The SureScreen(tm)

The SureScreen(tm) is a device that I "invented" out of necessity. I had brewed a Porter in which I had added 8 pounds of blanched peaches. After a few weeks, I had about 4 gallons of pulp with about a half gallon of black liquid above it. I knew that there was a lot of Porter trapped in the pulp, but I had to figure out a way to separate the beer from the pulp. The screen I came up with what is now the SureScreen(tm). With it, I successfully siphoned 3 3/4 gallons of Peach Porter out of that bog.

Since that Peach Porter, I have used the SureScreen(tm) to build my mashtun and kettle, siphon out from under dryhops, and have put one on most of my Cornelius keg dip tubes (for dryhopping in the cask, without hop bits in the glass).

Click on the hyperlink above to find out more about the SureScreen(tm) and how you can buy your very own!

Products That I Endorse

In order to pay for this site, I've added a few click-throughs for products that I own and endorse. You can buy these items with confidence and the added satisfaction that buying them through these links helps defer the cost of running this website.

Our good friends' daughter babysat for our kids one evening and raved about the delicious pizza we left for them to eat. Our friends called and asked how we cooked our frozen pizza so that it tasted so good. We use a perforated pan like this. Beware that it's pretty wide and smaller ovens may be too narrow. Also, if there's a risk of the cheese dripping off the crust, put this pan on the upper rack in the middle position and put a sheet of foil on the lower rack.
This is a fantastic book that everyone should read. Parents should read it with their kids so that they learn what's being left out of American history in schools. Most of it is a collection of excerpts from letters and articles written by our Founding Fathers. It explains their reasoning behind designing the Constitution the way they did, namely, to protect the people from the government getting too powerful. As you read this book, you will be shocked that the current and former administration have been doing exactly what the Founding Fathers tried to prevent!
If you have a wheat and/or dairy allergy (or you think you might have one), try these cookies. Even if you have no problem with wheat or dairy, these are worth a try. Soft, chewy and delicious, you lose nothing in terms of flavor or texture with these fantastic gluten-free cookies. There aren't that many in a box, but with a case of six boxes and free shipping for around $20, you can't go wrong. They also come in Snickerdoodle, No-oats Oatmeal, Double Chocolate, and Happy Apple. (I don't recommend the Gingerbread Spice.)
Another great gluten-free product. This pasta is my favorite and the fact that it is gluten- and wheat-free is an added bonus. I tried over a dozen different gluten-free pastas before I found this one and I'm so happy I've found it.
Similar to potato chips but crisper and more flavorful. These cassava chips have 30 to 40% less fat and twice the fiber of regular potato chips. I found them while looking for alternative gluten-free snacks for a person with a potato allergy. They also happen to have significant amounts of calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.

Before homebrewing, music was my passion and I still love to play, write, and record music.  Over the last few months, I've purchased four guitars from Rondo Music and I love them.  Rondo Music sells guitars and basses of such high quality that I was surprised that they were so affordable.

I had been thinking about buying a Gibson or Epiphone Les Paul, but for the price of an Epiphone (or less, in some cases), I got a guitar that is well-made and plays as well as a Gibson. The pickups on the cheaper models (like the AL-2000) guitars are usually inexpensive ceramic pickups and are fine for some applications, but the Alnico pickups found on the more expensive models (like the AL-3000 or the PS-1000) have a more refined tone and are as high quality as Gibson pickups. Some Agile models even have EMG active pickups.

Rondo also has very unique guitars that you can't get anywhere else, like Paul Reed Smith-style guitars with licensed Floyd Rose trems or 12-string Les Paul-style guitars!   Note that they don't always have every guitar I've described here, in stock, but when they show a guitar on their website, it's in stock. Shipping is fast, the guitars and cases are packed well, and shipping is reasonably priced (I paid around $25 for a guitar and a case shipped from their east coast warehouse to my home near Chicago.)

Also, apart from Paul Reed Smith, nowhere else can you choose various neck profiles on production (non-custom) guitars.  I paid between $199 and $449 for the four guitars I've purchased.  Here are some photos of some of the guitars I've purchased and some I'm saving up for.

Click on the Rondo Music logo or any of the guitars to go to their website. 

Cask-Conditioned Real Ale:

• The Real Ale Festival Webpage

• The 1996 Real Ale Festival (including my tasting notes)

• Photos from the 1996 Real Ale Festival

Coming soon:

• My Favourite British Pubs (photos, stories...)
• A Cellarmanship Primer
• An Illustrated Guide to Using Handpumps for Serving from Cornelius Kegs

Photos of My Homebrewery

If I've judged one of your homebrewed beers at a competition and you would like to send me feedback (positive or negative) on how well I did, please click here:

How am I judging?

Brewery Tours:

(If you are unfamiliar with the process of brewing, begin with the Samuel Smith's tour which explains it.)