"That's about all I got to say about that."

It seems like all the good humor bloggers I like have totally petered out within the last year or so. And the ones that have trudged on are clearly burned out on this whole blogging thing. I guess I can't blame them because I reached that same point at about the same time. Apparently, after about 4 years of weird warped bloggery between 2005 and 2009, I had gotten to the point where I really have nothing else to say. And I too had been trudging on just for the sake of keeping the blog alive.

Then add to that the realization that blogging is an archaeic form of social communication now. In the same way that people no longer speak socially via e-mail, people also no longer express their ideas via a blog. Everything is text messages and Facebook or twitter posts these days. I am not complaining about the new way to write ideas because I could cram a blog post into the space of 140 characters, I just hate how my readers have moved on to new things.

Apparently, I Am Going Places

At what point 2 weekends ago did I get drunk enough to not be able to remember a 500 mile trip to Green Bay, where I accomplished the impossible task of getting a ticket to a Packers playoff game, where I sat close enough to the field to touch Lee Donald when he did the lambeau leap into the stands? Dang, you don’t know either. It sounds impossible, but it must have happened. Seriously, I wouldn’t believe it myself if ESPN didn’t get a picture of it. I look like I was having a great time too.



I didn’t photoshop this picture either. You can see for yourself at ESPN's NFL Page.

I wonder what else I have done when I have been blacked out drunk. More importantly, when did the drunk me become such a huge Green Bay fan? Thankfully, the drunk me didn’t do anything I would regret in the morning...like wear one of those cheese head hats.

Brew Blog - Building A Wert Chiller

Hey Beer Heads! It’s finally here! That’s right; it’s my instructions for building your own wort chiller.

Here is the list of parts you will need.
- 20 feet roll of 3/8 O.D. copper tubing
- (2) 3/8 O.D. to 1/2 female pipe (FIP, or NPT, or NPTF) brass flare fittings with nuts
- (2) 1/2 male pipe to 3/4 female garden hose brass fittings
- About 4 inches worth of thread seal tape
Note: I chose flare fittings, but compression fittings work too. I just don’t like compression fittings.


Step 1
Straighten out the end of the copper tubing so that there is a straight segment that is long enough to reach to the bottom of your brew pot with about six inches sticking up above the rim of the pot.

Step 2
Using some tube bending “pliers”, or a tube bending spring, make a 90 degree bend in the tube. Then, from that 90 degree bend, use a tube bending spring to wrap the tube around an empty paint can to create 5-7 coils.




Step 3
Next, bend the tube up parallel to the straight section from step 1. Then, using a book to space the coil off the bottom of the brew pot, bend the remaining tube over the side of the brew pot, and do the same with the first end so that you have to “spouts” coming out the side.




Step 4
Cut off any ends that are damaged or too long. Do this to both sides.




Step 5
Put the flare fitting nut on the “spout” as shown. Do this to both sides.




Step 6
Using a tube flaring clamp, put the end of the tube flush with the side of the clamp.




Step 7
Using a tube end flaring tool, slowly clamp the tip of the cone shaped die into the hollow opening of the tube until the cone is centered on the tube. Then crank down on the tool to flare the end of the tube. Clamp and flare both sides.






Step 8
Wrap the thread seal tape around the pipe threads of the hose adapter.




Step 9
Tighten the hose adapter into the flare fitting.




Step 10
Tighten the hose adapter/flare fitting assembly onto the tube with the captive nut on the end of the “spout”. Seal tape and assemble the second set of fittings for the other side.




And that beer heads will give you a fully functioning wort chiller that will be water tight enough to even use indoors.

The Bew Blog - Yet Another Set Back

Well Beer Heads, I had totally expected to get the tube/pipe fittings to finish my homemade wert chiller in the extra time I had over this 4 day weekend. Unfortunately, there was an unexpected event that put the halt on that plan.

Here's what happened. I just happened to be about 5 feet from my front door when I saw a silhouette on the etched glass window in the door. Since I was expecting my niece at any moment, I jerked the front door open and jumped out to try to scare her. Instead of Seeing my niece, I saw the UPS guy getting back into his truck, and I also caught out of the corner of my eye a dark figure running around the side of my house. I search the porch. No box. Since my McMaster Carr deliveries don't usually need a signature, and this wasn't anything special, I am pretty sure the UPS guy left the box on the porch. From my vantage point, it looks like somebody actually has the balls big enough to steal a box from a porch before the UPS guy can even get back in his truck! Dang! Talk about balls the size of church bells!

So now I got 2 problems. No time till Christmas holiday to finish the wert chiller, and no way to get parts from McMaster Carr in the future. This sucks, cause I really like getting things shipped to me as opposed to messing around with the half stocked shelves at my local big box home improvement stores.

Stayed tuned a little longer. Now for another word from our sponsors.

The Brew Blog - This and That

Hey Beer Heads! I can't believe I haven't posted my first beer brewing notes yet. I have been swamped at home with stuff that always seems more important. I also got the idea to make my own wort chiller to help with that first brewing which has delayed things a bit. The wort chiller is fun and easy to build. I will show you that and more after this word from our sponsors.