Gypsum: Food grade gypsum (calcium sulfate - CaSO4), sometimes called "Burton Salts" is used by grain brewers to insure proper mash pH and improve extraction. Also used to simulate the highly gypseous water found in Burton-on-Trent, the birthplace of pale ales. Note that gypsum only lowers pH when mashed with grain. CMGYP $1.25/2 ozs.
Calcium Carbonate: Food grade calcium carbonate (CaCO3), also known as chalk is used by grain brewers to adjust mash pH upward and also used to simulate the waters found where great stouts and porters are brewed. CMCACO $2.00/2 ozs.
Potassium Carbonate: Used to lower acidity levels in wine. CMPC $2.00/2 ozs.
Calcium Chloride: Food grade calcium chloride (CaCl) is used to add chloride content and/or lower mash pH without increasing sodium or sulfates as would be the case if sodium chloride or gypsum was used. CMCACL $2.00/2 ozs.
Campden Tablets: Sodium Metabisulfite in an easier to measure format. CMCAMP $2.00/25 tablets
Potassium Metabisulfite: CMPM $2.00/2 ozs.
Tartaric acid: Preferred acid for adjusting acid levels in wine CMTA $2.50/2 ozs.
Citric Acid: Used primarily in sanitizing solutions to lower ph CMCA $2.00/2 ozs.
Acid Blend: A 30/30/30 mix of citric tartaric & malic acids used in fruit wines to adjust acid levels CMACID $2.00/2 ozs.
Pectic Enzyme: Used to reduce hazing effect of pectins when using real fruit in your beer, wines or meads CMPE $2.50/2 ozs.
Lactose: An unfermentable sugar used to add body & sweetness. Caution: many people are sensitive to lactose and won't be expecting it to be in beer, so if you use this in your beer make sure you warn those who drink it that it contains lactose. CMLAC $2.00/2 ozs.
Grape Tannin: Used for white wine. Adds a little astringency & aids later fining with isinglass or gelatin CMGT $2.50/2 ozs.
American Oak Chips Medium toast: OAKCHPA $2.25/2 ozs.
French Oak Chips: OAKCHP $4.50/2 ozs.
Yeast Nutrient Crystals: Food grade di-ammonium phosphate acts like "yeast fertilizer" and is great for yeast starters (use 1/2 tsp) and for meads and ciders where natural yeast nutrients may be deficient. CMYSTNU $2.00/2 ozs.
Irish Moss: Actually a blend of select seaweeds, Irish Moss is used during the boil as a "kettle coagulant" to help proteins precipitate, resulting in clearer, haze-free beer. Contrary to popular belief, Irish Moss should be rehydrated for 30 minutes before adding to the boil if added in the last 30 minutes. An easier alternative is to add it with the first bittering hops so that it is boiled at least 60 minutes, eliminating the need for rehydration. We recommend 1 tbs in a five gallon boil. CMIM $2.50/2 ozs.
Foam Control: This is very interesting stuff and it really works. You add it to your wort along with the yeast and it keeps the foam head formed during fermentation from ever getting more than 1/2" thick. Why is this useful? It lets you increase the capacity of your fermenter and stops losses (and messes) due to beer being blown off. You can now safely ferment almost 5 gallons of wort in a 5 gallon carboy with just a stopper and an airlock - no blow-off tube is required. Now you might think that this will cause your beer's head to be lost as well. Believe it or not, exactly the opposite is true. Why? More head-forming compounds are retained in the beer and not lost during fermentation, hence they are available to make a head in the glass (Foam Control will have lost its effectiveness and settled out by then). Completely non-toxic and safe - approved for use in commercial beer (microbrewers - ask us about larger sizes). Requires just 1 teaspoon for a five gallon batch. Comes in a 2 oz dispenser top bottle. CMFMC $5.95
Silica Gel: Brewery grade silica gel is used in a similar manner to and for the same purpose as Polyclar, to remove haze causing proteins, but our tests show it works much better, so we have stopped carrying Polyclar. Gently stir into the beer, then let the beer settle for a few days before bottling/kegging, racking off the sediment. Use 2 to 4 gms per gallon of beer. CMSIL $3.00/2 ozs.
Corn Sugar (Dextrose): Use 3/4 to 1 cup for priming a five gallon batch, depending on carbonation level desired. Also used to make thinner bodied beer without sacrificing alcohol content. CMCORNS $2.00/1 lb.
Coopers Carbonation Drops: Use instead of priming sugar. Includes 60 drops. Accurate dose, dissolves quickly, convenient to use, no mess, no waste, ingredients 73% sugar & 27% glucose. DROPS $3.95/pkg of 60
BTF Iodophor: We recommend iodophor for sanitizing over all other sanitizers. When used in the recommended dilution (1/2 oz in 5 gallons) it is the safest and fastest sanitizer we know of, requiring only two minutes of contact time. Unlike chlorine, it does not need to be rinsed since it is odorless and tasteless and will not combine with beer to produce off-flavors (like chlorine). (However, we do recommend rinsing or air-drying bottles due to the relatively high ratio of surface area to volume as compared to a fermenter.) It is perfectly safe for all brewery materials including stainless steel. It leaves no residue when air-dried. It also has a "built-in" strength indicator. As long as the solution is a light amber, it still has sanitizing power. When the solution is clear, it needs to be replaced. We carry BTF brand iodophor because it is made specifically for the beverage industry. It comes in two sizes: 4 ozs and the more economical 1 liter bottle. 4 oz bottle: IODPH4 $2.65 1 liter bottle: IODPHL $12.95
BLC: BLC stands for Beer Line Cleaner and is a caustic solution made to clean hard to get at places like the inside of beer lines (hence the name). But it is also great for cleaning other stubborn dirt in your brewhouse. BLC is a concentrate that is diluted 2/5 oz in one quart of water (cold or warm) for general purpose cleaning. Great for cleaning kegs, beer lines, brew pots etc. Gloves and eye protection should be worn when using this product. It comes in two sizes: 4 oz bottle: BLC4 $2.65 1 liter bottle: BLCL $12.95
DBC: DBC (which stands for Drainboard Cleaner, don't ask us why) is a concentrated mineral and lime solvent for removing lime and alkali build-ups, soap scum and surface rust from stainless, glass, tile, porcelain and plastic. Here in Pleasanton we have very hard water and it leaves deposits on everything, especially the bottom of our brew kettles. DBC whisks the deposits away. If you have hard water, you need DBC. It's also great for removing beer stone, a mineral deposit caused by boiling wort, regardless of your water hardness. Used by diluting 1 part DBC to 3 parts water, or use directly for heavy build-ups. It comes in two sizes: 4 oz bottle: DBC4 $2.65 1 liter bottle: DBCL $12.95
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