Brewing Master

Question:

The wavelength region necessary for sterilization is below 290 nm. According to Wyszecki and Stiles (_Color Science: Concepts and Methods, Quantitative Data and Formulae_  Second ediotion, 1982) the transmittance of "3.00 mm window glass" is about (i am reading off a graph, so numbers are approximate): Wavelength (nm)   Transmittance (%)   <310               0%    320              40%    350              80%   400              90% (to about 600 nm)

You mean you’re not using quartz or fused silica bottles? It’ll probably only cost you around $10-$50 per bottle. It sounds like the oven or chlorox is the way to go here.

Unless you’re really into black lights. —

Response:

According to the IES Handbook (8th edition) the peak bactericidal efficiency is 265 nm (from data on E. coli). Incident radiation at 253.7 nm (the peak for ozone-producing germicidal lamps) necessary to inhibit colony formation in 90% of S. cerevisae is 60 j/m^2 (joules/meter^2), and for black molds (the list at least two types) it is around 1200 j/m^2.

Can someone please relate that to lamp power/distance? It sounds like the oven or chlorox is the way to go here.

Seems like it’s not useable for sterilization where the light must pass through glass, like the inside of a bottle. But I’ve seen that they have a "blacklight" in the brewery of a brewpub nearby. I can just see the light hitting other things, the lamp is hidden from view. So I cant see the setup. What I am curios about is: what’s it used for? Brewing equipment, or just for taking a pot shot at any germ that happens to be in the air close by to bring down the number of them? Einar Sjaavik

Response:

What you are refering to a filtering is really fining.  The difference is that in fining you put substance such as betonite (a form of clay) in the top of the fermenter.  As the fining agent sinks, it grabs the many of the solids causing haze and drags them down.  In filtering, the liquid is passed thorugh a porous membrane.  I’ll bet the brewery didn’t feel like explaining the word fining so they used filter. BTW, my homebrew supplier says that when fining is needed he only recommends betonite.  I’ll take his word since he has taken first place in an AHA sanctioned competition. Keith B.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – According to the IES Handbook (8th edition) the peak bactericidal efficiency is 265 nm (from data on E. coli). Incident radiation at 253.7 nm (the peak for ozone-producing germicidal lamps) necessary to inhibit colony formation in 90% of S. cerevisae is 60 j/m^2 (joules/meter^2), and for black molds (the list at least two types) it is around 1200 j/m^2. Can someone please relate that to lamp power/distance? It sounds like the oven or chlorox is the way to go here. Seems like it’s not useable for sterilization where the light must pass through glass, like the inside of a bottle. But I’ve seen that they have a "blacklight" in the brewery of a brewpub nearby. I can just see the light hitting other things, the lamp is hidden from view. So I cant see the setup. What I am curios about is: what’s it used for? Brewing equipment, or just for taking a pot shot at any germ that happens to be in the air close by to bring down the number of them? Einar Sjaavik

I’d bet what you’re seeing is a bug light. (you know, one of those electric zappers). Any UV source used for sterilization would be shielded to prevent eye damage. — Joseph Kral

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The wavelength region necessary for sterilization is below 290 nm. According to Wyszecki and Stiles (_Color Science: Concepts and Methods, Quantitative Data and Formulae_  Second ediotion, 1982) the transmittance of "3.00 mm window glass" is about (i am reading off a graph, so numbers are approximate): Wavelength (nm)   Transmittance (%)   <310               0%    320              40%    350              80%   400              90% (to about 600 nm) You mean you’re not using quartz or fused silica bottles? It’ll probably only cost you around $10-$50 per bottle. It sounds like the oven or chlorox is the way to go here. Unless you’re really into black lights. —

        Besides, think of the SKUNKING effect of subjecting your homebrew to UV!  Yuck!         ed

Response:

<snip. : But I’ve seen that they have a "blacklight" in the brewery of a brewpub : nearby. I can just see the light hitting other things, the lamp is : hidden from view. So I cant see the setup. : What I am curios about is: what’s it used for? : Brewing equipment, or just for taking a pot shot at any germ that happens : to be in the air close by to bring down the number of them? Maybe they use it to detect impurities in something, like detergent on bottles. — | We gladly devour those who would oppress us | own – not neccesarily ICOM’s | – Addams Family                             | No warranty expressed or                                                 might mistake for a fact.

Response:

HOMEBREW Digest #1320                        Mon 10 January 1994         FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES                 Rob Gardner, Digest Coordinator Contents:   Brewing Travels/ Update-Coyote Brews/ (COYOTE)   Capping and carbonation (Richard Nantel)   Priming bitters (Jim Grady)   Filtration (w. diatomaceous earth) & Mashing FAQ ("Taylor Standlee")   sending homebrew ("Jay Tarvin"")   Wort Chiller (Bob Eddy)   not-home brew/ATF/dry yeast (Kirk Anderson)   SNPA recipe collection (mclagan)   UV Radiation for Bottles (dmorey)   Old Crusty / Shelf Life / Errata (npyle)   New Wyeast Profiles… (Mark Stewart)   Mill Adjustment (Jack Schmidling)   2 Qs from a newbie (nblackmo)   HWBTA Style Guidelines, 2 of 3 (Rick Garvin (703-761-6630))   Brewery tours in London? (Phil Bardsley                       )   Thermometer/Pasty Lagers/Eye Allergy (KRWEISEL)   kegging (Rich Ryan)   re: Mead and Ale Yeast (Dick Dunn)   (Articles are published in the order they are received.) Send UNSUBSCRIBE and all other requests, ie, address change, etc.,   then you MUST unsubscribe the same way! If your account is being deleted, please be courteous and unsubscribe first. Archives are available via anonymous ftp from sierra.stanford.edu.   (Those without ftp access may retrieve files via mail from   message to that address to receive listserver instructions.) Please don’t send me requests for back issues – you will be silently ignored. Post Holiday greeting to you brewers all. Recently returned from adventures in the southern parts of Calif. had a chance to pop in at a couple micros along the way. Checked out the Crown Brewery in Pasadena. They had the same 3 beers as two years ago:     Mt Wilson Wheat.  nice, simple. Not real exciting.     Amber.  Malty, hoppy, copper colored. Tasty.     Stout.  Ok stout.  Not very heavy. Almost porter-like. also went to HOPS on new years eve, at University Town Center in San Diego. Excellent restaurant. They make some ok beers too.  They all seemed kinda light- maybe over filtered. It is kindof a yuppy place. The food was excellent- and reasonable priced, considering what you might expect.  They had a very large variety. *    A pilsner. Very light lager. But where is the saaaaaz nose!? *    ESB.  Was pretty good. But too light, not enough hops     ( I guess I was kinda biased, I had a Fullers earlier that day) *    Scottish Ale.  Needed more heavy malt character. Didn’t seem strong     enough for a scotch. Struck me as being more like the Grants scottish     ale, than say a McEwans. *   Hefe Weizen.  Quite sour. Unfiltered, and looked it. Lemon and all.     Seemed pretty true to style.  Wasn’t my favorite though. *   Rasberry lager.  Nicely done. Pungent rasberry. Had the copper color. *   Russian Imperial Stout.  THIS was a stout stout. Very roasty flavor.     A bit sweet for me, but well balanced to the dark flavors. I also tried their Barleywine.  The waitress was almost apalogetic upon bringing it, and offered to take it back if I didn’t like it. (yeah, in the back where she could drink it. Seemed like she’d already had a couple! It was…fruity, malty, chewy, STRONG (10%).  Just what I’d expect. Yum it said to me.  Came home to taste my very own Barneywine, and found a similar reaction…to my pleasure. I didn’t get a chance to chat with the brewer. He was "celebrating" the new year pretty hard I understand.  Pretty copper/stainless kettles, nice clean decor. Quite the upscale kind of feel.  I had "blackened swordfish" and it was very well presented, and delicious, but it had none of that painfully spicey bite I connect with cajun cooking. Stuck a certain similarity with the brews.  Geared for an unseasoned clientelle, and not wanting to offend anyones tastebuds with over strong flavors. Too bad.  I like being offended!     Also went by Goat Hill (after a little detour to Light Bulbs Unlimited- from which I soon will have a blue NEON COYOTE light.  :) Happy B-day…to me. (from my mate!  She’s getting a wave for her special day) They had an ad on their menu for Rush Limbaugh brunch.  I began to wonder. A very impressive list of brews from all over, a bit pricey, a bit loud and "jock-ish" for my tastes. I never was a frat bro type.  Personal bias. They did have an impressive collection of street signs. *** So…back on the home front.   Update of things happening in the Cosmic Coyote Brewery. Pilsner- Urquel!!!   Just bottled after a months lagering.  And twice dry-hopped with….what else…Saaaaaaaaaaaaz it all!  Yuuuuuum. It is light, clean, fairly malty, and slightly sweet, but crisp. And this baby just screams saaaaaaz.  But without being bitter. Too bad it’s a little late for the bay area brewoff. I think it would fair well.  (pat on back….smack lips once more)     10 # Pilsner Malt. (german)     1 # aromatic munich (belgian)     1 # 40L Crystal     .5 # Biscuit (belgian) BOIL:     1 oz N. Brewer     1 oz Saaz Mid:     3/4 oz Saaz Finish:     3/4 oz saaz. Dry hopped after primary ferment subsided. Then secondary also. .5 oz/ea. Bohemian Lager- wyeast. Made 8 gallons of 1.032 ( a bit low) Fermented at 52 deg F for 1 month. *** My Blebbing Barneywine has pretty well settled. He’s down to 15 sp gr. and probably wont’ drop much more.  He still hasn’t cleared enough. I need to rack him again. Then prep for bottling, and storage. The second runnings from this mash made Barney’s Backside. A malty, pretty light brown color. Just kegged last night.  Quite hoppy, but still a lot of flavor. I tried an experiment on this brew (for those of you involved in conversations last year .  The third batch I sqeezed out of this was a semi sour mash.  I still had sparge water in the mash tun, and didn’t want to waste it, so I added a bit more English malt, stirred and let it sit overnight. It had a long slow continued conversion.  By the following afternoon it had some color, and flavor.  Rather tart flavor. Definitely some acid production. I pulled it off, added some dry extract, molasses, and honey and boiled with the leftover hops, and a bit more.  Well, it made beer. I was planning on tossing some cranberries on the 2ndary. Still may do it, but tasted at racking, it was doing 0k.  Still had some of the complex malty flavor of the Barneywine, and his backside.  Seemed like a succesful experiment. Not that I’m going to do this all the time. But hey- I’ll try anything twice! *** Soon it will be time to cask the IPA.  I brewed it last monday, and it’s been happily/hoppily blebbing away since.  I’m hoping I can get it through 2ndary and conditioned before the 22nd to celebrate and inebriate my birthday celebration.  Good excuse to kill the entirety in one night!  :) Celebration IPA:     10# 2 row pale malt      2# 2 row vienna malt     1.5 # 40L crystal     1.5 # 80L crystal      1 #  Wheat Infusion (NOT cold fusion!) mashed. BOIL: 1 oz Chinook (13 alpha) Mid:  .5 oz N. Brewer (7.6 a) Finish: .5 oz N. Brewer         .5 oz Cascade (homegrown) Burton ale yeast, then bohemian lager. OG: 1.048 for 7 gallons.  Fermented primary at 70, 2ndary to 55. I plan to fine the 2ndary, then rack/prime in cask. Low pressure! Should be fun! *** Finally: I collected a number of nice brews- not commonly found in my "great" state.  The more exotic included Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin beer. (This one was spiced with pumpkin spices wasn’t it? That couldn’t just be hops!)  and Samual Smiths Holiday Ale.  Yum. A suggestion: If anyone is in the southern Calif. area definitely go find a Trader Joes.  Nice selection. Incredible prices!  $3 for imported german beers, australian, mexican…  Ok. So some of them aren’t the top of the line models, but truly some tasty brews at very reasonable prices.  Their wines are nice too. Many under $3 a bottle, for decent wines!  They buy a whole batch from a winery, and slap their label on it. ANd sell it cheap! It’s a coffee/cheese and crackers kind of store.  And I love it! No connection, just a well stocked/happy customer.     Anyway.  Glad to be back to my brew-home. Hoppy brew beer to you all. ***/ PS: If anyone has any info on upcoming competitions in the west I’d be intersted in descriptions/rules etc…   Tanx. Next time I bottle, I intend to follow Miller’s suggestion in leaving the caps resting on the filled bottles for half an hour before crimping them on. The resulting CO2 will fill the top part of the bottle and should reduce oxidation. Since some CO2 will escape during this timelag, do I need to compensate for this by adding extra priming sugar? Richard Nantel Montreal, Quebec Canada I have made 3 pale ales/bitters this past fall and have succeeded in getting that low carbonation level that is required to really enjoy the hop flavor as well as get a nice head.  It actually was through an accident with the first batch and it worked so well, I did it with the others.  I got a 5 l. minikeg setup and the instructions say to use 1/2 the priming sugar you normally use.  Not wanting to commit the whole batch to the new toy, I primed with 1/4 c. corn sugar in five gallons and made up … read more »

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