Brewing Master

Question:

I’m talking about the HTML, not the tool used to author it.  By MS tools, I presume you mean Front Page?  I’ve never met a real developer that uses it. I use a combination of XML Spy (lot of what I do is XML/XSLT driven) and Visual Interdev, because of its source control/CVS integration.  But it’s just a plain ol’ text editor, so I have a hard time understanding what that could have to do with it. In fact, I’ve messed around with using Ultra-edit or TextPad as the plug-in text editor for Visual Intedev. Any "automated" or even semi-automated tool will have certain concessions made as far as browser compatibility.  This includes Cold Fusion, etc. Regards, Mike Sharp

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m using netscape 7.0 it looks fine. I don’t know much about html but I do know that ms authoring tools use a lot of ….hmmm "extensions" that make things unviewable in netscape. I gave up on the MS tools some time ago.  This is all done with the Geeklog CMS http://geeklog.sf.net/ cheers, -Alan

Response:

Right, the colors you’re using are mostly browser-safe, meaning they render the same (sort of).  But I’ve seen differences with Macintosh.  Are either of you by any chance using a Mac? Regards, Mike Sharp

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK, looks like it must be Netscape related…when I use IE, it’s fine. I tested it on Mozilla which is basically Netscape and it was just the same as my IE in colour, though some of the fonts were a bit different.  What version of Netscape? cheers, -Alan

Response:

Black text on a purple background?  Man, my eyes are too old for that! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Folks, I used the Vvessel this weekend and in short I really like it! There is no question whatsoever that the wall-mount saves a lot of space (and believe me I’m not working with much to begin with!) Only potential downside I see is the price. My first-impressions as posted last week are here : http://www.bodensatz.com/article.php?story=20021029173841438 and at the bottom is a link to the full review, which you can jump directly to if you have already read the first impressions : http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=2002103019331222 If there are further questions or if there is something you feel I haven’t addressed completely please just let me know and I will be happy to update the review accordingly.  I think the full review answers all the questions raised here. cheers, -Alan

Response:

Black text on a purple background?  Man, my eyes are too old for that!

Hmmm, most folks like the new look. What type of computer are you using? What’s the resolution of your graphics card and number of colours? On any PC I’ve viewed it from it is black on light blue and in fact quite pleasant on the eyes. Do you know how to take a screen snapshot that you can send me, because I’d like to see exactly what you are seeing … thanks, -Alan

Response:

My question is regarding this section of the review: That’s exactly the sorts of questions I asked myself as well, until a web search brought up an answer which should have actually been obvious to everyone.  With most conicals – the type we are all familiar with at least from the pictures we covet on various websites – there is nothing attached to the bottom of the ballvalve.  When it comes time to drain the sediment we hold a collection container under the valve, open the valve, and drain the sludge into the container.  But simple displacement dictates that if we drain 600ml out the bottom, that 600ml of air must get drawn into the top in order to make up the volume.  So the question then becomes : is this air drawn into the top really something to worry about?  Well, aeration is a highly-debated subject and I’m certainly not going to pretend to have the answer to that question, but in my experience even those brewers who worry less about aeration still take measures to minimize it both in the hot stages as well as the post-pitching stage in their brewing.  The way the Vvessel works, no air gets drawn into the top to displace the volume of sediment you are removing. Now, simple displacement dictates that that 600ml has to come from SOMEWHERE, and if it’s not coming thru the top of the fermenter, then it must be coming from the bottom, the empty 600ml container. Isn’t this actually worse than the air coming from the top, since it bubbles up thru the wort and causes surface activity? Or am I way off? Kulrak — Beer. It’s not just for breakfast anymore! Visit us at #brewing on DALnet.

Response:

Now, simple displacement dictates that that 600ml has to come from SOMEWHERE, Or am I way off?

I’m not draining out 600ml, I’m DETACHING a piece f the fermenter containing that 600ml.  If you look the ball valve is located between the main fermenter and the little capsule, so you close the valve and detact the capsule, and nothing gets disturbed or sucked in.  But I guess you are right that if  I  then return that capsle and open the ball valve again, that the air will of course get sucked  into the top.  But that’s not the way I was planning on doing it. cheers, -Alan

Response:

I’m not draining out 600ml, I’m DETACHING a piece f the fermenter containing that 600ml.  If you look the ball valve is located between the main fermenter and the little capsule, so you close the valve and detact the capsule, and nothing gets disturbed or sucked in.  But I guess you are right that if  I  then return that capsle and open the ball valve again, that the air will of course get sucked  into the top.  But that’s not the way I was planning on doing it. cheers, -Alan

Ah that makes more sense. — Beer. It’s not just for breakfast anymore! Visit us at #brewing on DALnet.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Now, simple displacement dictates that that 600ml has to come from SOMEWHERE, Or am I way off? I’m not draining out 600ml, I’m DETACHING a piece f the fermenter containing that 600ml.  If you look the ball valve is located between the main fermenter and the little capsule, so you close the valve and detact the capsule, and nothing gets disturbed or sucked in.  But I guess you are right that if  I  then return that capsle and open the ball valve again, that the air will of course get sucked  into the top.  But that’s not the way I was planning on doing it. cheers, -Alan

I was thinking the same thing, I was picturing the little capsule empty until the removal process.  Now I see, you leave the ball valve open while fermenting, and only close it to remove the dead yeast. EvilTwig

Response:

Now, simple displacement dictates that that 600ml has to come from SOMEWHERE, Or am I way off? I’m not draining out 600ml, I’m DETACHING a piece f the fermenter containing that 600ml.  If you look the ball valve is located between the main fermenter and the little capsule, so you close the valve and detact the capsule, and nothing gets disturbed or sucked in.  But I guess you are right that if  I  then return that capsle and open the ball valve again, that the air will of course get sucked  into the top.  But that’s not the way I was planning on doing it.

I noticed in the article you talked about the fittings.  They are simply cam lock fittings you can get most anywhere.  Most home improvement stores do not carry them, but most agricultural type stores do… Cheers, Mike

Response:

OK, looks like it must be Netscape related…when I use IE, it’s fine.

I tested it on Mozilla which is basically Netscape and it was just the same as my IE in colour, though some of the fonts were a bit different.  What version of Netscape? cheers, -Alan

Response:

If I need small fonts, I usually do a browser sniff, and produce a different stylesheet for netscape browsers.  Allen, are you doing this at all?  Is there a reason why the font in the main content area needs to be in pixels? If so, a 12 px font might look better on minimum hardware.

No, I’m not doing that but I use style sheets so I guess I could easily do something that would look better on Netscape.  I like to support every platform I can so any further details you can provide on how to do this would be appreciated. cheers, -Alan

Response:

I’m using netscape 7.0 it looks fine. I don’t know much about html but I do know that ms authoring tools use a lot of ….hmmm "extensions" that make things unviewable in netscape.

I gave up on the MS tools some time ago.  This is all done with the Geeklog CMS http://geeklog.sf.net/ cheers, -Alan

Response:

@corp.supernews.com: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – thing, I was picturing the little capsule empty until the removal process.  Now I see, you leave the ball valve open while fermenting, and only close it to remove the dead yeast. Dead yeast???  You mean the trub and the live yeast that is excellent for the next brew…. Cheers, Mike

ok, yeah….. i’m new The …. a … used yeast EvilTwig

Response:

Alan, it’s Netscape 4.76 (maybe 4.79). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK, looks like it must be Netscape related…when I use IE, it’s fine. I tested it on Mozilla which is basically Netscape and it was just the same as my IE in colour, though some of the fonts were a bit different.  What version of Netscape? cheers, -Alan

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hmm…He’s using mostly web-safe colors.  Though the contrast is a little low, it shouldn’t be that weird in Netscape strictly due to the colors. Though, it does look purple to me, not blue. However, Netscape handles fonts differently, and using a fixed font size makes things difficult for some monitors/resolutions.  In netscape, fonts are rendered much smaller.  Even with a high resolution monitor, fonts that are merely small in IE can be nearly unreadable in Netscape. If I need small fonts, I usually do a browser sniff, and produce a different stylesheet for netscape browsers.  Allen, are you doing this at all?  Is there a reason why the font in the main content area needs to be in pixels? If so, a 12 px font might look better on minimum hardware. Regards, Mike Sharp OK, looks like it must be Netscape related…when I use IE, it’s fine. Which is what it sounds like it’s supposed to be…very weird. I see it as black font on a very light blue background.

I’m using netscape 7.0 it looks fine. I don’t know much about html but I do know that ms authoring tools use a lot of ….hmmm "extensions" that make things unviewable in netscape. Medford, NY swap net.optonline to reply via e-mail

Response:

Hmm…He’s using mostly web-safe colors.  Though the contrast is a little low, it shouldn’t be that weird in Netscape strictly due to the colors. Though, it does look purple to me, not blue. However, Netscape handles fonts differently, and using a fixed font size makes things difficult for some monitors/resolutions.  In netscape, fonts are rendered much smaller.  Even with a high resolution monitor, fonts that are merely small in IE can be nearly unreadable in Netscape. If I need small fonts, I usually do a browser sniff, and produce a different stylesheet for netscape browsers.  Allen, are you doing this at all?  Is there a reason why the font in the main content area needs to be in pixels? If so, a 12 px font might look better on minimum hardware. Regards, Mike Sharp – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK, looks like it must be Netscape related…when I use IE, it’s fine. Which is what it sounds like it’s supposed to be…very weird. I see it as black font on a very light blue background. Medford, NY swap net.optonline to reply via e-mail

Response:

OK, looks like it must be Netscape related…when I use IE, it’s fine. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Which is what it sounds like it’s supposed to be…very weird. I see it as black font on a very light blue background. Medford, NY swap net.optonline to reply via e-mail

Response:

Which is what it sounds like it’s supposed to be…very weird. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I see it as black font on a very light blue background. Medford, NY swap net.optonline to reply via e-mail

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Looking at it now with a 17" Viewsonic G773 with an NVidia Vanta card set to 1024×768, 32 bit.  It’s a little better, but the background is still too dark to be easily readable. Black text on a purple background?  Man, my eyes are too old for that! Hmmm, most folks like the new look. What type of computer are you using? What’s the resolution of your graphics card and number of colours? On any PC I’ve viewed it from it is black on light blue and in fact quite pleasant on the eyes. Do you know how to take a screen snapshot that you can send me, because I’d like to see exactly what you are seeing … thanks, -Alan

I see it as black font on a very light blue background. Medford, NY swap net.optonline to reply via e-mail

Response:

Looking at it now with a 17" Viewsonic G773 with an NVidia Vanta card set to 1024×768, 32 bit.  It’s a little better, but the background is still too dark to be easily readable. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Black text on a purple background?  Man, my eyes are too old for that! Hmmm, most folks like the new look. What type of computer are you using? What’s the resolution of your graphics card and number of colours? On any PC I’ve viewed it from it is black on light blue and in fact quite pleasant on the eyes. Do you know how to take a screen snapshot that you can send me, because I’d like to see exactly what you are seeing … thanks, -Alan

Response:

thing, I was picturing the little capsule empty until the removal process.  Now I see, you leave the ball valve open while fermenting, and only close it to remove the dead yeast.

Dead yeast???  You mean the trub and the live yeast that is excellent for the next brew…. Cheers, Mike

Response:

I’m using a PC with a CTX 17" monitor, S3 Virge GX2 video card, 1024×768 res., 24 bit color.  I’ve got about 5 other computers around, so I’ll check it on some of them.  If it’s consistent, I’ll send you a screen shot.  If not, then I guess it’s my problem! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Black text on a purple background?  Man, my eyes are too old for that! Hmmm, most folks like the new look. What type of computer are you using? What’s the resolution of your graphics card and number of colours? On any PC I’ve viewed it from it is black on light blue and in fact quite pleasant on the eyes. Do you know how to take a screen snapshot that you can send me, because I’d like to see exactly what you are seeing … thanks, -Alan

Response:

Just one minor correction.  My original point about the unitank was not so much that you can ferment under pressure to minimize foaming, but that you don’t have to rack to a separate vessel for carbonation and conditioning. This saves time and labor, which is one of the main selling points of the unit in the first place, and why people buy grundy’s or conical unitanks.

Oh I see.  I doubt many folks would do that anyway since it ties up the fermenter for all that time.  Cornies are relatively cheap and I for one have quite a few of them, so I get my beer into them ASAP. cheers, -Alan

Response:

Just one minor correction.  My original point about the unitank was not so much that you can ferment under pressure to minimize foaming, but that you don’t have to rack to a separate vessel for carbonation and conditioning. This saves time and labor, which is one of the main selling points of the unit in the first place, and why people buy grundy’s or conical unitanks. They emphasise the fact you don’t have to rack to a secondary, which is an advantage for a still product like wine, but if it’s beer, you end up racking to a second vessel anyway, to carbonate.  Though, I suppose even if it did hold pressure, I’d eventually rack to a corny for serving. But in the BOP scenario, the customer would bottle the carbonated beer right from the Vvessel.  Big savings in time for whoever is doing the racking to the pressure vessel.  Also, I know from experience that BOP’s don’t always have the extra 15 gallon corny’s, so they don’t want to transfer from the primary fermenter (which they have boatloads of–a simple HDPE drum) until they know the customer is ready to bottle.  The Vvessel would simplify this, so that if a customer failed to show up on time to bottle, you wouldn’t have one of your regular pressure vessels tied up. With it’s round and domed design, one would expect it could be plumbed to hold considerable pressure.  The Banjo cam locks on the capsule is rated for a pretty decent pressure–I forget what the rating is, but they’re very common commercial hose connections. What’s the ID/OD of the collar fitting at the top?  perhaps it’s a standard pipe size, and could be threaded to accept another Banjo adapter…Or a groove cut in the ID to accept a bulkhead plate similar to large RO systems. Hey, that’s actually a workable idea.  Either an OD groove, like a Victaulic connector, or an ID groove.  How thick is the collar? Regards, Mike Sharp

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Folks, I used the Vvessel this weekend and in short I really like it! There is no question whatsoever that the wall-mount saves a lot of space (and believe me I’m not working with much to begin with!) Only potential downside I see is the price. My first-impressions as posted last week are here : http://www.bodensatz.com/article.php?story=20021029173841438 and at the bottom is a link to the full review, which you can jump directly to if you have already read the first impressions : http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=2002103019331222 If there are further questions or if there is something you feel I haven’t addressed completely please just let me know and I will be happy to update the review accordingly.  I think the full review answers all the questions raised here. cheers, -Alan

Response:

Folks, I used the Vvessel this weekend and in short I really like it! There is no question whatsoever that the wall-mount saves a lot of space (and believe me I’m not working with much to begin with!) Only potential downside I see is the price. My first-impressions as posted last week are here : http://www.bodensatz.com/article.php?story=20021029173841438 and at the bottom is a link to the full review, which you can jump directly to if you have already read the first impressions : http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=2002103019331222 If there are further questions or if there is something you feel I haven’t addressed completely please just let me know and I will be happy to update the review accordingly.  I think the full review answers all the questions raised here. cheers, -Alan

Response: