Home Brew Research Articles

О ТРАДИЦИЯХ ДОМАШНЕГО ПИВОВАРЕНИЯ У СТАРООБРЯДЧЕСКОГО НАСЕЛЕНИЯ ЮГО-ЗАПАДНОГО АЛТАЯ XIX - 1-Й ТРЕТИ XX В

The article is devoted to an important component of the culture of the Old Believers’ population of Southwestern Altai in the 19th - first third of 20th centuries which is the home brewing traditions. The specificity and nature of drinking beer in the region, the technology ofits preparation are presented, the features of the items of the drinking complex of the Old Believers are described: lagoons and self-made pots (korchags). The article used materials from ethnographic studies of the 19th - first third of the 20th centuries, and items from the stock collections of the East Kazakhstan Regional Architectural, Ethnographic and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve (Ust-Kamenogorsk, East Kazakhstan). It is concluded that the massive spread of the home brewing tradition was due to the general conservatism of the cultural and everyday foundations of the Old Believers of the Southwestern Altai, the specifics of their religious and festive-ritual complex of events, as well as the period of abstention law which was in force in 1914-1924 .

On Some Names of Braga and Moonshine in Northern Russian Dialects

The article represents the description of the group of homemade alcoholic beverages names, which exist in the dialects of Arkhangelsk, Vologda and Kostroma regions. The study is based on lexical materials of the oponymic Expedition of the Ural University, as well as dialect dictionaries, which include the lexemes used on the territory of the Russian North. The peculiarities of vocabulary formation and the influence of social, demographic and economic factors on its formation are revealed. Semantic-motivational and etymological analysis of dialectal lexemes showed that this group of vocabulary, along with the original Northern Russian units, includes borrowings from Volga dialects, semi-professional languages and the words originating from foreign sources (polonism, turkism). The author identified sustained motivational models presented in the considered nominations: the semantics of "homemade intoxicating drink" emerges from the alteration of meanings "low-quality liquid"; "disorder, bustle", "prank, hooligan"; "talk, chatter". The peculiarities of this lexical group were influenced by governmental bans on home brewing: there are a large number of euphemisms and variability of the lexical group. Compared with beer, home brew and moonshine in the Russian North were considered second-rate drinks and were associated with alcohol addiction, while drinking beer rarely caused social condemnation.

Balling's attenuation theory and beer composition calculator

This article deals with calculation possibilities and the control of basic parameters of beer on the basis of knowledge of two parameters. The importance of this method increases with the development of craft beer production in our country (mini-breweries, home brewing). The calculations are based on Balling's equations, alcohol factors and attenuation quotients, which have been published unchanged since at least 1876. In Balling's time, they were used to determine an extract with a specific gravities of 17.5 °C/17.5 °C. In current brewing, specific gravities of 20 °C/20 °C are used. For this reason, new alcohol factors of apparent attenuation were derived, and based on linear regression, regression coefficients of the dependence of the alcohol factor of apparent attenuation on the extract in original wort were calculated. Some variants of calculations based on two input parameters were incorporated into the beer composition calculator using formulas that replace extract and alcohol tables. The accuracy of the results from the calculator was checked with analyses from the Anton Paar automatic analyzer and with analyses obtained by the distillation method. The calculator is available at www.balling.cz.

Жыццязабеспячэнне беларускай вёскі ў пасляваенны час (другая палова 1940-х –пачатак 1950-х гг.)

<p>W okresie powojennym proces stabilizacji na białoruskiej wsi posiadał cechy, które były szczególnie zauważalne w północnej części kraju, gdzie współistniały regiony zróżnicowane społecznie i ekonomicznie, a – co za tym idzie – charakteryzujące się różnym poziomem życia oraz odmienną mentalnością mieszkańców. We wschodnich rejonach północnej Białorusi odradzanie się gospodarki wiejskiej odbywało się w systemie kołchozów i sowchozów, w rejonach zachodnich przeważały gospodarstwa jednoosobowe. Odmienne sposoby pozyskiwania przez ludność wiejską środków utrzymania doprowadziły do podziału na „tych z zachodu” oraz „tych ze wschodu”, a także – w konsekwencji – do powstania dużej liczby utrwalonych we wspomnieniach miejscowej ludności stereotypów. Dane archiwalne oraz przekazy ustne świadczą o tym, że w badanym okresie zarówno w rejonach wschodnich, jak i zachodnich pozyskiwano środki do życia przede wszystkim dzięki pracy we własnych gospodarstwach. Jednakże o ile rolnicy indywidualni pracowali wyłącznie na swój rachunek, o tyle chłopi zatrudnieni w kołchozach byli zmuszeni do dodatkowego wysiłku, za który otrzymywali niewielkie wynagrodzenie. Brak motywacji finansowej wpływał na niską jakość ich działań. Przekazy ustne świadczą o brutalizacji powojennej rzeczywistości, kiedy to powstawały i rozkwitały nielegalne (a często także kryminalne) formy działalności gospodarczej, do których należy zaliczyć m.in. pędzenie bimbru jako efektywny sposób wymiany produkcji rolnej na „żywą gotówkę”.</p>

Commentary: faecal microbiota transplantation-from home brew to holy grail.

THIS IS A SPECIAL COMMENTARY ON "RANDOMISED CLINICAL TRIAL: FAECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANTATION BY COLONOSCOPY VS. VANCOMYCIN FOR THE TREATMENT OF RECURRENT CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE INFECTION" BY CAMMAROTA, G., MASUCCI, L., IANIRO, G., BIBBÒ, S., DINOI, G., COSTAMAGNA, G., SANGUINETTI, M. AND GASBARRINI, A., ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN AP&T IN 2015. DOI:10.1111/apt.13144

Impact of microwave-assisted extraction on roasted coffee carbohydrates, caffeine, chlorogenic acids and coloured compounds.

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) allows to quickly achieve soluble compounds from solid matrices due to the promotion of temperatures higher than the solvent (atmospheric) boiling point, once a closed-vessel system is used for operating at high pressure. In this study, the feasibility of MAE for producing high yield coffee extracts with properties that allow their commercial application was tested through a quality by design approach. It was studied the influence of time of extraction (1, 5.5, 10min), temperature (120, 150, 180°C) and the mass-to-volume (m/V) ratio (2, 4, 6g/60mL) in the overall extraction yield (24-47%, w/w), carbohydrates content (18-43%, w/w), sugars composition, caffeine (4-7%, w/w), 5-caffeoylquinic acid (1-2%, w/w), colour and antioxidant activity of the extracts. FTIR analysis was used to study the resemblance of coffee extracts and commercial instant coffee. MAE allowed overall extraction yields considerably higher than the home brewing methods, mainly when performed at 180°C, with a substantial increase in arabinogalactans (AG) extraction associated to higher temperatures. Temperature exerted a crucial role in coffee extracts differentiation, although time and m/V ratio also lead to different values in the responses. Under a circular economy concept, MAE was able to produce extracts that can be used as defined food/brew ingredients and provides a galactomannan and cellulose rich residue that can also be valued as a source of dietary fibre.

Development of a SPME-GC-MS/MS method for the determination of some contaminants from food contact material in beverages

The development and validation of a simple, low-cost, and sensitive method for the determination of nine compounds expected in beverages and vinegar as a result of migration from food contact material (parabens, phenolic antioxidants, sulfonamide plasticizer, and flame retardant) is presented. The analytes were preconcentrated using solid-phase microextraction and analyzed by gas chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry. The method required no derivatization procedure and an affordable chemical was used as internal standard. The LODs were in the range of 0.005–0.2 μg/L, the relative standard deviations 0.8–5.4%, and the mean recoveries 98–109%. Different alcoholic beverages and vinegars were analyzed. A crown cap migration study using several food simulants was conducted for 6 months. Moreover, migration from a home brewing plastic fermenter in a time span of 4 weeks was studied. Analyte concentrations up to 2220.99 μg/L were detected in real samples and up to 4.75 μg/L in migration experiments.

Bioanalytical challenges in development of ultrasensitive Home Brew assays: a case study using IL-13.

Aim: IL-13 is a biomarker of type 2 inflammation that plays a critical role in asthma. IL-13 is present in serum at subpicogram levels. Methods: Simoa HD-1 technology was evaluated for the detection and quantitation of IL-13 by using a commercially available IL-13 kit and compared with a Simoa HomeBrew (HB) IL-13 assay as well as Immunological Multi-Parameter Chip Technology (IMPACT), an internal Roche platform. Performance of the assays was evaluated based on preset criteria for sensitivity, standard curve and controls' accuracy and precision, reproducibility and parallelism of endogenous analyte in serum samples. Results: The Simoa platform offered high assay sensitivity for evaluation of IL-13. Conclusion: This paper discusses the challenges and considerations when evaluating kits and/or developing HomeBrew assays using ultrasensitive platforms.

Indigenous Masculinities and the "Refined Politics" of Alcohol and Racialization in West Papua

Alcohol was recently banned in West Papua in the name of saving Indigenous Papuans from extinction. In this article, I draw on fieldwork and discussions with Dani men and women in the highlands town of Wamena, where home brew is proliferating, to reveal that alcohol facilitates representational, gendered, racialized, and embodied violence. Participants drew attention to the "refined" ways that Indonesia has taken over their territory by introducing alcohol (and other goods and people), which then negatively affect their ability to live. Dani understandings of their cultural and ethno-racial constitution challenge the racialization of Papuan men as violent and drunken and argue for reestablishing control over Papuan bodies and territories. The proliferation of alcohol constrains masculine possibilities rather than opening up new avenues for expression and is thus linked to a reconfiguration of Indigenous masculinities under Indonesian rule. For Papuans, alcohol symbolizes a broader struggle over Indigenous bodies, including what goes into them and how they are constituted, represented, and treated. Looking at alcohol in terms of racialization—assumptions about what biology or culture determines—can give us a better understanding of how Pacific masculinities are being configured by and around the problem of alcohol consumption.

THE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL FEATURES OF SEPTIC ARTHRITIS CASES SECONDARY TO KINGELLA KINGAE IN COMPARISON TO SEPTIC ARTHRITIS FROM OTHER PATHOGENS

Abstract BACKGROUND In Europe, Kingella kingae (Kk) is considered as a significant pathogen in osteoarticular infections (OAI) in young children. Some authors suggest that a significant portion of ‘culture negative septic arthritis’ may be secondary to the inability to isolate K. kingae using conventional methods. However, its pathogenic role and prevalence remain controversial in North America. Since 2014, in order to optimize the microbiological diagnosis of OAI, all osteo-articular specimens submitted to our laboratory for bacteriology culture were simultaneously tested with a home brew multiplex PCR assay detecting Kk, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Consequently, an important increase in Kk OAI proven cases was observed. The clinical presentation of Kk OAI comparatively to the other most common pathogens seen in paediatric OAI has yet to be described in North America. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to review all cases of acute septic arthritis (SA) in our institution to define the prevalence of Kk SA and to compare the clinical presentation of SA cases according to their bacterial etiology, with a deeper look at SA caused by Kk. DESIGN/METHODS We conducted a retrospective chart review of all cases of suspected SA who had a synovial fluid sample submitted for bacteriology culture and multiplex PCR analysis to our microbiology laboratory between May 2014 and May 2017. Only cases of acute SA (< 1 month symptom duration prior to diagnosis) were included. Children with final diagnosis that were not of infectious origin (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, transient synovitis, etc) were excluded. Probable SA cases were defined as cases with a clinical presentation concordant with SA without any causative bacteria identified, that have received antibiotic treatment for >2 weeks. Eligible SA cases were then stratified into 4 groups according to the final microbiology diagnosis: Kk SA, S. aureus SA, “other bacteria” SA or probable SA. One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test if appropriate was subsequently performed to compare demographics, clinical and biochemical data, duration of treatment and outcome between subgroups. RESULTS Of the 153 patients who submitted a synovial fluid sample, 71 met the inclusion criteria. A microorganism was found in 56 patients (79%): Kk was found in 37 cases (52%), S. aureus in 11 cases (15%), S. pyogenes in 7 patients (10%), and Salmonella in 1 patient (1%); and there were15 probable SA cases (21%). Interestingly, Kk cases were proven by PCR only in 86% (n=32/37) of cases (culture was negative). One-way ANOVA showed a significant difference in age between subgroups [F(3, 67) = 13,60, p<0,0001]:patients infected by Kk were younger (M=1,50 years old, SD=0,68) than S. aureus (M=7.48, SD=4.84), “other bacteria” (M=5,86, SD=4,37) and probable SA subgroups (M=5,80, SD=4,90). The duration of fever (days) was shorter [F(3, 67) = 14,07, p=0,028] in patients with Kk (M=4,1, SD=3,3) and probable SA (M=2,9 SD=3,6) in comparison to “other bacteria” cases (M=8,8, SD=8,3). Also, maximal CRP values [F(3, 67) = 14,80, p<0,0001] were lower in Kk (M=42,7, SD=38,1) and probable SA (M=36,4, SD=34,6) than in SA caused by other bacteria (M=178,5, SD=98,8). Similarly, maximal neutrophil count [F(3, 67) = 6.71, p=0,0005] was lower in Kk cases (M=5,6 SD=2,3) in comparison to those infected by other bacteria (M=11,6, SD=4,1). CONCLUSION In our institution, since the implementation of multiplex PCR testing for OA samples, Kk has become the most prevalent pathogen causing SA. Children with Kk SA appear to be younger and to have a less inflammatory clinical presentation, as shown by a shorter duration of fever, lower CRP and lower neutrophil values in comparison to cases attributable to other bacteria. Prevalence of Kk SA is probably underestimated in settings where only bacteriology culture is performed.

Molecular Diagnostic Methods of Brucellosis: a Note on Pitfalls

Clinical manifestations of the brucellosis may show extensive appearance because of its wide signs and symptoms. Patients with brucellosis are usually symptomatically treated by using different antibiotics at private clinics due to misdiagnosis of clinical laboratory findings specially those chronic forms. These subjects will have been hospitalized with a complicated form of signs after changing a few therapies (1). At this time, classical methods such as culture based and serological procedures could not alone meet of clinicians’ demands. Many researchers have been being tried to introduce an alternative method better in accuracy, reliability and efficiency aspects. However, most reported comparison studies were not able to present desired results. There are not any significant points in existence of various and even contradictory results in laboratory interpretation reports. Those patients with recent brucellosis involvement or acute disease are better diagnosed than those hospitalized or chronic cases. Unfortunately, it is being observed the most researchers are not attending the patient clinical infectious form. Obviously, in-patients have more problematical conditions that results to have lower sensitivity rate in some test or even different from each other. Unfortunately, this concern has not been noticed in the majority of molecular epidemiology studies. Analyzed results of various tests are not fully in agreement with each other in these reports, confirming each test is better suited for some specific clinical conditions (2). Another important problem is applying home brew protocols in all comparative studies. This type of non-commercial diagnostic protocol are being surprisingly applied in most small Iranian clinical laboratories. These assays have been being followed from some reported papers without any proper optimization experiments or exact clinical trial specifically for Iranian populations, particularly when several of the effective parameters in the optimization may not be well reflected in these released reports. Some of them for proper optimization and standardization are mentioned in other studies (3). Proper selecting sampling is additional problems. Serum specimens would not be preferred samples since Brucella spp. agents are intracellular which is integrated in PMN cells. Serum specimens may give positive results, but in those has high antibody titer or acute cases. Although it is used as applied specimens instead of peripheral anti-coagulated blood (4). The chance of the recovery Brucella spp. DNA is obviously reduced in those chronic and complicated subjects. In addition, sampling from patients undergoing treatment may have low positive predictive value results (5,6). It would seem international approved extraction method accompanied with internal control as control the DNA isolation procedure and to check for possible PCR inhibition should be used in molecular diagnostic settings (4,7). Finally the last point, various pathogenic Brucella species involve in many countries. At present, we have no significant documentary reports in frequency rate of Brucella spp. in our community. Some reports represent considerable rate for B. abortus while some not. Therefore, applied protocol must be enough sensitive to detect and even differentiate at least B. abortus from B. melitensis, although some reports illustrate the presence of B. canis as well as in Iran (8).

How good are ideas identified by an automatic idea detection system?

Online communities can be an attractive source of ideas for product and process innovations. However, innovative user‐contributed ideas may be few. From a perspective of harnessing “big data” for inbound open innovation, the detection of good ideas in online communities is a problem of detecting rare events. Recent advances in text analytics and machine learning have made it possible to screen vast amounts of online information and automatically detect user‐contributed ideas. However, it is still uncertain whether the ideas identified by such systems will also be regarded as sufficiently novel, feasible and valuable by firms who might decide to develop them further. A validation study is reported in which 200 posts from an online home brewing community were extracted by an automatic idea detection system. Two professionals from a brewing company evaluated the posts in terms of idea content, idea novelty, idea feasibility and idea value. The results suggest that the automatic idea detection system is sufficiently valid to be deployed for the harvesting and initial screening of ideas, and that the profile of the identified ideas (in terms of novelty, feasibility and value) follows the same pattern identified in studies of user ideation in general.

The use of home brew in Pacific Islands countries and territories

ABSTRACTThis review examines what is known about the production and use of home brew in the Pacific Islands countries and territories. Data collection involved interviews of 78 men and women from the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Toga, and Tuvalu. The interviews were conducted in 2013 by local interviewers. The questions fell into four key areas: people’s history of home-brew consumption, the reasons for home-brew use, the effects of home brew, and people’s perceptions about home brew. An open ethnographic approach revealed that males are the main consumers of home brew, that home brew is consumed in private venues by those with low socioeconomic status, and that there are positive and negative outcomes associated with the use of home brew. Finally, policy implications of the findings are included in this article.

Networking, collaboration, and home brewing: An exploratory study

This exploratory study contributes to the academic leisure literature, examining perceived benefits from and barriers to networking and collaboration among home brewers, employing social exchange theory (SET) and the theory of collaboration (TOCL). Sharing basic knowledge of recipes, camaraderie, and mutual support in home brewing activities were main perceived benefits, and lack of time and geographic isolation challenges of networking. Quality improvements, gains in strategic knowledge, and learning alongside others were key beneficial outcomes from collaboration; again, lack of time, and perceptions of giving more than receiving from collaboration, were main perceived challenges. Alignments between various tenets of the theories and the findings were revealed, for instance, concerning value, reward, outcome and transaction (SET), stakeholders of a problem domain and interactive process (TOCL). The study will discuss practical and theoretical implications that could be considered in and guide future leisure studies; in addition, new research avenues will be suggested.

‘Every brew is a challenge and every glass of a good beer is an achievement’: home brewing and serious leisure

ABSTRACTThis exploratory study contributes to the body of knowledge of leisure research, investigating various dimensions related to home brewing, particularly reasons for and benefits from engaging in this activity through the lens of the Serious Leisure Construct (SLC). Although evidence suggests that home brewing has increased in popularity, to date, it has received limited attention from the academic literature. The study is based on the responses of 219 home brewers in Australia. The employed content analysis and word association identified the feeling of a rewarding and enjoying experience, affordability, sharing, brewing-to-taste, and socialising opportunities as key perceived benefits. In addition, various links between the findings and the SLC were identified. Overall, the findings revealing the seemingly multifaceted nature of home brewing, which combines tangible elements such as producing the craft beer, and intangible, for instance, sharing and socialising, highlight important theoretical and practical implications for leisure involvement.

Outcomes of Climate Change in a Marginalized Population: An Ethnography on the Turkana Pastoralists in Kenya.

The article discusses the impact of climate change on the Turkana pastoralist people of Kenya from an ethnographic perspective. Topics include the impact of climate change on livestock held by pastoralist groups, the relation of land use to ethnic conflicts among pastoralist groups in East Africa, and environmental and social impacts of alternative means of employment such as charcoal production and home brew production.

Characteristics of lifelong science learners: an investigation of STEM hobbyists

ABSTRACTSTEM hobbies are free-choice activities through which participating individuals may develop sophisticated STEM knowledge and expertise. To date, research into STEM hobbies and hobbyists has examined hobby groups by subject area. Missing from this body of work is research that examines the development and participation in different types of hobbies by age, ethnicity, and gender of participants. This research, part of a larger series of investigations of American adult STEM hobbyists, aims to fill that gap. Surveys were completed by 2,838 respondents from ten different STEM hobbies (astronomy, beekeeping, birding, electronics/robotics, environmental monitoring, falconry, gardening/horticulture, home brewing, model building, rock/fossil collecting). Results showed that there is great variation between STEM hobby groups across multiple variables and divergent descriptive profiles emerged for each group. Results also showed that, in several groups, more than half of the adult hobbyists reported first participating in their hobby during their youth. This study illustrates how crucial childhood experiences are to encouraging lifelong explorations in STEM and provides information about the types of experiences hobbyists reported as being influential to their hobby-related learning and development. This information may be used by educators and organizations to design programs to support current and future hobbyists.

Laboratory-Developed Tests: A Legislative and Regulatory Review.

Twenty-five years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asserted in a draft document that "home brew" tests-now commonly referred to as laboratory-developed tests (LDTs)-are subject to the same regulatory oversight as other in vitro diagnostics (IVDs)4. In 2010, the FDA began work on developing a proposed framework for future LDT oversight. Released in 2014, the draft guidance sparked an intense debate over potential LDT regulation. While the proposed guidance has not been implemented, many questions regarding LDT oversight remain unresolved. This review provides an overview of federal statutes and regulations related to IVDs and clinical laboratory operations, with a focus on those potentially applicable to LDTs and proposed regulatory efforts. Sources reviewed include the Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Register, congressional hearings, guidance and policy documents, position statements, published literature, and websites. Federal statutes regarding IVDs were passed without substantive evidence of congressional consideration toward the concept of LDTs. The FDA has clear oversight authority over IVD reagents introduced into interstate commerce. A 16-year delay in publicly asserting FDA authority over LDTs, the pursuit of a draft guidance approach toward oversight, and establishment of regulations under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA'88) applicable to LDTs contributed to community uncertainty toward LDT oversight. Future regulatory and/or legislative efforts may be required to resolve this uncertainty.

Verification or validation, that is the question

The latest revision of ISO 15189 standard in 2012 is now universally considered as the most important document for accreditation of medical laboratories. This standard is aimed to verify and validate examination procedures (EPs). Verification is “provision of objective evidence that a given item fulfils specified requirements”, while validation is “verification, where the specified requirements are adequate for the intended use”. When used without modification, validated EPs shall be verified, whilst non-standard methods, home brew methods, validated methods which have been modified or are being used outside their intended scope shall be validated before being introduced into clinical and laboratory practice. In order to fulfil the above requirements, three different approaches were used for: (I) verification of EPs already in use in laboratory; (II) verification of newly introduced EPs; (III) validation of EPs. For verification, at least two performance characteristics should be verified according to the intended use of specific EPs. Different operative flows are described for quantitative, qualitative and semi-quantitative methods. For validation procedure, a validation plan should be planned, including performance characteristics for specific EP, the experimental procedure and acceptability criterion. The final step of the validation process is production of a validation certificate. This is aimed to summarizing the validation process and defining the approval for being used in clinical practice. The proposed verification and validation procedures were actually fulfilling the ISO 15189 requirements during the accreditation audit. They can hence represent a model to follow for other medical laboratories.

Science reads for the summer of '17.

From the far-off surface of Mars to the much closer—but no less mysterious—human brain (the frontier between your ears), this year's picks invite readers to jump into the scientific process feet first. Try your hand at home brewing with an archaeologist's guide to recreating ancient alcohols. Ride the CRISPR wave with an insider's overview of gene editing. Take your campfire stories to the next level with a collection of strange tales from nuclear history or a dramatic retelling of Earth's real-life apocalypses. What insect threw the federal government into chaos in 1793? How did religion lead early researchers to a "Russian nesting doll" theory of reproduction? Which well-known chemist once paid a quarter of a million dollars for a portrait with his chem­istry equipment? Find out in the reviews that follow.