HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gak@wrs.com (Richard Stueven)
Subject: Re: Murph (you know, the new guy) on the learni
Reply-To: gak@wrs.com
Organization: Wind River Systems, Inc.
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 16:30:48 GMT

In article 6TXqoB1w164w@buscard.fidonet.org, murph@buscard.fidonet.org (Brian Murphy) writes:

>1.  Is homebrewing cheaper than buying factory-made?

Depends on what you buy from the factory.  My extract batches cost
around $30-$35, which is $4.50-$5.28 per 6-pack.  My all-grain batches
cost around $12-$15, or $1.80-$2.25 per 6-pack.  Pretty cheap compared
to buying microbrewed beers, even cheap compared to most industrial
beers.

>2.  Is it kewl to compare prices in this newsgroup?

Is it _what_???

Anyway, everybody has their favorite supplier(s) and will be quite
happy to give you a list of 800 numbers, places to get mail-order
catalogs, etc.  It's pretty easy to shop around, but if you just can't
find the information you need, r.c.b is a great resource...ask away!

>3.  How do I know what my favorite recipe is?

Start by making the beginner's recipes in the books you're going to
buy.  They'll give you a feel for what effects different ingredients
and procedures will make.  You'll figure out what you like and what you
don't like in no time at all.  Eventually, you'll run across Dave
Line's "Brewing Beers Like Those You Buy".  It's worth a read, but be
advised that it often raises more questions than it answers.

>4.  Does the stuff you make taste, like, totally gross, man?  :-)

If it did, we wouldn't make it, would we?  I haven't made a batch yet
that my friends/acquaintances/strangers and I couldn't drink.

>5.  How long after putting together the ingredients can I get drun...
>    <cough> err... sample the wares?

A day to brew, a week to ferment, a fortnight to age.  Those are rough
guidelines, but in the ballpark.  Of course, once you transfer your
beer from your fermenter to your bottles, you can start another batch.
A full fermenter is a happy fermenter!

>6.  Do you mean to tell me that you ACTUALLY MAKE YOUR OWN BEER and it
>    works/tastes just like what I can score from the packy?

Not at all.  Our beer is much better.

>7.  If this works out, can I brew enough to support my drinking habit?

And more.  You'll be able to brew at least two cases a week, assuming
you have only one five-gallon fermenter.

have fun (but then, as a brewer, how can you _help_ but have fun!)
gak
107/H/3&4
From: redfreak@softcopy.ecn.purdue.edu (Thomas Lobonc)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: carbonation
Date: 30 Jul 92 19:28:14 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

Thanks to those who answered my previous post about old Wyeast and
starters.  My friend got anxious and tossed his Feb yeast into a starter
8 hrs. after popping.  Starter(with little fermentation sign) was pitched
2 hrs. later.
Stirred to aerate 14 hrs after pitch. Full vigorous fermentation after 6 hrs.
Fermentation and blowoff similar to previous batches with Whitbread.
I will follow up when we taste it.

Now for a question on carbonation:
What could cause the following:

Beer1:
Mash/extract Brown Ale, Whitbread Ale yeast, 3/4-7/8c corn sugar to bottle
Approx. 3 mo old OG: App. 1.05  FG:?

?. Bottle gushes foam when opened, but can be poured quickly without
   getting a huge head.  Holds a thick but awesome head for the duration.

Difference between this and previous batches (with no problem):
Using a much more thorough trickle sparge (1 hr recirculating) 
Note: another beer made with a few less lbs of grain and the same sparge
technique took forever to carbonate.
Previous sparges were drain once, pour some sparge water onto grain, drain. 

Beer1:
Mash/extract Pale Ale, Whitbread Ale yeast, 3/4-7/8c corn sugar to bottle
Approx. 2-3 mo old OG: App 1.045  FG:1.018? (in this area)

?. Pouring VERY slowly in any glass after about two months filled the glass
   with foam and about 1/4" beer! Pouring was a 15 min. process. When the
   glass was full of beer, STREAMS of bubbles would rise everywhere VERY 
   vigorously.

Differences between this and previous batches (with no problem):

Beer had the same level of carbonation after 1 week that usually takes
me 3-5 weeks to get. When they could still be poured, the head would
actually grow for 5-10min before it started to shrink.

Using a much more thorough fast flow (bad) sparge (1 hr recirculating) 
Note: another beer made with a few less lbs of grain and the same sparge
technique took forever to carbonate.
Previous sparges were drain once, pour some sparge water onto grain, drain. 

Apprx. 2 quarts of water were added with the priming sugar to the bottling
bucket, as opposed to our usual 1-2 cups. This water was boiling hot when
added.  I tried this again on my next batch, except with cooled water. See
"Note:" above for results.  Adding the extra water was done to increase
my yield.  My carboys are slightly smaller than 5 gallons, and I was 
always significantly short of 2 cases.

Again, thanks in advance for any help.
Tom
From: pyle@intellistor.com (Norm Pyle)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: Oxidation ? (NOT!)
Keywords: dark, O2, beer, help
Date: 24 Jul 92 15:06:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: intellis.1992Jul24.150649.18698
Distribution: usa
Organization: Intellistor, Longmont, CO

In article <1992Jul24.125230.29352@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> bill@quercus.gsfc.nasa.gov (Bill Kovalick) writes:
>This is a question from a beginner, so please no flames... About 2 days
>ago, I racked my brew from one 5-gal carboy to another. It is an English
>bitter made from an amber malt extract with Northern Brewer (boiling)
>and Williamette hops (finishing) and Wyeast Irish Ale yeast. I allowed 
>it to ferment for 5 days and then decided to rack it to get it off the
>trub. The problem is that now the brew is turning dark on me - it was
>sort of a chocolaty brown and now it is closer to a dark brown, almost
>black. The darkening appears to be moving from the top down. Is this a 
>classical case of oxidation ?
>   
>I can think of at least two problem areas: 1). During the siphoning, the
>flow was interrupted and had to be restarted; 2) I added semi-cooled 
>(still slightly warm) boiled water to the beer after racking to minimize
>the air space. There's still about 3-4" of air space in the carboy which
>I suspect is too much and hence contributing to oxidation. How much
>space do you leave ? Assuming it has been oxidized, do you think the
>homebrew will be worth drinking or should I fertilize the garden with it.
>In short, is my beer "hosed" ?  I've consulted 3 books and none of them
>seem to adequately address the color changes associated with oxidation.
>Anyway, thanks for any insights into our man's dilemna.

Bill, relax.  Your beer is not oxidized, at least not enough to see a color
change.  It is very likely that the color change you are seeing is a result
of the yeast settling out as it finishes fermenting.  When the yeast is very
active it makes the beer appear much lighter since the light reflects off the
little guys.  When it slows down, most of the yeast falls out of suspension
and the beer appears darker.  I've made this mistake myself.  On your next
batch, take a good look at the wort every 12 hours or so during the first few
days.  You'll see what I'm talking about.

If you don't believe me, I'll take that "hosed" beer off your hands for you
(sounds pretty tasty!).  Also, never dump out a batch until you've tasted it
and decided it's not worth drinking (and never will be!).  Next time, rack
after about 3 days and don't worry about air space (the still-active yeast
will quickly drive off the O2 with CO2).  Good luck.

Norm
From: jdecarlo@mitre.org (John DeCarlo)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: Stuck fermentation
Date: 22 Jul 92 19:10:50 GMT
Organization: MITRE Corporation, McLean  VA

In article <1054.2a6c3b9b@atlas.nafb.trw.com>
 bhadley@atlas.nafb.trw.com writes:

>        If aeration is, in fact, responsible for the alleged stuck
>fermentation, why, upon the addition of priming sugar, will the fermentation
>take off (2.5% more wort, but it is boiled, so there is little oxegen)?

Hmmm, why does it take a week or two to carbonate a little bottle?  Because 
it is not "taking off".  Also, you don't expect to increase the yeast 
population, but just give the already populous yeast a chance to ferment 
some more.



John DeCarlo, MITRE Corporation, McLean, VA--My views are my own
Fidonet:  1:109/131  Internet:  jdecarlo@mitre.org
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
From: martin@gamma (Martin Wilde)
Subject: Re: storing specialty malts
Organization: Development Tools Operation, Intel Corp., Hillsboro  OR
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 92 17:28:14 GMT

dmm0t@holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU (Dave Meyer) writes:
: 
: Is there any particular way I ought to be storing specialty malts
: (e.g. chocolate malt or black patent)?  I'm fairly new to homebrewing,
: and I just made my first batch that included specialty malts in
: addition to extracts.  Since I'm not likely to use up the left over
: specialty malts for a while, I'd like to know the best way to store
: them.  Refrigerator?  Cool, dry, dark place?
: 
: 		Thanks,
: 			Dave
: 

Yes, just put them in an air tight container and store them in a
cool, DRY!!!, dark place.  I store my grains in tupperware with
no problems.  Every once in a while I open the container and just
double check it.  It should last according to the grain people at
Briess and Great Western Malting at least 2-3 years if stored as 
mentioned above.

PS: Do not try to store cracked grain for more than 6 months.  It
deteriorates farely quickly once the air hits it.  As a matter of
fact (no flames here boozoo's) I would not recommend storing it at
all.

--
Martin Wilde                   |  So many beers...
martin@gamma.intel.com         |  So little time...
uunet!intelhf!gamma!martin     |
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
From: pyle@intellistor.com (Norm Pyle)
Subject: Re: New brewer needs help
Organization: Intellistor, Longmont, CO
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 16:32:08 GMT

In article <92208.49866.JLARSEN@avm.cc.fsu.edu> JLARSEN@avm.cc.fsu.edu writes:
>I am brewing my second batch of beer, trying to brew the Righteous Real
>ALe from Papazian (amber malt extract, some hops, and ale yeast).  My
>problem is that the yeast does not appear to be doing anything.  I am
>using Wyeast 1056 (American ale).  I incubated it per instructions and
>added it to the wort.  However, I forgot to aerate until about two hours
>later.  Now, 15 hours later, there is no sign of action at all.  Did I
>f**k up?  Am I just being impatient? Should I pitch some more yeast?
>Any timely suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks in
>advance,
>
John, unless you pitched the yeast while the wort was hot (>90F), I suspect
that by the time you read this your yeast will be chugging away.  Liquid
yeast packets have a fairly small number of cells compared to dry yeast.
Also, if it was an older packet it will start slower but it _will_ start.
If you had created a starter wort a day ahead of time and pitched that, you
would have gotten quicker results.  This means you have to plan a few days
ahead of when you brew (1 for the packet to swell, 1-2 for the starter to get
going) but it helps your yeast get a head start on the nasties that want to
drink your beer.  1056 is a good yeast; you should have a fine brew in a few
weeks.  Good Luck.

Norm
From: smcdow@utexas.edu (Stuart McDow)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: Stuck fermentation
Date: 21 Jul 92 05:50:07 GMT
Organization: the end of his rope.
X-UserAgent: Nuntius v1.1b3



In article <1992Jul18.194338.5942@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca> Ross Niebergall,
rsn@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca writes:

>I am having a problem with stuck fermentation with a batch of
>Pale Ale.  I pitched the yeast at about 70 degrees F, and it
>actively fermented for about 2 days, and then stopped completely.
>After about 6 days the gravity was at about 1020, and there was still
>no activity.  So I racked it into a carboy, and repitched it with
>more yeast, and about 24 hours later, added some yeast nutrient.
>It has been another 3 days, and still no signs of fermentation.
>I plan to try and repitch it again, but what could have gone
>wrong?  Am I wasting my time with this batch?  Is it likely that
>it is infected with bacteria?
>
>All help is appreciated,
>Ross

From my brother who's never had a bad batch: (lldav@utxdp.bitnet) 
"Taste it. If it tastes like beer, bottle it." 

It's not uncommon for fermintation to stop after the third or fourth day. 1020
seems high...I don't know if pitching any more yeast will help. Taste it; no
one's ever died from bad beer. If it tastes foul, then probably you've got some
kind of infection. Infection could have started in a number of ways. It could
be that you didn't cool to 70 degrees quick enough, this is a perfect time for
invasion. It could be that your fermenter, etc. wasn't sterile. 
 

Replies to lldav@utxdp.bitnet (David McDow)

 smcdow@utexas.edu    | 1. Theatre is Life.         |      Less Jesus       |
    I disclaim,       | 2. Film is Art.             |     More Madonna      |
  therefore I am.     | 3. television is furniture. |    **************     |
           There is no such thing as software 'engineering'.
From: hart@clipper.ingr.com (Frank Hart)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: Hops Vines VS Jap. Beetles
Summary: Seven should only be used on smmoth skin vegetables that can be washed.
Date: 23 Jul 92 15:51:40 GMT
Organization: Intergraph Advanced Processor Division - Palo Alto, CA

In article <drw.711213040@wink>, drw@blink.att.com (Doug Woolley(x2405)) writes:
> 
> To Any Hops Growers,
> 
> However, inspection in recent days shows that bugs (most likely
> Japanese beetles) are chewing the heck out of the leaves and
> some of the flowers).  I hate to put anything on the vines
> but I felt I had no choice, so I sprinkled some Seven dust
> on the vines as best I could.  Perhaps this will be in vain
> or perhaps there is some better (not too exotic) method
> for protecting the plants.  Since Seven dust is something
> that one can sprinkle on veggies without much fear of
> poisoning (so the directions imply), I felt that there would
> be little problem putting the stuff on my vines.  However,
> I'd like to know if anyone else has done this and/or get
> other relevant suggestions for ridding my vines of pests.
> 

Seven dust should not be used within 7-14 days before consuming vegtables.
Even then you should wash them before use.  I don't see how you could wash
your hops to rid them of any chemicals.  Also, Seven will break down when
boiled into your wort which certainly is unhealthy.  If you must use an
insecticide, use one of the "Safer" products.  Safer is a company that produces
insecticides made from non-toxic ingredents.

I don't have many bugs on my hops but I attribute that to having very healthy
plants.  It may sound funny but a very healthy plant is more resistant to bugs.
The hop plant requires four things to grow well:  lots of sun, lots of water
tall poles or strings to climb, and regular feeding of fertilizer during its
growing season.  I use a liquid fish based fertilizer mixed into a 5 gal.
bucket of water about once a month from may till september.  If I still get
bugs (usually late in the season) I let them eat their fill since the hop
vine dies off at the end of the season anyway (roots still survive of course).

I hop this helps some.  (Like the Pun?)

Frank Hart
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
From: ricegm@ecf.toronto.edu (George Matthew Rice)
Subject: Re: how to crush grain
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 16:17:53 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.144825.15525@meaddata.com> georged@meaddata.com (George Dibos) writes:
>Either take it to a brewing supply shop and use their mill, or buy 
>yourself a Corona mill for about fifty bucks.  DO NOT be tempted to
>use a foor processor or blender!!!!

What about the vita-mix or champion juicer. They can make
flour.

Matthew
From: murph@buscard.fidonet.org (Brian Murphy)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: New hobbyist needs everything - things to buy, advice...
Keywords: New, beginner
Date: 28 Jul 92 21:47:59 GMT
Organization: The Business Card (BBS), Lawrence, MA - Data: 508-682-5329

Greetings!

I've been lurking for awhile now and enjoy how many of you are so into 
the hobby.  Your knowledge and seriousness are impressive.  I'd like to 
try my hand at zymurgy but don't know where to begin.  All I know is that 
I can get started for $50-$100.  Is this right?

I suppose some basic questions might be:

1.  What do I need, anyway?
2.  Where can I get this stuff?
3.  Does it matter that I'm not a rocket scientist?
4.  Can I do something so wrong as to kill my dog?
    (Think *I'm* going to sample my first batch? <g>)
5.  Are there some FAQs I should have grabbed before posting this?

I'm not all that interested in traveling to exotic locations to get the 
equipment I need.  If necessary, can I improvise by brewing in my bathtub 
or some other stupid thing?  

                     Your friend in Lawrence, Massachusetts...
                                 - - - Murph

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Business Card (BBS), Lawrence, Massachusetts - Data: (508) 682-5329
SysAdmin:  murph@buscard.fidonet.org / ...!ulowell!wizvax!buscard!murph
From: verhulst@raven.aosg.gsf.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: how to crush grain
Date: 30 Jul 92 13:49:27 GMT
Organization: AOSG

I'm a fairly new brewer (12-15 batches) and have, when faced with a recipy
that uses grain, bought it pre-crushed.  I'm now preparing a brew
(german dunkel style) that uses crystal, black, and chocolate malts which I've
bought uncrushed.  I find that Papazian method of puting the grain in a 
ziploc bag and using a rolling pin totally unsatisfactory (ditto for using
a malt extract can for the roller).  What nifty gadgets are people in netland
using for crushing small amounts of grain?

Tony V.
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
From: malodah@pbhyf.PacBell.COM (Martin A. Lodahl)
Subject: Re: Stuck fermentation
Reply-To: malodah@PacBell.COM (Martin A. Lodahl)
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 23:47:36 GMT


Sorry to jump right into the middle of this discussion, especially as
I missed any references to the recipe, but I'd just like to toss out
the fact that Ingledew et al. at the University of Saskatchewan did
a combination of fermentation studies and HPLC profiles for some 41
(unidentified, dammit!) malt extracts that indicated a strong correlation
between stuck fermentation and low free amino nitrogen (FAN) levels.
Further, they determined that the commercially available "yeast energizers"
were effective in correcting that, but reached a saturation point (beyond
which further additions no longer help) very quickly.  If this was an
all-extract batch, or extract with specialty grains, that could be your
problem.  If it's partial-mash or all-grain, I'll go back to sleep and
bother you no more ...

	- Martin

-- 
= Martin A. Lodahl    [DoD, AHA, NRA]  Systems Analyst, Pacific*Bell =
= malodah@PacBell.COM		Sacramento, CA, USA     916.972.4821 =
= If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, =
= Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me!!  8-)} =
From: dam@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (David Morning)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: Oatmeal Stout
Date: 28 Jul 92 16:23:05 GMT
Organization: Glasgow University Computing Science Dept.

homebrew@lupulus.ssc.gov writes:

>(Maclay's was a Scottish brewery, and 63/- means 63 shillings). The OG

MacLay's is *still*  a Scottish brewery.
They're still in business.


You sure about using porridge oats for this? They're usually highly processed
and rolled oatmeal. Oatmeal is easily available unadulterated.


Dave

Oops lest I forget, porridge oats = oatmeal breakfast cereal.

--
From: dougd@uts.amdahl.com (Douglas DeMers)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: What do you call this?
Date: 31 Jul 92 17:39:47 GMT
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In <Bs7n4v.Jv7@wrs.com> gak@wrs.com (Richard Stueven) writes:

>>In article <1992Jul29.190441.20554@mcnc.org> roy@mcnc.org (Subhash Chandra Roy) writes:
>>>Just finished brewing a barley wine strength braggart (sp?).  I really
>>>don't know what style the ale actually is though.

>What's a "braggart"?  I don't see it listed in Eckhardt's book...

Braggot is a mead flavored with malted barley.  This style probably
lives in the no-man's land between "mead" and "ale".  That is, how much
honey in your ale makes it a mead?  Does the "ale" versus "mead" yeast
(traditionally mead, wine or champagne) make the distinction?  I've not
done a braggot, so I won't attempt to comment further.  The mead
(actually a melomel) I made turned out quite nice - it's time for me to
start another!
-- 
Douglas DeMers,      | (408-746-8546) | dougd@uts.amdahl.com
Amdahl Corporation   |                | {sun,uunet}!amdahl!dougd
  [It should be obvious that the opinions above are mine, not Amdahl's.]
  [               Amdahl makes computers, not beer.                    ]
From: warkenti@CAE.Mitel.Com (BJ Warkentin)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: mead stuff
Date: 21 Jul 92 18:27:00 GMT
Organization: MITEL, Kanata, Ontario, Canada
In-reply-to: stu11@atux01.att.com's message of 20 Jul 92 12:50:52 GMT

stu11@atux01.att.com (0000-CSEd Student(0000)) writes:
   If I want to make mead with around 5% alcohol, but I want the extra
   body, how can I make the yeasts stop what they're doing and drop out
   of suspension early?  Or do I have to use less honey and add some
   afterwards?

Couple of options I guess...

1) Keep the fermentables down. Honey is very fermentable so let it
ferment out completely (ie FG down around 1.000). Kill the yeast and
them add back in honey. The only problem with this approach is that
you may end up with a very sweet, syrup like mess if you add to much
honey.

2) Find a wimpy or alcohol sensitive yeast that will poop out before it
ferments out all of the sugar/body in your mead. You may have more
luck with using a very unattentive yeast as I don't know of any yeasts
that a 5% alcohol concentration will beat into submission. I think the
magic % sensitivity for regular beer yeast is in the 8-10% ballpark.

3) Use a regular process and monitor the mead closely. Bottle and kill
the yeast at the desired point. Cooling it to almost freezing and
keeping it there for a while may do the dirty deed without mucking up
the flavor profile but you may be running the risk of glass gernades
if the yeast revives at a later date. This can be dealt with via an
appropraite consumption schedule... ie. make it, refridgerate it,
drink it all... :-)

BJ...warkenti@CAE.Mitel.Com    |   XJ650K and DoD#0255
Kanata, Ontario, Canada        |   I want a new toy...
I really didn't mean it quite that way, or did I :->
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
From: devenzia@euler.jsc.nasa.gov (John DeVenezia)
Subject: Re: How do _you_ pronounce "Wyeast"?
Organization: LESC
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 13:29:04 GMT

In article <Bs2nwB.L6u@wrs.com>, gak@wrs.com (Richard Stueven) writes:
> 
> >In article <64467@hydra.gatech.EDU>, tynor@prism.gatech.EDU (STEVE TYNOR) writes:
> >> 
> >> I say "why-yeast", though I can't justify that.  Is there a "right way"
> >> to pronouce "Wyeast"?
> 
> Call 'em and ask 'em.
> 
> ---
> gak
> 107/H/3&4
> 
Call 'em and see how they answer their phone.

jdv