---

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


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

                     Your Business Name Here
    Visit http://hbd.org "Sponsor the HBD"  to find out how!
			 
    Support those who support you! Visit our sponsor's site!
********** Also visit http://hbd.org/hbdsponsors.html *********

DONATE to the Home Brew Digest. Home Brew Digest, Inc. is a 
501(c)3 not-for-profit organization under IRS rules (see the
FAQ at http://hbd.org for details of this status). Donations
can be made by check to Home Brew Digest mailed to:

HBD Server Fund
PO Box 871309
Canton Township, MI 48187-6309

or by paypal to address serverfund@hbd.org. DONATIONS of $250 
or more will be provided with receipts. SPONSORSHIPS of any 
amount are considered paid advertisement, and may be deductible
under IRS rules as a bsuiness expense. Please consult with your 
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available 
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
  Good use for plastic bottles ("Dave Draper")
  plastic bottles (Robin Griller)
  Cleaning Conicals ("A.J deLange")
  Re: Cleaning Conicals ("Dave Larsen")
  Music To Brew By ("Dave Larsen")
  Getting the word out (Joseph M Labeck Jr)
  Conicals, carboys, cleaning ... ("steve.alexander")
  Results of the 2008 E.T. Barnette Homebrew Competition (Scott and =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ch=E9rie_Stihler?= )
  Cleaning a Conical ("LANCE HARBISON")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*           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, 11 Jul 2008 22:12:46 -0600
From: "Dave Draper" <david at draper.name>
Subject: Good use for plastic bottles

Dear Friends,

Couple posts about using plastic bottles to bottle beer with in 
recent digests.

I agree that they're not suitable for long-term conditioning and 
storage, but one thing they are really good for is as an indicator 
for when bottle conditioning is mostly complete.  Use a couple 
plastic bottles (I always used the approx. 1 litre size) in each 
bottled batch, and you'll be able to tell how carbonation is coming 
along by how taut the plastic bottle is.  Right after you bottle, 
it'll have plenty of give, and when carbonation is basically done, 
it'll be quite solid.  This way you don't have to spend a glass 
bottle to test whether it's carbonated enough yet.  The old adage is 
"When it's hard, it's ready." :-)  

Cheers, Dave in ABQ
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
David S. Draper, Institute of Meteoritics, Univ New Mexico
David at Draper dot Name
Beer page: http://www.unm.edu/~draper/beer.html
The one with the biggest starter wins. ---Dan McConnell






Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:50:53 -0400
From: Robin Griller <rgriller at chass.utoronto.ca>
Subject: plastic bottles

Many of the Homebrew shops up here in Canada sell brown pet bottles for
homebrewing and, until I got into kegging, I used them a fair amount. They
were just fine for beer....I wouldn't use them for things I want to age in
bottle for a long time, but as someone else said, if you're drinking the
beer over a several month period they should be just fine.....

Robin



Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:57:21 -0400
From: "A.J deLange" <ajdel at cox.net>
Subject: Cleaning Conicals

Since cleaning of conicals is of interest and I have described in some 
detail how I clean kegs I can describe how I clean a conical in little 
space since it's done using the same equipment  chemicals and procedure 
(see Sat HBD) except that caustic enters the fermenter through a CIP 
ball at the top and nothing is returned to the caustic supply tank. When 
the caustic supply has been completely emptied I throw the lever on a 
three way valve so the pump is being fed by the drain at the bottom of 
the fermenter (instead of the caustic supply) and the caustic then 
recirculates. It is important to prerinse with water first because 
residual protein will cause the caustic to froth to the point where the 
pump is trying to move foam which doesn't work very well.  It is very 
important to be sure that any CO2 remaining from fermentation or CO2 
pressure emptying of the beer be drained from the tank in this step as 
spraying caustic into a fermenter full of CO2 results in a very sad 
picture unless there is a functioning vacuum release valve in place or 
the fermenter is open to ambient pressure (CO2 + NaOH --> NaHCO3 + 
vacuum).  I usually recirculate the caustic for about 45 min. followed 
by water rinse, acid mix (for beerstone) every third or so cleaning and 
more water. Then a check of ports (carbonating stone, sample port) is 
necessary as yeast may settle there. A quick pass with a brush followed 
by lots of water takes care of that and the fementer is clean. The 
relatively violent spray from the CIP ball (rotating) does all the work 
and gets the unit clean without disassembly beyond carbonating stone and 
Zwickle (all connections are 3A sanitary) ports. On brew day I 
recirculate iodophor for an hour or so. This gets it into every nook and 
cranny of which there should be precious few since all welds are 
sanitary and that only leaves the 3A connection at the bottom where 
drain and standpipe attach to the  bottom of the cone. Periodic 
disassembly and check of the gaskets on these completes the job. I tend 
to soak 3A gaskets overnight in water to loosen any caked on material, 
rinse with water, dry and reassemble. So far so good.

A.J.


Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:08:09 -0700
From: "Dave Larsen" <hunahpu at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Cleaning Conicals

> Forgive me for asking the obvious, but why do people fill their Conical
> with Star san to sanitise it?
>
> Once clean (Say using hot Washing soda), simply rinse, allow to drain
> and then using a hand sprayer spray starsan round all the surfaces, and
> allow to drain from the bottom valve . . . seems a lot more economical
> to me.
>

You fill it up with sanitizer to not only sanitize, but also to check
for leaks.  All the fittings, such as the bottom dump and the rotating
racking arm, are screwed together with rubber seals.  They can leak,
so you test it out with sanitizer first.  It is much easier to fix a
leak before you put your beer in the fermenter.

I guess you could check of leaks with regular water, but then the
inside of your bottom dump and rotating racking arm are no longer
sanitary.  You really cant spray inside of those with a hand sprayer.

I do use a spray bottle to spray underneath the fittings before I
attach them, and also to spray the rim of the conical before I attach
the lid.

Dave
Tucson, AZ
http://hunahpu.blogspot.com/


Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:38:14 -0700
From: "Dave Larsen" <hunahpu at gmail.com>
Subject: Music To Brew By

Okay, let me pose this question.  What music do you brew to?

Dave
Tucson, AZ
http://hunahpu.blogspot.com/


Return to table of contents


Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:52:55 -0400
From: Joseph M Labeck Jr <jmlabeck at joesjokearchive.ws>
Subject: Getting the word out

A short time ago, I had posted a comment that the HBD could perhaps use 
a bit more publicity.

My talent is limited, but I designed a banner ad, and uploaded it to my 
website

http://joesjokearchive.ws

If you wish to use it, feel free to copy it.

I've also sent an email to one of the brewing podcasts, Basic Brewing, 
suggesting a show about the HomeBrew Digest. The host, James Spencer, 
seemed receptive.

I just think more people need to learn of it's existence.

Joe Labeck


Return to table of contents


Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:58:21 -0400
From: "steve.alexander" <-s at roadrunner.com>
Subject: Conicals, carboys, cleaning ...

The archives contain a long and detailed discussion of the issues with
various fermenters.  IMO small (even 1 or 2 bbl) conicals seem too
small to cause significant thermal circulation - which is undoubtedly
the reason why commercial 10-1000bbl "rainier" style fermenters are so
popular commercially.  The conical bottom is certainly an advantage
for (clean) yeast harvest, but the importance of the for HBers is
dubious.

 > If you want to test this out yourself, take a few bottles
 > of your favorite beer and store them where you normally store beer
 > for a year or two.

Try a month or two.  Most plastics transpire oxygen.  Some transverse
PET laminate bottles which are relatively impervious were under
development for commercial beer use (by SAB-Miller I think) but I
haven't seen these on the market ((perhaps never will given feedstock
prices)), Many HBers have the incorrect impression that oxygen won't
diffuse into a 2L pop bottle while under CO2 pressure - but this is
absolutely incorrect.  A month in a PET bottle will ruin a beer IMO,
tho' plastics are probably fine during any fermentation phase.  I'd
never consider plastic carboys for storage - but for fermentation they
are probably fine (ignoring that plastics can retain flavors and that
non-food grade plastics are a serious no-no).

I have a love/hate relationship with glass carboys.  Heavy, and
dangerously slippery when wet, yet easily cleaned and the fermentation
activity is easily observed.  I can't imagine using anything else for
my small scale winemaking which requires many months or years of
storage and has similar oxidation issues as beer.

Cleaning a carboy shouldn't be difficult, despite the small neck.
Rinsing with cold water and topping up with a caustic cleanser usually
removes everything in a few days, but a little light brushing speeds
his up dramatically.  I'm not a fan of intensive scrubbing, but a
certain amount is needed, and as mentioned the common bristle brushes
are sub-optimal.  Sometimes I'll insert a sponge and push it around
with a brush.  I store carboys with a light chlorine bleach solution.

With steel/snake I agree that caustics (and certainly not chlorine or
rough scrubbers) is the way to go.  An initial cold water rinse and
sponging does a lot of good, but leaves a noticeable film which the
caustics handle.

 -S


Return to table of contents


Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:14:11 -0800
From: Scott and =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ch=E9rie_Stihler?= <stihlerunits at mosquitobytes.com>
Subject: Results of the 2008 E.T. Barnette Homebrew Competition

The results of the 2008 E.T. Barnette Homebrew Competition are now in.

Please join us in congratulating Andrew Starsiak of Philadelphia, PA 
for winning the Best of Show prize with a wonderfully crafted 
American Brown Ale.

Complete competition results can be found at:
http://www.mosquitobytes.com/Den/Beer/Events/ETB2008/ETB2008.html.


Cheers,

Scott & Cherie Stihler
Fairbanks, Alaska
[2874, 324.9] Apparent Rennerian Statue Miles



Return to table of contents


Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:25:32 -0500
From: "LANCE HARBISON" <harbison65 at verizon.net>
Subject: Cleaning a Conical

I built my own 20 gallon conical, which does not have a racking port, so 
maybe mine is a bit easier to clean.  So this is how I do it with about a 
minimal amount of water.  After kegging I lean the fermenter on about a 45 
degree angle.  Using a piece of thin stainless sheet I scrape off the dried 
on kreusen.  I try to catch it to prevent it from stopping up the bottom 
drain.  Once the heavy stuff is scraped off I alternate between water and a 
scotch brite to finish the removal of the kreusen.  This takes about 4 
gallons of water.  I then add about a 3 gallon solution of PBW.  The scotch 
brite soaks up enough solution to scrub the sides, if they need it.  With 
help from a brewing spoon I can reach the bottom of the conical.  Note that 
the welds are not really sanitary in nature so I pay special attention to 
them.  If necessary, I can lay the fermenter further on it's side to allow 
me to reach all the way to the bottom with my hand for extra scrubbing. 
When I'm comfortable with the cleanness I stand it back up and I begin 
rinsing with hot water.  This takes about 3 gallons and I'm then ready to 
sanitize.  Check out the January 08 Zymurgy for a picture of a copper ring 
that I made to spray sanitizer on the walls of the conical.  Using 3 gallons 
of star san I use my pump to continuously spray the liquid into the top and 
out the bottom.  I use 3 gallons because that is enough to sanizite more 
that one half of a corny.

Lance Harbison
Pittsburgh 




Return to table of contents

---