On of the most popular high efficiency mash tun design is the 5 gallon Igloo cooler. This cooler can be picked up at almost any hardware store for around $25, and a 10 gallon for around $40. A 10 gallon mash tun should be used for 10 gallon batches or high gravity 5 gallon batches. [...]
I’ve seen a number of advertisements online suggesting that you can make wine for free. There are “experts” who apparently claim they can tell you how to make wine at no cost to yourself. Can you really do this? Well… yes and here’s how: First, let’s assume you have a vessel of some sort like [...]
There is a mistaken belief that wines are made only from grapes. Of course, grapes do make a terrific wine and are an ideal fruit to ferment into a beverage that can age for years and improve its taste and aroma over time. Even young wine made from grapes is enjoyed by many with its [...]
“Marbles for home winemaking?” you ask. “What on earth would marbles have to do with making wine?” Well, marbles certainly won’t impart any flavors to your wine (unless of course you have not sanitized them first – and that would be a bad thing), but marbles can come in very handy. Marbles don’t seem to [...]
Cigars are categorized by size and shape. Together, these are known as the vitola of a cigar. Cigar size is measured two ways: ring gauge (its diameter) and its length. For example, most non-Cuban robustos have a ring gauge of approximately 50 and a length of approximately 5 inches. Robustos of Cuban origin always have [...]
A good sharp knife is used to shape a food product and reduce its size. Having the same size and shape ensures even cooking. Items are shaped by slicing, chopping, dicing, mincing and other special cutting techniques. Slicing is used to create three specialty cuts: chiffonier, rundle, and diagonal. Slicing skills are also used to [...]
We have all heard about the dangers of inhaling second hand smoke. Many people wonder if the dangers of inhaling cigar smoke are just as dangerous, or more. Unfortunately, it appears that being exposed to secondhand smoke from a lit cigar can be just as dangerous-or more-than regular cigarette smoke. All secondhand smoke emitted by [...]