Re: [CH] Little reminders we get every now and then....
jim (jim@mail.wildpepper.com)
Fri, 4 Jul 2008 17:10:46 -0500
Beer solutions, since you *are* trying to still do some active fermentation,
in a solution *designed* to grow something, is a trickier subject. Brewing
is defined by having something growing you *hope* to control whereas hot
sauce is not. I look at it like engineering- engineers don't make the money
for OVER designing something, they make the money for taking it down to the
MINIMUM required. Much more skill and education is required by brewers
because they hope to pick out what grows, whereas hot sauces makers want
*nothing* to grow. Hot sauce by itself is a pretty agressive solution when
done properly. Add heat and it is especially so. For a military analogy, a
brewer would be a sniper- trying to selectively kill only certain things-
and a hot sauce maker would be a grenade thrower :-)
A bit of caution on boiling and pH- more is NOT necessarily better. The
longer the vinegar/hot sauce solution boils, the LESS effective your pH as
you start to break down the acid if you boil it too vigorous or too long...
or so my mentors and teachers have always taught me. For home use, I
recommned a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes.
Tony- it's not "dumb"- defined as 'conspicuously unintelligent or stupid',
it's "ignorant"- 'lacking education or knowledge'. You are not 'dumb' for
boiling clean bottles.
-Jim C
http://www.StepUpForCharity.org
Mild to Wild(R)