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There are are (at the time of writing) 173 books about home brewing listed by Amazon. A lot of these are repeats but clearly you are spoiled for choice when it comes to home brewing.

You can narrow the list by rejecting any title that mixes wine and beer making. Wine making and beer making have nothing in common except yeast and the need for cleanliness, so books that mix them are nearly always unsuccessful.

You can go still further and reject the ones that concentrate on making beer from kits or novelty beers. Some of these are deeply unsatisfactory and you get the impression that many of the recipes have never actually been tried by their author. I’m sorry to say that some of the books by CJJ Berry seem to fall into that category.

For people outside the UK there are also clear dangers in British beer making books. British beer IS different from beers elsewhere and non-Britishers may not want to engage in the British beer tradition. Some of the best English beer is drunk tepid and stagnant (=not bubbly) which is not to everybody’s taste.

So when I looked down Amazon’s list I was greatly drawn to a book about beer brewing for Americans, and also to one exclusively about brewing lager. I already have and use “Brewing Beers Like those you Buy” which is British oriented, and I can vouch for the truth of the title but that would be a personal home brewing choice. You might also care to look at other, more recent, books that make roughly the same claim, such as “Homebrew recipes for 150 commercial beers”. I would also like to buy some of the titles which cover Microbreweries, but as I don’t have a micro brewery set up that would be pure indulgence.

There’s more about home brewing and brews, just here.

The truth is that you can do a much better than most commercial brewers do. The reason is that you can afford to lay out more money on good quality ingredients than commercial brewers. Their expertise will always be greater than yours but home brewing does not have to bow to the economics of the marketplace: your home brew can be the best if not commercially viable.

How to get there: mashing at home.

Nothing to do with potatoes, the mashing process turns pale and lager malts into a sugary solution called the “wort”. To my mind mashing is essential to a good home brew. What you do is steep pale or lager malt in hot water for about 45 minutes. The temperature of the water must be maintained at around 150 degreees Fahrenheit, which given a large enough volume of material is not too difficult to do. Indeed there are mashing tuns with thermostatic control which are foolproof. Having steeped the malt long enough you teem the sugary solution into the vessel where you will boil the wort and hops together and rinse the last remnants of sugar from the malts grains. You will not achieve the extraction rate of a commercial brewer but you will avoid the slightly “cooked” taste which you get when using malt extract. Some commercial brews suffer from this flavour, as well as most home brews that are produced from kits.

How to get there: added grains.

You can improve the flavour and “heaviness” of home brews by using added grains when you mash the malt, but you can also achieve a similar result by using the enzymatic properties of malt extract. Indeed some malt extracts are known as “DMS” (=diastatic malt syrup) which signifies the presence of diastase – the malt enzyme which converts starch to sugar. As a rule of thumb flaked maize will lighten a brew, and wheat flour make a heavier more rounded taste. There is ample room to experiment with your home brew. Some of the published recipes will make the whole process clearer than the author can do in a short article about home brewing, so read up on the subject.

How to get there: the hops.

The quickest way of adding value to a home brew is to choose the hops carefully. It goes without saying that lagers need their own hops and bitters something completely different. But on top of that the balance of aroma and bitterness needs to be carefully considered. To my taste (and maybe its because I live in France and can’t buy decent beer) many small breweries in the UK are now overhopping their beers. Hops like Northern Brewer – a very bitter hop – can easily be overdone. Be warned. What’s important to you is that the choice of hops is where you can really score. Remember that many of the large commercial brewers simply use hop extract these days. A great shame since the first process of producing hop extract succeeds in separating the bitter principle from the ancillary aromas, and although the aromas can be added back later its not the same as the natural processes that you will use.

How to get there: the conditioning.

Many people are tempted to produce draught beers which will be served out of plastic kegs, under pressure.. For the home brewer this is how it has to be, wooden casks are much too difficult to manage for most of us. In my opinion an amateur home brewer should be able to excel only at bottled beer, naturally conditioned in the bottle like champagne. Since the disappearance of proper Guinness and Worthington White Label I can’t name any traditional bottle conditioned beers. In this field you can shine !

There’s more pertinent ramblings like this at theBrewersGuide.com. Good health !

Dolls Houses are thought by some as merely a child’s toy or just miniature displays of wealth and social standing by the rich.  They were used in the 18th century to teach domestic management duties to middle class young women and it wasn’t until mass production by the Germans initially that the dolls house became a genuine child’s toy.However, these miniature creations can also perform another useful function – that of preserving significant historical architectural styles.  As the actual buildings themselves fall before the bulldozer and developer, at least the expertly and loving crafted dolls house keeps an accurate picture of period styles alive.
Take for example Charles Rennie Mackintosh, one of the early pioneers of the Modern Movement.Among his major architectural works is Glasgow School of Art (now the Mackintosh Building), a series of Glasgow Tea Room interiors and large private houses such as The Hill House in Helensburgh. For those who can’t make it to those destinations, there is a chance to appreciate Mackintosh’s unique take on architectural design by viewing a Charles Rennie Mackintosh-style dolls house in the Bethnall Green Museum, London.   The miniature faithfully preserves details such the staircase newel post design taken from Martyr’s Public School, the front door reflecting 78 Southpark Avenue (Mackintosh’s own home) and the internal doors inspired by Craigie Hall.
Similarly, Edwin Lutyens became the best known British architect of the early 20th century.Creator of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, Luytens was one of the major contributors to the ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement.  Famous for what was termed the “Surrey Style” in his domestic architectural work, he also designed Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House which is now in Windsor Castle.  The tall fancy chimneys and fireplaces of the Surrey Style are reproduced in many examples of dolls house, with large latticework windows, distinctive big roofs with dormer windows and heavy window frames and doors. 
So before you dismiss dolls houses as mere playthings or the fads of obsessed collectors, remember that they at least are portable and easily protected.In future they may be the only reminders of architectural achievements when the real thing has crumbled to dust or made way for a shopping mall.

Model Kits do seem predominantly to be “boy’s toys”, although girls also enjoy constructing them.  Ranging from civil and military aircraft to military vehicles and cars, ships, spacecraft, figures and dioramas, most people will think of famous names such as Airfix, Revell or Tamiya when the term “model kits” is used.
There’s still an astonishing range of plastic construction kits suitable for a variety of ages and levels of competence or ability. Aside from giving hours of pleasure and fun to young and old, model kits also have many purely educational benefits that will help any child develop a variety of skills and aptitudes.
Your child’s motor skills will be certainly be developed by constructing these model kits, but they will also encourage co-ordination and planning and logical thinking.The essence of making model kits is to read and review the instructions and identify parts on the plastic sprue.You also need to identify where small parts fit and in which sequence those parts fit together.How to accurately and efficiently follow directions is a valuable life skill too!
Making model kits is more than just an exercise in logical thinking and planning. Your child’s creativity and patience will be improved as will the appreciation of the craftsmanship required to build and finish any model or project.Painting the finished model kit will enhance artistic appreciation and also help develop motor skills.
But model kits needn’t just mean those familiar, glued or snapped together plastic boats, ships or tanks.Other model kits available, such as model rockets, incorporate all the education benefits of the plastic kit world but go much further by actually working properly!
Mathematics takes on a whole new life for a child in model rocketry.Showing how to calculate something like flight trajectory becomes more meaningful.   The imagination required to build and finish a model rocket is matched by the technical skills you need to develop as well as the sensible and systematic approach to safety and procedures.  An understanding of electronics and mechanics will be enhanced by the direct experience of doing something with them.  Physical education will also benefit, especially when you launch a model rocket in a strong wind and have to chase it across country when it comes to earth!
Encouraging your children to get stuck into model kits is probably the most enjoyable yet significant learning activity you can undertake at almost any age.And it’s something you can do too!

Woodworking is a popular activity because it’s both enjoyable and practical. But unlike hobbies such as knitting or coin collecting, there’s a certain amount of danger involved. When you’re using power tools and even manual woodworking tools, you need to stay aware so that you don’t become injured. Neglecting proper safety measures isn’t worth the loss of a limb. Here are some woodworking tips to keep you safe.

Safety features are pretty much standard on the power tools sold today. For example, they feature guards on the blades and emergency shutdown switches. However, you still must be alert to potential accidents. Follow the instructions carefully for any tool you’re using. Take your time and be careful as you become familiar with a new tool. Simply using your common sense can go a long way to keeping you safe.

Your eyes are the most fragile organ in your body. Those bits of wood that fly out as you’re drilling are moving at a very fast rate. They can very easily damage your eyes if you’re not using safety glasses. So it’s essential that you wear a protective covering for your eyes every time you’re working with wood. This is a very inexpensive option for protecting yourself from injury.

Power tools used for woodworking can also cause injury to your eardrums. This equipment can easily produce sounds at a decibel level that can damage your eardrums. It’s unlikely that any project you’re making is worth the cost of not being able to hear. When you’re using tools that produce a lot of noise, make sure you wear ear muffs or ear plugs for protection.

Tools aren’t the only potential hazards in your woodworking shop. You also need to consider your respiratory system. Constant exposure to irritants such as the dust and fumes that are found in a woodworking shop can be toxic over time. It’s been shown that you can develop serious respiratory illness if you continually breathe in wood dust. Never neglect to put on a dust mask. They don’t cost a lot, but they provide excellent protection for your lungs.

Another important safety step is to ensure that your work area is neat and tidy. When there isn’t any clutter around, you’re not so likely to trip, fall or become dangerously distracted. Good lighting is important not only so you can see properly to work but also to illuminate any potentially hazardous situations. Be sure to disconnect the power from your equipment when you’re done working, and cover up the tools. This will protect others in your home, in particular the kids.

Never rush a DIY woodworking job. Before you start working, check to be sure that all your materials are accessible and that you’ve taken the necessary safety measures. If you are alert and prepared, you’re much more likely to avoid injury. Plus, you’ll get much more pleasure out of your hobby because you’re more relaxed.

There is plenty to be said about staying occupied. My father told me this when I was a small child in elementary school. He claimed that one of the best ways to keep your children out of trouble is by getting them interested in sports, outdoor activities, crafts and hobbies. I suppose that made sense. Well, today I know that it does make sense. In retrospect, I can recall all the things he introduced me to. Two that really took are martial arts and archery. I spent countless hours staying busy with both of these hobbies growing up. I never had time to go out and get into trouble with drinking or drugs. If you’re a parent, this is serious food for thought. What do your children love?

I started early with my daughter. When she was only two years old, I exposed her to all sorts of art. She loved it! From then on out, I knew what crafts and hobbies or even cowboy bedding for boys tickled her fancy. Soon came the music as well. Now she is 8 years old, and spending a couple hours a day painting, drawing and playing a keyboard. The rest of her free time is enjoyed outdoors playing. This is a great start in my book. It’s not difficult when you introduce your little ones to crafts and hobbies at an early age. They are so impressionable then. And they’re more than happy to play with paint, throw a ball, or help construct boys pirates bedding or a model. Your participation with them is often the key. You see, when it comes to crafts and hobbies in the first years, your child wants to do everything with you. As he/she grows, they will become more advanced with what they love and naturally more independent.

Find oodles of ideas on the web. This is the first place I turn if I’m searching for something new and exciting. Need crafts, hobbies or dinosaur bedding for boys to enjoy with your little ones? Not a problem if you jump into cyberspace. Get more ideas than you can handle. Another awesome place to check out is Michael’s craft store. There is likely one located in your area. Take your child along with you and browse to see where their interests lie. I guarantee they will like something.

So you’ve got an infant in the house. You want to know one of the most fun things about having your own little rugrats? Dressing them up how ever you like. My wife goes utterly nuts over this. She is starting to get bummed out these days because our daughter is no longer so compliant with her wishes and tastes. If you had seen my wife since the day our daughter was born, you would surely know what I’m talking about. She loved picking out her clothes but not so much her brother’s boys safari bedding. Then there was me. My day was but one out of the entire year. I am talking about the spookiest of the spooky and loads of fun to boot. Nothing other than Halloween. I was able to choose the costume for our little tike. I loved this job. Especially in this day and age. Trust me; there is a plethora of costumes for babies out there.

Some may not know where to start when Halloween draws near. I mean, where would you look for those magnificent costumes for babies? Maybe at the local drugstore? WRONG! This is a major no-no. The last place you should be checking into regarding costumes for babies is the drug or grocery store. Halloween is a big deal, folks. It only takes place once each year. What you should be doing is going all out. It’s time to hit up the hot spots that carry quality costumes for babies. Are you ready to venture out to the local mall to check out airplane bedding for boys? Department stores are perfect when it comes to costumes for babies. Check out some of the stuff Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, and Hecht’s offer during the Halloween season. There are plenty of adorable costumes for babies every single year. Heck, they even get more precious as time moves forward. I purchased my daughter’s very first costume from Hecht’s when she was less than a year old. She was a little jack-o-lantern with a hat and all.

Other sources you may wish to try when it comes to costumes for babies is the World-Wide-Web. I say sources simply due to the fact that there are so many different companies online. You can literally sort through countless costumes or boys sports bedding for babies all day long. Hey, this is not a bad idea. Or, if you have a particular costume in mind, just punch it in and check out the results. With all the great costumes for babies now days, you’re sure to find a winner.

What do you picture in your mind when you think of an apron? I doubt that it is a children’s apron. Most people will think of their mother or grandmother in a kitchen apron. But any elementary school teacher or day care worker can tell you that children need aprons when they are finger painting or eating.

There is so much more to crafting than keeping them clean with childrens aprons to protect their clothing. Children need to get more from their experience.

In The Old Days;

Child care workers and educators formerly had very few choices when it came to children’s aprons. They could only be purchased locally and not much variety was available. There was practically no such thing as custom children’s aprons.

All Kinds of Aprons;

The internet has changed everything in the area of apron styles and availability, just as it has changed just about everything else. You can find online suppliers for any type of apron. There are limitless choices of colors and designs now where there were almost none before.

Safe and Washable Fabrics;

A great advantage of today’s aprons is that they are made of flame resistant and stain resistant materials. These new aprons are very inexpensive but very durable. And everyone would agree that it is better for a child or even an adult to be wearing a flame resistant apron in any situation.

Inexpensive Custom Printing;

Now aprons can be customized to fit any situation. It’s easy and inexpensive to add a name or a company logo to any apron. The newest ways of fabric printing make custom apron printing as easy as printing on paper. This has lowered the cost of custom printed fabrics so much that there is little reason not to customize on a large order.

For you and your kids, childrens aprons are only the first step in spending a safe, clean, and enjoyable afternoon as a family. These times are rarely as stress-free as seen on television without some planning and thought put into the situation.

The concept of knitting yarn is very relative and wide at the same time as it defines any material that can be knitted by hand, machine or loom, artificial fibers, wool, cotton, string and ribbon fall under this category. The aspect to keep in mind before choosing the knitting yarn is that this element gives the actual properties of an item as such. How formal do you want the garments to be? On what weather are you going to wear them? And how often do you need to wash them? This suggests that the right knitting yarn influences the success or failure level in a knitting project, although it does not work alone in that direction.

First of all, knitting yarn comes in different shapes and sizes, not to mention the fact that the origin of the material is equally important. Thus, animal-based fibers such as wool are incredibly adequate if we think about the insulating and humidity absorbent properties. This means that such knitting yarn works great for socks, blankets, gloves, hats, sweaters, baby clothes and shawls. In summertime cotton and other plant fibers make the knitting yarn suitable to make very breathable fabric.

Other variants of knitting yarn that can be highly reliable and easy to use are nylon and polyester; they make excellent materials for all sorts of fashionable clothes, yet, despite many opinions, you should not use such yarn for baby clothes. Only cotton and linen are suitable to come into contact with the sensitive baby skin. Then, another serious word of advice to consider here is the quality of the knitting yarn that is most often relevant in the color difference. You have to make sure that all the yarn skeins belong to the same batch so that you don’t have the surprise of discovering color variations.

Knitting yarn comes in a variety of thicknesses otherwise known as weights. Aran yarn represents the most common weight and it is ideal for simple knitting patterns and hats. Any knitting yarn type thicker than Aran is usually good for heavy jumpers and usually requires the use of very thick needles. On the other hand, knitting yarn types thinner than the standard include the double-knit and the four-ply yarns. The former is ideal for children’s clothing and socks whereas the latter allows for the making of fine elegant apparel items.

For more Free help and advice on knitting be sure to visit Knitting Tips…

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Rules You Must Follow When Making French Bead Flowers – Rule # 1 Is Identical to Rule # 1 in Ballet

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What in the World couldthe art of French bead flower making have in common with ballet?

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If you aspire to be a tap dancer, gymnast, modern-dance dancer, jazz dancer, or even an Irish step dancer – you have to learn excellent technique first.  As proper foundation for all of these forms of dance, the best place to learn technique is in ballet class.  At Ballet school, you will be taught how to carry your head, stretch your spine, point your toes, and make your arms move like the fronds of a weeping willow.

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If you wish to make French bead flowers, you must make the commitment to learn excellent technique.  In my opinion, what is the one most important technique in this art?

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Rule # 1 - your basic wire has to be kept straight.

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It sounds simple, doesn’t it?  Certainly I will keep my basic wire straight, you say. What could be easier than that?  You might be surprised.  This can be a huge challenge for someone new to the art.

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What do you need to do in order to prevent a basic wire from becoming crooked?  Let me give you a few hints.  1 – Fasten a tack or nail into your working surface, and wrap the top of a very long basic wire around that.  Maintain the piece under tension while you start to wrap the spool wire.  2 – While you are fitting the rows of the beads into position, tug the top basic wire.  Wrap the spool wire, and tug on the top basic wire once again.  Turn the piece over and check whether the wire is straying off-course.  3 – Learn to “finesse” the beads.  If you find that it’s not possible to fit another bead in that row, the top wire can reach over ever so lightly on that row, as long as you compensate for it when next you come up to the top basic wire, and if the overall impression of the piece is straight.

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After you have completed several rows of beadsof your piece, turn the piece over and make sure that the wire is truly straight.  If you find that it’s not straight, the right thing to do is to disassemble it and try it again.  Practice.  Never be afraid to make mistakes; that’s the best way to learn the art.  They’re only wire and beads – they’re gentle teachers and will never lose patience with you.  This will be a new learning experience for your mind, your heart, and your hands.  Each of those departments has its own hurdle to overcome with a new undertaking.

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