---

	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Digest Janitor: pbabcock at hbd.org


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

                  Beer, Beer, and More Beer
      Visit http://morebeer.com to show your appreciation!

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


Contents:
  RE: CFC, pump, and cavitation; peristaltic pump ("Ronald La Borde")
  Re: non priming pump ("Gary Smith")
  flat hefeweisen, mash buffer, sanitizing chillers ("Dave Burley")
  Re: non priming pump (Kent Fletcher)
  link of the week - vanilla (Bob Devine)
  Pumps, Pumps, and More Pumps - 'Morepumps' ("Ronald La Borde")
  Cultural Identity (Alexandre Enkerli)
  German Heritage and home brewing (Leo Vitt)
  RE: non priming pump (Steven Parfitt)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*           The HBD Logo Store is now open!             *
*            http://www.hbd.org/store.html              *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*  Suppport this service: http://hbd.org/donate.shtml   *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*   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.

LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL USED EQUIPMENT? Please do not post about it here. Go
instead to http://homebrewfleamarket.com and post a free ad there.

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.

JANITORs on duty: Pat Babcock (pbabcock at hbd dot org), Jason Henning,
                  and Spencer Thomas



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


Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 21:38:30 -0600
From: "Ronald La Borde" <pivoron at cox.net>
Subject: RE: CFC, pump, and cavitation; peristaltic pump

>From: pacman at edwardwadsworth.com
>
>...If I hook my pump to the outlet on
>my kettle, turn it on and pump my wort through the CFC, when I get
toward the
>end, if I let the pump run the kettle dry, I risk running the pump
dry, and
>cavitating it.  How do I prevent this?

With a peristaltic pump, one can run it dry, without any liquid flow.
This is a big plus in my opinion. One can even use it as an air pump
or vacuum pump - take your choice. If you get the right model, you can
reverse pump flow direction with a switch. A peristaltic pump is a
wonderful addition to your brewing apparatus.

The quintessential quality is the fact that you use a length of tubing
that is not interrupted by anything. This tubing can be sterilized,
sanitized, etc. Nothing is in the path for contamination. I do use a
3/8 inch I.D. tubing because it fits all my equipment (racking cane,
flare type quick connects, etc.). You need to look for a pump head for
size 18 tubing, which is 3/8 I.D.

You can use the pump for beer transfers, wort transfers, etc. You can
relegate racking to the scrap heap of history. Before, when I did
siphon from the kettle, if I had a clog, it was a major problem
requiring re-starting the siphon. With the peristaltic, I can reverse
flow and continue transferring. If - that is, I have a stuck flow.
This has not happened because the pump can pull a suction, will not
choke on an air bubble or whatever. I can even pause the flow and
restart at will.

The pump has a speed control which can be set for any flow rate you
desire. Look for LS (Lab Science) or IP (Industrial Pump) models made
for/by Masterflex - yep that's the key word to search for. It's
modular design allows you to change the pump head and keep the same
drive for many different pump types and tubing sizes. New pumps are
expensive, I agree, but on ebay (yes, I am an addict) good bargains
can be found.

=====
Ronald J. La Borde -- Metairie, LA
New Orleans is the suburb of Metairie, LA
www.hbd.org/rlaborde




Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 02:59:51 -0600
From: "Gary Smith" <Gary at doctorgary.net>
Subject: Re: non priming pump

Kevin wants to know how to prime his mag drive 
pump.

If the pump is placed in the lowest part in the 
line, the water will reach that by gravity (unless 
you have some gooseneck in the path). I never 
have to worry about priming my magnetics 
because of this.

Check out my RIMS pumps on my web page & you 
will see how I have them set up.

Gary

Gary Smith
CQ DX de KA1J
http://www.doctorgary.net
http://www.doctorgary.net/homebrew.html

If you pick up a starving dog and make him 
prosperous, he will not 
bite you. This is the principal difference 
between a dog and a man.

 - Mark Twain -




Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 08:03:23 -0500
From: "Dave Burley" <Dave_Burley at charter.net>
Subject: flat hefeweisen, mash buffer, sanitizing chillers

Brewsters:

Steve asked "what happened to the CO2?" in his hefeweisen.

Here's my guess if there was no leakage.

"Beer gas" is a mixture of nitrogen and CO2 and typically used for long runs 
from keg to tap ( the longer the run and the smaller the delivery line , the 
higher the % nitrogen)  from the keg to avoid the over saturation with CO2 ( 
and subsequent foaming - slowing down the serving rate)  of normal American 
beer styles. Hefeweisen normally is highly carbonated.

If the Hefeweisen use rate was low and the pressure was lowered ( to prevent 
foaming, which big houses do not like) , the CO2 came out of the hefeweisen 
into the gas above the beer in the keg on standing around in an atmosphere in 
which the CO2 saturation level was less than the applied partial pressure of 
CO2. I would go back to the bar and adjust the keg pressure, making sure the 
CO2 partial pressure  ( total pressure X the fraction of CO2 in the gas 
mixture) at the keg  was equal to the CO2 pressure you measured in the keg 
when you delivered it. If delivery is now a problem because the total pressure 
is too high ( too fast and foamy) , they will just have to lower the % 
nitrogen by buying a different blend of beer gas or go to the pure CO2, 
depending on your calculations.
- -----------------------
Bill Solomon comments on his experiments with various waters and the phosphate 
buffer system offered commercially.

1) what happened to the pH of the mash without the bufffer, but with the 
various waters? Do you have a table of results comparing with and without the 
added buffer?

My own experience is that the mash is highly buffered naturally and self 
adjusts, but I haven't been to the extreme.

Low mineral waters with low roasted malts ( like Plzen's famous lagers ) do 
not get down to this "magic" British number of 5.2

This pH of 5.2 ( at mash temperature) maximizes the saccharification rate ( 
which is all <British> commercial brewers care about, since they do one step 
infusions and aren't concerned with protein and other enzyme steps )  for the 
British brewing style. This doesn't address other mash and brewng styles, esp 
the multiple mash levels once of German fame.

2) what temperature are you talking about where the pH = 5.2 with this buffer 
system?

My biggest concern with these buffers ( since calcium phosphate is insoluble - 
ask your bones)  is what happens to the calcium level in the mash when you add 
phosphate? And the effect that has on beer clarity, since calcium helps 
improve clarity?

Why is any experiment with water pH less than 7 meaningless?

Why not use lactic acid to adjust any high mash pH problem? Adding it or 
generating it ( acid rest)  to lower the pH.  No problems with calcium 
solubility problem as with phosphate, (since calcium lactate is soluble - ask 
your cow).
- --------
David Harsh asks for other idea on sanitation of his chiller.

I always run boiling water through my chiller after I finish to bring the 
volume of the wort up to about 5.5 gallons and then turn off the chilling 
water and drain the chilling water, so the water comes out very hot from the 
central chiller tube ( the wort delivery tube). This cleans the chiller and 
sanitizes it for storage. Then next time I use it, I keep the chilling water 
off until the wort comes out hot out from the wort delivery tube and then turn 
on the chilling water.  You can recyle the first wort out of the chiller (not 
very much )  back to the boiler to resanitize it.

This has worked for me for many years.


Keep on Brewin'

Dave Burley 




Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 07:52:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Kent Fletcher <fletcherhomebrew at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: non priming pump

Kevin said:

> I bought a non priming  magnetic pump for 
> transfering my sparge water and wort and need 
> to find a method to prime it.  I am thinking 
> of using a inline priming bulb from a outboard
> motor gas tank setup (new of course)
[snip]

Kevin, first off, forget about the priming bulb.  Use
gravity to prime the pump.  The pump should be mounted
as low as possible, at all times, and have a ball
valve on the output (discharge). If you are not using
the pump for HERMS or RIMS mashing, you will start
with the inlet (suction) side of the pump connected to
your HLT.   All you have to do is open the discharge
of the pump and then open the HLT drain valve.  Wait
for water to flow from the discharge and then close
ONLY the pump output.

An easy way to eliminate air from the path and prime
the pump at the same time is to fill the HLT THROUGH
the pump.  Connect the pump in the normal
configuration (HLT drain to pump suction), then
connect your water supply to the pump discharge, open
both valves and turn on the water.  When filled,
remember to turn off the water supply first, then the
pump discharge valve, leave the HLT valve open.


		


Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 13:57:30 -0700
From: Bob Devine <bob.devine at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: link of the week - vanilla

Earlier this week, I wrote a quick survey of the commonly
available vanillas for cooking. Rob Moline prompted me
to dig deeper on the subject for us homebrewers.

Vanilla Porters are increasingly popular from craft brewers.
Several craft brewers make one.  Vanilla appears in other
styles too -- stouts, cream ales,

Okay, so how much vanilla to add?

In HBD #4458, Matthew Riggs reported that a full vanilla
bean in a 1-gallon test batch was overwhelmingly vanilla-y.

These recipes used from 1, 4 and 6 beans per 5 gallons.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/beerandweather/van.html
http://www.weaselbreweries.com/recipes/surprise.html

Two tablespoons:
http://www.thebrewpub.com/homebrew/vanilla.html
Three tablespoons:
http://www.skotrat.com/skotrat/recipes/ale/ales/recipes/46.html

Would a vanilla stout use more? This one has one bean:
http://www.beermakerforum.com/showthread.php?t=104
And this one has only 1-1/2 teaspoon
http://www.skotrat.com/skotrat/recipes/ale/stout/recipes/9.html
But a blueberry stout has two beans?
http://www.glidemagazine.com/5/columns90.html

On the lighter side, this cream ale uses 3 tablespoons
http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/html/vanilla18.htm

Or maybe 1-1/2 pounds ... for somewhat more than 5 gallons
http://www.flatbranch.com/beers.asp?68

So, after all that the "right amount" is still unclear.
I'd suggest start with a low amount, one bean or one
tablespoon.  Too much vanilla can be cloying.

If you do experiment, let us all know!

BTW, a vanilla taste in beers that don't have an added
is likely due to the breakdown of barley cell wall
material and other phenolic compounds.

Getting ready for the "Twelve Beers of Christmas"...
Bob Devine
Riverton, UT


Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 15:18:12 -0600
From: "Ronald La Borde" <pivoron at cox.net>
Subject: Pumps, Pumps, and More Pumps - 'Morepumps'

- ----I replied to pacman and thought it might be useful to others on
the HBD.
Ron----

I am concerned about the magnetically coupled pump that you have. Most
of this type cannot pull a suction. In fact, it's darn near impossible
to get it going unless you first prime it with liquid. I mean, when
you want to use it, you may need to first get the pump innards and
tubing full of liquid and rid of any air, or it will never stop
cavitating. I know because I use this type of pump on my brewing rig.
You can see them on my web page URL shown below.

What I do when I get ready to brew is to fill up the HLT and mash tun
with water, then let gravity fill the pump chambers up. Then I start
the pump and run it a bit to get all the air out. I drain out just
about all the water from the mash tun, then I am ready to use the rig
to brew with.

By the way, a little cavitating or dry running is not the curse of the
universe,
a few seconds is OK, especially after a wet run where the innnards are
still wet, lubrication is there. The only thing to avoid is initial
dry running before any priming.

Also, you cannot get the pump much hotter than 170 degrees or it will
melt, unless you have the rare one rated for 212 degrees. That's why
the pump should not be located at the kettle output. You really want
it at the chiller output where the temp will be cool. If you do have
the 212 degree rated pump, that is the best because then you can use
it right out the kettle, and can even circulate to sanitize the whole
setup.

I have learned over the years by making mistakes that it's best to try
things out before brew day by testing with just some water. Try the
pump, see what happens, then if things surprise you, then at least you
have time to make changes without worrying about the brew being half
done.

Now some have mentioned the pulsing phenomena involving peristaltic
pumps. Yes, this is a reality. I wonder myself what effect this will
have on moving finished beer. I figure with the receiving keg purged
of air and filled with CO2, any pulsing will not matter. It would be a
good idea to purge the tubing before filling because some air may be
in the tubing.

Ron
=====
Ronald J. La Borde -- Metairie, LA
New Orleans is the suburb of Metairie, LA
www.hbd.org/rlaborde




Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 18:56:35 -0500
From: Alexandre Enkerli <aenkerli at indiana.edu>
Subject: Cultural Identity

Thanks to all who responded to my post on German-American brewers. Bear 
in mind that this was not supposed to be about ethnicity per se but 
about cultural identity. There's a huge difference but I won't 
elaborate. Still got some great data on both sets of issues. So thanks!

There could be other discussions on other components of a brewer's 
identity, including gender, primary occupation, native language, etc. 
But these would probably open other cans of worms... ;-)

Thanks again!

AleX, French-speaking Canadian-Swiss of Irish/Scottish/Italian origins 
and of Quebecois cultural identity, lover of Belgian, spiced, and big 
beers, temporarily living in South Bend, IN
[129.7mi, 251.5] Apparent Rennerian



Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 17:02:20 -0800 (PST)
From: Leo Vitt <leo_vitt at yahoo.com>
Subject: German Heritage and home brewing


I don't think the fact I have ancestors from Germany enfluenced my
decison to homebrew.  It did enfluence some of my decisions of styles
to make; O'fest pilsner, altbier, kolsch, dunkel, bock, hefe weizen. I
have also made stouts, pale ales (more English than American)  Belgian
Dubble, wit.



 

=====
Leo Vitt
Sidney, NE


		


Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 19:29:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Steven Parfitt <thegimp98 at yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: non priming pump

Kevin Jongsma querries about "non priming pump"

>Hello all i am a lurker in need of some help.
>I bought a non priming  magnetic pump for transfering
>my sparge water and wort and need to find a method to
>prime it.
 ...snip...
>Kevin


Just lay out your system so that the wort drains down
and fills the pump. Be sure you have a valve that you
can open (in my case recirculation to the mash tun) to
bleed the air out of the system.

Good luck.


=====
Steven, -75 XLCH- Ironhead Nano-Brewery  http://thegimp.8k.com
Johnson City, TN [422.7, 169.2] Rennerian 

"There is no such thing as gravity, the earth sucks." Wings Whiplash - 1968


		


Return to table of contents

---