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When you mentioned mines and WWII, I immediately thought of land mines and why would anyone want to collect them. Then I thought "hang on a minute, this isn't a war zone". Fascinating account. 2 questions if you're patient enough to bear with me: Why do you look for mines abandoned 80 years...

Stay here, would be my advice. But your place in the hills near the Mexican border sounds quite bearable. Come to think of it, have you ever thought of passing the winter in the south of France? The climate (and the culture, and cuisine) is quite different. Well worth a visit, I'd say.

I see your point, but the Belgian beer bottles I collect are corked and the rounded top means they won't take a crown cork. So I either cork and cage them or, usually, I fit a collar to take the flip-top closure. A lot of beer cimes in these bottles and they're too good to throw away, I've got...

That's far too hot for me. 30 max is my limit. We got up to 40 a couple of years ago, 43 on the stone tertace, and we stayed indoors until it was over. Most of the soft fruit was ruined. Low to mid 20s is perfect. Overcast with occasional drizzle and a bit of a blow is even better. 45 from May...

I've sent flip top bottles through the post and I always tie the lids by knotting a piece of string through the mechanism so that the lid can't be flipped until it's undone. I imagine a jolt in the post could otherwise knock one open.

The bottles seem robust. No. Cider doesn't get light struck. Neither does beer if you keep the light out. I bottle beer in clear bottles and then put the bottles in cardboard boxes.

Sounds like food for the gods to me, but what are mock chicken legs? Don't think I've ever seen a mock chicken, let alone an amputee on crutches.

Traditional "rules" are just a way of formalising and standardising peasant recipes for people with little imagination and culinary skill. Proper peasants use what's available at the time and don't follow recipe books. That's my opinion, anyway. On arrival in Béganne, we astonished my in-laws...

You're a gem OIB. I had never heard of pudgy pies. Seems it's a cheese toasty cooked on the fire. I've camped more times than I've had hot dinners, too, but I've never heard of or seen "pie irons" I'll be getting some as soon as I can figure out what they're called in French: machine à croque...

Yes it is. I had a knee replacement and all I paid for was the initial consultation of about €40 which was reimbursed. Even if you have to pay, the costs are not excessive.

OK, I've just discovered where New Mexico is. Last place I would have looked: well, New England isn't right next to England; New York, New Orleans, New Jersey etc. No wonder you find the climate more amenable. I'm thinking of shooting down to Spain next winter, just for a month to take the...

You surprise me. I had thought that the winter weather was less harsh south of the Loire. But I've never overwintered there. I suppose it's due to being inland. We're further north, but close enough to the sea for our weather to be moderated by it. January and February are gloomy months anyway...

Helles belles ! 👯👯

I did have a bottle and it's still good. It got a little bit fizzy, but that's bottled beer for you. Still tastes good, especially now it's flattened a bit.

Isn't that a contradiction, OIB ? Are you encouraging us to to stick with what works or make new discoveries by boldly brewing what no man has brewed before? 🚀

Here are my brewing notes. I see my OG wasn't out, but the volume was short. And I think I've got a bottle left somewhere.

You're so right. By the end of the sparge, I was losing the will to live. I think I was aiming for an OG of about 1065 but ended up with 1050 and even that was murky. I'll have to look up the details, it was a good while ago. But the beer was surprisingly good. But not good enough to go through...

I think I started with 5 kilos. Whether that was calculated or I simply had 5 kilos going to seed, I can't remember. When you put them on to boil remember not to salt the water. This is worth reading: https://byo.com/article/brewing-with-potatoes-techniques/ Chris Colby seems to suggest that...

No. Not at all. I thought it might lighten the beer's body like adding sugar does, but it seemed to enrich it somehow. No discernable flavour, though. In truth, there was no advantage, it wasn't cheaper, brewday was a nightmare and the beer was ok. But come the times of Ragnarök, the humble...

I've done it. It works, but the sparge is impossible, it just clogs up. If I did it again I'd use instant mashed potato powder. The beer I made was a stout, by the way, and very drinkable. Not sure about potato kölsch, though. Might need a dash of peppermint to bring out the best in it. 🤣