'Feet' from Corny Kegs H. Dowda wrote: >I want to remove the rubber/plastic bottom from a >corny. Before I try to reinvent the wheel, any >comments from people who have actually done it >successfully. Thanks. E-mail fine. I have the opposite problem. I have a keg which has the bottom off. What is a good glue to use to reattach it? The top is loose, too, but still attached. I need to glue both ends back to the keg. I am curious, though, why anyone would want to remove the bottom? Mine won't stand up without it. John Wilkinson Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 20:36:56 -0700 From: Brett Hetherington <Bretth at idcomm.com> Subject: Re: bottle testing Steven St.Laurent wrote in costernation... "I've got a few 16oz swing lids that have over time consistently failed to carbonate (bottle condition) even after replacing gaskets. Can anyone recommend a easy method of testing these?..." To test the pressure-worthiness of a swing top bottle, I would recommend the following: Add 1/4 tsp of baking soda to your bottle. Add a teaspoon of vinegar and close the bottle immediately. Submerge the bottle in a bucket of water and watch for bubbles. Some caveats, if my recommended amounts of baking soda and vinegar are excessive, you may see leakage at some point. Or the bottles might blow up on you. be sure to soak the bottles in bleach and rinse thoroughly after testing to avoid acetobacter infection from the vingar. The whole idea is that baking soda and vinegar give off carbon dioxide, thus causing positive pressure in your bottles. -Brett Return to table of contents
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 21:36:44 -0600 From: Crossno Clan <crossno at tnns.net> Subject: Mead questions Can you pitch a second batch of mead on the yeast cake from the previous batch? Or is the yeast just to tired and lacking essential vitamins and stuff? If the honey you have is dark and not great what is the best way to adjust? Fruit? herbs? ??? On-On Glyn Estill Springs, TN Return to table of contents
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