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FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org
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Contents:
Duinen ("Adam Wead")
RE: Lost Brew in the Boiler (Bob Sheck)
Yeast autolysis in secondary ("Adam Wead")
Gump on "Yeast" ("Rob Moline")
Ring around the bottle?? and Sparge rate ("Gilbert Milone II")
Re: Lost Brew in the Boiler ("Dennis Collins")
HERMS rates and reverse flow ("Micah Millspaw")
Lost Brew in the Boiler ("Rorik Melberg")
False bottom step mashing ("Jay Wirsig")
Wort Reclaimation and Mashing/Lautering Inversion with HERMS ("John Palmer")
mashing with a false bottom ("greg man")
re: Youngs Chocolate Stout (Rama Roberts)
Hop Pellet Degradation ("Hedglin, Nils A")
re: Fluoride ("Asher Reed")
Yay for dry yeast... (jayspies)
mash flow through false bottom (Marc Sedam)
Medicine (I must write I must write)
Rubbermaid 10 gallon cooler ("Tom Byrnes")
re: Yeast & Maylasia ("Helomech")
Re: Lost Brew in the Boiler (David Towson)
competition announcement (John Larsen)
"Dry Yeast is a Joke" (Alan McKay)
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Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2003 22:06:34 -0700
From: "Adam Wead" <a_wead at hotmail.com>
Subject: Duinen
Dear Fellow Brew-folk:
Happy New Year everyone!
Just had a Duinen dubbel for New Years Eve. Wow. What a beer. Does anyone
know a clone recipie for this one? I'd love to try and get close to that
amazing aroma and color, since I'm brewing an abbey beer in a few weeks.
Thanks in advance.
adam
[258.5, 214.1] Apparent Rennerian
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 00:14:06 -0500
From: Bob Sheck <bobsheck at earthlink.net>
Subject: RE: Lost Brew in the Boiler
"Greg Collins" <gmc123 at bellsouth.net> Asks
>I am trying to figure out some way to capture that last tad bit of brew
>after a boil that my 15 gallon keg leaves behind in the bottom.
Really, you don't want to drain every drop out of the boiler, unless
you want to carry over the TRUB into your fermenter.
And the concave bottom of a keg-boiler will fill up with those
spent hops and break.
For the first 5 yrs of boiling in a keg I siphoned off the wort, now I
have had a SS nipple welded into the side so now I have a ball
valve where I can whirl-pool and draw off the wort.
I typically leave about a half gallon or more of thick sludge in the
bottom.
Now, what you can do, of course, is rack everything to another vessel, let
it all settle and then rack off the cleared wort to a fermentor.
I am using an immersion chiller, but I now can also use a counter-flow
unit. Either way, I whirl-pool then let "rest" for about 30 minutes before
knock-out to the fermenter.
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 //
Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2003 22:14:30 -0700
From: "Adam Wead" <a_wead at hotmail.com>
Subject: Yeast autolysis in secondary
Dear All:
It is necessary to wait until the krausen has completely settled back into
the beer before transferring to a secondary?
I have a porter that was finished fermenting (ie. wasn't bubbling anymore),
but still had a sizeable krausen. I skimmed most of it off, collecting the
yeast, and transferred to my secondary. The krausen appeared again the next
day and after a few days, started to fall back down.
If I'm planning on leaving in the secondary for 3 weeks, should I worry
about autolysis from the yeast that's still in the secondary?
Thanks again for the advice.
adam
[258.5, 214.1] Apparent Rennerian
Return to table of contents
Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 23:54:55 -0600
From: "Rob Moline" <jethrogump at mchsi.com>
Subject: Gump on "Yeast"
Gump on "Yeast"
Trying to remain above the fray as certain folks attack friends in the
industry in Malaysia...
I must enter my opinion on yeast and Malaysia, easy as that is......
Kelvin Keh can ask any question, anytime....
I seem to believe, however...that dry yeast is not a joke....
And would ask Mr. Wible to explain how many Great American Beer Festivals'
Gold Medals he has with any yeast?
Or how many World Beer Championships medals?
Or how many World Beer Cup medals?
I have them all...with dry yeast. YMMV.....
Gump
From: Bill Wible <bill at brewbyyou.net>
Subject: re: Yeast & Maylasia
>the biggest Wyeast smack pak - the 200ml pack intended for BOPs
>to pitch into15gal produces only 105B to 120B cells. Better
>than the tubes by far, but I don't see BOP packs in the shops
Any homebrew shop that stocks Wyeast can get the BOP packs.
They would have to sell for about $15. That's also part of
why it costs over $100 to brew a couple cases of beer at a
BOP, and why there isn't one in PA, NJ, or DE that I'm aware
of.
If your shop stocks Wyeast, and you're really serious about
it, they might be willing to get them for you on a special
order basis. Ask.
Frankly, I see enough resistance to the pitchable tubes
at $6.50, and it doesn't matter whether its Wyeast or White
Labs. I sell more White Labs, though. I even found the regular
Wyeast smack packs a hard sell at $4.49. So much so that I
stopped carrying them.
People here seem to view yeast as just another added expense
to their batch, even though I constantly explain that it's the
single biggest thing you can do to improve the quality of
your beer. Dry yeast is a joke.
I think most brewers will balk at $15 for yeast though, and
that's why none of the HB shops carry them. No point in
carrying $15 tubes of yeast to sit in the refrigerator and
expire.
And despite your bleak observations, the Wyeast and White Labs
vials work just fine.
Bill
"The More I Know About Beer, The More I Realize I Need To Know More About
Beer!"
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Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 02:45:24 -0500
From: "Gilbert Milone II" <gilbertmilone at hotmail.com>
Subject: Ring around the bottle?? and Sparge rate
Hey Everyone,
I bottled the beer with the fruit flies and now the bottles have rings
around them. I guess the flies must have contaminated my secondary? The beer
tastes ok, not great, but not terrible. Also does anyone have a
recomendation on how quickly you should sparge through grains? Most of my
beers have about 13lbs of grain in a 5 gallon bucket.
-Gil
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 08:27:24 -0500
From: "Dennis Collins" <dcollins at drain-all.com>
Subject: Re: Lost Brew in the Boiler
Greg Collins (long lost relative?) writes:
"I am trying to figure out some way to capture that last tad bit of brew
after a boil that my 15 gallon keg leaves behind in the bottom.
I have tried a fitting on the back of the 1/2 ball value with 3/8 copper
tubing (compression) angled down a couple of inches lower with the idea that
it would siphon out some of the portion left behind. Much to my amazement,
the fluid level stopped exactly in the same place as it did before. Now,
really it don't take much to amaze me, but I felt like that should have
worked......"
The truth is, it should have worked. The only explanation is a leak
somewhere along the tube or it's connection that caused you to lose your
siphon. When you say "back of the ball valve", I am a little confused since
the threads on the back of the ball valve are already in use, did you mean
the threads on the inside portion of the coupling in the wall of the kettle?
The other possibility could be if you have an open ended sight tube
installed on the same line as the ball valve. An open ended sight tube will
definitely cause you to lose your siphon during draining. My kettle is set
up this way and I had to install a valve on the end of my sight tube (and
had to remember to close it during draining!) in order to maintain the
siphon. Using this setup in conjunction with a very large screen to filter
out the hops works very well to drain nearly all of the usable wort from the
kettle.
Dennis Collins
Knoxville, TN
http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com
"In theory, theory and practice are the same, but not in practice".
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 09:48:14 -0600
From: "Micah Millspaw" <MMillspa at silganmfg.com>
Subject: HERMS rates and reverse flow
I see this HERMS / RIMS thread running for a while
and here is what I get for max. values out of my
HERMS.
Heat transfer to wort - 4 degrees per gallon per minute
at a flow rate of 1 gallon per minute
I have not noticed any negative effects on the finished
beer from this.
As for the 'reverse flow' of the recirculation. My system
(in all of its evolution) has always collected wort from
the top of the mash tun and returned it under the false
bottom. I have fine tuned the collection manifold over
the years and would be happy to share photos of the
most current design.
I have not observed any 'upward compaction' of the
grain bed as Mr. Alexander suggests might occur. The
grain bed does stay rather loose during recirculation
but settles nicely at mash out. Every now and then
I even make a drinkable beer.
Micah Millspaw - brewer at large
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 09:30:56 -0700
From: "Rorik Melberg" <rorikmelberg at hotmail.com>
Subject: Lost Brew in the Boiler
In HBD #4136 Greg Collins asked:
I am trying to figure out some way to capture that last tad bit of brew
after a boil that my 15 gallon keg leaves behind in the bottom.
(snip)
How are other folks getting around this?
.....
Well your solution was half right. You must also make a spigot for the
outside that ends at the same vertical level as your inside "spigot" (for
lack of a better term). The siphon must be completed. Then if your
connections or air tight, it should work.
for example:
Not this:
inside | outside
___|___
/ |
but this:
inside | outside
___|___
/ | \
Sorry for the crude ASCII art.
Rorik J. Melberg
Phoenix, AZ
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 12:18:21 -0500
From: "Jay Wirsig" <Jay.Wirsig at usa.dupont.com>
Subject: False bottom step mashing
Below is my false bottom step mashing experience it may be of value to
people who are experiencing stuck mashes and others who are concerned about
scorching when using direct heat on the mash tun:
I have a RIMs Mashing system with a home made stainless steel false bottom
sitting on the bottom of a converted keg. The false bottom is a perforated
stainless screen similar to SABCO design and has a hinge in the middle. A
strip of screen approx. 1.5" provides reinforcement at the hinged joint by
spanning the split in the screen. This reinforcement is welded to one side
of the screen at the split but not the other side (otherwise the joint
would be welded). I have also used a tap through 4 holes in the screen so
stainless steel screws can be threaded through to act as stilts to support
the screen in the middle, (the outside circumference of the screen sits on
the keg bottom edge).
Mashing procedures:
I use a fairly dilute mash (2.5 - 3 litres per kg). I put the mash water
in and recirculate the water through the RIMS as well as heat the bottom of
the tun with direct heat (fusion king cooker) until the strike temp. I
slowly add the grain and break up any clumps. I mix the mash well using a
paddle ( a kids canoe paddle). Usually I need to raise the temperature a
few degrees to get to 67 C. I have found that the best way to do this with
my system is to use direct heat with continuous stirring using a paddle.
The heat is on very low (just a whisper from the fusion cooker). The
temperature response in the mash is slow in the beginning (2-3 minutes) but
climbs approx. 0.5-1C per minute after. I have used my RIMs to raise temp
immediately following smash in the past but have had issues with a stuck
mash (hence all of the upgrades to the false bottom screen - which helped
but my direct heat (and wait 15 minutes for the wort to become less
starchy) process is much more fool proof). My observation is that in the
beginning the wort is very viscous and starchy which can lead to a stuck
mash very easily if one is not careful after 15 minutes it is much less
viscous and I begin the RIMS recirculation with no issues. The RIMs
maintains the mash at the set temperature, sets the mash, provides good
mixing to improve conversion and clarifies the mash. I find that I start
at 1/2 throttle and move to full throttle quickly. The recirc loop is 1/2"
SS tubing through a full bore ball valve with a March Pump (1/4 hp?)
dispersed on top of the grain bed under the wort through a 4 outlet tee
contraption seen on many web sites.
To mash out I raise the temp using the RIMS and direct heat on the tun
bottom (again very low) - 1 C per minute. I have never had any scorching
issues with my false bottom set up , when I take my system apart at the end
I have often found grist under the screen - again no scorching. I once had
scorching when doing a decoction mash with my manifold set up (prior to my
false bottom set up) (my first batch), I had the fusion burner cranked way
too hot combined with a very low water to grist ratio, little stirring, no
experience etc.
BTW - I was also very sceptical of using direct heat on the tun but some
guy on the HBD wrote he had no problem, still sceptical I wrote him back to
make sure I read it right, then I tried it - good forum to exchange
experience eh!
>>Jay
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Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 09:31:11 -0800
From: "John Palmer" <jjpalmer at altrionet.com>
Subject: Wort Reclaimation and Mashing/Lautering Inversion with HERMS
Greg asks for ideas on how to reclaim the last wort from his boiler:
Survey Says: A Straw. (70%) ;-)
***
Inverted wort collection: what a fascinating idea!
I envision a rotary stirring blade at the bottom of the tun that would
continually lift and roll the mash -- this would seem to benefit conversion
and extraction to some degree; and then a ring-type manifold that would
collect wort from the outside edge of the tun to feed the pump or lautering
outlet. You might need some sort of baffles or grant to help settle out any
grist collected by the manifold.
Hmmm, if you didnt use a mechanical stirrer and used underlet wort as the
agitator you would probably need some sort of coarse false bottom to help
distribute the flow so that there wouldn't be stagnant flow areas at the
perimeter.
To address Steve's comment: Anywhere you put a screen against the flow you
will have accumulation and some degree of compaction...If there was a false
top, the chance of restriction of flow may be greatly reduced depending on
what the flow rate is. Hmm, guess I really didn't say anything there. Flow
rate and mash thickness are going to be the biggest contributers to
recirculation flow, the direction of the intake will probably always be a
tertiary effect.
Interesting,
John Palmer
john at howtobrew.com
www.realbeer.com/jjpalmer
www.howtobrew.com
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 13:32:43 -0500
From: "greg man" <dropthebeer at hotmail.com>
Subject: mashing with a false bottom
>Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 01:27:11 -0500
>From: "Steve Alexander" <steve-alexander at worldnet.att.net>
>Subject: Re: Step Mash with a False Bottom
> > I don't bother with a pump for recirculation at the moment. Sort of a
>manual pump. 1C/min is a decent rate (tho' some commercial
>hardware designs suggest 2C/min), but it sounds like the recirc is
>necessary to remove 'floor grist' and to produce enough convection to even
>the temp out.
>
>Is manual recirc a common method to step mash all you FalseBottomers ?
>
> -Steve
Steve I use a false bottom an a 9 gallon pot. I don't recirc while the flame
is on. Although that sounds like a good idea.
Most of the time I just leave the flame on low an stir slowly this works
well enough and I can usually hit my temps. with in 2 degrees or so.
This is an ok set up for now however some day I would like to built an herms
or something similar. I was thinking about steam injection for the mash
temperature steps. Maybe push steam in reverse through the pick up tube on a
false bottom.
PS: I have not yet scorched a beer using my system.........gregman
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 10:48:17 -0800 (PST)
From: Rama Roberts <rama at eng.sun.com>
Subject: re: Youngs Chocolate Stout
> Anyone have any idea how to make a clone of this
> beer (Youngs Chocolate Stout) and get the rich smooth chocolate flavor
> has without losing its head? A great beer!
I assume you're referring to Young's *Double* Chocolate Stout.
I'm not much of a fan of that one- it tastes like an extract beer to me.
But to help with your question, according to Michael Jackson's Ultimate
Beer, its made with both bars and essence of chocolate. Seems like the
oils from the chocolate would kill the head retension, but you could add
some wheat to help with that.
To clone it, I would use chocolate malt (instead of chocolate) and some
crystal malt to up the sweetness.
- --rama
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 10:49:42 -0800
From: "Hedglin, Nils A" <nils.a.hedglin at intel.com>
Subject: Hop Pellet Degradation
Hi,
Hope you all got cool brewing presents for the holidays. I'm getting
ready to do another batch, & was wondering how long hop pellets are
good. I've kept them in the freezer in a vacuum sealed bag (or at least
in as much vacuum as as a Foodsaver vacuum sealer can do).
Unfortunalely, they are from 5/01 & 8/01. No, that's not a typo, they're
20 & 17 months old. Using the ProMash software to determine AAU
degradation, it looks like my 4.2% Hallertauer is about 2.7%. Does this
sound about right for the storage method? Can I just use more of them,
or have they gone totally bad?
Also, just wanting to toot my own horn & tell you to check out the current
Jan/Feb issue of Brew Your Own for an article I wrote on building a warming
box (opposite of a frig) to keep those ales warm enough in the winter.
Thanks
> Nils Hedglin
> Sacramento, CA
> [1978.7, 275.3] Apparent Rennerian
>
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 19:56:09 +0000
From: "Asher Reed" <clvwpn5 at hotmail.com>
Subject: re: Fluoride
I believe the only water purifiers that will remove fluoride from water are
distillers and reverse osmosis filters. You don't want to use water that
has been treated to either of these methods for brewing.
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 20:56:07 +0000
From: jayspies at att.net
Subject: Yay for dry yeast...
All -
Have to agree with Dave Houseman heartily on this one. The dry yeastie
beasties from Lallemand are some of the best I've used, and since they're dirt
cheap compared to liquid, you can pitch a whole lot. The fastest ferment I
ever had was less than 20 hours from pitching to terminal grav using 6 packs
of Danstar Windsor in a 10 gallon batch of mid-1050's wort. Plus, there's a
greatly reduced need to oxygenate since the 'wee ones are engineered at the
factory with lots of sterols and such. Just rehydrate 'em and you're off to
the races. Beats a week of making a 2 or 3 step starter......
Quite obviously there will be less selection for particular styles, but for
mainstream ales there's nothing that comes close for convenience and cost from
a pure pitching rate and ease of use standpoint. IMO. Don't get me wrong, I
love Whitelabs for quality and selection (have kind of fallen away from
Wyeast, but that's just me), and do feel that liquid yeast has advantages when
it comes to making true styles, I just hate to see dry yeasts take a knock on
the noggin when they really don't deserve it.....
Plus, for newer brewers, dry yeast is a great way to focus on the basics when
learning (like how to sanitize and not infect the hell out of your batch
before you get to drink it.) I cringe when I hear more experienced brewers
tell newbies that they'll never make a great beer without using liquid yeast.
Gotta walk before you can run....
Anyway, that's my .02, FWIW.
Jay Spies
Charm City Altobrewery
Baltimore, MD
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 16:26:19 -0500
From: Marc Sedam <marc_sedam at unc.edu>
Subject: mash flow through false bottom
My brewing set up is the common converted keg with a SS
false bottom. Being the cheapskate that I am, my false
bottom is 8" in diameter and was sold as a hop screen by the
dearly departed 'Stainless in Seattle'. There is a regular
port 1/2" ball valve on the front.
When recirculating with a pump I usually let the mash set up
for about 15 minutes then start recirculating. I leave the
pump on throughout the entire mash and increase mash temps
through direct fire from the propane heater below it. I
find that I can eventually have all of the valves open
fully, thereby getting a theoretical flow of 5gpm through
the mash. Let's assume that the smaller outlet port on the
keg restricts flow and I only get 4gpm. Still...the wort is
absolutely crystal clear going in the kettle.
If I forget to use the pump or am just too damn lazy to
clean it, I manually recirculate the wort until it runs
clear. It's mostly clear after a gallon is recirculated and
totally clear after 2.5 gallons. I would guess the flow to
be a quart a minute when done manually and can get this up
to a half-gallon/minute if I want to try getting the flow
up..but there's usually no reason.
Denaturing enzymes is a real issue when using a pump but can
be effectively rendered a non-issue by ensuring that the
fittings are tight and the pump head is filled completely
prior to turning it on. [THEORETICAL ASSSERTION TO FOLLOW]
Air bubbles in the pump head can be a recipe for disaster in
terms of denatured enzymes and oxidation of the hot wort if
there's a steady supply of bubbles from a loose fitting
upstream of the pump. Unfortunately I speak from experience
in terms of oxidation...not necessarily the loss of enzyme
funx.
Cheers!
Marc
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 16:41:37 -0500 (EST)
From: IMUSTWRITE at webtv.net (I must write I must write)
Subject: Medicine
Could a small amount of beer be safely used to help control chronic
anxiety? This is from someone with a background custom of just about
never touching any alcohol at home or out.
I somehow had the idea is was all wrong.Then recently I began to read
that alcohol has health benefits, including to reduce anxiety, in
limited amounts.
I was browsing the internet webtv and came across this website on home
brewed beer, so I thought I would put the question.
If a health question is not proper for this forum or if the question is
guilty of the awful "off-topic" category for this list, please accept my
apologies.
I have been accused of off-topic posts to the usenet news groups, but I
always contended that my post was somehow related, so I remain in a
verbal twilight!
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 18:24:01 -0500
From: "Tom Byrnes" <kmstfb2 at exis.net>
Subject: Rubbermaid 10 gallon cooler
My solution to the dilemma of fitting a 12"Phils into a
Rubermaid was to get some old transfer tubing, cut down one
side and wrap around the phils false bottom. It will fit in
tighter and reduce floating. I also use a mash pad on top of
this. This has worked for me for 5 years. Happy Brewing Tom
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 19:04:20 -0600
From: "Helomech" <Helomech at neb.rr.com>
Subject: re: Yeast & Maylasia
Date: Wed, 01 Jan 2003 11:45:25 -0500
From: Bill Wible <bill at brewbyyou.net>
Subject: re: Yeast & Maylasia
>the biggest Wyeast smack pak - the 200ml pack intended for BOPs
>to pitch into15gal produces only 105B to 120B cells. Better
>than the tubes by far, but I don't see BOP packs in the shops
Any homebrew shop that stocks Wyeast can get the BOP packs.
They would have to sell for about $15. That's also part of
why it costs over $100 to brew a couple cases of beer at a
BOP, and why there isn't one in PA, NJ, or DE that I'm aware
of.
If your shop stocks Wyeast, and you're really serious about
it, they might be willing to get them for you on a special
order basis. Ask.
Frankly, I see enough resistance to the pitchable tubes
at $6.50, and it doesn't matter whether its Wyeast or White
Labs. I sell more White Labs, though. I even found the regular
Wyeast smack packs a hard sell at $4.49. So much so that I
stopped carrying them.
People here seem to view yeast as just another added expense
to their batch, even though I constantly explain that it's the
single biggest thing you can do to improve the quality of
your beer. Dry yeast is a joke.
I think most brewers will balk at $15 for yeast though, and
that's why none of the HB shops carry them. No point in
carrying $15 tubes of yeast to sit in the refrigerator and
expire.
And despite your bleak observations, the Wyeast and White Labs
vials work just fine.
Bill
Actually DRY YEAST is just fine for brewing certain beers.
You just need the right one, and to make a starter with it.
Helomech
Return to table of contents
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 21:15:54 -0500
From: David Towson <dtowson at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Lost Brew in the Boiler
In HBD 4136, Greg Collins wants to know why adding a dip tube from the
inside end of his boiler drain valve down to near the bottom of the vessel
didn't drain the wort below the valve.
My guess is that you didn't add a hose or other extension to the outside
bottom of the boiler. What you're trying to do is create a siphon, and for
that to work, the discharge end of the "siphon hose" must be below the
lowest point from which you want to siphon. Just picture a hose, and
consider that the valve and its extensions are part of it. One thing to
watch out for, however, is that the hose must remain full for the thing to
work. If you use too large a diameter, the hose will allow air in from the
bottom, and that will break the siphon. In addition to using a small
diameter hose, you can also get the same effect by putting a restriction at
the point of discharge (pinch it part-way shut, for example). That will
allow the hose to stay full, and the siphon to continue.
Dave in Bel Air, MD
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Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 21:23:11 -0500
From: John Larsen <jlarsen at nettally.com>
Subject: competition announcement
The North Florida Brewers League in Tallahassee is hosting the Big
Bend Brew-Off on January 18. Entry deadline is January 12. I realize
this announcement might be too late for folks outside of the Southeast,
but for those within 4 or 5 days shipping, we hope you will consider
sending entries. For rules, entry form and bottle id forms, go to
http://www.nfbl.org/bbbo2003/
This is an AHA sanctioned competition and we'll be accepting entries in
all BJCP categories. It's a medium sized affair, usually attracting
approximately 150 entries. As such, some categories are inevitably
combined for award purposes (those decisions are made when all the
entries have been received.) Ribbons will go to the top three in each
award category, with prizes being given to the category winners. The
top three entries from the Best-Of -Show round will win bigger ribbons
and bigger prizes.
This is a great opportunity to get some feedback on your homebrews.
Contact me at jlarsen at nettally.com if you have any questions about
this competition.
John Larsen
Judge Director
Big Bend Brew-Off 2003
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Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 21:46:19 -0500
From: Alan McKay <amckay at neap.net>
Subject: "Dry Yeast is a Joke"
In HBD 4135 Bill Wible informs us that "Dry Yeast is a Joke".
Sorry Bill, but when is the last time you actually tried dry
yeast, and what kind was it? Here in the 21st century there
are wonderful dry yeasts available, and those from DCL are
every bit as good as equivalent yeasts from Wyeast or White Labs.
Sure, there is still a much greater selection in liquid yeasts,
but DCL has about 10 strains out now, including several real
lager yeasts, several real Belgian yeasts, and a Hefeweizen
out really soon now.
As I type I have 2 lagers chugging away in my basement at 55F
using DCL S-23. I've fermented S-189 and W-34/70 even lower
than that (41F) and they produced absolutely tremendous lagers!
K-97 makes an incredible Koelschy, and my friends tell me that
T-58 is fabulous in a Wit.
Indeed your statement was true 10 years ago, but thank goodness
today it is nothing more than very seriously out-of-date.
cheers,
-Alan
- --
http://www.bodensatz.com/
The Beer Site
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