---

	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Digest Janitor: janitor@hbd.org


***************************************************************
       THIS YEAR'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY: 

          Northern  Brewer, Ltd. Home Brew Supplies
        http://www.northernbrewer.com  1-800-681-2739

    Support those who support you! Visit our sponsor's site!
********** Also visit http://hbd.org/hbdsponsors.html *********


Contents:
  RE: Beano and stuck fermentations (Jonathan Royce)
  What Gravity to use for IBU Calculations (Jonathan Royce)
  beer list? ("Spencer W. Thomas")
  Do I need to constantly stir the wort? (mswanson)
  Beer enjoyment /(not) stuck fermentation ("-S")
  Noonan/Bad Beer/Flax ("Chad Stevens")
  what is bad beer (Marc Sedam)
  hops and dogs ("Mike Racette")
  Re: Going to SF ("Dave Hull")
  Re:Going to SF (Mark Alfaro)
  Re: going to SF (Robert Marshall)
  beer in restaurants ("dave holt")
  beer education & Texas ("dave holt")
  All's Ale That Ends Ale ("Steve Smith")
  Chicago Brewpubs (Andrew Calder)
  Supersaturation vs. saturation (apology) (Jonathan Royce)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*           The HBD Logo Store is now open!             *
*            http://www.hbd.org/store.html              *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*   Beer is our obsession and we're late for therapy!   *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Send articles for __publication_only__ to post@hbd.org

If your e-mail account is being deleted, please unsubscribe first!!

To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE send an e-mail message with the word
  "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" to request@hbd.org FROM THE E-MAIL
  ACCOUNT YOU WISH TO HAVE SUBSCRIBED OR UNSUBSCRIBED!!!**
IF YOU HAVE SPAM-PROOFED your e-mail address, you cannot subscribe to
  the digest as we cannot reach you. We will not correct your address
  for the automation - that's your job.

HAVING TROUBLE posting, subscribing or unsusubscribing? See the HBD FAQ at
http://hbd.org.

The HBD is a copyrighted document. The compilation is copyright 
  HBD.ORG. Individual postings are copyright by their authors. ASK 
  before reproducing and you'll rarely have trouble. Digest content 
  cannot be reproduced by any means for sale or profit.

More information is available by sending the word "info" to 
req@hbd.org or read the HBD FAQ at http://hbd.org.

JANITOR on duty: Pat Babcock (janitor@hbd.org)



----------------------------------------------------------------------


Date: Thu,  9 Oct 2003 04:46:49 -0700
From: Jonathan Royce <jonathan at woodburybrewingco.com>
Subject: RE: Beano and stuck fermentations

Thanks to everyone who responded regarding the idea of enzymes and a stuck 
ferment. I received quite a few offline replies in addition to those that were 
posted to HBD, and most seemed to agree that other remedies exist that are 
better than using an enzyme to break down the excess sugar chains. Assuming 
that Alan doesn't mind, I'm going to plagarize his webpage 
(http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?
page=20020429215128446#stuck_ferm) in order to summarize the replies:

 - (1) Give the fermenter a good shake or stir to rouse the yeast
 - (2) Aerate again to wake up the yeast (could have bad side effects)
 - (3) Add some more wort to wake the yeast
 - (4) Add 1 to 2 litres of actively fermenting beer (high kraeusen)
 - (5) Add yeast nutrient and energizer according to instructions
 - (6) Move fermenter to a warmer place (only if it's too cold)
 - (7) pray 

Prior to posting my initial question, I had done the following (probably should 
have mentioned this at the beginning):

(1) Roused yeast (Wyeast 1098, which I hear is sometimes finicky and prone to 
this problem)
(2) Pitched an actively fermenting starter (with nutrient) of Wyeast 1056, 
which I've had good experience with getting to attenuate
(3) Checked the temperature of the fermenter (it's fine at 68F)

The reason I suspect that large-chain sugars are my problem is two-fold: (1) I 
switched malt extracts and used William's Maris Otter LME and I've read some 
posts on r.c.b. that indicate that others have had problems getting this to 
attenuate and (2) my partial mash used 2.5 lbs of Maris Otter malt, 0.5 lb of 
Victory and 1 lb of medium crystal with a mash temp that ended up being a bit 
higher than planned. 

I do not think that mishandling of the yeast was a problem as I pitched a 
fairly large starter of yeast that had fermented in the smack pack and then 
been stepped up twice on my aerated stir plate. I aerated the wort as I always 
do and there was a 2" layer of foam on top of the liquid before I pitched the 
slurry.

I like Dave Burley's idea of using Clinitest to check for sugar. A quick google 
search turned up this article which was helpful in understanding how that will 
work:
http://www.brewinfo.com/articles/clinitest.html
(Thanks "-S".) 

All of the above taken into consideration, if the Clinitest shows that there 
are sugars remaining, I think my choices are 1) leave it or 2) enzyme it. I've 
pretty much resolved myself to the option #1. It may be a bit sweeter than I'd 
hoped, but c'est la vie. Tonight I'm going to take a final S.G. reading to see 
if it's moved at all this week. I haven't seen any airlock activity, so I'm not 
really too optimistic, but I guess 1.020 isn't too bad. 

I'd made this same recipe last year using a bit more Munton's LME and less pale 
malt in the mash and it attenuated down to 1.014, which is where I wanted it to 
be. I think next time I'll go back to Munton's and see what happens. 

Thanks again,
Jonathan
Woodbury Brewing Co.
www.woodburybrewingco.com


Return to table of contents


Date: Thu,  9 Oct 2003 05:52:08 -0700
From: Jonathan Royce <jonathan at woodburybrewingco.com>
Subject: What Gravity to use for IBU Calculations

Just two more quick points regarding the IBU calculations for bittering. I 
agree with many folks' comments that the calculations are just an estimate and 
therefore it is more important to be consistent. As Steve points out, "Getting 
the IBUs to within 10% is mostly luck." With that in mind, it is of interest to 
consider the difference between using the O.G. of the boil and F.G. of the boil 
in doing the calcs, as I've done here:

http://www.woodburybrewingco.com/IBU_time.html

Although it may just be a coincidence, for my example the difference between 
using the O.G. and F.G. of the boil is 38 IBU v 35 IBU, or about 10%. :0 

That point notwithstanding, I still like to use the initial gravity of the 
boil, not only because (as John Palmer points out), it is typically the gravity 
at which the greatest mass of bittering hops are added, but also because the 
initial stages of the boil are the point at which the greatest percentage of 
alpha acids are isomerized. As I've demonstrated with the vertical lines, 50% 
of the total IBUs are "extracted" (for lack of a better word) in the first 15 
minutes, 75% at 28 minutes and 90% at 43 minutes. In other words, because of 
the utilization (at least for Tinseth) is an exponential function in which the 
independent variable is "-t", incremental utilization decreases rapidly as the 
boil progresses.

Just some food for thought.
Happy brewing,
Jonathan
Woodbury Brewing Co.
www.woodburybrewingco.com


Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 09:04:59 -0400
From: "Spencer W. Thomas" <spencer at umich.edu>
Subject: beer list?

Why do restaurants not maintain a "beer list"?  Besides the obvious one 
(not enough people would ask for it), another has to be the inherent 
fragility of most beer styles.  Wine will keep for a year or (in some 
cases) much longer, and aged wine has a certain cachet that is in some 
cases justified.  Aged beer is usually bad, again with a few 
exceptions.  So if you have a beer list, you've got to turn the stock 
over or you'll be pouring the stock down the drain. (Or selling bad 
beer, which defeats the purpose in the long run.)

=S



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 08:28:19 -0500
From: mswanson <mswanson at codetek.com>
Subject: Do I need to constantly stir the wort?

Hi, I'm pretty new to brewing and I hope this question isn't out of 
place.

I've brewed 5 extract batches so far and each time, I was careful to 
keep stirring
the wort from the time I added the malt extract to the time the boil 
was finished.

My question is: Do I need to keep stirring the wort even after the 
extract has been
full dissolved?  It seems that with the rolling boil, stirring doesn't 
seem needed
as often as I have done.  But, being new at this, I wasn't taking any 
chances.

Thanks for any help,

Michael Swanson

- --
Michael Swanson, Software Architect
CodeTek Studios, Inc., http://www.codetek.com



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 11:01:27 -0400
From: "-S" <-s at adelphia.net>
Subject: Beer enjoyment /(not) stuck fermentation

Marc Sedam says ...

>When I'm
> judging in a competition the first thing I do [...] is just
> taste the beer.  Is it good?  Do I *like* it?  What's my
> impression of the overall drink?  After the 'gut check' then
> I go down the list of specific characteristics [...]

Funny but my approach is the opposite.  I find that my first gut impression
is always the most accurate and detailed.   Those quickly vanishing initial
impressions sometimes don't reappear, or only weakly, in sequential sips of
the same beer.   Later sips are usually verification and better
identification.  I *think* that if your palate is already saturated with
flavor X, then additional sips of the same flavor produce a diminished
sensory awareness.

As far as Alexandre' interesting question ... yes I do find that I am more
critical, overly critical of my own beers, but not  beer in general.   The
analytical aspect of tasting a new beer (not my own) is more a byproduct of
knowing what I am tasting and having words and comparisons for the flavors,
and doesn't interfere (much) with enjoyment.  My taste in beer has changed
with additional experience, but that's normal.

>Before I had studied Zen for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains,
>            and waters as waters.
>When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point
>where I saw that mountains are not mountains,
>            and waters are not waters.
>But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest.
>For it's just that I see mountains once again as mountains,
>            and waters once again as waters.
>
>                               -     Ching-yuan

Hey - I'm at the 21 year mark in critical tasting and beers are once again
starting to taste like beers.

================

Jonathan Royce says,

>  I am
> experiencing my first ever stuck ferment (1.022 vs. expected 1.014), [...]

The term "stuck" fermentation usually refers to a yeast problem.  The yeast
cease to actively ferment because some necessary growth factor is absent or
else wort conditions contain toxic factors that prevent growth.  It does not
generally refer to the case where fermentable sugars are the absent growth
factor.   That condition is called "complete attenuation", not "stuck
fermentation".

It sounds like you are unhappy with the fermentability of the wort, after
the fact.
Let's not blame the yeast ;^)

> 1) Is there any advantage to using alpha or beta amylase over "Beano"?

Beano is Alpha-Galactosidase(EC3.2.1.22) in a saline, sorbitol, potassium
sorbate solution.   There is a concern that the p.sorbate is a yeast
inhibitor and the saline flavor may throw a beer flavor off in quantity.
Beano A-galactosidase is derived from aspergillus niger, the same sort of
fungi used in saki moto fermentation.  A.niger can produce all sorts of
interesting and powerful carbohydrases, but the active ingredient in beano
only acts on 1-3-galactose bonds which aren't prevalent in beer dextrins.
Beer has relatively few 1-3 branches and very little galactose too.  If
Beano has any substantial activity on beer dextrins it is NOT because of the
alpha-galactosidase, but rather because of other A.niger enzymes contained
in the product.

Beers contain significant dextrins reducible via beta-amylase(EC3.2.1.2)
which breaks 1-4-D-glucose polymers pairwise.   Some of these are produced
in the mashout period (see B.S.Envoldsen's sugar assays of wort in the EBC
Congress papers).  Still alpha-amylase(EC3.2.1.1) is a safer bet for
converting larger amounts of dextrins to fermentables since it breaks
1-4-glucose bonds without the pairwise constraint.  The problem is that most
unresolvable beer dextrins contain 1-6 glucose bonds that none of the
enzymes above can handle.

> 2) Have *you* personally ever tried any enzymatic technique to lower FG
and
> what were the results?

Yes.  Last year I purchased a bottle of AMYLO-glucosidase(EC3.2.1.3), also
from A.niger source,  specifically spec'ed for brewing applications.  The
amyloglucosidase breaks 1-4 glucose bonds at non reducing ends.  This is
sort of like beta-amylase, but it produces only glucose instead of maltose.
Most forms of amyloglucosidase including this one also break 1-6 glucose
bonds adjacent to 1-4 bonds (and some forms will break 1-3s but these aren't
a major beer issue).   I'm getting between  92-100% apparent attenuation by
adding 1ml per 5 gallons for otherwise 'normal' brews.

It's made as Novozyme AMG-300L, I believe.  It has several US wholesale
resellers including Seibel&Sons.  I got mine through "my local HB shop
http://www.grapeandgranary.com/ (call and ask for John Pastor and he can
special order it in liter quantities - enough for 5000 gal of beer for
around $30 as I recall).  Maybe he'd rebottle it in smaller quantities if
there was a market.  Some UK HB shops sell this or similar in small
quantities.


> 3) What type and what volume of enzyme have you used and did fermentation
> actually *end* or did you crash the fermenter and refrigerate to prevent
> further activity? (I ask this because I do not have a place to store beer
cold
> and I don't want bottle bombs if I add an enzyme to my fermenter.)

The instructions call for between 0.4 and 1.2 ml of the enzyme preparation
per 5 gallons (scaled from 10bbl recommendation).  I've been using it at 2ml
per 10gal in the fermenter.  I don't bottle, but so far  the fermentations
have ended cleanly.  I think this is bacause there is enough enzyme to
complete the degradation in a few days at most.  If you add very small
quantities you may have lingering fermentation.

 -S(teve Alexander)




Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 08:05:05 -0700
From: "Chad Stevens" <zuvaruvi at cox.net>
Subject: Noonan/Bad Beer/Flax

Y'all,

I just received Noonan's newly reprinted "New Brewing Lager Beer" in the
mail from Amazon last night.  Just thought I'd gloat!

- -----

I have a bad beer confession: at a retirement party two weeks ago, I had two
Bud long necks.  They were bad beers.  But that's OK, they were to style.

- -----

I guess my original flax post never posted so my second post regarding
Galactose, Arabinose...kinda' came out of nowhere.  An explanation is in
order.

I made a Julol (Old Norse Mid-winter celebration ale) with lots of oats, and
some home malted stuff, and honey.....  Because crops in the 9th century
weren't cultivated and harvested as cleanly as they are today, I threw a
couple of tablespoons of flax seed in with the adjuncts during
gelatinization to approximate random seed being in the grist.  I noticed as
the 30 min gelatinization progressed, the flax became gummy, then the gum
sloughed off and went into solution.

Because there were a lot of oats in this beer and it is quite alcoholic, I
did not expect much foam.  To the contrary, the beer gives a dense foam of
incredible duration.

I don't know if it did, but I think the mucilaginous coating on the flax may
have played a role in foam stabilization.  Now that I have read what I've
read about foam stabilizers and realizing flax mucilage is a veritable foam
stability cocktail, I'm going to play with it some more.

Chad Stevens
QUAFF
San Diego

- -----

"Talking about music is like
dancing about architecture."

 -Laurie Anderson

Guess we should all go have a brew!



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 11:14:17 -0400
From: Marc Sedam <marc_sedam at unc.edu>
Subject: what is bad beer

Christopher Clair talks about his "horrible" alt that won a medal in a 
competition...

Some of you may recall that my efforts to make a true Bavarian dunkles 
have been frustrating, with a taste that I just didn't like at all. 
 Even brewing with 100% German Munich malt didn't help.  I was using the 
Ayinger yeast (WhiteLabs "German bock" strain) and German hops and was 
just unhappy.  Jeff Renner suggested adding a little calcium carbonate 
to the mash due to my very soft water--this may help.

OTOH, I have been out in more bars and beer festivals in the last week 
than I normally am.  One local bar had Tabernash's dunkles on tap. I've 
heard good things about that brewery and figured it might help me get 
the taste I was missing.  It tasted EXACTLY like my homebrew.  Same 
"funny" flavor.  At a beer festival later in the week I had another 
couple of dunkles.  Same flavor.

I have come to the conclusion that maybe I just don't like any dunkles 
other than Ayinger Dunkles served on draft in Munich.  Oh those heavenly 
flavors I may be destined never to re-create...but my search for liquid 
bread crust (that's the flavor of Ayinger dunkles) will never end.

Cheers!
Marc


- -- 

Marc Sedam
Chapel Hill, NC




Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 12:36:13 -0600
From: "Mike Racette" <mike.racette at hydro-gardens.com>
Subject: hops and dogs


Jeremy Bergsman says:

I'm not a dog person so I don't remember the details, but I'm surprised no
one has brought up the fact that hops can be extremely poisonous to some
dogs.  A search of the archives will find details on which breeds are
affected.


All of these cases (about 7 the last time I looked into it) involved dogs
(mostly greyhounds by the way) that consumed LARGE quantities of spent hops.

Not saying this warning isn't a good one, its just that it isn't really the
same as giving a dog the dregs from a couple of beers (I hope).

Although I compost spent grains, I always dispose of spent hops where dogs
can't get at them (unless they frequent the landfill that is).

Miker




Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 12:54:23 -0700
From: "Dave Hull" <SPAMFREEbrewingislovingNOSPAM at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Going to SF

Hey Tom,

You'll want to find your way to 547 Haight St.  Just hop in a cab or a bus.
Once you see the Toronados' Belgian selection (on tap!) you won't be sorry
that you made the trip.  I'm not sure if their Belgian selection will be
truncated because tonight, the 9th, is their Oktoberfest celebration.
You're sure to find something good, though.  After you've had a few, go next
door to the sausage shop and get a sausage sandwich.  Mmmm.

Cheers,

Dave




Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 13:51:48 -0700
From: Mark Alfaro <malfaro at kyocera-wireless.com>
Subject: Re:Going to SF

Don't miss the Toronado Pub
547 Haight Street - Many Belgian Beers.

Mark Alfaro



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 14:32:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Robert Marshall <robertjm at hockeyhockeyhockey.com>
Subject: Re: going to SF

Tom,

Sorry, I can't give you info on finding a "dive bar"
to camp out at, but I'll drop you four places to
consider while here.

1 - Pacific Coast Brewing (Oakland). Though its in
Oakland, its just a couple of blocks from a BART
station, so its definately easy for you to get to.
Some people stay away from it because Don uses extract
for brewing! If you get over there, he's got a couple
of really good ones. My personal faves are PCB
Imperial Stout and the Blue Whale Ale. Sometimes he
makes the Code Blue Barley Wine, which is a higher
alcohol version of the Blue Whale Ale. Be forewarned,
his brews are "hopo-centric" so if hops aren't your
game, choose your brews wisely. The website (hasn't
been upgraded in awhile) is:
http://www.pacificcoastbrewing.com

2 - If the weather is good when you're here, and you
feel like taking a short ferry ride on the Bay, head
over to Larkspur. Right across the street from the
Larkspur Ferry Dock is the Larkspur Landing Shopping
Center. In that center is the Marin Brewing Company.
Lots of different brews on tap. Very busy place at
certain times. If you consider going there, double
check the ferry schedule. They've been monkeying with
it so I'm not sure how late it runs. Would be a pain
if you missed the last boat to SF! website:
http://www.marinbrewing.com/

3 - Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant - They're way
out by the ocean so this may be more of a Muni ride
than you want to take, and their website doesn't have
any hints on which Muni routes to take. The Beach
Chalet is a historical landmark with the upstairs
turned into a brewery/restaurant. My favorites are the
Presidio IPA and Riptide Red, but they have several
others that are pretty good too. Website is:
http://www.beachchalet.com/

4 - Since you like Belgians, I've saved the best for
last, the Toronado. These guys are the Belgian capital
of the Bay Area, if not the entire West Coast. I'll
never forget the time I went to San Francisco to watch
the X-Games, and the street luge. After it was done I
decided to walk back to the Embarcadero. (Somehow I'd
forgot that is a smidge over 7 miles). Halfway back, I
stopped at the Toronado. I don't think I've had a
better beer than that day <grin!> They're on Haight
Street, which can be a downfall when driving, but the
website says there are MUNI lines that stop nearby so
this is definately within reach. Here's their website:
http://www.toronado.com/

Enjoy!

Robert 
- -----------------------------
> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2003 11:26:48 -0400
> From: "Tom Viemont" <tviemont at atstaff.com>
> Subject: Going to SF
> 
> Hey There Fellow Aficionados
> 
> I ask the age-old question...where can I drink good
> beer in a strange
> land?  I'm off to work a trade show in San Francisco
> from Oct 11th to
> the 15th at the Moscone Center.  I'll be staying
> near the convention
> center.  I will not have wheels.     
> 
> Any places I ought to go while I'm there that I can
> reach on foot or by
> BART?   
> Is there a place within walking distance of the
> convention center where
> I can get good beer, preferably a dive?  In other
> words, I'm looking for
> a home base. 
> I live in a state where strong beer is illegal. 
> Anyplace I can get a
> good selection of Belgians?
> 
> A quick search of Pubcrawler suggests the 21st
> Amendment as a good pub
> to stop at, but doesn't really sound like a dive.  
> I also see that a tour of the Anchor Brewery should
> be on my agenda.
> Years ago, I stayed at the Hotel Monaco and found a
> suitable dive bar up
> the street, but I'm sure much has changed since
> then...
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Tom Viemont



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:38:49 -0700
From: "dave holt" <brewdave at hotmail.com>
Subject: beer in restaurants

I think most of us understand why microbrews are lumped together with 
imports due to price.  For a lack of a better analogy, it would be like a 
wine list that lumps California sparkling wine with Champagne and calling 
both Champagne because of price and hey, they both are sparkling wines. (I 
know, one is made in the Champagne region and can only be called that.)  But 
at least the somewhat educated public knows the difference.  The uninformed 
wait staff gave the smart ass in me the perfect setup by responding I would 
like an imported SNPA.  Smart ass aside, it also gave me an opportunity to 
educate the wait staff a little on beer.  That is what underlies this whole 
thread, the general public is uneducated about beer.  That I see as one of 
our missions as homebrewers, to educate when we can without appearing as 
snobs.  I'm sure there are those who have heard this too.  "Oh, I didn't 
know there is that much to beer."  To the uneducated, there is yellow fizzy 
beer and dark beer.

On asking for good beer, I think most of us have encountered the Killian's 
or Sam Adams response.  I'm sorry, Sam Adams used to be a respectable beer.  
The current beer has been made more drinkable, aka, wussed out for mass 
appeal.  Same thing has happened to Pete's Wicked Ale but not to the 
extreme.  Craft beer to mass appeal, didn't take long.


Dave Holt
brewing in AZ



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:51:07 -0700
From: "dave holt" <brewdave at hotmail.com>
Subject: beer education & Texas

Hopefully the Texan brewers can help me with this one.

I went to a BBQ joint in Dallas.  I saw beer listed on the board without 
prices.  When I paid for dinner, I asked for a beer.  I was told beer'came' 
with my dinner.  There was no charge but I couldn't request what flavor.  
The owner muttered something about the lack of a liquor license and county 
laws.  Whatever he pulled out of the ice chest next to the cash register is 
what I got.  So I guessed the restaurant could give me a beer without 
charge, and that by requesting a brand amounted to ordering a beer which was 
a no-no.

I thanked the owner for the beer.  Here are the questions I had.  Was a tip 
or donation expected?  Could I get another beer?

I only had one beer.  Please educate me on proper etiquette in Texas.  I 
left scratching my head, went to the liquor store, bought beer and had the 
second beer at the hotel.

Dave Holt
Chandler, AZ



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 17:41:39 -0600
From: "Steve Smith" <sasmith at in-tch.com>
Subject: All's Ale That Ends Ale

I'm following a partial extract, partial mash recipe from the book "Beer
Captured",  for a Hammer & Nail Scotch Ale clone.  The book recipe provides
the hop bitterness target at 28 IBU's.  For the first time, I just used John
Palmer's hop bitterness calculation formulas
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-5.html to see how significantly
lower of an IBU target I would end up with by doubling my batch of wort,
while using one less gallon of water than the doubled recipe calls for.  I
did this because my 26 quart pot won't handle the entire 7 gallon total
volume of wort that is called for in the doubled recipe.  By doubling, I
figured I could save some time, and also test out the new outdoor propane
burner I bought to handle large boil volumes.

When I calculated the recipe's IBU target myself, by using Palmer's formula,
entering the full amount of water called for in the recipe, my calculation
came close to the book's, at 27.68 IBU's.  At least I had followed the
calculation correctly.  When I figured the IBU target for a double batch of
wort minus a gallon of water , I came up with the resulting lower IBU target
of 27.06 IBU's.  It seems to be a pretty negligible change in the IBU
target.  Do you agree?  Could the lessening of bitterness by .62 of 1/30th
of the target noticeably change the character of the final product?

I ask because I have the exact amount of hops, 4 oz., to follow the recipe
for a double batch, and didn't bother buying more so as to add more to the
boil to get back to the recipe's IBU target.  It didn't seem to be
necessary.

Another thing, I was thinking that if I do double the recipe, I should make
sure that the wort boils as rapidly (at a hot temperature) as possibly
without risking a boilover, to obtain maximum hop alpha acid utilization,
given the lower proportion of water.  Or would that cause more evaporation,
and thereby lessen hop utilization?

My homebrew supplier told me today not to sweat the small stuff, since the
beer's not for competition or commercial use.  I guess that since I usually
follow recipes closely, I'm just trying to get some more feedback as to
whether this kind of minor tweaking makes sense, or ends up risking the
overall quality of the final product.

Closing in on brew day,

Steve Smith
sasmith at in-tch.com
Missoula, MT




Return to table of contents


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 19:06:46 -0700 (PDT)
From: Andrew Calder <arcalder2000 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Chicago Brewpubs

Howdy Rick,

Check out Goose Island Brewpubs:

The Clybourn Brew Pub is located at: 1800 North
Clybourn in Chicago.
312.915.0071 

The Wrigleyville Brew Pub is located at: 3535 North
Clark Street in Chicago.
773.832.9040 


=====
Hope this helps,

Andrew Calder, New Lenox, IL
[218.1,257] Apparent Rennerian



Return to table of contents


Date: Thu,  9 Oct 2003 19:33:13 -0700
From: Jonathan Royce <jonathan at woodburybrewingco.com>
Subject: Supersaturation vs. saturation (apology)

After much offline discussion, Steve Alexander and I have come to an agreement 
that wort is indeed supersaturated with CO2 (not just saturated) during 
fermentation. That said, I owe Chad Stevens a public apology for incorrectly 
correcting him on a HBD a week or so past. 

One thing that's nice about HBD is that it is such a civil and mature 
discussion group--much more so than many others I participate in online (both 
brewing and non-brewing related).

Now, back to the ball game.
Happy brewing,
Jonathan
Woodbury Brewing Co.
www.woodburybrewingco.com


Return to table of contents

---