FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
		Rob Gardner, Digest Coordinator


Contents:
  RE:  B-Brite ("CMD 2NDLT ALBERT W. TAYLOR ")
  root beer (popowich)
  Silicone Rubber Caulking in Mash Tun ("Roger Deschner  ")
  cats meow 2 (eurquhar)
  rolled oats (Scott Jay)
  Dave Miller's New Book (Norm Hardy)
  Silcone again (Nick Zentena)
  Book Review: _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte (Phillip Seitz)
  MALTMILL GIVEAWAY (Jack Schmidling)


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**For Cat's Meow information, send mail to lutzen at novell.physics.umr.edu**


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

Date: 3 Jul 92 10:29:00 EST
From: "CMD 2NDLT ALBERT W. TAYLOR " <S94TAYLOR at usuhsb.ucc.usuhs.nnmc.navy.mil>
Subject: RE:  B-Brite

B-Brite is mostly Sodium Carbonate.  It may interest some to know that 
automatic dishwashing powder is also mostly sodium carbonate, as well as
a chlorine additive, which should help sterilizing whatever you are cleaining.
Another bonus is that a big, 5.5 pound box can be had for about $5.  I'm
not sure, but I think this is a lot cheaper than the same stuff packaged as
B-Brite.
Al Taylor
Uniformed Services University
School of Medicine
Bethesda, Maryland


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Date: Fri, 03 Jul 92 09:45:23 -0500
From: popowich at ssc.wisc.edu
Subject: root beer

I am looking for a good root beer recipe.  I can buy extracts at my
local homebrew store, but the extracts have a lot of crap in them and
after being offerred a taste-test, I definitely would prefer not to
resort to using them.

Does anyone have a great recipe from scratch?  Or nearly from scratch?
Or can someone point me to a book that has one?

Thanks,
- ----- Daniel Popowich ---------	Social Science Computing Cooperative -----
(608) 262-9830			University of Wisconsin - Madison
popowich at ssc.wisc.edu		1180 Observatory Drive
popowich at wiscssc.bitnet		Madison, WI  53706

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Date: 3 July 1992 11:08:03 CDT
From: "Roger Deschner " <U52983 at UICVM.UIC.EDU>
Subject: Silicone Rubber Caulking in Mash Tun

I'm about to use it, but I am going to be sure to find the variety which
claims to be OK for aquarium use. I believe other types will emit trace
amounts of solvents. I figure if it's formulated not to kill tropical
fish, it won't do me in either. "Aquarium Seal" is likely to be slightly
more costly than other types of silicone rubber caulking.

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Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 10:35:33 -0700
From: eurquhar at sfu.ca
Subject: cats meow 2

Would you please 
send cat2.uuz from recipe-book
                                                                Thank you


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Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 15:56:52 -0300
From: pgsjay at atlas.cs.upei.ca (Scott Jay)
Subject: rolled oats

In issue 910 Larry Barrello was replying to Chris Estes re. Pearled Barley.
Larry mentioned the use of rolled oats and barley. I tried mailing to Larry
directly but could not get anything through.

My question is this. Are these regular, grocery store, rolled oats? How much
and when would you add these? Do they add to head retention? Are
Beta-glucans harmful?

I am:


          ///////      ////      ///////
         //          //  //     //    //          Scott Jay
        ///////    ////////    ///////      pgsjay at atlas.cs.upei.ca
       //        //      //   //   //
      //       //        //  //    //        Forestry Association
     //      //          // ///////               of Brewers

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Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 19:18:10 PDT
From: pbhya!mndavis at ns.PacBell.COM



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Date: Fri, 3 Jul 92 19:21:16 PDT
From: pbhya!mndavis at ns.PacBell.COM

Greets brewsters,

Sitting somewhere amongst my brewing supplies is a 5 gal carboy. Upon
further inspection one will find that it contains a full load of some
crystal clear mead (yummy!). A little research will show that it was
actually brewed about 2 years ago, and after a couple weeks of primary
fermentation, the mead was racked to the secondary where it still sits
today. But this is not a history lesson...

Here's the problem - due to a combination of the bottling blues and
negligence, this batch has been left sitting for these past 2 years,
and on more than one occassion, I had noted that the water level inside
the airlock had run critically low - as in empty! Of course I immediately
refilled it and followed with a quick ritual anti-infectionary dance/chant
session and prayed for the best. Alas, I have asked too much of the gods...
floating obnoxiously on the surface of my unfortunate mead is a layer of
(for lack of a more poetic term) SCUM. A quick nasal scan shows that nothing
smells afoul however. Since this mead was made with 7.5 lbs of honey for a 
five gallon batch, and was "safely" fermented in the primary at least, with
champagne yeast, I'm assuming that there is a healthy dose of alcohol present
to protect it. I also know from experience, that two years in the life of
mead is equivalent to the adolescent stage, so its nowhere near its expiration
date.

What I'm looking for are possible suggestions as to what that SCUM is, and
any ideas on how to go about bottling this. It appears that whatever is
currently living off my mead can only due so at the surface, so I've had
thoughts of ever so gently siphoning the mead from the bottom, and at first
sign of SCUM in the proximity of the siphon head, shutting it down and
using the remains to appease the great spirit of the garbage disposal.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

                              Mark


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Date: Sat, 4 Jul 92 13:36:36 PDT
From: polstra!norm at uunet.UU.NET (Norm Hardy)
Subject: Dave Miller's New Book

At the local homebrew shop, The Cellar in Seattle, I came across several
copies of Miller's new book, "Brewing the World's Great Beers".

A quick glance seemed to show the PRACTICAL nature of the material.  There
are MANY recipes along with the gradual transition from extract to grain
brewing.  Interesting, I just might have to buy a copy if I can't borrow it
from someone who has already bought it :)

Has anyone else bought/read the book?

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Date: 	Sun, 5 Jul 1992 15:00:54 -0400
From: Nick Zentena <zen%hophead at canrem.com>
Subject: Silcone again

Hi,
        So I guess the general concensus is that Silcone is
        1) Reasonably inert chemically
        2) Won't kill me?
        Thanks

*****************************************************************************
I drink Beer I don't collect cute bottles!
zen%hophead at canrem.com
*****************************************************************************

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Date: Sun, 5 Jul 92 17:08:47 -0400
From: parsons1 at husc.harvard.edu

Persons of discriminating taste, 

I've been reading this magazine for almost two years now, without 
contributing any words of my own.  I have controlled myself, because
all I really have to offer are some recipes, and everyone always
has enough recipes already.  But I can't resist contributing these 
two.

The first, in response to the recent popularity of Weis beer, is 
a recipe of my own.  It is not as heavy as the German varieties,
and does not have the clove-like taste: instead, I made it in 
pursuit of the taste of Grant's Weis Beer, which is much paler,
and lighter of body; with a hoppier aroma; and drier, but not 
bitter, to the taste.

Hefeweizen, for 5 gal:

	5# wheat
	3# 6 row lager
	1 oz Tettnang (45 min before end of boil - alpha 4.7%)
	1/2 oz Saaz (25 min - 3.8% alpha)
	1/2 oz Saaz (10 min - 3.8% alpha)
	Wyeast 1056 ("American Ale")

Mash in 11 qts and protein rest 30 min  at  130 F
Starch conversion 90 min  at  149 F
Mash out and sparge 1 hr.  at  168 F
Boil 1 hr., adding hops as specified above.

Starting Gravity 1.042  at  72 F

While I'm at it, I also want to offer this recipe.  It is time to
start thinking about this Winter's beer, so here is a Scotch ale
recipe which yields, I think, superb beer.

for 5 gal.

	9# pale ale
	1# crystal
	1# Munich
	1/2# chocolate
	1/2 oz. Bullion (60 min - 9% alpha)
	2 oz. Fuggles (30 min - 4.5% alpha)
	3/4 oz. Golding (10 min - 4.9% alpha)
	1 tsp. Irish moss (30 min)
	Whitbread or Wyeast 1007 ("German Ale")

Heat 14 qts for 140 F strike heat
Mash in, starch conversion 1 1/2 hr.  at  154 F
Mash out and sparge with 5 gal.  at  168 F
Boil1 1/2 hr., adding hops and Irish moss as scheduled above.

Starting Gravity 1.055  at  72 F

I am very fond of both these styles, and should be pleased if
anyone would offer his own recipes.  So much for my 15 minutes of
fame.  Thanks.

P.S. nec parce cades tibi destinatis

Jed Parsons : Harpsichordist, Classicist, Homebrewer


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Date: Sun, 5 Jul 92 22:48 GMT
From: Phillip Seitz <0004531571 at mcimail.com>
Subject: Book Review: _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte

Review: _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte

     Copies of the Association of Brewers' newest
publication, _Belgian Ale_ by Pierre Rajotte, are now
available.  Despite it's defects (most of them editorial)
this will undoubtedly be the bible of Belgian-style brewing
for some time to come.  Anyone interested in brewing Belgian
beers must read it.
     While it's a matter of (well founded) opinion that the
Belgians are the world's best brewers, the specifics of
Belgian-style brewing will come as quite a shock to many:
these include obligatory use of large quantities of sugar,
high-temperature fermentations (up to and over 85 degrees
fahrenheit), microscopic hopping rates (take *that*,
hopheads!), and deliberate production of sour and high-ester
beers.
     The book's strength lies in Rajotte's clear
explanations of the ways these can be used to generate great
beers, and he does so with an eye to the practical needs of
brewers at all levels.  
     Rajotte himself is a Canadian, with a degree in
mechanical engineering.  He help found Montreal's first
brewpub, and is a regular contributor to _zymurgy_.
     Chapter 1 of this book provides an historical overview
of Belgian brewing and its traditions.  The Belgians
continue to use many procedures and ingredients that were
long ago abandoned by more "progressive" brewers, yet
produce the world's most stunning array of beer types and
flavors.  Rajotte doesn't lay his cards on the table, but
obviously thinks this is not a coincidence.  He also
emphasizes, however, that even in a within a conservative
atmosphere Belgian brewers have a continued tradition of
innovation and experimentation.  Despite centuries of
brewing, most Belgian beers on the current market are
relatively new; even their distinguished Trappist brews were
only developed in the early part of this century.
     Chapter 2 profiles the various Belgian ale styles. 
This includes statistical information on gravity, color,
IBU, and more, but also emphasizes that style isn't all that
important; as Rajotte says, "People who like to categorize
everything in an orderly manner will not feel secure in the
way Belgian beers are classified."  Even so, his
classification system is more practical and realistic than
Michael Jackson's, and better fits the categories controlled
by Belgian law.  In all, the discussion covers trappist and
abbey beers, special beers, ales and saisons, white beers,
and oud bruins (tart brown beers such as Liefmann's
Goudenband).
     Chapter three concerns the materials and equipment and
materials used in Belgian brewing, providing detailed
information on malt selection and use (almost no use of
colored or specialty varieties), sugar types, hops (noble
types mostly, and in minute quantities), and equipment for
boiling, cooling, and fermenting.
     Chapter 4 continues with an overview of the various
Belgian brewing processes, beginning with a description of a
joint brewing project between Rajotte and Pierre Gobron,
master brewer of La Brasserie D'Achouff.  There's excellent
information here, but the book's sloppy editing makes it
impossible to tell which quotes are Rajotte's and which are
Gobron's.  
     This chapter also includes a section on bottle
conditioning, in which Rajotte explains why the homebrewing
version (add more sugar) won't work with high-gravity
Belgian-style beers.  The Belgians add sugar too, but also
extra yeast to replace the yeast cells worn out during high-
gravity primary and secondary fermentation.  Unfortunately,
this technique has some dangerous implications for the
inexperienced, as differences in attenuation between the two
yeasts might lead to unpleasant CO2 pressure levels.  It's
possible that anyone who gets into this technique will risk
a few explosions before mastering it.
     Chapter five includes recipes.  Yup, lots of 'em, with
information for extract and all-grain batches of five
gallons, as well as all grain batches of 1 barrel (31
gallons).  Hopheads be horrified to find bittering hop
levels as low as 4 to 7 Homebrew Units (18 IBU) in beers
with original gravities as high as 1.088.  More than hops or
even malt, the secret to Belgian beer flavors appears to be
the yeast, and practical advice is offered on ways to
collect cultures from bottles of Belgian imports.
     A variety of appendices are also included, one of which
offers descriptions of the various commercially-available
beers that illustrate--and vary from--the various styles.
     Overall Rajotte has done a marvelous job.  He is
obviously very knowledgeable about beer and brewing and has
done a great deal of historical and on-site research.  His
information is reasonably well organized, and deep
appreciation of the somewhat idiosyncratic nature of Belgian
beer is apparent.  He understands that Belgium is a place
where unusual flavors and aromas are big selling points, and
makes an excellent case for judging these beers on the basis
of their inherent merits and pleasures rather than with
respect to style adherence or perceived deviance from a
theoretical standard of taste and character.
     Unfortunately the book is riddled with typographical
errors and other production problems--an apparent trademark
of the Brewers Publications series.  It wouldn't be hard for
Charlie Papazian and the Association of Brewers to turn out
better, more carefully produced publications, and there's no
question that authors like Rajotte deserve better.  Are you
listening out there, Charlie? 
     _Belgian Ale_ is available from the Association of
Brewers (PO Box 1679, Boulder, Colorado, 80306) for $11.95
plus $3.00 shipping.  Copies can also be ordered by calling
(303) 447-0816.
     Disclaimer: I am a member of the American Homebrewers
Association, which is a division of the Association of
Brewers, and have no financial, editorial, or authorship
interests in this book.
                                   Phillip Seitz
     


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Date: Sun, 5 Jul 92 21:10 CDT
From: arf at ddsw1.mcs.com (Jack Schmidling)
Subject: MALTMILL GIVEAWAY

 
 To: Homebrew Digest
 Fm: Jack Schmidling
 
                        100  MALTMILLS
                  
 I gives me pleasure to announce the recent shipment of the 100th MALTMILL.  
 We are currently shipping 2 a day and have a two week backlog of orders with 
 no end in sight.  Needless to say, the success of the MALTMILL has put a 
 crimp into my retirement plans.  However, in light of Greenspan's program to 
 pauperize retirees, the new source of income is most welcome.
 
 The initial success of the MALTMILL was due, in no small part to the free 
 publicity received on the Home Brew Digest and the flattering reviews 
 published therein by several intrepid, early buyers.
 
 To help overcome the hostility toward my alleged commercialization of the 
 Digest by product announcements and progress reports, I would like to show my 
 appreciation by giving a MALTMILL to one randomly selected participant of the 
 Home Brew Digest.
 
 To avoid more criticizm for collecting names and building mailing lists, I am 
 simply going to give a MALTMILL to the author of the 100th article following 
 this announcement.  The next article is Number 1 and you can all help me 
 count to 100.
 
 Thanks and good luck,
 
 js
 
 
 

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End of HOMEBREW Digest #917, 07/06/92