R.I.P. @Bracconiere

[wsmith1625]

One last shout out to Bracc. A couple of years ago he convinced me to purchase a postal scale for my CO2 tank. After receiving the scale, I realized I had a very small leak, probably a hundredth of an ounce per day. Not bad, but it pained me every day seeing the scale tic down. So I replaced all my CO2 lines and installed oetiker clamps instead of worm clamps. Still leaking at the same rate. Then I replaced the flat washer on my TapRite regular with no change. I've been living with this slow leak for a few years now and finally got it fixed. Turns out you really need to crank hard when attaching the regulator to the tank. Working flawlessly now and I honestly never would have noticed had Bracc not convinced me to buy that scale. Miss you Bracc. I hope the beer is flowing where you are.

Here is the link I used to isolate the leak. Great article.

https://www.beveragefactory.com/blo...and-fix-a-leak-in-a-kegerator-co2-gas-system/

 

[DBhomebrew]

Just a few weeks ago I renewed the HBT membership which Bracc had gifted me as thanks for answering a simple question about something or other.

ETA: Ha! It was for introducing him to coiling an extension cord over-under.

 

[wsmith1625]

Just a few weeks ago I renewed the HBT membership which Bracc had gifted me as thanks for answering a simple question about something or other.

ETA: Ha! It was for introducing him to coiling an extension cord over-under.

Haha, I still haven't mastered that technique. My daughter is taking audio tech in college next fall. I'll have her teach me.

 

[Agent]

ETA: Ha! It was for introducing him to coiling an extension cord over-under.

Pretty reasonable fee to learn deep sorcery.

 

[Jayjay1976]

This thread is a place of gathering and remembrance. At times, it feels almost like like the rituals of a cargo cult, and I'm totally okay with that.

To some of us, @bracconiere was something of a John Frum, and it's much easier to pretend he's merely gone back to his homeland to retrieve more gifts for his tribe here at HBT, than having left us altogether.

In the meanwhile, we'll keep the runway clear, our radios of coconut in tune, as we look to the sky.

 

[wsmith1625]

Pretty reasonable fee to learn deep sorcery.

You're not kidding!

 

[balrog]

Jeez. I had to look up cargo cult and John Frum.

The US education system is clearly deficient.

 

[doug293cz]

Jeez. I had to look up cargo cult and John Frum.

The US education system is clearly deficient.

Likewise.

Brew on

 

[kartracer2]

Likewise.

Brew on

I'm in that club too,,,
Cheers,
Joel B.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I'm in that club too,,,
Cheers,
Joel B.

Lovable bunch of uncultured swine!

I learned about them in college when I was majoring in anthropology. I recently began dusting up on the subject on a hunch it might shed some light on current political delusions.

Specifically, look up "big man" and "rubbish men" wrt cargo cults, and ask yourself if any of it sounds somewhat familiar.

 

[McMullan]

Hi Everybody,

I know I haven’t responded to the thread in a while and for that I apologize.

I do have some unfortunate news, after reaching out by mail I finally got a response today. Our dear friend @bracconiere has passed away.

A representative from his family called me this morning and gave me the news. He said a few people had reached out and he was just now getting back to people.

I want to respect his and his families privacy so that’s all I’ll say here. I am shocked and saddened as I’m sure most of you are, he was young (mid 40’s). The representative did let me know that his beer equipment was taken by the new owner of his home and a charitable donation was made in his name from the sale of personal belongings/house per his wishes.

So while I’m not really sure how to conclude but I will say this. I miss my friend and his crazy antics and I hope he’s resting easy drinking the good stuff with the people he loved who passed before him.

That's tragic news. RIP, mate.

 

[Kent88]

Yeah, I agree. I wish he had been here with us to ring in '24

 

[Kent88]

No matter what it takes I'm going to keep this thread I started going.

Nudge nudge

 

[JAReeves]

This last year has been a bit of a dumpster fire, as is wont to happen in our lives sometimes, so I am just finishing this read and wanted to pour one out to a truly enlightening and entertaining fellow. @bracconiere, you are missed. Someday I am going to hit the feed store and use what I learned from him about malting to make a truly low-budget brew. RIP.

 

[seatazzz]

Sorry @Kent88 , I've been thinking out what I want to write.

Yep, I kinda let this go by the wayside, but not a week goes by that I don't think of our friend. Mainly when I get on here. I used to purposefully find his new posts as I knew I'd be in for something either hilarious, bizarre, or very informative.

 

[seatazzz]

Also thanks to @JAReeves for blowing my alerts bell up to 28, making me think 'what the hell did I write when I was tipsy?'

 

[madscientist451]

How about a bracc memorial lowest cost per ABV beer recipe thread?

 

[day_trippr]

Well...let's not go overboard here. I enjoyed the Bracc as much as the next HBTer but some of his uber low budget concoctions sounded gawdawful and not something I'd emulate....ever

Cheers!

 

[seatazzz]

Guys I have to run out here pretty quick, but here's an idea...can we make April 2nd @bracconiere Day? Not the 1st, that would be wrong. It's a Tuesday so not everyone will be able to brew, but maybe raise a pint of something for our friend. Just a suggestion.

 

[WesBrew]

deleted

 

[Pkrd]

Not the 1st, that would be wrong.

Would it?

 

[WesBrew]

Well...let's not go overboard here. I enjoyed the Bracc as much as the next HBTer but some of his uber low budget concoctions sounded gawdawful and not something I'd emulate....ever

Cheers!

Agreed

 

[Nate R]

Well... i've lurked here since the start of this thread. I guess it's time to comment. I LOVED 'Braccy' (as i called him)- how can't you love a guy when Homer's his avatar?!
I was missing him and almost posted something but was afraid of the answer. Thanks to Seatazz for getting it going.
I think one of the last threads i read with him was about an old (then 'broken') dryer he was going to fix to re-purpose into a diy malt roaster. I think what made him so charming was his humility and eagerness. I saw so many members help him and he was always so grateful.
I also could tell when he'd had a few too many and started posting here (and by no means am i casting a stone here- i too am very guilty of the same thing... as are we all, i'd reckon!).
Thoose were some of my favorite posts... it was always in good fun, but he had some ribs now and then. Certainly not everyone appreciated or enjoyed his humor.
Mostly, though... he would de-rail the thread for a few posts while we all tried to decipher his joke.

Helll yes i'll raise a pint on April 2nd! Great idea. (Tbh tho i've already raised a few before and will raise more after).
I might go down rabbit holes in the future and post my favorite Braccy hits here.

Here's to what i think is a great mascot for the Homebrewer spirit- loves beer, loves saving money and diy'ing it.

RIP my ole hbt buddy... hope the cider's always on draft up there!

 

[Nate R]

As promised, i think this thread is good. Note- not related to brewing, and some nice gratatitous cheesecake shots from @MaxStout that i enjoyed.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/we-so-need-a-new-thread-here.701056/

Edit:
Added a few more.
(I ended up down quite few rabbit holes!)

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/anyone-got-something-like-this-they-want-get-rid-of.698175/

I thought this one was really cool: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/bracconiere-home-made-malt.690801/

Ok, great example of how Braccy was frugal but NOT cheap. Loved how he donated to Jay's project.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/100-or-500-off-your-order-today-dec-31-2021-only.697730/

 

[ba-brewer]

here is a start of an all grain recipe, slightly more details than my first one I posted before.

10gal batch
80% BHE
1059 SG
~8%ABV
25IBU(.43IBU/SG guess, may seem closer to balanced if fermented dry)
3hour boil (quick naps during the boil optional)
mash 60min 150(guess), (add a 20min 162 or 164 to get a 10% efficiency boost optional, naps also optional)
Sparge with enough water to support long boil, leave no sugar behind


20lb 2row base malt
1.5oz hops 60min (guess, seen using 1.5oz of hops mentioned, centennial 10AA will be the right IBUs)
gluco-Amylase 10gm added with yeast (think this is right 1gm/gal)
baynus yeast (add an 'a' in the middle if you need to purchase or just use what you got)

ferment until done(check with fancy smanchy refractometer optional)
burst carbonate until 2 ounces??? of CO2 added
enjoy


Never tried his homemade malt but guess from comments about it being malty maybe adding some munich or vienna.

If you want to keep with his frugal spirit, do what you can to reduce costs or just use what you got.


I seen he would add wheat flour and other things to boost gravity at times.

I don't think I would ever brew a 10gal personally but I am thinking about removing a gallon or two of wort from a WC IPA before the late hop addition and use that to ferment dry. Making use of something else seems appropriate if you cant do it frugally. When I do I brew it I will call it a Bracconiere Bock.

 

[marc1]

gluco-Amylase 10gm added with yeast (think this is right 1gm/gal)

I had messaged him about the gluco, here's what he said:

 

[kartracer2]

I think one of the last threads i read with him was about an old (then 'broken') dryer he was going to fix to re-purpose into a diy malt roaster.

Damm, I was going through my photo files the other day and deleated those I used to help him and understand what he was doing. It wasn't as broken as he thought at first, had to do a little more "fix'n" than needed. What a deal that project was. (LOL)
I took my time doing it,,,
RIP Brac,,,
Cheers to to @bracconiere , I did not know you but enjoyed you much.
Joel B.

 

[csantoni]

I’m a lot less active here than I used to be but I stumbled on this thread and am sad to hear the news. I enjoyed his humor and crazy malting and abv experiments. RIP.

 

[beren]

Well...let's not go overboard here. I enjoyed the Bracc as much as the next HBTer but some of his uber low budget concoctions sounded gawdawful and not something I'd emulate....ever

Cheers!

Make some Skeeter pee and dedicate it to him ;-)

Honestly this thread reminds me of the end of “forbidden kingdom” not a bad movie really. The main character says “I will never forget you” and Jackie Chan replies “I guess that’s what being immortal truly means.”

 

[Airborneguy]

Brac was hilarious and I miss seeing his posts but there's no way I'm making one of those concoctions!