Thanks for the info Derek, sure gives me a few ideas for the challenge.

I have 2 to brew in the next few days, weather dependent. A black IIPA and a Citra Pale Ale. Both are going on yeast cakes, which I haven't done before.

Blew my keg of licorice Imperial stout bottling off a few, so had to drink the 4/5 filled bottle. I'm going to bottle a barleywine brewed in fall 2010 in a few minutes, and expect to have the same 'problem'.

I like malty amber ales to pair with chicken, think something like GR Mill Race or Neustadt Scottish Pale Ale Hmmm.... Beer can chicken? There's some really great brews available in cans, should I reconsider this red-neck delight? Red Racer chicken? You're in the right (left) part of Canada to real...

Congrats on a tasty beer, and on a great deal for an immersion chiller.

Oooh, I like this one. Pressure Drop - Toots and the Maytals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rb13ksYO0s The Clash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyv16mZakVE The Specials http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUxWmDgSXP4 Robert Palmer and Little Feat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjArEnHPyFU http://www.you...

Are you saying the employees poor choices service wise? Or poor choices in a different manner? Both. They are making a poor choice if they are in a service industry, and are a dick in general, and it comes out to the customer. I am a dick, but can hide it well enough. The in a different manner is i...

Most people who under tip don't do it cause the service was bad. They do it cause they are cheap, plain and simple. I make good money and enjoy what I do. Sure I can get a better paying job or continue with my education but for me it is a personal choice and as long as I am happy that is all that m...

If the beer is good Scott, I'd drink it. I think that contract brewing is a good way to have product come out in areas it may not otherwise.

Tsarina Katarina. In the same way Sgt. Major was my first great IPA experience, Katarina was my imperial stout.

It disappoints me what happened with the brewery.

I used needle nosed pliers. Put them in the hole with the teeth together, then pulled the teeth apart to grab tight.

I brewed with Peter Collins yesterday, a nice Imperial Stout. OG of 1.125, smelled like sugar pie going into the boil kettle.

Boil overs don't have to happen. Add the first hops slowly, and keep a spray bottle on hand to mist water on the surface if it threatens to boil over.

The turkey fryer would be the boil kettle and the hot liquor tank. You can work with 2 coolers, and get your sparge water to temp, dump it into one cooler, then transfer from cooler to cooler to sparge though.

There are also lots of folks local that you could check out a brewday with, and see the all grain equipment in action. I won't be brewing til mid March now with my gear, but you are welcome to come on out, Cambridge isn't too far. I agree with icemachine's $ estimates, though I would suggest not buy...