Brewing virgin here looking to make some homemade beer for the first time. It seems so intimidating that I don’t know where to start. Should I get a kit, and if so, which one? Or am I better off just buying all the supplies and ingredients separately?

Mr Beer has horrible malt extracts.

But, they’re cheap.

I’d look at this first, however: http://www.nthomebrew.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=56_19&products_id=1371

Five gallons is what most homebrewers do at a time, so this is a good kit if you want to find recipes online, and not get locked into a certain producer’s product line.

If I supplied 2 metal beer caps to the jeweler how much would it cost to make a simple ring (the caps have sentimental value) I realize he might have to add more metal but that’s ok.

100-500 depending on what you want done, they do sizing or putting diamonds in rings and stuff like that for a few hundred and this shouldn’t be any more since they’re not dealing with valuable or fragile material.

Im planning on making my first batch of beer within the week so im getting all my supplies ready, im planning on making 5 gallons of beer so i was wondering if i should get a 5 gallon glass carboy or a 6 gallon glass carboy (i want to use a glass carboy, i just dont kno if its bad to leave too much or too little airspace in the carboy)… is it bad to have too much open space in the carboy (due to air possibly infecting your batch) or is it bad to have too little airspace in your carboy so that there is no place for the bubbles to go and poof, ur bottle breaks??? im not sure but please let me know asap because i really want to get going.

For primary fermentation, it is best to go with a 6 or 6.5 gallon glass carboy. That will give you plenty of air space for initial fermentation, and if the fermentation is violent enough, sometimes that almost isn't enough, so use a blow off tube. A large diameter tube that will fit just snuggly inside the mouth of the carboy is great for a blow off tube. The extra airspace won't add any problems to the beer, because the oxygen will just be ate up by the yeast during initial growth phase, and will quickly be displaced by CO2. If you plan on doing secondary fermentation, then a 5 gallon will work just fine since everything has settled down by then.

A friend of ours is moving in with her young stud. Lucky girl. She is in her thirties and he is in his twenties. The age gap is not so great as to be obscene but whilst we are used to seeing an older man with a younger woman, we’re not so comfortable with it the other way round. In fact, the older woman is not sure whether to be embarrassed or victorious when breaking the news to her girlfriends.

So are there any disadvantages to a match such as this? Should she be concerned that he will leave her for a younger woman when she is in her forties or fifties? Or should her greatest concern be that they are at different stages in their lives? Are their priorities too different? He is still building his career and she is on top of hers. She only has a short period of time left to have a baby but is he too young to be starting a family? Does he really want to feel like a sperm donor at The Last Chance Saloon?

She is not alone in this dilemma. Most of our thirty-something girlfriends go out with younger men. They’re the only men out there, they say. Or are they just going to the wrong places? My best friend and I can only seem to pull younger men (or men over 60 but we won’t make an issue out of that.) We love youthful enthusiasm but are not so keen on the acne. So where are all the other men? At home with their wives, still in the office, in lap dancing bars?

Some of our men told us that they felt pressure from thirty-something women to have children before they were ready and that this is one of the reasons that they go out with younger women; the baby thing is not yet an issue with twenty-year old women. I wonder if, when these women get older, they will just be traded in for a younger model. Whereas younger men say this is one of the reasons they prefer older women, women in their forties, there’s no pressure to have kids.

So why else do men like younger women? These are some of the reasons our men gave; younger women have pert, firmer bodies, they are less likely to have baggage in the shape of kids and ex-husbands, they are more easily impressed (interesting, will investigate further), they are more fun and carefree, they keep you feeling young, the relationship is more light-hearted and you are not seen as a prospective marriage candidate. By the way guys, this is not true; every man is assessed for his suitability, it is just that when you are twenty and deem a man unsuitable as a husband and father, you might have other more pressing uses for him! Most of these reasons imply that men are just reluctant to grow up; it is something some of them put off almost indefinitely.

And what does a young woman get out of a more mature man? Someone who can think of something more than beer and football? (Never going to happen). Security? Money? Power? We know that it is practically the law for every rich bloke to have a sports car in his driveway and a very young, cosmetically-enhanced girl by his side, Well, she might not be that young, it is sometimes hard to tell after surgery. Is it true that there is no such thing as an ugly rich man?

I had a relationship with a man 10 years older. The age gap didn’t seem to make that much difference at the start. Although I admit that the first time he took his clothes off, I expected to be faced with a wrinkly, dried up old man. He wasn’t, of course, he was only in his thirties! We had no similar points of reference. We had grown up in different decades. He was already very set in his ways and prone to falling asleep on the sofa after dinner - just like my Dad- and the longer we spent together, the wider the age gap seemed to get. Doomed? Not necessarily.

So back to older ladies and younger men. Marriage statistics now tell us that in the UK, the trend seems to be turning in favour of the older woman and the younger man. Is our friend enjoying some of the most energetic, if not most polished, sex of her life? And what does he get out of it? Someone to look after him, to mother him? A confidant woman, happy in her skin? (If one of these exists, please let me know who you are!) Someone who doesn’t need to be looked after? Sex from someone who knows exactly what they are doing and what they want?

Or does age just not matter at all if you are in love? All together now, aahh.

Audra McKellar
http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-issues-articles/toy-boys-and-gals-135494.html

Hey I am Pregnant with my second Child, I could not breast feed my first due to low milk supply. I have heard a lot that beer can increase your milk supply. I want to know if this is really true, also, I don't drink alcohol due to my religion. I have had a homemade yeast root beer my friend makes before, could that possibly do the same thing?? It may sound stupid, but I really want to BF this one and Ill try anything (but beer )
Thanks FM

Try drinking LOTS of water and take Fenugreek Tablets.

Make sure that baby is nursing efficiently. This is the "remove more milk" part of increasing milk production. If milk is not effectively removed from the breast, then mom's milk supply decreases. If positioning and latch are "off" then baby is probably not transferring milk efficiently. A sleepy baby, use of nipple shields or various health or anatomical problems in baby can also interfere with baby's ability to transfer milk. For a baby who is not nursing efficiently, trying to adequately empty milk from the breast is like trying to empty a swimming pool through a drinking straw - it can take forever. Inefficient milk transfer can lead to baby not getting enough milk or needing to nurse almost constantly to get enough milk. If baby is not transferring milk well, then it is important for mom to express milk after and/or between nursings to maintain milk supply while the breastfeeding problems are being addressed.
Nurse frequently, and for as long as your baby is actively nursing. Remember - you want to remove more milk from the breasts and do this frequently. If baby is having weight gain problems, aim to nurse at least every 1.5-2 hours during the day and at least every 3 hours at night.
Take a nursing vacation. Take baby to bed with you for 2-3 days, and do nothing but nurse (frequently!) and rest (well, you can eat too!).
Offer both sides at each feeding. Let baby finish the first side, then offer the second side.
Switch nurse. Switch sides 3 or more times during each feeding, every time that baby falls asleep, switches to "comfort" sucking, or loses interest. Use each side at least twice per feeding. Use breast compression to keep baby feeding longer. For good instructions on how to do this, see Dr. Jack Newman's Protocol to increase intake of breastmilk by the baby. This can be particularly helpful for sleepy or distractible babies.
Avoid pacifiers and bottles. All of baby's sucking needs should be met at the breast (see above). If a temporary supplement is medically required, it can be given with a nursing supplementer or by spoon, cup or dropper (see Alternative Feeding Methods).
Give baby only breastmilk. Avoid all solids, water, and formula if baby is younger than six months, and consider decreasing solids if baby is older. If you are using more than a few ounces of formula per day, wean from the supplements gradually to "challenge" your breasts to produce more milk.
Take care of mom. Rest. Sleep when baby sleeps. Relax. Drink liquids to thirst (don't force liquids - drinking extra water does not increase supply), and eat a reasonably well-balanced diet.
Consider pumping. Adding pumping sessions after or between nursing sessions can be very helpful - pumping is very important when baby is not nursing efficiently or frequently enough, and can speed things up in all situations. Your aim in pumping is to remove more milk from the breasts and/or to increase frequency of breast emptying. When pumping to increase milk supply, to ensure that the pump removes an optimum amount of milk from the breast, keep pumping for 2-5 minutes after the last drops of milk. However, adding even a short pumping session (increasing frequency but perhaps not removing milk thoroughly) is helpful.
Consider a galactagogue. A substance (herb, prescription medication, etc.) that increases milk supply is called a galactagogue. See What is a galactagogue? Do I need one? for more information.

good luck! God bless!

Looking for a fathers day gift and was thinking about making him a beer making kit. What do I need to do this? What are good recipes? What do I need to get him started? I don't have anything yet and don't know what i can use as a ferminter or if i have to buy one, Im clueless! Please help!

For beginners, I recommend buying pre-assembled homebrew ingredients kits - which are available in homebrew stores or else over the internet. If you have a homebrew store near you, they should also be able to put together a kit containing all the necessary tools. If NOT, then here's what you'll need in addition to the ingredients kit:

(1.) A large metal pot (you will be brewing 2.5 gallons of liquid, so it must be BIG - if you/your parents don't have one, try a restaurant supply store).

(2.) A long-stem (i.e. 10-12") metal thermometer to clip onto the side of the large brew pot in order to monitor the temperature (also available at restaurant supply stores…don't cost much)

(3.) A utensil for stirring the beer while in the brewing process

(4.) A container to hold the beer after brewing while it ferments (a large contractor-size paint bucket i.e. from Home Depot will suffice, but you will need a lid).

(5.) Cleanser (i.e. unscented bleach or other unscented detergent) to mix with water - this is VERY IMPORTANT because you will need it to cleanse EVERYTHING that will come in contact with the beer or else you risk ruining the entire batch).

(6.) A metal strainer/cheese cloth/other mechanism to strain the beer before transfering it from the brew pot to the fermentation bucket.

(7.) A glass hydrometer for measuring the alcohol content before and after fermentation (it's possible to get by without one, but I recommend that beginners use one).

Good luck, and have fun!
_

Malt extract is used for a lot of things including bread making and beer making. We used to get a spoonful as kids growing up to build us up. I have found it in A&P store in organic section but they will no longer be selling it when they finish their supply. Bulk food also sells it much higher price.

You can get it in most health food or natural food store, either in a liquid form or powder, GNC and Nutrition House stock it, even some Shoppers DM.

I am a former chef and live in Toronto, and have found it here in many places, even a Bulk Barn can have it.

Barkeeps: clip and save this handy list to post somewhere in your establishment. Help keep the rabble under control.

BAR PATRONS, DO NOT:

Fail to have your money ready. In fact, call it Rule #1: Have everything together. We’re waiting on you, and everyone else is waiting on us. Therefore, by the scientific principle established as the Transitive Property of Equality, everyone is waiting on you. Not only will following this rule get you served quicker in a bar, it’s a good general rule to adopt in life and is especially helpful in Central American border crossing scenarios.

Whistle. A whistle is how you tell a bartender “Please throw me out now.” It’s a special secret signal.

Wave money. Oh, you have a dollar; I’ll be right over! Hopefully I won’t break an ankle in my fevered rush to get you your Coors Lite. But at least you’re not breaking the next rule.

Yell out the bartender’s first name. There’s something deeply psychologically disturbing about hearing your name yelled out, turning around, and then seeing a complete stranger. That’s one of the reasons strippers always use stage names. Bartender’s do too; mine is Pixie.

Tell me to make it strong or put a lot of liquor in it. Oh, you’re one of those rare drinkers that like their drink strong! When you say this, you’re assuming that I make weak drinks, which is insulting. You’re also assuming that I’ll stiffen this one up for my new best buddy, you. Last, I, being the bartender, will decide how I am going to make the drinks, thank you very much.

Give the ever-expanding drink order. You ask for a Bud; I go get it. I come back and now you want a Margarita; OK, no problem. I come back, and now you just remembered you want a shot of Tequila, too. You really could have told us this all at once. See Rule #1.

Pull the redirect. Usually seen after the money wave or the whistle, this is when the gentlemen passes his turn to the lady behind him. Chances are that she’s not ready, and your weak attempt at chivalry just cost you your turn. Be seeing you in thirty minutes.

Try the confused, lost look. This is usually accompanied by the question “What kind of beer do you have?” while looking at all the beers we have lined up on the back wall. You did know you were in a bar and not Denny’s where you get a menu, right? And you didn’t just appear here, did you? Refer to Rule #1.

Order too many high-maintenance shooters. Example: “Lemme get an Alabama Slammer, a Red Snapper, two Long Island Iced Teas, a Buttery Nipple and a Lemon Drop.” Usually followed by a minor tip. People, these shooters are fine all by themselves, but there are multiple steps involved with each one. This translates to a time sink. You may get them this time, but you’ll probably be waited on last the next time we see your face, especially with a packed bar. Here’s a clue as to whether or not you’re high maintenance; if the two bartenders are working and they see you, and they flip a coin and the loser comes over to take your order, pretty good chance you’re a high maintenance orderer.

Assume we know you’re in the band. We know, we know, you’re gonna be really famous, but you’re not there quite yet, tiger. Just tell us you’re in the band and which band you’re in. And by the way, if you are in a band and get free or reduced drink prices as part of the deal, feel free to tip, as most bartenders are also in bands! It’s not like we don’t know how the work is. Oh, and our bartender bands will smoke your band.

Assume we know you period. Unless you’re honestly here every day, we don’t remember you. You are one of a thousand faces for us, and when you point at an empty glass or a beer bottle that’s invariably facing away from us, your attempt at a shortcut backfires, so just tell us what you want.

Apologize for not tipping. Acknowledging that you don’t tip is not the same as not tipping. Oh, and don’t say “I’ll get you next time.” We know all about how you work.

Assume all soft drinks are free. Are they free at McDonald’s? Are they free at Wal-Mart? Are they free anywhere? I blame M.A.D.D. for this myth.

Put pennies and nickels in the tip jar. We don’t want that in our pockets any more than you do. We don’t have anything smaller than quarters. After all, have you ever ordered a drink that cost $3.17?

Be “The Microbrew Aficionado”. Usually this is a pseudo-hippy who can’t tip a quarter but can’t bring himself to drink common beer and who has to sample some new berry-wheat-harvest-ale that he heard about at Burning Man. “Do you have the new Vernal-Equinox Special Welcome-Fest?” “Does Anyone?” Here’s your Bud; go.

Be “The Daddy Warbucks” Dressed in classic day-trader’s wear, this loud, boisterous guy smokes cigars and orders martinis and generally exudes an air of money. Until the tip. Generally, don’t pretend to be more successful than you are.

Finally, under no circumstances should you ever whine to a bartender when asked to see your ID. Our jobs depend on them, and when we spot a fake or expired ID, don’t argue; we’ve seen and heard it all a million times before, and it will get you absolutely nowhere. If you “don’t have one” or “forgot it,” forget it; you don’t belong out in the town in the first place. That’s the law we have to abide by, plain and simple. Bring your ID. Remember Rule #1, from a minute ago?

Josh Stone
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/learning-the-rules-of-etiquette-in-a-bar-patron-career-87507.html

The short and easy answer is “YES”.

In fact anyone who has graduated from high school and has a good grasp of their own language can make a comfortable living as a freelance trainer in Germany.

However, a little prep work is required in order to avert disaster.

Over the years I’ve seen so many people come full of enthusiasm only to leave in tears a few short months later. I can’t guarantee you success but if you follow the 5 guidelines below then your adjustment will be a lot easier.

1. Learn some basic German.

You don’t have to be a fluent speaker but a few months before your trip you should buy a basic phrase book. “Where is the train station?” “How much is this?” etc.

Make sure it has a phonetic pronunciation guide.

It doesn’t matter if your German is terrible at the start, as long as you make the effort to speak the language then most of the natives will try their best to help you.

DO NOT blurt out “Hey dude, where can a guy get himself a mickey dees and a cold bottle of suds in this town?” Although a lot West Germans had a little English in school most of them have forgotten it. How much high school French or Spanish can you remember!?!

2. Brush up your grammar.

Native speakers use complex grammar structures without thinking what they are called.

Now you need to learn the names and when they are used. DON’T PANIC!

Essential Grammar In Use ISBN 3-12-533460-8

This book is the bible for English trainers and it’s written simply and clearly.

GET IT NOW! Read it from cover to cover and do all the exercises.

Remember you are not learning the language, just brushing up.

I remember thinking “wow, so that’s what it’s called when I say that.”

Basically your learning the lingo.

A TOEFL certificate would be a big advantage and you can do the course in the evenings or at weekends. It’s worth the relatively small price you pay.

3. Observe the culture.

Search the net, read German authors and watch German movies.

Learn a little about the German culture.

Germans are a lot more reserved than British or Americans and need a little more time to warm up. Don’t mistake this for unfriendliness. Once you gain their trust you won’t find more loyal friends. Eating on the street can be frowned upon but drinking a bottle of beer on your way home from work isn’t really out of place.

4. Have your papers ready.

The people here are highly organized and for us maybe a little too bureaucratic.

Make sure you have all your relevant education papers, tax info. , social security etc.

You also have to register for a work permit but most schools will help you with this process. Although the authorities are more tolerant with non-German speakers they still expect everything to be done exactly right. If you have to organize your work permit by yourself then try to have a bi-lingual speaker with you.

5. Have a “Plan B”.

Even with the greatest preparation things can sometimes go wrong.

Make sure that you have an open return plane ticket, travel insurance and enough emergency money with you in case things don’t go as planned.

It could be that you get here and the culture shock is too great, maybe you have a skiing mishap on your day off or being an English trainer isn’t all you thought it would be.

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Hopefully I haven’t painted too dark a picture. After all I’m married to a German woman and have happily adjusted to life here. Living and working in Germany can be a fantastic experience and totally change your life in a positive way as long as you do a little planning before your trip.

http://getlearn.biz

Nigel Nix
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/can-i-really-teach-english-in-germany-94414.html

In the UK, everyone has reached a consensus on the fact that advertising balloons work. It works so well that most of the biggest brands in the UK use equally big advertising balloons to market their brand and keep their presence at the top of mind of their consumers. Use an advertising balloon to make sure that your ad will not and cannot be ignored.

Grab the attention of consumers from the street as they walk or drive past as your advertising balloon floats by. Also, using an advertising balloon during an event, with your brand floating in the sky as a picturesque background makes a dramatic effect with equally dramatic results. Knowing that an advertising balloon will work wonders for your brand is only half the work. You should be able to figure out what you want your advertising balloon to look like.

What shape and colors should it have are things that you need to think about. You should also consider where you will be having your advertising balloon floating to catch the most attention and whether you want your advertising balloon lit or not are options that you will have to decide upon.

When you have gotten these details down pat, the last step before sailing your sales along with your advertising balloons is which advertising balloon supplier in the UK should you consider to make your investment on.

The firm can choose to use inflatables or get those that are powered using helium. Most of the companies in the United Kingdom go to a firm that will make a design or use an existing one and get that ad in the air. An experienced pilot will fly one of these as well as take some riders who will like to come on board.

The standard shape of the balloon is always there. If people want a different touch, this can be shaped into a soda can, a strawberry or a famous cartoon character that can really make people look up and be sold on the ad. The cost of an advertising balloon for really big ones is divided into three parts.

The first will be the construction costs that will come from the manufacturer. This will on the design and specifications given by the client. The second is the operation of the balloon. Some people will just want to tie this on the roof of the office. The third is called balloon public relations where someone experienced flies around the city.

If the company doesn’t have the money for this, there are other options. These people can settle for the inflatables that are powered by large fans. Again a design has to be chosen before it can be delivered. The difference between an inflatable and a balloon is that these can’t float in the air. The fan is what keeps this on the ground and will just wave from one direction to the next depending also on the direction of the wind.

Classic Hot Air Balloons

Don’t let their company name fool you. The only thing classic about this company is the fact that they are the typical choice by big brands that use advertising balloons to market their brands, products and services. Contrary to their company name, this company makes use of innovative shapes other than the usual inverted teardrop hot air balloon shape. Don’t worry though-if you want the classic styles, shapes and colors, they have those too.

What’s good about Classic Hot Air Balloons though is that you can either rent or create your own advertising balloon. Go ahead and check them out and see the beer shaped advertising balloon that one of their clients contracted them to make.

Exclusive Ballooning

For corporate marketing efforts using advertising balloons, Exclusive Ballooning is recommended. They have experience in servicing corporate clients whether for institutional brand marketing or for public relations and they are professional enough to have the statistics to back up their claims of success.

Advertising is the only way to launch a product or create awareness in the market. If people don’t have a lot of money but need to advertise, using a balloon is the best way to go. These are easy to make and maintain enabling the company to make a new one after a few months.

Low Jeremy
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/advertising-balloons-in-the-united-kingdom-a-united-consensus-90907.html