hist-brewing: non-period fermenting vessel and yeast and recipe

[Eylat Poliner]

First:
Plactic water bottles are not a good idea.  It can allow gas transfer,
as well as get scratched easily.  Scratches will not get fully
clean/sanitized and WILL harbor spoilage bacteria.  Locate a supplier of
GLASS carboys.  Look in brewing magazines for mail order or contact your
nearest homebrew supply place.

Second:
There is no reason not to blend different strains of yeast.  Many
commercial yeasts are actual blends of 3-6 different cultured yeasts.
think German and Belgium yeasts.
Malt extract will not provide an adequate amount of nutrients for yeast
to grow.  I suggest adding a measure of yeast nutrient or yeast hjulls.

Third:
If you are still an extract brewer versus being an all grain brewer, I
suggest steeping speciality grains to get additional and better flavors
versus using canned extracts.


Mark


Thomas Thornhill wrote:

>  Greetings,     Let me PREFACE all this by saying that I am currently
> seeking to produce volume OVER quality. BUT, whatever I make needs to
> be safe and at least palatable. I need to use up my old stuff and to
> provide beverage for an event at the end of July. I it must all be
> done cold(no boiling) and with purified water(high iron and sediment
> problem.) The greatest portion of my sugar will be [aarrgghh]
> sucrose.I lack a good local brewing supplier and will amend my ways
> just as soon as I am able.    Thus I have begun:I have recently come
> into possession of several clear plastic 5 gallon carboys.Has anyone
> used these?Keeping them in the dark is not a problem.Do they
> contribute to any off flavor?Does anyone have a maximim %alchohol that
> would be safe in these without picking up flavor?    I intend to start
> batches in them just as soon as possible(afixing water locks to the
> lids.) I would not normally use these but they were so cheap as to be
> nearly giving them away and I thought they must be food grade since
> they were designed to hold water. My intended %alchohol should be near
> 6%. Beverage for the masses.     Also, I have not brewed for some
> time. But, have a large selection of various yeast(powder in packet)
> that I was intending to blend all together and do the darwin( wasn't
> he one of the old saints ) thing in a starter and then cast it into my
> fermenters(along with some other (very) old stuff.)My question: Is
> there any reason not to blend these together?If I use at least some
> malt(canned syrup) in each batch: Should the necessary nutrients be
> present?If not, what are some grocery store purchase stuff for
> minerals/nutrients?     And more, does anyone have very simple recipes
> for the above mentioned brewing? That is to say those of low malt and
> hops but wanting to add some flavor.I have a couple of ideas but would
> appreciate input. My gratitude,Titus Terranova
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