ANST - Bottles and Brewing

[Pug Bainter]

Cc'ed to the Brewers', Vintners' and Cordialers' list.

David Epps said something that sounded like:
> A)	In reference to  the removal  labels discussed late last week, A 
> simple tool I use when working with bottles is a piece of 12 ga. Steel 
> approximately 10" on a side with a deep V cut at about 45 degrees into 
> the center of the plate.

I have a similar design for stipping corn off the cob. Didn't think
about it for this purpose. I'll have to see if I can rig something.

> B) 	Fermenting above 72 F is not a very good idea period.  (ED. Note... 
> I need to check the chemistry side of this issue for verification and my 
> primary forte is in Ales and Stouts but here goes.)

I pulled out my copy of _Principles of Brewing Science_ by George Fix to
look things up since I know little of chemistry.

One statement in it is that typcial yeast (as opposed to lagers)
works in the 15 to 20C range. If I remember my conversions right, that
is the 65 to 76F range. Lagers work in the 8 to 12C or 40 to 58F ranges.
These are not true for all strains, but are good for "most".

> When yeast ferments 
> too fast (ie. real warm (even the warmth loving ale yeast)) it creates 
> what are call fusel oils, a clear, colorless, Poisonous liquid mixture 
> of amyl alcohols, obtained as a by-product  of the fermentation of 
> starch-containing and sugar-containing plant materials and used as a 
> solvent....

Actaully, I believe that warm fermentation causes increases in diacetyl
production, which if I remember right, gives it a vanilla, caramel, or
butterscotch type flavor.

According to the book, fusel alcohol production varies from strain to
strain of yeast, but the increase in fermentable sugars usually will end
up in an increase in the fusel alcohols, fatty acids and esters as well.
(Unless countered with an increased oxygen supply to stimulate
respiration.)

Unfortunately I did not have enough time to look about the production of
fusel oils since they are listed generically with all of the other alcohols
in the index. As well, I do this because I enjoy it, and honestly don't
know much about the chemistry, which is why I bought the book.
(Unfortunately I don't know enough about chemistry to understand a lot
of it.)

> It might be 
> that you need to limit you brewing and primary fermentation period to 
> the early spring and late fall or find a friend that you can trust with 
> the liquid gold you produce who has a cellar or spare refrigerator , 

Not many cellars in Austin. Too expensive for most house builders due to
the equipment necessary to get through the rock.

Ciao,

-- 
Phelim "Pug" Gervase  | "I want to be called. COTTONTIPS. There is something 
Barony of Bryn Gwlad  |  graceful about that lady. A young woman bursting with 
House Flaming Dog     |  vigor. She blinked at the sudden light. She writes
pug at pug.net           |  beautiful poems. When ever shall we meet again?"
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