So I got into homebrewing a few years back with my little brother.  The first step in the brewing process is to steep the grains (or mash) at a certain temperature.  Up until now, I’ve done this with a large pot on the stove.  After searching the internet for a better way, I came across a method called “infusion mashing”.  Essentially, you add your grains into an insulated cooler and add the proper amount of hot water and stir it all up.  Then close the lid and come back in an hour and the built in straining system does the rest.  Since the other method required constant stirring and watching the temperature, this method seemed much easier.

I just finished my first batch using this mash tun, and it worked perfectly.  I brewed a nut brown ale with 14 lbs. of grains and the mash tun handled it without a problem.  It was definitely a more efficient way to mash the grains.  Building the mash tun was pretty simple and cost about 50 bucks.  I definitely recommend upgrading to this type of mash tun for all grain brewing.

Hello and welcome to the new and improved BlackMarketYardSale!  This is my first post since the site has gone under a major overhaul.  My posts will cover a wide range of topics from food to music to the random thought or observation.  And with that being said, I want to share something that has recently happened to me.

To start off with, I’m not a big “gym” person.  In fact, I really don’t care for the gym at all.  I like working out and love to swim, but its always soooooo crowded that it drives me crazy.  Currently, I’m injured and can’t  run, so I’ve sucked it up and have been going to the gym to swim and lift some weights to help my leg injury.  There are two specific machines that I use to help with my injury, the inner and outer hip flexor machines (ou know, the machines with tons of women congregating around them).

I’ve never used these machines until I started running a few years ago, but since then I’ve noticed that women are absolutely in love with these machines.  Has anyone else noticed this??  There is always a wait for these machines and in the past three years, I’ve never seen a guy on either one of these machines, not once.  This was a little intimidating for me at first, but I’ve stuck with it and something amazing has happened.  Now when I’m lingering around the machines I don’t get the “what the hell do you want with our machines, dude” look from the ladies.  I’ve actually been worked in to the rotation on occasion instead of being completely ignored or cut in line as before. I guess I’ve been using the machines long enough and word has spread through the ranks of the hip flexor gym ladies community and appear to have been accepted.  So ladies, if you see a bearded man waiting to use the machines, be cool because I’m clearly a member now!