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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  RE: Boiling tap water ("Parker Dutro")
  hops (Jeremy Bergsman)
  Re: Conicals ("Larry Bristol")
  Conical Fermenters ("Bill Frazier")
  Fosters Lager And Vegemite ("Phil Yates")
  Pediccocus Bacteria ("David Craft")
  Yeast Starter ("Scott & Lisa")


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Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 00:35:50 -0800
From: "Parker Dutro" <ezekiel128 at edwardwadsworth.com>
Subject: RE: Boiling tap water

Arnaud wrote:
>I would like to know if there is a way to calculate the new amounts of
>salts (especially calcium and bicarbonates) resulting of a one-hour boil
>of my tap water.
>Also, when I add gypsum or Epsom salts or CaCl3, is it better to add
>them before or after the boil (in order to lower the pH) ?

Actually, I believe to effectively use gypsum, it should be added to cool
water.  So either you need to cool your pre-boiled water and then add the
gypsum, or you need to add it before you boil it at all.  But I may be
wrong, it happens a lot.
PArker



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Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 09:18:22 -0500
From: Jeremy Bergsman <jeremy at bergsman.org>
Subject: hops

I grew hops for a few years.  I tried different areas around my yard.  While
I can't say I ever had a good crop, the best crop I ever had was under my
black walnut tree.
- -- 
Jeremy Bergsman
jeremy at bergsman.org
http://bergsman.org/jeremy


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Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 08:45:57 -0600
From: "Larry Bristol" <Larry at DoubleLuck.com>
Subject: Re: Conicals

On Sat, 23 Mar 2002 00:12:40 -0500, Bill Wible <bill at brewbyyou.net>
wrote:

>The big question remaining that nobody answered is whether you
>can bottle (or keg) directly from a conical, and how difficult
>that is, or what the procedure is.

I am most happy to say that I have no first hand knowledge of bottling
directly from a conical!  Assuming I was going to add priming sugar
before bottling, however, I find it hard to imagine that this would
work without stirring up the sediment in the conical.  When I used to
bottle my beer (long before I had a conical), I would transfer (syphon)
the beer from the fermenter into a holding vessel for bottling.  I
think I would do it the same way if I were to bottle from a conical
fermenter.

I do have first hand experience going directly from the conical to a
keg.  In fact, this is my standard procedure.  The side port valve on
my conical has a curved tube inside the fermenter that can be rotated
so that it rests just over the yeast, allowing (generally) clear beer
to be drawn.  (It is as good as a syphon, anyway.)  Apparently, this
feature is not standard on all commercially available conicals.  I
would remark to anyone looking at buying one of these check for this
feature, as it is really handy!  Another handy feature of mine is that
the stand in which the conical sits places the side port drain at the
perfect height for draining into a keg; I recommend putting some
(sanitized) plastic tubing on the drain stem and running into the
bottom of the keg to minimize oxidation.

What little sediment gets picked up settles into the bottom of the keg
during conditioning.  Since I do not filter my beer, that is all there
is to it.  If I wanted to filter, I would still move the beer from the
conical to a keg as above, and then use CO2 to transfer the beer from
keg 1 into keg 2 via the filter.  I think this is the way it is
normally done, but again, I have no first hand experience with
filtering.

>Thanks, Wayne, for that link to the cheap stainless tanks, I will
>look into that.  And thanks to the guys who wrote about the cream
>seperators. I will look at those as well.

I looked at those websites and was very impressed!  It looks to me like
these are the base parts used in the making of the conical I bought. 
While I am sure someone could fabricate a conical for themselves for
less than I paid for main (http://www.morebeer.com - yabadabado), I
would caution that you are NOT going to get a ready to use s/s conical
fermenter for $87!  You would need some holes cut and some valves
added, and s/s is not the easiest material with which to work.  From
what I read, however, that company will do some/a lot/all of that for
you, but I did not see price information on that aspect.  If someone
gives this a try, I surely would like to hear the story!

>This whole thing actually began as a discussion of 10 gallon
>cornies.  See what happens?

So, stop trolling, Bill!  :-)




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Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 11:06:49 -0600
From: "Bill Frazier" <billfrazier at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Conical Fermenters

I don't use a conical (just plain old carboys) but there seems to be quite a
lot of interest lately.  I was looking for some pump info recently and
checked out a company that built some spraying equipment I use in my
vineyard.  If you're interested in alternate sources for conicals look up
<www.westheffer.com>.  Go to Agricultural Division, Chemical Handling
Equipment, Inductors.  This should be conical heaven.  They even have larger
equipment available.  I didn't look into cost but the tanks sure looked
nice.  BTW, Westheffer is in Lawrence, Kansas (Home of the Jayhawks).

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas



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Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 09:19:09 +1100
From: "Phil Yates" <yates at acenet.com.au>
Subject: Fosters Lager And Vegemite

At least one American has challenged my authenticity as an Aussie because of
comments I made about Vegemite. It would not be fair to provide details of
this individual other than to mention that his name is Bob Sheck.

Bob says a true Aussie would not refer to the aroma (aroma???) of Vegemite
as a "stench".

Bob, I'm going to let you and all HBDers into a national secret. Real
Aussies do not eat vegemite any more than they drink Fosters Lager.

It is likely that the Foster brothers (who, by the way were New Yorkers)
were responsible for the first production of vegemite. After producing their
shocking lager in 1888, they were promptly sent home in disgrace. The
remains of their badly autolysised yeast was later discovered at the bottom
of their disgarded vats. Vegemite (aboriginal name for "black stinking
grease") was born.

Early explorers found it particularly useful. Smeared all over the body, one
could safely roam the swamps of Northern Australia without fear of crocodile
attack. These explorations were promptly stopped when Graham Sanders was
discovered habitating the area. Further exploration of the area was deemed
worthless. Sadly, in their haste to flee, a computer and a dollop of
vegemite were left behind. Even more sadly, Graham has worked out how to use
the computer and from the sample of his brew he sent me, he's taken to
adding a dollop of vegemite in everything he makes.

I have to be honest here in admitting that I do use vegemite. It is ideal
for greasing up the ball joints on my ride on mower.

But let me say it again Bob,
Real Aussies do not drink Fosters Lager.
Real Aussies do not eat vegemite.

They eat Promite!!

Cheers
Phil



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Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 11:11:39 -0500
From: "David Craft" <chsyhkr at bellsouth.net>
Subject: Pediccocus Bacteria

Hello,

I would love to hear from someone that has used this or a similar lactic
producer.  Is a starter necessary in order to pitch to the secondary or
just dump it in?

Regards,

David B. Craft
Battleground Brewers Homebrew Club
Crow Hill Brewery and Meadery
Greensboro, NC



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Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 19:42:39 -0600
From: "Scott & Lisa" <scottandlisa at mindspring.com>
Subject: Yeast Starter

I am getting ready to brew my first batch - a Hefeweizen.  When preparing
the yeast starter, would it be better to ferment it at the recommended batch
temperature (68 F) or let it ferment at room temp.?  Also, is it best to
pitch the starter at high krausen?  thanks in advance...
Scott



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