Central Market has a good selection, but it's a grocery store. Blue Star is a decent brewpub. There's another place I've heard that has a good selection, I believe it's called (someone correct me if I'm wrong) Hill's ice house.
That's more or less exactly what I do, also. No problems. In fact, if I want to keep it in a water bath to help keep it at a constant temp, I just rubber band a baggie around the spigot pretty tight. No problems or infections.
Cheers
Using OxyClean, I would soak anything that has been used, overnite. It's been my experience that OxyClean works much slower than PBW, which needs only about 30 mins if it's not too dirty.
Hope this helps
I use a 20ft prechiller in an ice bath and the inflow to the main chiller is very cold. I usually can cool down to the upper 60's in about 20 min and I don't exactly live in a cold climate. Of course, YMMV.
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I had that problem when I first started using BB's. Just make sure it's assembled correctly and tightened securely. It may take more force than you think. Also, test for leaks b4 the beer goes in.
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I tried that when I first started brewing. Just put them in the oven and slowly bring temp up to 350, then cool. Seemed to work OK, but I use StarSan now.
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If you're staying downtown, the Executive Surf Club has decent food and a pretty good selection on tap. It's right next door to Water Street Oyster Bar, they have good seafood. For steaks, there is Katz21 and Republic Of Texas Bar & Grill. There is a decent Irish Pub, Cassidy's.
If you have...