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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  RE:producing yeast for homebrewers (Bob Sheck)
  Microbiology tests (Fred L Johnson)
  Re: Raw Eggs and Salmonella (Jeff Renner)
  re: stir bar (Steve Funk)
  Re: yeast from brewtek ("greg man")
  Greetings ("redbeard47.ny")


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Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2002 00:55:41 -0500
From: Bob Sheck <bobsheck at earthlink.net>
Subject: RE:producing yeast for homebrewers

So, Kelvin:

Do you really think that the Muslims around you will allow you to produce
the evil yeasties? Maybe, perhaps, you will also innoculate these yeasties
with anthrax or worst? 

Whatever, you got balls. Oh, and stuff that "warm regards" - In my dreams
<I mean, Nightmares>


>Other than price and quality (which is of course important), is there
>anything that you'd like to have that is NOT commercially available? maybe
>different packaging, pure culture kits etc... before I go out and do market
>surveys etc, i'd like to hear directly from people who are actually using
>it. any and every opinion/comments are welcomed.
>
>
>suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thank you, and merry christmas to
>all!

Bob Sheck // DEA - Down East Alers - Greenville, NC
bsheck at earthlink.net // [583.2,140.6] Apparent Rennerian
Home Brewing since 1993 //  bobsheck at earthlink.net //



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Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2002 07:24:27 -0500
From: Fred L Johnson <FLJohnson at portbridge.com>
Subject: Microbiology tests

Are there any providers of microbiology, water, IBU, etc. testing designed
with brewers in mind that provide services available to the homebrewer at a
price the homebrewer could afford?  (Of course, water testing is already
available at our local governments for those of us on public water systems.)

If these esoteric services are not available out there, anyone care to open
up their own business?  Perhaps the major homebrewing suppliers could
consider this line of services. I understand the Seibel Institute will
perform such tests, but are they affordable for frequent use?

I've often wanted to do some occasional IBU measurments, and we all have
wondered how clean our cultures are.  Perhaps we've wanted to know if there
are petit mutants lurking about.  Homebrewers want to know!  I'd even
consider this myself as a retirement career (unfortunately several years
away).
- --
Fred L. Johnson
Apex, North Carolina, USA



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Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2002 10:24:12 -0500
From: Jeff Renner <jeffrenner at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Raw Eggs and Salmonella

Brewers

A self described HBD lurker wrote me privately regarding my egg nog recipe:

>Aren't you running a risk of salmonella poisoning with the use of 
>raw eggs? In the past, this may not have been an issue but I believe 
>it is one today.
>
>Having come very close to loosing a daughter during the salmonella 
>outbreak in Chicago 17 years ago, I freely admit to being paranoid 
>about the risk.

Thanks for pointing this out.  As a parent, I can only imagine how 
that would affect your feelings.

I continue to use raw eggs in egg nog (and eat sunny egg yolks when I 
occasionally eat fried eggs).  I have based my evaluation of risk on 
Mark Bittman's wonderful newish (1998) cookbook, "How to Cook 
Everything" (winner of multiple cookbook writing awards):

"As for salmonella and eggs: Recent statistics indicate that a small 
number of eggs (about one in ten thousand, or fewer) may contain the 
salmonella bacteria.  If this bacteria multiplies - unlikely in 
refrigerated uncracked eggs - and you eat the egg raw (as you would 
in mayonnaise) or undercooked (as you would in many eggs cooked for 
breakfast), you might become ill, suffering intestinal problems that 
are as bad as the flu.  The very young, very old, or those with 
compromised immune systems may have even worse problems and should 
avoid recipes with raw or undercooked eggs.  But the general 
population should consider eggs sage,, and eat them without fear,, 
especially if they have been handles properly."

The government, of course, takes the very cautious approach 
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/salment_g.htm, but notes 
that the risk is highest (1 in 10,000) in the northeast.

For less cautious view see http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/13/eggs.htm

Happy holidays

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


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Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2002 10:49:14 -0800
From: Steve Funk <steve at hheco.com>
Subject: re: stir bar

Kent,
I do find that stirring helps and here's why:  My HLT is a 10-gal drink 
cooler.  To heat the water, I use a 'wand' style heating element 
(element on at stick) which sets next to the side of the cooler becase 
of the bracket I made for it and so that is doesn't hinder the lid I 
made.  When heating the water, I noticed that the cooler was getting 
quite hot near the element and the plastic seemed to be a bit softer. 
So, to help with prevent this localized heating, I started swirling the 
water which has helped.  It has made temp ramping in the mash marginally 
better too.  So, since a small stir bar helped some a larger one should 
be better, right? Actually, I'd be happy with the stir bar I have if it 
wouldn't come uncoupled to the stir plate every so often.
Cheers,
Steve Funk
Stevenson, WA




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Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 12:46:13 -0500
From: "greg man" <dropthebeer at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: yeast from brewtek


<Jeff, I'm surprised you aren't aware of BrewTek yeast slants. Brewers
>Resource sells them. I've tried many of their strains, and they are
<excellent quality.
<Check them out at: http://www.brewtek.com/

Also I wanted to add to this that 1 of those stains is my favorite for 
making bitters or milds the CL-110 british micro ale yeast. This strain is 
very complex, woody, sweet, citrus, well balanced, and tasty. Reminds me of 
the windsor dry stain.

Its my favorite yeast to date to brew with high temps will accentuate the 
citrus taste. Brewers resource says its one of there most popular 
strains..................anyway since we've been talking about yeast I 
thought you'd like to know.............GregMan

And Im sorry Phantom but I gotta "criticize" an rank on you a little
( no offence)I can't be silent
Don't those who post there names with there opinions have courage?
What does that make those who hide there name?................Cowards? 
Maybe.
So why not go for the horns of the bull?



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Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2002 17:47:09 -0500
From: "redbeard47.ny" <redbeard47.ny at netzero.net>
Subject: Greetings

         Merry Christmas to All and to  All a Good Brew!

BTW I suggest a rolling toast say noon local to hoist a HB to all our 
fellow list members.
Bob.

Beer, it's not just for breakfast anymore!

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