I like this time at night on HBT

[Thunder_Chicken]

If your current homeloan is not a VA loan, then you have that option. My wife and I just bought a place in Hawaii but I couldn't use the VA loan because I wasn't going to be living in the place immediately and that is a requirement. The nice thing was no down payment and a very low interest rate. I think there would have still been closing costs but they weren't all that outrageous. Also no mortgage insurance is required, that's a nice break.

Dan, thanks for the pointers. I did not utilize a VA loan for my current house, but I am eligible with my AF active and ANG service. That would give us a lot of flexibility.

 

[Punity]

Bought my house with a VA loan. It was really easy to acquire and the money I saved was insane to me. Pay less for a mortgage then rent at nicer houses then I live in. If you can use it I recommend it.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Did you know that cashews come from a fruit?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Did you know that cashews come from a fruit?

Yeah, learned that the hard way. The cashew apple contains urushiol (same stuff that causes the rash in poison ivy). They have to roast and burn off the fruit to harvest the nut and it is hard to do without contaminating with urushiol. Cashew farming and processing is nasty business.

I got a jar of cashew butter on a lark and had a couple of tablespoons. Every place I ever got a poison ivy rash on my body in my entire life (and I did landscaping for a while, so that's a lot of exposures) came back with an itchy, weepy, irritated vengeance. My airway didn't close completely, which was the only good thing in the whole experience.

The kicker is that cashew butter is damned tasty. At least I am A-OK with peanut butter.

 

[lschiavo]

Fur Elise is the first song I learned to play well. If I can play it, you can. BTW, I fixed your link.

All you need is four chords for modern music. Master them and you can play anything! For your late nite soundtrack, Axis of Awesome!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I

Are you the one that always fixes my you tube links? Thanks. We have been playing a half hour or so a day. I'll have it down in a few years Also working on pop goes the weasle (three stooges version) on the violin.

 

[lschiavo]

I got bursitis in my left shoulder trying to learn this song. I heard it on an overnight flight to Europe and had to play it. This woman below plays it painfully well. She has such an extraordinary touch.

Coincidentally, I read a book by NPR's Noah Adams called Piano Lessons in which he attempts to learn this song as a present to his wife (he doesn't play at all). Good read I thought. If you are just learning piano, I wouldn't recommend this song, but highly recommend the book. I think it's still in my piano seat with songbooks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHlfNYY1YIY

It sure doesn't look difficult when she plays it. She's not very hard on the eyes either

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Woo hoo! 3+ weeks at 45F and my lager is clean as a whistle and happy. It's at FG, but I'll keep it inside for few days to let it warm up. There's no diacetyl but letting it warm can't hurt now. I ordered the grains for a Baltic porter which I'll brew and pitch on my lager cake (the lager will go into a carboy for extended cold lagering in my shed). Good beer! Brew day coming! Yes!

 

[Stauffbier]

Woo hoo! 3+ weeks at 45F and my lager is clean as a whistle and happy. It's at FG, but I'll keep it inside for few days to let it warm up. There's no diacetyl but letting it warm can't hurt now. I ordered the grains for a Baltic porter which I'll brew and pitch on my lager cake (the lager will go into a carboy for extended cold lagering in my shed). Good beer! Brew day coming! Yes!

Baltic Porter with lager yeast?! Interesting!! Are you going to ferment it at lager temps or ale temps?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Baltic Porter with lager yeast?! Interesting!! Are you going to ferment it at lager temps or ale temps?

Lager temps. Baltic porters are traditionally fermented with lager yeast. You can use ale yeast, but you need a clean yeast; yeast shouldn't contribute much to the flavor.

I like to take advantage of my yeast cakes when I can. My helles is basically my starter for my baltic porter. I've been Jonesing for something good and dark and a baltic porter needs a good lager yeast pitch. A perfect storm of brewing

 

[Stauffbier]

Lager temps. Baltic porters are traditionally fermented with lager yeast. You can use ale yeast, but you need a clean yeast; yeast shouldn't contribute much to the flavor.

I like to take advantage of my yeast cakes when I can. My helles is basically my starter for my baltic porter. I've been Jonesing for something good and dark and a baltic porter needs a good lager yeast pitch. A perfect storm of brewing

That's something I did not know! I always just assumed that they were traditionally fermented with ale yeast. I've never brewed a Baltic, but I've brewed quite a few Robust Porters.

 

[passedpawn]

Are you the one that always fixes my you tube links? Thanks. We have been playing a half hour or so a day. I'll have it down in a few years Also working on pop goes the weasle (three stooges version) on the violin.

I have been fixing them in here (and elsewhere) since I became a mod. Lately I've been dropping the "ftfy" at the bottom (I felt funny editing without leaving a note).

It sure doesn't look difficult when she plays it. She's not very hard on the eyes either

The really good piano players always make it look simple. I was thinking about it and I don't think it was that song I hurt my shoulder on. It was moonlight sonata.

That's something I did not know! I always just assumed that they were traditionally fermented with ale yeast. I've never brewed a Baltic, but I've brewed quite a few Robust Porters.

Baltic Porter is a great Jamil Show episode. You should listen to it. Anyway, I really prefer my porters with some body. If you like your porters a little on the flavorful side, stick with robust.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Baltic Porter is a great Jamil Show episode. You should listen to it. Anyway, I really prefer my porters with some body. If you like your porters a little on the flavorful side, stick with robust.

Baltic porters can (and should) be plenty flavorable and have lots of body. They just play down the yeast contributions in favor of the malts, that's all. Smooth malts vs. estery.

 

[passedpawn]

Baltic porters can (and should) be plenty flavorable and have lots of body. They just play down the yeast contributions in favor of the malts, that's all. Smooth malts vs. estery.

Hmmm. Mine got fairly dry. I've got to start mashing at a higher temp. I'm always 145-150.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Hmmm. Mine got fairly dry. I've got to start mashing at a higher temp. I'm always 145-150.

That's probably the trick. If you mash too low and don't have any esters, you'll have a really dry, thin, dark beer, more like a schwarzbier.

 

[passedpawn]

Baltic porters can (and should) be plenty flavorable and have lots of body. They just play down the yeast contributions in favor of the malts, that's all. Smooth malts vs. estery.

I just read the style guidelines on baltic porter. Wow, I couldn't have been more wrong.

At one time I was studying to take the BJCP exam. What happened to my memory?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

My sauerkraut is losing the sweaty sock smell and is starting to get a tangy smell going. Looking good.

 

[Stauffbier]

My sauerkraut is losing the sweaty sock smell and is starting to get a tangy smell going. Looking good.

Mine too. It's also finally starting to change color.

I definitely should have made a larger batch, because it has shrunk significantly. I'm going to start a second batch this Sunday with red and green cabbage.

 

[ChefRex]

Mine is fermenting along happily! Never had an unpleasant smell, may taste this weekend.
I'm cooling some brine to corn beef tongue and plan on corned tongue Reuben sandwiches next weekend!

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Mine too. It's also finally starting to change color.

I definitely should have made a larger batch, because it has shrunk significantly. I'm going to start a second batch this Sunday with red and green cabbage.

Same here. I held up a cabbage next to my plastic fermenter and figured only one would fit. Turns out I probably could have gotten 4 heads in there. Live & learn.

We're going to let this one ride, and if it is good we'll shred 4 heads, add salt, and hit it with the brine from this batch. That should get it off to a good start.

 

[Stauffbier]

Yeah, I was actually thinking I might dump this entire batch on top of the new batch to get it started.

 

[Stauffbier]

Between the batch of fruit wine and the batch of sauerkraut I have fermenting, my house has quite a pungent smell to it at the moment. Rhino farts is an understatement!

 

[passedpawn]

Between the batch of fruit wine and the batch of sauerkraut I have fermenting, my house has quite a pungent smell to it at the moment. Rhino farts is an understatement!

I was seriously considering making sauerkraut. Then I said to myself: What are you going to do with all that sauerkraut?

Then I told myself not to make it. Making pizza instead. I know what to do with pizza.

 

[brewingmeister]

That's a good call, pizza is always delicious.

 

[OleBrewing]

apparently u have no idea what a good fermented sauerkraut tastes like. It is better than pickled herring. comin from a norsk. well pickled fish is good if done right. but sauerkraut is so easy. shred cabbage add salt and toda kraut nice and crispy.

 

[brewingmeister]

Sauerkraut just reminds me of my childhood and the stench of new years, moms made pork and sauerkraut every new years.

Pickled fish? ugh, no thanks. I haven't eaten fish in over thirty years.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I was seriously considering making sauerkraut. Then I said to myself: What are you going to do with all that sauerkraut?

Then I told myself not to make it. Making pizza instead. I know what to do with pizza.

Just make one head of cabbage into sauerkraut. You just need a quart size glass or ceramic jar. By my eye that much sauerkraut would make a nice dinner for four and not leave much for leftovers.

Besides, then you could make Reuben Pizza.

 

[passedpawn]

Just make one head of cabbage into sauerkraut. You just need a quart size glass or ceramic jar. By my eye that much sauerkraut would make a nice dinner for four and not leave much for leftovers.

Besides, then you could make Reuben Pizza.

Yea, that's a good idea. I do everything too big, then end up with way too much. E.g., I just made pickles. About 100 of them. It was too much and I recently threw half of them away.

Cabbage is cheap though. I'll make it and report back.

 

[bob1852]

Yea, that's a good idea. I do everything too big, then end up with way too much.

My problem too. After briskets were on clearance post St Patty's Day, I made like 20-30lbs of pastrami. Pork loin was on sale shortly thereafter so I cured and made about 18lbs of Canadian bacon. Then wild sockeye was on sale so I cured and cold smoked 12 fillets. Pork butt on sale- made and froze about 40lbs of pulled pork.

It's a sickness. And I blame this forum.

And don't get me started on homemade mustard and hot sauce made in bulk. Apparently I don't eat near as much hot sauce or mustard as I thought.

 

[Stauffbier]

AZ IPA I'd be happy to help you manage the overflow anytime!

I can eat the heck out of some sauerkraut. I eat one of the large jars in about 3-4 weeks, and two heads of cabbage are basically going to make that amount. I love it on sandwiches, brats, burgers, etc..

The Reuben Pizza idea also sounds fantastic!

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

And don't get me started on homemade mustard and hot sauce made in bulk. Apparently I don't eat near as much hot sauce or mustard as I thought.

Home-made mustard...oh my. We need to talk. I am a fan of German sharp and horseradish mustards for brats, heck even just for with cheese. I go through Beer & Brat mustard such that it is on the grocery list every other trip. I *should* make this stuff in bulk.