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


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Contents:
  Shaarbeek cherries ("Spencer W. Thomas")
  Cereal Mash for Maize ("Brian Pic")
  Re: scrapyard steel? ("Martin Brungard")
  pre-boiling to drop the HCO3 (leavitdg)
  Re: scrapyard steel? ("Dave and Joan King")


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



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Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 08:36:15 -0400
From: "Spencer W. Thomas" <hbd at spencerwthomas.com>
Subject: Shaarbeek cherries

As far as I know, the Shaarbeek cherry is not available in the US.  A
couple of friends (Ken Schramm and Dan McConnell) wanted to grow some
about a decade back.  They could get stock shipped from Belgium, but by
the time it went through quarantine, it would likely be dead.

They consulted with a cherry expert, Amy Iezzoni, at Michigan State. 
She showed them to her "orchard" of experimental trees, and recommended
that they try a Polish cherry (Oblacinska or something like that -- my
spelling is undoubtedly wrong).  This was a black, intensely flavored,
sour cherry.  I can attest that it made a fine cherry mead -- I may
still have a couple of bottles left.  Dan gave me a couple of pounds of
cherries, and I flavored 2.5 gallons of mead with them.  After steeping
for 6 months, the mead was about the color of red wine, and the cherries
had faded to the color of regular canned "pie" cherries.

As far as I know, this cherry has not been commercialized in the US,
either.  There is a new dark, sour cherry that some Michigan growers (at
least) have picked up: the Balaton cherry
(http://www.hrt.msu.edu/Balaton.html).  This cherry sounds to me like it
would work better for a kriek-style beer than standard Montmorency
("pie") cherries.  It appears to be available by mail order from several
sources.

=Spencer in Ann Arbor



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Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:25:20 -0400
From: "Brian Pic" <bpicke at gmail.com>
Subject: Cereal Mash for Maize

>>Actually, with quick grits and quick oats, I don't think boiling was
>>necessary.  I think (but I'm not certain) that they are already
>>gelatinized.  I certainly just throw quick oats into the mash straight.
>>
>And I.  But the Quick variety was to hand, and (this second time around) the
>concern was more with validating the in-tun boil procedure;

FWIW, I have no problems using regular oats in my main mash.   The
generic, thick-flaked (compared to the one minute type) oats I used in
my last Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout clone worked fine.   There was nothing
left of them after the mash.

- --Brian



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Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 13:04:38 -0800
From: "Martin Brungard" <mabrungard at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: scrapyard steel?


Ben must not be an AHA member.  I just posted a similar answer on AHA's 
TechTalk list.  Well consider AHA membership, its providing good value to 
its members.  I recommend joining if you love homebrewing.

OK, with regard to stainless steel cleaning.  There is an EPA protocol for 
cleaning stainless steel sampling equipment used for hazardous waste.  It is 
a multi-step process designed to remove all potential contaminants.  Its 
used everyday and is even proven to be effective with millions of analytical 
laboratory tests.

Step 1.  Scrub all surfaces to remove all visible soil or deposits.  A 
solution of Liquinox or Alkanox is used when doing the scrubing.  These are 
heavy-duty laboratory detergents.  I would say that PBW should come close to 
performing an equivalent job.  The point is that all visible crud needs to 
be gone!

Step 2.  Rinse the surfaces with clean water.

Step 3.  Rinse the surfaces with isopropyl or isopropanol alchohol.  This is 
to disolve any alcohol soluble stuff still hiden on the surfaces.  You need 
to use the high grade alcohol, not the watered down stuff.

Step 4. Rinse the surfaces with clean water.

Step 5. Rinse the surfaces with Nitric acid.  This is to dissolve any metals 
or heavy metals on the surfaces.  The stainless is unaffected.  High 
molarity nitric acid is not something that most people have access to.  
Another strong acid that is available is muriatic acid.  But its actually 
hydrochloric acid and its not good to put it on stainless steel.  The 
chlorides will attact the stainless is left in contact for long.  I expect 
that John Palmer can comment if this acid choice is OK for brief contact.  
Another option is Sulfuric acid, but its probably not readily available 
either.

Step 6.  Rinse the surfaces with clean water.

Step 7.  Let dry.  You're done.

This will get the equipment quite clean.  If you want to be very sure of the 
results, use the recommended chemicals to clean.  I'm not sure if the 
results can be absolutely relied on when substitutes are used.


Martin Brungard
Tallahassee, FL




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Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:32:33 -0400
From: leavitdg at plattsburgh.edu
Subject: pre-boiling to drop the HCO3

I am attempting to drop the Bicarbonate in my water (which is now 174 ppm) to
something that is reasonable for a pale ale.  Promash lists that at 0 ppm. 
Given that
I don't have access to distilled water, I am preboiling the mash water as
suggested
by Palmer.  How much can I expect this to drop from the 174 ppm by this
pre-boil?
Darrell




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Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2006 11:11:22 -0400
From: "Dave and Joan King" <dking3 at stny.rr.com>
Subject: Re: scrapyard steel?

Normal detergent cleaning should do fine, except if there are crevices, 
which could not only hold some nasty stuff that was in it from it's previous 
life, but could also create issues for you in the future.

I think I'd scrub it until it looks good, with a non-abrasive plastic 
scrubber and dish detergent, rinse well, and fill it with water, boil it, 
dump, rinse, and call it ready.  You probably know to stay away from 
chlorinated cleaners.

      Dave King, President of BIER, also a Metallurgist  -- 2 for the price 
of one?  :-)
                [396.1, 89.1] Apparent Rennerian 




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