---

	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:
  Stainless steel scouring pads in boil - safe? (relliott)
  Sulfur in Czech Pils (Mike Mullins)
  sulfur: SO2/H2S/mercaptan ("Peter A. Ensminger")
  Poor man's stir plate? ("Pat Babcock")
  over attenuation ("steve")
  St Pats 3 level system ("Noah A. Bolmer")
  Possible lye sources (Francisco Jones)
  plate heat exchangers ("I ≠ coldheart")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*           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: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 22:26:32 +1100
From: <relliott at senet.com.au>
Subject: Stainless steel scouring pads in boil - safe?

Hi everyone,

I tried by first all-grain batch a 
few months ago, and the product of that,
an Irish Dry stout was the best I have 
ever brewed, despite the fact that 
there was disaster after disaster 
during the actual brewing process. 

About 1/3rd of the total batch went
west after the action of attaching the
counter-flow chiller to the tap on
the boiler loosened the supposably 
"heat proof" washers on either side 
of tap, and beer began to leak 
out. This happened outside in the
 dark (note to self, *NEVER* again 
try to brew under the light of an 
outside lamp!!),  so it took a 
while before the escaping 
beer was discovered. 

Anyway, I am keen to try again, this 
time with my equpiment and technique
all up to scratch! I have a couple 
of queries for you guys. 

1. What type of washer do you need 
to  use to prevent the above discussed 
issue every happening again; and

2. Would it be safe to use a stainless 
steel scouring pad pushed on the
outlet pipe, inside the boiler for the 
duration  of the entire boil? This 
would be to prevent any hops, trub 
etc getting into the coolingsystem. 
Would it contribute to any off-tastes 
in the finished beer?

Thanks,

	-Russell.


This message was sent through MyMail http://www.mymail.com.au




Return to table of contents


Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 06:55:30 -0600
From: Mike Mullins <Brewmiker at charter.net>
Subject: Sulfur in Czech Pils

I tried the beer again last night and I believe the sulfur taste is 
subsiding. I want to free up the fermenter space and didn't want to 
bottle 10 gallons of bad beer (OK, I was panicking...).
I am confident that this will become a drinkable pils.
I agree that a hint of this smell/flavor is common in these lagers (and 
possibly in lager yeast in general) but have never experienced this 
level before. Just for the heck of it, I am going to bottle five gallons 
with corn sugar and keep the other in the keg on low pressure. I'll 
report the difference between the two beers in, say March.
Thanks for the responses, they gave my confidence a boost!

Mike
In Michigan's Thumb


Return to table of contents


Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 09:21:47 -0500
From: "Peter A. Ensminger" <ensmingr at twcny.rr.com>
Subject: sulfur: SO2/H2S/mercaptan

AJ will surely answer provide a more complete answer, but ...

Light-struck beers have prenyl mercaptan, an SH compound (see link 
below). This aroma is very distinctive and very different from the aroma 
of H2S (sometimes produced early in fermentation) and from the aroma of 
SO2 (of a mature continental pilsner). Yes, sometimes beers imported to 
the US are light-struck, but this is very different from the sulfur 
aroma of a fresh continental pilsner. One of the finest American 
continental pilsners (to my palate) with the SO2 aroma is Victory Prima 
Pils.

Cheerio!
Peter A. Ensminger
Syracuse, NY
Sun-struck reaction: 
<http://home.twcny.rr.com/geomanagement/ensmingr/menagerie.html#a07>





Return to table of contents


Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 12:10:53 -0500
From: "Pat Babcock" <pbabcock at hbd.org>
Subject: Poor man's stir plate?

Greetings, Beerlings! Take me to your Gevalia catalog...

Thumbing through the catalog that came with my last order, I come across this:

Gevalia Stir Mug
Insulated stainless steel causes a stir as its gentle
swirling motion stirs your beverage at the push 
of a button. Keeps coffee hot for hours. With 
snap-on, see-through sipper lid. 12-oz. capacity.
Includes 2 AAA batteries. Hand wash.
Imported
E. #90013 $14.95
   #90053 Set of 2 $24.95

C'mon! Someone out needs to try this out on their starter!

:o)

- --

See ya!

Pat Babcock in SE Michigan
Chief of HBD Janitorial Services
http://hbd.org
pbabcock at hbd.org




Return to table of contents


Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 17:33:00 -0600
From: "steve" <vmi92 at cox-internet.com>
Subject: over attenuation

Lately I have had a couple of batches that have overattennuated. Most recently
a Kolsch dropped down to 1.005. It tastes a little drier than I would like. I
wonder if it would be a good idea to make up a small amount of a high gravity
solution to add to the beer to add a little sweetness. Perhaps DME or candi
sugar. Has anyone tried anything like this to fix this problem?

Thanks,
Steve in Arkansas




Return to table of contents


Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 15:45:52 -0800
From: "Noah A. Bolmer" <noah at ocztechnology.com>
Subject: St Pats 3 level system



Greetings! I purchased one of the last 3 St. Pats 3-level homebrew 
systems. The closeout price was
just too good considering the quality of their pots. I've scoured the 
HBD looking for someone else
with the system, but I haven't seen any references to it. After a few 
years of extract brewing, I've
decided to jump full force into all-grain. I'm not sure when the system 
will arrive, as it has to be carried
by truck, but I'll let everyone on HBD know how it turns out. Anyone 
with exper. using a st pats system?

Thanks!

Noah A. Bolmer


Return to table of contents


Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 18:47:58 -0600
From: Francisco Jones <frandog at earthlink.net>
Subject: Possible lye sources

Speaking of soapmakers as sources of lye, here are two.  I have ordered 
from both, but never bought lye from them.  Not affiliated, yadda...

Majestic Mountain Sage
Emporium Naturals

Both have websites, but I can't confirm the addresses at the moment 
(maybe mms.com and emporiumnaturals.com).

I do not know if the lye they sell is food grade or not.  Check to be 
sure.

Francisco Jones
Kankakee, IL


Return to table of contents


Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 17:23:56 -0800 (PST)
From: "I &#8800; coldheart" <rebelcat1 at yahoo.com>
Subject: plate heat exchangers

Hi everyone, I've been lurking for a while, taking in
all the good information you are putting out. Now I
have a question. I was reading through the brewery's
library section and came across an article:
"Thermodynamics of Wort Chilling" by Charlie
Scandrett. In the article Charlie talks about plans
for building a plate wort chiller, but I can't find
them anywhere. His email seems to be dead, and the old
digests that the orignal thread took place on (1778 -
1794)don't seem to say anymore than the article. I was
wondering if any of you happen to know anything about
this or, if I'm really lucky, happen to have recived
the origional plans. 
I've been following the reviews of the thermonator,
and I think I would rather have something that I can
take apart. Having to build it myself is just another
bonus. Anyway, my time is up on this computer, but any
thoughts or advice would be wonderful. Thanks
everyone.
 -Will, Portland Oregon




Return to table of contents

---