Friday, November 28, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5458 (November 28, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5458 Fri 28 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Re: Sanitizer getting old (Fred L Johnson)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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, 28 Nov 2008 06:41:48 -0500
From: Fred L Johnson <FLJohnson52 at nc.rr.com>
Subject: Re: Sanitizer getting old

Keith asks how to determine if his sanitizers (iodophor and Starsan)
are still effective after a long (a year or more) of unuse. I have no
experience with Starsan, so I'll leave that response to others.
Regarding iodophor solutions, National Chemicals, Inc., who makes B-T-
F Iodophor Solutions also supplies iodine test paper strips for a
mere $1.63 for a pack of 25 strips. The strips turn shades of dark
gray depending on the concentration of iodine in the solution. The
color is reminiscent of a starch test, and I'm guessing the paper
strips may be impregnated with starch. I rarely use them, as one can
pretty well judge the iodine content of a solution by its amber
color. You can order the test strips on the company's web site at
nationalchemicals.com.

The contact info from their web site is:

National Chemicals, Inc.
105 Liberty Street
PO Box 32
Winona, MN 55987
Toll Free: (800) 533-0027
International (507) 454-5640
Fax: (877) 858-4141

Fred L Johnson
Apex, North Carolina, USA

------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5458, 11/28/08
*************************************
-------

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5457 (November 27, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5457 Thu 27 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Sanatizer getting old ("Keith Christian")
Avanti Beer Dispenser (JD)" <qageek@gmail.com>


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:45:32 -0800
From: "Keith Christian" <keithchristian at roadrunner.com>
Subject: Sanatizer getting old

Hi,


Looking at my sanatizers, I notice the Iodopher looks like it still has
iodine in it and the Starsan is brown . I have not used it in a year or
so. How can I be sure it still is good? BTW, I am blind and do not
know the original color of these sanatizers.

Is it better to add sanitizer to RO water or tap water? We have really
hard water and I remember that the pH needs to be low to be effective.
But I never ran a pH test on my sanitizer before.

I just brewed a batch of PA yesterday and I use my HLT for a fermenter.
But I will be racking it to carboys in a day or 2.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Keith

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

Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:02:53 -0600
From: "Trish (JD)" <qageek at gmail.com>
Subject: Avanti Beer Dispenser

Hello All and Happy Holidays!

I posted some time back, as my husband and I 1) were having trouble
locating hand pumps for our kegs and 2) have had bad experiences with
CO2 pumps for the kegs.

We spotted the Avanti Beer Cooler and Tap in the Hammacher Schlemmer
catalog. Yes, we have located it it a bit cheaper, too. =)

One example is here:
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kegerators/mini_kegerators/MBD5L.shtml

My Questions:
1 - Has anyone used / seen in use this device with homebrew kegs?
2 - Will it work well for what we need?
3 - Can you recommend a dealer or website that has a good price with
great customer support?

We have suspended homebrew production efforts because of our tap
dilemma, so I hope we are back onto the production schedule very soon!

Thank you in advance,
Trish & Patrick


------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5457, 11/27/08
*************************************
-------

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5456 (November 26, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5456 Wed 26 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Enter to Win a "Master of Beer Styles & Evaluation" Course ("Lemcke Keith")
Czech Homebrew Tasting Competition ("David Houseman")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:24:52 -0500
From: "Lemcke Keith" <klemcke at siebelinstitute.com>
Subject: Enter to Win a "Master of Beer Styles & Evaluation" Course

The Siebel Institute of Technology and DRAFT Magazine are giving away an
expenses-paid scholarship to Siebel's Master of Beer Styles and
Evaluation Program (March 24th - 27th, 2009). Visit the DRAFT Magazine
web site at
http://www.draftmag.com/giveaways/masterofbeerstyles/http://www.draftmag
.com/giveaways/masterofbeerstyles/ and you can enter to win fully-paid
tuition in the Master of Beer Style & Evaluation program PLUS a generous
contribution towards your trip to Chicago to attend this unique course.

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

Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:34:20 -0500
From: "David Houseman" <david.houseman at verizon.net>
Subject: Czech Homebrew Tasting Competition

Forwarding for a fellow homebrewer in the Czech Republic who posted to the
professional brewers forum.

David Houseman


From: Honza Kocka [mailto:honza.kocka at centrum.cz]
Sent: Wed 11/26/2008 3:34 AM
Subject: Czech Homebrew Tasting Competition

Hello from Prague again,
Although there is no homebrew club in the Czech Republic - homebrewing is
still small here - but there is hope for a better future. So we are
organizing The D Day of Czech Homebrewing, which will have several parts,
including the tasting competition.

I'd like to invite american homebrewers to participate. I know that this is
a forum for professional brewers, but may be you know homebrewers or you
have a club or any kind of relationship to homebrewing.

If so, can you please let them know about this event. More info here:
http://www.homebrewing.cz/clanek/3670/Czech-homebrewing-tasting-competition.htm

Thanks
Honza

------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5456, 11/26/08
*************************************
-------

Friday, November 21, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5455 (November 21, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5455 Fri 21 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Scientists find gene for yeast flocculation ("Bob Devine")
Re: The effect of mash parameters on fermentability and efficiency (Fred L Johnson)
Shipping beer ("Spencer W. Thomas")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:17:55 -0800
From: "Bob Devine" <devinebob at gmail.com>
Subject: Scientists find gene for yeast flocculation

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2008-11/beer-brings-yeast-together

[quote]
A team of scientists at Harvard University reported last week that
they isolated the single gene that allows yeast to stick together.
That gene allows the normally solitary yeast cells to shield
themselves from toxins in their environment by banding together in
protective balls. Since one of those toxins is the ethanol that the
yeast themselves produce, grouping together allows the yeast to
survive in the alcohol-rich environment that results from brewing.
What's more, the gene has a built in social value system that prevents
yeast cells without the gene from taking advantage of the yeast
flock's protective sphere. That social control mechanism is an example
of how single cells can regulate function in larger units.
[endquote]


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

Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:51:31 -0500
From: Fred L Johnson <FLJohnson52 at nc.rr.com>
Subject: Re: The effect of mash parameters on fermentability and efficiency

I found Kai's results regarding mash thickness vs. brewhouse
efficiency interesting. Kai's strike water was reverse osmosis water
at two different ratios relative to the grist, with the higher
water:grist ratio giving better yield. Because pH was shown in Kai's
hands to significantly affect yield and because there was no
adjustment of pH in the experiment testing the effect of water:grist
ratio, I was wondering if the pH was significantly different in the
mashes with different water:grist ratios.

Do you have any information on that, Kai?

Fred L Johnson
Apex, North Carolina, USA

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

Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:23:42 -0500
From: "Spencer W. Thomas" <spencer at spencerwthomas.com>
Subject: Shipping beer

Interesting... I recently shipped a package by UPS using the online
shipping interface. I registered my package, paid shipping, and printed
the label from the ups.com web site. Nowhere did they ask me what was
in the package. I then dropped the prepaid, labeled package at a local
business that does UPS shipping for no charge. They didn't ask me what
was in the package.

You may wish to consider this information when you are looking for a way
to ship beer to competitions or friends.

=Spencer in Ann Arbor

------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5455, 11/21/08
*************************************
-------

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5454 (November 20, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5454 Thu 20 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Re: Pseudo Lagering ("Craig S. Cottingham")
wort ("Fred Scheer")
Re: Pseudo Lagering (Randall Ricchi)
Re: Pseudo Lagering (Jeff Renner)
RE: Commercial Sparging ("Kevin Weaver")
Re: Pseudo Lagering (Kai Troester)
The effect of mash parameters on fermentability and efficiency (Kai Troester)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:30:21 -0600
From: "Craig S. Cottingham" <craig.cottingham at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Pseudo Lagering

On Nov 19, 2008, at 16:20, "Lance Harbison" <harbison65 at
verizon.net> wrote:

> How
> important is the lowering of the temperature to lagering
> temperature at a
> rate of 1-2 degrees per day, since when space opens in the fridge
> any keg
> will simply be plopped in?

I've never tried it myself, but I can't imagine that a slow,
controlled lowering of temperature is strictly necessary. Bavarian
caves weren't fitted with Ranco controllers when lagering was
invented, to my knowledge.

- --
Craig S. Cottingham
BJCP Certified judge from Olathe, KS ([621, 251.1deg] Apparent
Rennerian)
craig.cottingham at gmail.com
+1 (913) 826-6896 or Skype me at CraigCottingham

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

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:16:04 -0600
From: "Fred Scheer" <fredscheer at gmail.com>
Subject: wort

HI Fred:
Sorry for posting a bit late, but we are getting ready here for
the MBAA One Day Technical Conference in Gatlingburg.
I would like to give you an example of our brewery.
Please keep in mind that depending on strength of beer, style, etc,
more malt and more water is used, but you know that.
The example I give is an average:
The day of brewing
10 BBL water at 170*F
1 BBL to heat mash-tun
4 BBL mash - in H20
grist/water ratio 1:2.8
sparge water 5 BBL
First wort between 2.2 and 2.7 BBL
Kettle full 8 BBL

sparging ~ 3 gal/min; ~ 50 min, most times <3gal/min, and 60 min sparge
the same is for the total run, ~ 3 gal (or less) per min., meaning
kettle is full ~ 80 minutes

Ihope you where looking for that info,

Fred (you know, the other Fred)


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

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:50:51 -0500
From: Randall Ricchi <rricchi at houghton.k12.mi.us>
Subject: Re: Pseudo Lagering

This is one of those situations where you do the best you can with what
you have. Ideally you would drop the temp gradually (5 degrees per day
is good) so that you don't shock the yeast, but what you're going to do
will work just as well, I think. While the 3 unrefrigerated kegs are
waiting there turn in the cold, they will continue to mature, the yeast
cleaning up after itself, and doing so at a faster rate than it would in
the cold.
Even with regular ale yeasts that don't work well in the cold (if at
all) prolonged cold storage somehow "cleans up" the flavor profile of a
beer. Possibly the coagulation and settling of polyphenols is the reason?
>
> Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:20:16 -0500
> From: "Lance Harbison" <harbison65 at verizon.net>
> Subject: Pseudo Lagering
>
> I just kegged (in 4 cornies) 17 gal of Altbier. I plan on lagering each
> keg, but currently only have room for 1 of the kegs in my fridge. The
> remaining 3 kegs are resting in my 60F basement until space opens up. How
> important is the lowering of the temperature to lagering temperature at a
> rate of 1-2 degrees per day, since when space opens in the fridge any keg
> will simply be plopped in? Similarly, are there any negatives to delayed
> lagering?
>
> Lance Harbison
> Pittsburgh
>
>
>


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

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:08:47 -0500
From: Jeff Renner <jsrenner at umich.edu>
Subject: Re: Pseudo Lagering

"Lance Harbison" <harbison65 at verizon.net> wrote from Pittsburgh:

> I just kegged (in 4 cornies) 17 gal of Altbier. I plan on lagering
> each
> keg, but currently only have room for 1 of the kegs in my fridge. The
> remaining 3 kegs are resting in my 60F basement until space opens
> up. How
> important is the lowering of the temperature to lagering
> temperature at a
> rate of 1-2 degrees per day, since when space opens in the fridge
> any keg
> will simply be plopped in? Similarly, are there any negatives to
> delayed
> lagering?

Lance, Lance, Lance. You live in Pittsburgh! How about using that
big fridge with the blue ceiling? Well, this time of year, the gray
ceiling.

Or even better, if you have a garage, it's probably staying above
freezing this time of year.

Either way, it will take some management, especially if you put the
kegs outdoors. For that you could make a box of styrofoam sheets or
even cardboard, and bring the kegs inside for a short time when they
get too cold. Even if the beer actually freezes, it won't hurt, and
may actually help clarify it.

I think that you are being too conservative regarding the rate of
temperature drop. It's important not to shock the yeast so that it
can continue to slowly ferment any residual sugars, but it can
survive a drop of 5-10 degrees F per day, as I understand it. I just
put my green beers in the fridge and figure that the thermal mass
probably slows the drop enough to keep from shocking the yeast, and
it always works.

While it shouldn't hurt too much to delay lagering, you may lose some
of the freshness that would be preserved at cold temperatures. At
near freezing, your beer will stay in prime condition far longer.

And while altbier it traditionally lagered at around 40F/4C rather
than the 32F/0C or even colder for bottom fermenting lagers, I think
I'd just go for as cold as is convenient.

Jeff

PS - Lance's post is a prime example of why I always ask folks to
include their location in their posts. Aside from contributing to a
sense of community, it often helps to answer questions, as in this case.

- ---
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, jsrenner at umich.edu
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943

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

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:46:51 -0500
From: "Kevin Weaver" <kweaver at brewmation.com>
Subject: RE: Commercial Sparging

I'm hoping more readers post their opinions about the two methods...1)
collecting the complete volume in the kettle and 2) topping up the
kettle with make-up water.

I find the two posts interesting because our brewery designs have always
provided the means of using the make up water. On my personal system, I
have it programmed to give me the option of doing either method for
testing purposes. The only difference I have seen is a calculated
increase in efficiency while using method #2. Of course there are many
factors to this, such as sparging time, grain bills, actual efficiency
of the MT etc. We use peristaltic pumps so the sparge time is very
predictable and repeatable, so perhaps this is why the variation between
the two methods is minimal and I do not run into PH issues. It's just
made me question how necessary the added cost of providing the "make-up"
water option really is. Adding this to the semi-auto system is not a
big deal... However, for the fully automatic system it does add to the
cost.

Does anyone have results/opinions they can share? There are a lot of
brewers designing their own systems so I would think it's a good topic.

Kevin

Brewmation Incorporated
www.brewmation.com

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

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:00:18 -0500
From: Kai Troester <kai at braukaiser.com>
Subject: Re: Pseudo Lagering

> How
> important is the lowering of the temperature to lagering temperature at a
> rate of 1-2 degrees per day, since when space opens in the fridge any keg
> will simply be plopped in? Similarly, are there any negatives to delayed
> lagering?

The importance of lowering the temperature gradually depends on if the
yeast is still needed or not. If it is not needed (i.e. all the sugars
that the yeast was supposed to eat are eaten and diacetyl and other
young beer components have been sufficiently reduced) there is no
problem with "crashing" the yeast. In this case lagering only serves
to cold stabilize the beer by precipitating hazes.

In your case, and most other home brewer's case, fermentation is
complete before lagering starts. Especially if a warm rest (aka
diacetyl rest) is done at the end of primary fermentation or if
primary fermentation is extended until there is no airlock activity
left and the yeast has dropped out. In these cases you can just crash
the beer. That's what I do and I have also found out the hard way that
it is rather tricky to keep the yeast active enough while lowering the
temp. The result have been uderattenuated beers.

So you will be fine with serial lagering for these kegs of Altbier,
especially since the yeast can take care of the beer while it is still
sitting at 60F. B/c of fermentation space constrains I had to forgo
lagering on my current Altbier. I only clarified it with gelatin and
then bottled with a lager yeast to allow for carbonation in the 60F
basement. The beer is great.

Kai

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

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:57:30 -0500
From: Kai Troester <kai at braukaiser.com>
Subject: The effect of mash parameters on fermentability and efficiency


For most of this year I have been conduction micro scale mashing
experiments that were designed to evaluate the effects that mash.
I already posted intermediate results earlier this year, but now
I have finally wrapped up the experiment and posted the results
on my site:

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Limit_of_attenuation_experiment

There is also a PDF version (which prints better, sorry about the
wrap on the address. But HBD needs me to keep the line length below
80):

http://braukaiser.com/documents/
Effects_of_mash_parameters_on_attenuation_and_efficiency.pdf

And James Spencer from Basic Brewing Radio interviewed me for this
week?s podcast:

http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio

All in all, this has been a quite interesting series of experiments
for me with a few surprises. The surprises were that mash thickness
has hardly any effect on fermentability but it can have a significant
effect on efficiency. The thinner mashes showed better results with
respect to their ability to convert the starch in the grist. Another
surprise was that the efficiency in these micro mashes was not as good
as the one I get in the 5 gal mashes I make to brew beer. In those big
mashes I can get 100% conversion efficiency (i.e. convert all the
starch present in the mash) whereas I did not see this for any of the
mashes in the experiment.

Kai

------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5454, 11/20/08
*************************************
-------

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5453 (November 19, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5453 Wed 19 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Re: Commercial Sparging (Fred L Johnson)
Pseudo Lagering ("Lance Harbison")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:26:39 -0500
From: Fred L Johnson <FLJohnson52 at nc.rr.com>
Subject: Re: Commercial Sparging

Thanks to Joe and Kai for the very informative posts.

Kai's information comes from a brewery that obviously has very
consistent extraction efficiencies and very controlled processes--
something we all should strive for. Joe's process of formulating the
recipe and adjusting the run-off volume based on expected extraction
efficiency and boil-off rate and set boil time makes good sense.

Except for very large beers, I've always set my run-off volume to be
a constant relative to the grain mass and then I've added water to
the kettle to get the preboil volume to a value that will give me my
target gravity based on my historical boil-off rates. Based on what
commercial breweries are doing according to Kai and Joe, i.e., not
being very concerned about a dilute run-off, I think I'll start
collecting more run-off to match the volume I'll likely need to
exactly compensate for the boil-off rate, taking advantage of the
improved extraction efficiency that will bring. Apparently the volume
of run-off isn't really an issue if one controls the pH of the
sparge. I'll continue to make small adjustments to the kettle volume
or boil-time based on actual values achieved, but those adjustments
will be much smaller than in the past.

Fred L Johnson
Apex, North Carolina, USA

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

Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:20:16 -0500
From: "Lance Harbison" <harbison65 at verizon.net>
Subject: Pseudo Lagering

I just kegged (in 4 cornies) 17 gal of Altbier. I plan on lagering each
keg, but currently only have room for 1 of the kegs in my fridge. The
remaining 3 kegs are resting in my 60F basement until space opens up. How
important is the lowering of the temperature to lagering temperature at a
rate of 1-2 degrees per day, since when space opens in the fridge any keg
will simply be plopped in? Similarly, are there any negatives to delayed
lagering?

Lance Harbison
Pittsburgh


------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5453, 11/19/08
*************************************
-------

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5452 (November 18, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5452 Tue 18 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Re: Commercial sparging ("Joe Walts")
wlp300 ("Darrell G. Leavitt")
Re: Commercial sparging (Kai Troester)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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, 18 Nov 2008 06:56:53 -0600
From: "Joe Walts" <jwalts at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Commercial sparging

Hey Fred,

Both of the commercial breweries I've worked at collected the same
volume of wort regardless of the grainbill. The only exceptions were
for high-gravity beers that would have exceeded the capacity of the
mash tun. In those instances, they maxed out the mash tun and
collected as much wort as they could without sacrificing gravity. One
of the breweries had a two-vessel brewhouse and the other had a
four-vessel brewhouse. For what it's worth, here's a simplified
outline of how I formulate recipes:

-Start with a target end-of-boil volume and gravity.
-Determine the required runoff volume and gravity from the expected
boiling rate.
-Determine the brewhouse efficiency based on the required runoff gravity.
-Determine the grainbill from the runoff volume, runoff gravity and
brewhouse efficiency.
-Pick a target water-to-grain ratio and mash with an appropriate
amount of water.
-Sparge until the target runoff volume is collected.

Neither brewery really cared about hitting a specific mash WGR. Well,
maybe they did when they designed their grain augers and water
plumbing. I figured out the values at both places, but I don't
remember where I wrote them down. I want to say that a typical WGR at
the two-vessel brewery was around 1.8 qt/lb.

Is that the type of info you're looking for?

Joe
Madison, WI


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

Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:23:11 -0500 (EST)
From: "Darrell G. Leavitt" <leavitdg at plattsburgh.edu>
Subject: wlp300

For those who were interested: I bottled the Hefe that I made with the
wlp300 yeast that smelled odd in the primary. I can report that the brew
tastes very good. I suppose that I was over-reacting.

Darrell

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

Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:41:27 -0500
From: Kai Troester <kai at braukaiser.com>
Subject: Re: Commercial sparging

> I don't believe I have ever read how much wort volume is typically
> collected from a mash in a commercial brewery. I suspect it is
> directly proportional to mass of the grist, but it may vary
> significantly for very large beers and very small beers. Does anyone
> reading the Digest have any figures?

Fred

The amount of wort collected from a commercial lauter system is not
much different than from a home brewing system albeit a little less.
To calculate the amount you would need to know that the OBY (overall
brewhouse yield) of a commercial mashing and lauter system is between
96 and 99% and that the boil-off for a 60 min boil is about 6-7% (much
less than what home brewers usually get). Based on that 100 kg of
grist will give you about 660 l of 11.3 Plato kettle full wort
resulting in about 623 l 12 Plato cast-out wort. Also note that
commercial mash thickness is fairly thin (~ 4-5 l/kg) which is
necessary to be able to pump and stir the mash.

These numbers are for large commercial breweries with technologically
advanced brewhouses. I'm not sure about the situation in small scale
micro breweries. I'd assume that the brewhouse yield is lower and the
boil-off rate is higher.

Kai


------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5452, 11/18/08
*************************************
-------

Monday, November 17, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5451 (November 17, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5451 Mon 17 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Commercial sparging (Fred L Johnson)
17th Annual Happy Holidays Homebrew Competition ("August Altenbaumer")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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, 14 Nov 2008 23:21:20 -0500
From: Fred L Johnson <FLJohnson52 at nc.rr.com>
Subject: Commercial sparging

I don't believe I have ever read how much wort volume is typically
collected from a mash in a commercial brewery. I suspect it is
directly proportional to mass of the grist, but it may vary
significantly for very large beers and very small beers. Does anyone
reading the Digest have any figures?

Fred L Johnson
Apex, North Carolina, USA

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

Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:33:49 -0600
From: "August Altenbaumer" <afalten at gmail.com>
Subject: 17th Annual Happy Holidays Homebrew Competition

The Saint Louis Brews are accepting entries for the 17th Annual Happy
Holiday Homebrew Competition. The HHHC is a fully sanctioned AHA/BJCP
event. It is also an MCAB qualifying event and is the final leg of the
Midwest Homebrewer of the Year circuit. Entries must be received by
Friday November 28, and the judging will be held on December 12 & 13.
Please visit [url]http://www.stlbrews.org/competition/hhhc/index.asp[/url]
for all competition details and online entry registration.

Also, if you are interested in being a judge or steward for the
competition use the above link for online registration.

Cheers!
Augie


------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5451, 11/17/08
*************************************
-------

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5450 (November 13, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5450 Thu 13 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
10th Annual Palmetto State Brewers Open ("H. Dowda")
Coffee Beer (Glyn and Mary)
Employment offer ("Mr.David Williams")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:00:47 -0800 (PST)
From: "H. Dowda" <hdowda at yahoo.com>
Subject: 10th Annual Palmetto State Brewers Open

PSBO10 will again be a qualifier for MCAB.

www.sagecat.com/psbo10.htm

BJCP judges are especially invited to attend as are non-BJP experienced folks.


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

Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:08:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Glyn and Mary <graininfuser at yahoo.com>
Subject: Coffee Beer

Well...after fermentation we never got around to cold steeping
the coffee. Being Halloween, I quick carbonated one keg,
and went to hand out candy with friends. Beer was ok,
but to my tastes to sweet and one dimensional. Birthday
party the next night for a friend. So we brewed up a pot of
Hazelnut coffee, tossed it in another cold keg of the beer
and quick carbonated it for the party.

The coffee was perfect! Balanced out the beer. The head
retention was not perfect, but not bad either. Next
time I may try and cold steep the coffee. And maybe use
regular coffee and add hazelnut flavoring. But there will be
a next time!

Glyn and Mary
So. Middle TN

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

Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:41:42 +0100
From: "Mr.David Williams" <cheapsfarics2 at aol.com>
Subject: Employment offer

Our company needs employers in Australian/Usa/Canada
for stable work of our branch. This position provides
support in the daily operation of benefits
Administration. What you'll have to do is to perform
a basic bank operation like making a wire
transfers.

This is a home based job and it could be part-time.
Your income will be from $2,000 to $4,000 per month,
depending or your speed and accuracy. If you are
satisfied with these conditions and wish to start
Earning, please contact us with the following information.

Full Name:
Cell Phone:
Country:
Private E-mail:

We await your prompt respond to this position.

Yours sincerely,
Mr.David Williams


------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5450, 11/13/08
*************************************
-------

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5449 (November 12, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5449 Wed 12 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Re: Irish Moss (bill keiser)
Irish Moss (Randall Ricchi)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:25:05 -0500
From: bill keiser <bk2 at sharpstick.org>
Subject: Re: Irish Moss

i just drop in one whirlfloc tablet for the 23 liters.
it seems to break up and hydrate easily enough in boiling water.
what advantage would there be to rehydrating it? hmmm, let's see:
I found this on the hoptech site: "Contrary to popular belief, Irish
Moss should be rehydrated for 30 minutes before adding to the boil if
added in the last 30 minutes. An easier alternative is to add it with
the first bittering hops so that it is boiled at least 60 minutes,
eliminating the need for rehydration. We recommend 1 tbs in a five
gallon boil."
and this on various forums:
"one teaspoonful in warm water when you start your boil, and then
pouring that in together with 15 minutes left in the boil."
"Whirlfloc is actually (from the Beer, Beer, & More website): blend of
Irish Moss and purified Kappa carrageenan that encourages the
precipitation of haze causing materials such as proteins and Beta
glucans. Prepared in a quick dissolving, highly soluble tablet form. Add
1 tablet per 5 gallons with 5-10 minutes left in boil. Everyone who has
tried them won't go back to irish moss.""
"One Whirlfloc tablet is good for 10-15 gallons of wort. We suggest
using half a tablet for 5 gallon batches for most beers."
"You can get away with as little as a quarter tab per 5 gallons."
"can confirm a long discussion about whirfloc on b3 that confirms a 5
minute boil time is all that is required, and that more time is
detrimental."
this page has the official product data sheet on it:
<http://www.brewingkb.com/homebrewing/Whirlfloc-vs-Irish-Moss-1791.html>
(how did we ever do research before google??!!)
bill keiser

> From: Ralph Link <ralphl at shaw.ca>
>
>
> How are most brewers using Irish Moss? For example do you re-hydrate it
> before introducing it to the boil? What ratio do you use per 23 litres?
> How do you rehydrate it, cool water or hot wort etc.? Plus any other
> suggestions or comments are much appreciated.
> Thanks from
> Ralph
>
>
>
>

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

Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:50:22 -0500
From: Randall Ricchi <rricchi at houghton.k12.mi.us>
Subject: Irish Moss

I use the flake form of Irish moss, and I use a teaspoon, rehydrated in
about 12 oz of hot water. I use this amount for any batch size ( I
usually brew 7 to 8 gallons, but sometimes 5 if it's a big beer). I try
to give it an hour or so in the water but if I forget and have less
time, so be it.


------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5449, 11/12/08
*************************************
-------

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5448 (November 11, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5448 Tue 11 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Irish Moss (Ralph Link)
Potassium bicarbonate for mash pH adjustment (Philip Denlinger)
Potassium Carbonate ("A.J deLange")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:44:43 -0600
From: Ralph Link <ralphl at shaw.ca>
Subject: Irish Moss

How are most brewers using Irish Moss? For example do you re-hydrate it
before introducing it to the boil? What ratio do you use per 23 litres?
How do you rehydrate it, cool water or hot wort etc.? Plus any other
suggestions or comments are much appreciated.
Thanks from
Ralph


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

Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:51:55 -0500
From: Philip Denlinger <philip at mindbet.com>
Subject: Potassium bicarbonate for mash pH adjustment

I want to thank A.J deLange and BURP for posting the slides and audio of his
Water Workshop

(Links are available on the wetnewf.org site)

Any reason not to use potassium bicarbonate, which is regularly used in
winemaking, to raise mash pH?

I have found that CaCO3 does not really move mash pH at all (I don't think
it dissolves) and NaHCO3 raises pH pretty quickly. I wondered if potassium
bicarbonate was a workable choice.


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

Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:56:10 -0500
From: "A.J deLange" <ajdel at cox.net>
Subject: Potassium Carbonate

There is no reason not to use potassium bicarbonate instead of or in
addition to sodium bicarbonate for tailoring water except perhaps that
NaHCO3 is more readily available in food grade i.e. at any grocery store
or place where one would go to buy various health related things which,
if called by its usual name, triggers the spam filter. Calcium carbonate
will have an effect on mash pH but as it
is, as noted, not soluble in appreciable quantity it must be added to
the mash, as opposed to the brewing water unless acid is used in
formulating the water to get it to dissolve. The acid is usually in the
form of carbon dioxide bubbled through water in which the chalk has been
suspended. Be prepared to wait a long time. As you probably put the
chalk in to neutralize excess malt acid (black, patent... malts) you
want the CaCO3 to neutralize that acid and not some extra acid put in to
dissolve it so this again suggests adding the chalk to the mashtun.
There, too, you can expect to wait a while for the weak acids of the
mash to react with and dissolve the chalk.

A.J.

------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5448, 11/11/08
*************************************
-------

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5447 (November 09, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5447 Sun 09 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
wlp 300 ("Darrell G. Leavitt")
Yeast in tubes/contaminated beer (Tom Puskar)
Re: Yeast ("Greg 'groggy' Lehey")
SKAcomp GABF Pro/Am Qualifier (Dion Hollenbeck)
Re: SKAcomp GABF Pro/Am Qualifier (Dion Hollenbeck)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 06:57:33 -0500 (EST)
From: "Darrell G. Leavitt" <leavitdg at plattsburgh.edu>
Subject: wlp 300

AJ;

I will let the digest know how the final product tastes, in a few weeks,
when it will probably be bottled. I have used wl products for over 11
years, and brew once a week, and cannot remember systematic problems with
their yeasts.

The one that I did have, when I was just beginning brewing, had to do with
a growler of yeast (wlp lager) that I saved in the fridge for a few weeks,
but a neighbor (who was a food processing expert taster, and consutant for
breweries and cheeze processors) identified it for me when I described the
whole procedure. I had forgotten to warm up the yeast, and was just
starting to chill the wort and remembered, so I put the growler into a vat
of warm water, and did not attend to, nor burp it for some time, then when
I did open it, it blew its top all over the kitchen, and I did not clean,
nor flame the edges of the bottle well, so he thought that the infection
could have happened at this time.

With this current batch, there may be a comparrison effect going on for
me. In other words, the previous batch (the second use of the yeast in a
rye hefe) smelled so wonderful; whereas this batch (the third use) smelled
a little bit "over the edge" for me, but it could be me, and the fact that
the house had warmed up considerably. In addition, I had just tasted a
"hefe" from the "Alchemist" in Waterbury, Vt, that had nutmeg, vanilla
beans,and cinnamon in it (yes, seems odd, I know) and I was trying to
clone this, so it occurs to me that some of this could come from the odd
admixture of stuff in the fermenter ?

At any rate, I will report back to the HbD as to what it tastes like in a
few weeks.

Happy Brewing!

Darrell
Plattsburgh,NY 44 42 32 N Latitude
73 24 16 W Longitude

[544.9 miles, 68.9]Apparent Rennerian


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

Date: Sat, 08 Nov 2008 11:01:45 -0500
From: Tom Puskar <tpuskar at optonline.net>
Subject: Yeast in tubes/contaminated beer

Thanks to all who responded. It gives me some comfort to know that others
have experienced similar issues.

BTW, I tossed the Octoberfest--tasted really phenolic and I doubt people
would have had a second one. I wouldn't!

I had brewed a second beer, an IPA, a week after the ill fated Fest beer.

All went well--I got good conversion (OG 1.055) and the primary started
within about 8 hours. I used a tube of American Ale yeast.

In the primary, the beer was a beautiful pale yellow and heavily hopped. It
looked a bit cloudy as I racked to the secondary but I figured that would
settle.

WRONG! Not only id it not settle, the beer turned brown--somewhere between
a brown ale and a porter. Never saw anything like that before. It is also
very cloudy with a near colloid like haze.

It still tastes good so I don't think it is contaminated.

I poured off about 12 oz thorough some cheesecloth to see if I could clarify
it. It wouldn't be worth the risk of contamination!

I think I'll bottle it in 1/2 gallon growlers to avoid all that bottling and
take a chance it will settle more.

Anyone seen this before? BTW, the grist was basically two row and a bit of
crystal 60 L for some color.

Thanks for any comments.

Tom in Howell, NJ

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

Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:01:17 +1100
From: "Greg 'groggy' Lehey" <grog at lemis.com>
Subject: Re: Yeast

On Friday, 7 November 2008 at 7:30:00 -0500, A.J deLange wrote:
> Two posts yesterday described essentially the same problem which was
> unwanted behavior in beers pitched from yeast supplied in tubes. I
> too have had some strange experiences with yeast in that form - a
> beer that wouldn't start requiring a second pitching and the other a
> Kolsch that never dropped clear (not that Kolschs really like to do
> that very much anyway) and just didn't taste very good. Both batches
> went down the drain as they both had a horrid phenolic taste. I
> assumed that it was my error in both cases (i.e. infection though I
> could find no bugs under the microscope) but in talking to people in
> my homebrew club, one professional brewer and my new local hombrew
> supplier I found that it is not that uncommon with this brand.

I've had this phenolic taste a couple of times, too, with normal
"smack pack" yeasts (in particular Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley yeast).
I also thought it would be an infection, but it didn't match anything
that I could find. I've gradually come to the conclusion that it was
severe underpitching. Could that be the issue with the tubes as well?

Greg
- --
Finger grog at Freebsd.org for PGP public key.
See complete headers for address and phone numbers.


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

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:31:47 -0700
From: Dion Hollenbeck <hollen at woodsprite.com>
Subject: SKAcomp GABF Pro/Am Qualifier

Judges and Homebrewer's,

There is a new AHA/BJCP sanctioned homebrewing competition that is a
preliminary for the Great American Beer Festival's Pro/Am competition. It
is a preliminary in pairing with the SKA brewing company in Durango,
Colorado. The homebrew competition itself will be held during a local
Durango tradition of Snowdown, which is basically a week long party in
downtown Durango. The online entry for the brewer's entry opens on
December 15th, 2008 and closes on January 15, 2009. The online entry for
the Judges opens on November 9th, 2008. The actual competition will be
held on January 31st, 2009 in Durango, Colorado at the SKA brewery.

Judges Save the date: January 31st, 2009

For questions contact Matt Morrow at
Memorrow at fortlewis.edu or call me at (970)764-7128.

- --
Dion Hollenbeck
Email: hollen at woodsprite.com Home Page: http://www.woodsprite.com
Brewing Page: http://hbd.org/hollen Toys: 98 4Runner, 86 4x4 PU

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

Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:24:03 -0700
From: Dion Hollenbeck <hollen at woodsprite.com>
Subject: Re: SKAcomp GABF Pro/Am Qualifier

Sorry, forgot the URL for the competition:

http://hstrial-cmorrow8.homestead.com/index.html

dion

- --
Dion Hollenbeck
Email: hollen at woodsprite.com Home Page: http://www.woodsprite.com
Brewing Page: http://hbd.org/hollen Toys: 98 4Runner, 86 4x4 PU

------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5447, 11/09/08
*************************************
-------

Friday, November 7, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5446 (November 07, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5446 Fri 07 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Re: Should I drink contaminated beer? (Jesse Stricker)
Old Supplies [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED] ("Williams, Rowan")
Yeast ("A.J deLange")
Brewing Hop Tea (Rick) Theiner" <rickdude@tds.net>
RE: Pumps ("Kevin Weaver")
re: Should I drink contaminated beer? ("jeff_ri")


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:05:03 -0800
From: Jesse Stricker <jessestricker at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Should I drink contaminated beer?

Tom Puskar writes:

> After this long winded story, my question is this. Should I try it
and if
> it tastes reasonable just chill it and drink it? Or, will some dreaded
> gastrointestinal plague befall me and anyone who drinks it?

Take a shot of it. If it's infected, you'll know pretty quickly (like,
when you get it near your mouth). If it smells and tastes OK, it
probably won't make you sick. There aren't a whole lot of bugs that can
grow in 5% alcohol and then grow in you -- hence the popularity of beer
in places and times with bad sanitation. If it smells and tastes bad,
you might make yourself sick drinking it, but you wouldn't drink a bunch
of it if it was bad.

If it tastes OK (and it might), then have a glass and see how you feel
in the morning. A bad hangover is possible, but probably the worst that
could happen. If it is OK, I wouldn't age it for long -- chill it and
drink it, it might get worse.

If it's rank and nasty, well, then you've got to do what you've got to
do. It happens. But in general, it's hard to grow dangerous organisms
in beer-strength alcohol solutions.

Jesse Stricker
San Diego, CA


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

Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 16:28:27 +1100
From: "Williams, Rowan" <Rowan.Williams at ag.gov.au>
Subject: Old Supplies [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

I've never bought and brewed the entire bag of malt in the same year - my 25kg sacks of crystal, amber and munich malts are more than 3 years old and thanks to a cool dry cellar and sealed buckets, the grain is in good shape and makes fine beer.

I wouldn't toss any of the grains out unless they smell bad or have visible defects. Agree with other comments re hops and lets face it, if you're bittering with them, who cares if they're low on aroma properties?

Cheers,
Rowan Williams
Canberra Brewers Club, Australia

[9588.6, 261.5] AR (statute miles)

- ----------------------------------------------------
If you have received this transmission in error please
notify us immediately by return e-mail and delete all
copies. If this e-mail or any attachments have been sent
to you in error, that error does not constitute waiver
of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect
of information in the e-mail or attachments.

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

Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:30:00 -0500
From: "A.J deLange" <ajdel at cox.net>
Subject: Yeast

Two posts yesterday described essentially the same problem which was
unwanted behavior in beers pitched from yeast supplied in tubes. I too
have had some strange experiences with yeast in that form - a beer that
wouldn't start requiring a second pitching and the other a Kolsch that
never dropped clear (not that Kolschs really like to do that very much
anyway) and just didn't taste very good. Both batches went down the
drain as they both had a horrid phenolic taste. I assumed that it was my
error in both cases (i.e. infection though I could find no bugs under
the microscope) but in talking to people in my homebrew club, one
professional brewer and my new local hombrew supplier I found that it is
not that uncommon with this brand. The latter gentleman will not stock
the product in question because he got so many complaints from customers.

The other side of the coin is that I have made some nice beers with
those yeasts, including WLP 300. Thus, while I do not plan to avoid that
brand forever, I will not use it again until I stop seeing posts like
those of yesterday.

A.J.


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

Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 8:29:44 -0600
From: "Eric (Rick) Theiner" <rickdude at tds.net>
Subject: Brewing Hop Tea

I was wondering if anyone has experience brewing hop tea
for simple consumption. I've been having problems with
middle of the night sleeplessness, but have been able to
counteract it with the administration of IPA's. I prefer not
to drink during the week for the time being-- at least until
the end of the semester. So the next step is just the hop
part.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Rick Theiner

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

Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 11:25:00 -0500
From: "Kevin Weaver" <kweaver at brewmation.com>
Subject: RE: Pumps

Just some additional thoughts on pumps. Peristaltic pumps work great
for sparging. We have been using them on our systems all along. We use
two of them which enables us to maintain the mash liquid level
throughout the sparge. AJ is quite right that they are expensive even
at sparging rates for home brewers running in the range from 5 GPH to 13
GPH. We have searched high and low for a lower cost pump to offer but
have come up empty. There are the types that have two heads with one
motor, but surprisingly this arrangement was more expensive then the two
pumps we use. We even tried to develop one, but scrapped that idea
since we could not get the repeatability that is required using "lower
cost parts".

If anyone does know of a decent low cost supplier of these peristaltic
pumps, let us know. We'll run it through the tests!

Regards,

Kevin

Kevin Weaver
Brewmation Incorporated
www.brewmation.com

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

Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 21:53:43 -0500
From: "jeff_ri" <jeff_ri at cox.net>
Subject: re: Should I drink contaminated beer?

Hi All,

In HBD #5445 Tom Puskar asked about drinking a batch of beer that didn't
start fermenting for 3 days and is probably infected.

I really don't think that there would be any ill effects (pun intended)
caused by drinking this batch even if it's severely infected. At worst, it
may be somewhat sour and funky tasting. Then again, it may not be too bad
at all. Give it a try and if it's drinkable don't wait for it to get worse
(which it may very well do).

If the batch is severely infected, whatever equipment you used on it
(fermenters, hoses, racking cane, bottling bucket, etc) got exposed to
whatever unwanted bugs are in there. Toss the hoses and do an extra careful
job of cleaning and sanitizing every thing else.

Even when using those unnamed tubes, you should still make a starter.
You'll be pitching a larger number of healthier yeast, and you will always
know it the yeast from the tube is dead or not before pitching into your
main batch.

Jeff McNally
Tiverton, RI
(652.2 miles, 90.0 deg) A.R.
www.southshorebrewclub.org


------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5446, 11/07/08
*************************************
-------

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Homebrew Digest #5445 (November 06, 2008)

HOMEBREW Digest #5445 Thu 06 November 2008


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


***************************************************************
OCTOBER'S HOME BREW DIGEST BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Ypsilanti Brewing Company
Visit them at http://www.ypsilantibrewing.com/

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 business expense. Please consult with your
tax professional, then see http://hbd.org for available
sponsorship opportunities.
***************************************************************


Contents:
Re: HBD - old brewing supplies (Randall Ricchi)
Old Supplies (Glyn and Mary)
WLP 300 ("Darrell G. Leavitt")
RE: Year old grain - Will I catch ergot and fly? ("Josh Knarr")
Should I drink contaminated beer? (Tom Puskar)


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* The HBD Logo Store is now open! *
* http://www.hbd.org/store.html *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* 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: Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:01:00 -0500
From: Randall Ricchi <rricchi at houghton.k12.mi.us>
Subject: Re: HBD - old brewing supplies

Rich,
ALL of the supplies you mention are still good, including the hops
(assuming you store them in the freezer, preferably sealed from the air)

I recently brewed an 18th century style porter using 5 year old brown
and amber malts, plus some year old crystal, victory and biscuit malt.
The beer is very rich and coffee-like, nothing stale about it. I've used
hops that were several years old because I used to buy plugs that came
in 50 oz packages, so they lasted awhile.I've gone 3 to 4 years out with
no degradation of flavor. Maybe they were slightly less bitter due to
alpha loss, but I couldn't tell.
I keep mine vacuum sealed, but if you can't do that, keep them in a
heavy plastic bag and roll the air out of it before sealing and then
store them in the freezer.


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

Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 05:36:46 -0800 (PST)
From: Glyn and Mary <graininfuser at yahoo.com>
Subject: Old Supplies

Old grain if un-crushed will work, just not as well as fresh. If
crushed toss it. Have the hops been kept frozen? Whole or
pellet? The alpha acids will decrease over time. I think
Pro-mash has a calculation for the decrease. But with hop
prices I would probably still use if they smelled good.

Any one in middle TN want to try a barrel aged ??? I would
be happy to add 10 gallons of whatever for the project.

Glyn
So. Middle TN

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

Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 08:53:44 -0500 (EST)
From: "Darrell G. Leavitt" <leavitdg at plattsburgh.edu>
Subject: WLP 300

Any of you folks have experience with wlp 300 Hefe? I know that in
general it seems to ferment more slowly, or erratically, ie, it sometimes
seems to have stopped then a few days later it will started up again.

In addition, I wonder if fermenting at too high a temperature may be a
problem? I ask in that the smell from the airlock on the previous batch
was very nice, hefe-like. Whereas, the smell from the airlock on this 3rd
use of the yeast, is rather different. Hard to describe, perhaps estery
or phenolic? Not pleasant, at any rate, and I wonder about the effect on
the final flavor profile?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Darrell

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

Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 09:22:26 -0500
From: "Josh Knarr" <josh.knarr at gmail.com>
Subject: RE: Year old grain - Will I catch ergot and fly?

I think the idea here would be "follow your nose".

The grain pre-beer would taste and smell exactly like an infected or
otherwise abused batch of beer if there's a problem. The flavors might not
be as vibrant if the grain is pre-cracked, but so long as you detect no off
flavors or smells, I would still try making a batch of beer with it. I would
humbly suggest trying to make a one gallon batch first of "coffee pot"* beer
and seeing how that goes as a test. It's a lot less effort, and it's all
grain so any weird flavors you get will be directly a result of the grain.

* http://www.allaboutbeer.com/features/235coffee.html

- --

Bill Vaughan - "The tax collector must love poor people, he's
creating so many of them."


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

Date: Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:29:23 -0500
From: Tom Puskar <tpuskar at optonline.net>
Subject: Should I drink contaminated beer?

I've been brewing for about 15 years and have probably brewed between 80-100
batches--mostly all grain. I've never had a contaminated batch--until now!

On 4 October I brewed an all grain version of a Marzen/Octoberfest (made it
as an ale instead of a lager). The batch went great and had an OG of about
1.054

I pitched one of those ready to pitch tubes of a Kolsch yeast and started
planning the label I would create for this brew. After three days, there
was no visible sign of fermentation and I got worried. temp was about 68F.
There was, however, a spider web looking growth on the surface of the brew.
I guessed it was a mold. I probably should have tossed it and started over.

I checked the gravity and it hadn't changed at all. I figured I had already
paid for the stuff and invested the time in brewing so I pitched a packet of
dry ale yeast that I keep around for spontaneous brew sessions. I had never
used these tubes before (and probably won't again) and am a devotee of the
smack packs. Within 8 hours there was signs of fermentation and in the
morning there was a vigorous fermentation. After another 3 days (had to go
on a business trip) I checked the gravity and it was down to 1.014 I
thought maybe I had salvaged it.

I racked it to a secondary and it looked a bit cloudy but not bad. After a
week or so in the secondary I bottled it (about a week ago). I checked it
today and sure as God made little green apples, there was that dreaded ring
in the neck that I had read about but was fortunate enough not to ever
experience.

After this long winded story, my question is this. Should I try it and if
it tastes reasonable just chill it and drink it? Or, will some dreaded
gastrointestinal plague befall me and anyone who drinks it?

I have another horror story with an IPA I brewed the following week and it
will be the subject of a new post once I do some investigating.

The yeasts I used for both the Marzen and the IPA had expiration dates of
Nov 2008 and I used them in Oct. I'm really gun shy about using this brand
of yeast again and will search out a supplier who still sells the smack
packs.

Any relevant information or experience with these tubes would be
appreciated. Since I don't want to bash any suppliers, I didn't mention
the names but you know who they are!

Thanks,

Tom in Howell, NJ

------------------------------
End of HOMEBREW Digest #5445, 11/06/08
*************************************
-------