Category: DIY

Kombucha – Denouement

Finally, I have settled into a one gallon continuous brew system.  I’ve been continuously brewing for over 3 months.  I’ve cleaned the 1 gallon jar once and it did not necessarily need cleaning at the time. The vessel is a 1 gallon dispenser with stainless steel spigot (photo below).  I leave a fresh tea batch to brew anywhere from 7 to 14 days depending on how busy I am and what time permits.  Each time I cycle the KT, I prepare the fresh fruit, juice, and added sugar.  I drain the KT into a 135.25 ounce fido jar (lock lid) and add the fruit.  It then sits at room temperature for 2-3 days.

In the meantime, I brew a gallon of tea and allow it to cool to room temperature (ususally overnight) sealed with plastic wrap (use shot me now, I use plastic wrap) and seal with rubber band.  Once cooled to room temp, it is added back to the 1 gallon continuous brew dispenser.

After the KT in the fido jar has brewed at room temp for 2-3 days, I get out the flip-top bottles and strain the KT into them.  The strainer catches all the fruit and bits. Once the bottles are filled, they go into the refrigerator.  Once chilled it is ready to drink.  I like it over ice.

Bottom line, for me, is the taste.  It tastes good to me.  I pour it over ice.  It has a special carbonation with a “tight fizz”.  The flavor is not too sweet and has that fermented flavor and scent that I like as well.  Since is is a probiotic, I don’t drink a great deal of it – about 6-8 ounces per day.  Sometimes several times a day depending on the day.

I prepare a gallon of tea with 12 Lipton tea bags.  It is inexpensive and is a good enough tea for me.  Also, 1/2 cup of sugar is added.  I usually pour some of the water in a pot bring it to near a boil, then add the tea bags.  The remaining water is added to a 1 gallon jar and then the brewed tea is added to the sugared water, stirred and a plastic wrap “lid” placed on a secured with a rubber band.  The tea needs to be 80 degrees F. or less when added to the SCOBY and starter KT.

There you have it.  The only other thing that I pay a little attention to is my SCOBY hotel.  Every 2-3 weeks, I drain it and add fresh tea.  This is my back up SCOBY culture in case things go south for some reason.  It is a quick way to recover and restart the continuous brew system.

Hot Garlic Dill Pickles Heat Up

Hot garlic dill pickles have become an obsession. I use the same tried-and-true recipe with minor variations at times.  This small personal batch has been slightly perverted with the addition of the powdered cayenne being introduced directly to the jar and not in the vinegar solution.  Also, I added ghost peppers, scorpion peppers, habanero, big hot chilies, and tabasco peppers to the jar in addition to the usual cayenne  pepper flakes.  I have said in the past that “you can’t really get them too hot..”, but in the case of this run, I may change that statement.

I carefully chose the nicest peppers out of my dried collection from the garden.  Most of these are for cooking only.  They are really too hot to eat alone.  However, in the case of this fresh pack pickle batch, they will be working in a “hybrid” culinary culture.  They won’t be eaten. They will be infused with the cucumbers along with the dill and garlic.

In a few days, I’ll cool these down in the fridge and try a few out.  I’m excited to see if they are going to be as hot as I suspect they’ll be. Holy Hell Batman!!

“Get Down” Brown Ale – All Grain Recipe

BROWN ALE (All Grain)

Roasted malt, caramel-like and chocolate-like characters should be of medium intensity in both flavor and aroma. American-style brown ales have evident low to medium hop flavor and aroma and medium to high hop bitterness. The history of this style dates back to U.S. home brewers who were inspired by English-style brown ales and porters. It sits in flavor between those British styles and is more bitter than both.

MASH INGREDIENTS
9.5 lbs 2 Row
0.5 lbs. Chocolate 375 Lovibond Medium
1.00 lbs. Crystal 120 (Briess)
0.5 lbs. Aromatic Malt (Castle)

1.5 oz. Fuggle Hops (60 min)
(Save .5 oz for final 10 minutes)

YEAST: WLP001 California Ale

MASH SCHEDULE: SINGLE INFUSION
Saccharine Rest: 154° F for 60 minutes
Mash-out: 170° F for 10 minutes
BOIL ADDITIONS & TIMES
1.5 oz. US Fuggle (at hot break)

O.G: 1.044-1.053 (actual 1.047)

Suggested fermentation schedule:
2-3 weeks primary fermenter or 2 weeks primary and 1 week after racking to secondary
2 weeks bottle conditioning

An Orchestra of Spices from Around the Globe

VARIOUS SPICE GROUPINGS

These spice groupings go well together and provide a framework to make improvised dishes. The groups represented here are basic, Indian, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Latin. These various spice groupings will turn simple rice and bean dishes, soups, or stews into flavorful meals.

*** BASIC SPICE GROUPING

SPICES
salt
sauteed onion
pepper lemon juice
garlic
ginger

OILS
olive oil
canola oil
peanut oil
butter

*** INDIAN SPICE GROUPING

SPICES
turmeric
bay leaf
cumin
brown mustard seeds
coriander
fennel
fresh or dried chilis

OILS
peanut oil
butter

*** MIDDLE EASTERN SPICE GROUPING

SPICES
basil
marjoram
oregano
thyme
lemon juice
bay leaf
red wine vinegar
balsamic vinegar
mint

OILS
olive oil

*** SAVORY SPICE GROUPING (Poultry)

SPICES
rosemary
thyme
nutmeg
sage
black pepper
marjoram
parsley
basil
bay leaf

*** ASIAN SPICE GROUPING

SPICES
soy sauce (tamari, shoyu)
basil
rice or wine vinegar
Chinese five spice
miso
chiles fresh or dried
black bean garlic sauce
sugar

OILS
sesame oil
peanut oil

** MEXICAN SPICE GROUPINGS

SPICES
garlic
cumin
oregano
chilies (a variety)
caynenne

Smoky Hot Honey BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Tbl Vegetable Oil
1/2 C Finely Minced Onion
1- 8 Oz Can Tomato Sauce
1/2 C Honey
2 Tbl Cider Vinegar
1 Clove Finely Minced Garlic
1 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Tsp Ground Cayenne
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Chopped Smoked Ghost Pepper (Minced Very Fine – Use Gloves to Mince)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic and sute on medium-high heat until onion is transparent.
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes
3. Remove from heat

Makes 1 Cup

DIY Moisture Absorbers

Things you need:

  • Medicine Bottle (child-proof type)
  • Coffee Filters (the flat, cone type)
  • Crystal Kitty Litter
  • Ice Pick or Drill
Medicine Bottle
Medicine Bottle
Medicine Bottle
Coffee Filter
Coffee Filter

 

  1.  Punch holes in the cap of the medicine bottle
  2. Trace the top of the bottle onto the coffee filter and cut out the circle
  3. Put the coffee filter into the cap
  4. Put a couple of plastic spoonfuls of Crystal Cat LItter (silica gel dessicant) into the bottle
  5. Close the bottle and put in storage container like camera bag, gun case, etc.