we have a show on tv here called NPC - national press club and each week one or more notable people give an address: this week it was Mary Lou McDonald - a good Scots name is it not? I think she is someone high up in Sein Fein and was sorta stokin the flames a bit? calling for a new united Ireland - we are just calling for Jem the Jeweller to come back from somewhere??
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welcome back Jem - wot ever weâve done wrong we are sorry - right spitty?
As long as that is Dublin Guinness, and not the stuff from the London brewery, wot tastes differunt, it should be enough to tempt him back.
About a decade ago I was doing a job in Tennessee, USA. There was a very nice restaurant and bar near my hotel that became my local. After an absence of three years, I went back on another job. As I walked in, the barmaid looked at I and said, I canât remember your name, but I remember you drink Blue Moon Belgium Wheat Beer.
I was home.
Anyway, one of the bar staff told me about some new-fangled agitator device that had been installed, specifically, and more importantly, only for use with cans of Guinness. They would take a cold-one out the fridge, place it on this shaker table, press a button and watch as it get shaken about. When it stopped they would pour it into a glass, and it was supposed to look and taste like a draft jobby.
They had been explicitly told, under no circumstances should they use it on any other type of beer can.
Well one day they were bored, so they thought they would try it with a different type of beer. Whatâs the worst that could happen, they asked.
Apparently it took them two hours to clean the bar afterwards.
will Iâm sure that clean lickin takes a long time heh? been making homemade for years on and off - I can get can cans from a place out east and regardless of the amount of heavy cans they deliver free - off course they do but I am becoming a bit weary now of fiddling about with cleaning 25 litre barrels [got two] re-kindlin them waiting for a week and a half then bottling 20 litre bottles and waiting again for second ferment to finish - should have gone if for spirits with a large stainless steel jobbo and just water and sugar and a few wood shaving thrown in - longer and stronger heh - but ya gotta watch the temps and the law a bit closer? I was once offered poocheen once on a trip to Ireland but turned it down - it just looked like water?
Iâve never tried to make homebrew beer, 'cept the cheatâs version where you just add water and yeast to a bag of malted goo and leave it for three weeks.
I have had a go at making cider using apples from our tree, but I must be doing something wrong.
The first time I used wild yeast (the stuff that just floats around in the air). All that involved was pressing enough apples to get a bucketful of juice, then leaving it with a cloth over the top.
It made very good cider ⊠vinegar.
The following year I used proper brewerâs yeast. It worked perfectly except the cider was very sharp and dry. I made it drinkable by adding chalk, but it ended up tasting like chalky sweet cider.
Iâm just going to stick with pressing apple juice, which is absolutely delicious with nothing added, and only the lumps taken out.
Well, 'tis a triple anniversary at Fruitcake Folly today.
Itâs my Outlawâs forty seventh wedding anniversary, which is also the forty seventh anniversary of when I met a certain young miss who became my cousin that day, and itâs also our eldest sonâs thirty eight birthday.
Well I did used to be a precision engineer you know. 
when brewing HMB or homemade cider - there will not be enough sugar in the apples to do both things - mix with yeast and make alcohol and mix with additional added fluid to make anything! - you need to add apples or apple juice plus a given amount of sugar -dissolve and the sugar dissolved will mix with the yeast to make alchohol and the apples provide the taste only? I could repeat that in russian but I am rushin out the door atm?
same with hmb - the tin of malt plus flavors is sweet but not enough to mix with yeast and make alcohol in sufficient quantity - so again I add 1 kg brown sugar to a 23 litre container - add beer malt - dissolve all and when cold add yeast - if hot you will kill the yeast - my bill is in the mail!
Thanks for the tips. Iâll give it another go at harvest time then.
I might emphasize that adding more sugar seems crazy but it works and is back by millions of scientific papers !! oh and does not produce extra sweet anything - just makes alcohol!
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has anyone else got the feeling that Jem is having a rest from scribbling? or wot? - I know spitfire and Jem are having a hols together - âscribbling on the banksâ?
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Aye, the place is quiet without their thoughts on matters 
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Jem oft remarks on this matter were " just carry on without me lads and lasses and I will catch up on my return" unless of course he is ill or worst and then nobody would necessarily think of contacting Off or even know about it? members could leave instructions with loved ones re this before it all fell apart?
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always been independent all my workin life so depending on others donât come easy unless they are near and dear who are all estranged and far!!
I live in a forest as some know - and my car lies knacked a few yards away - so I finally gave up some independence and organized âhome care WAâ who will come and fix broken taps and take me to the shops and even do it with me [no thanks!] then post office and anywhere else in this flea bitten part of the world ! - hospital appointments no problem have three different transport options and I am registered with an Indigenous health organization and get top notch attention - so giving up ones absolute independence comes with some compensations? today I will be shopping at WW then PO then home and this arvo to the general hospital for audio attention and all free - we copied the uk NHS but so far it is still goin quite well [donât believe all you read in the papers] I am finally applying for a gov pensions having never needed one before and they tell me there is a swarve of goodies on their endless list of services for their respected elders!
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" a swarve of goodies" 
well done pixie ya learnin ocker lingo!
Oive yest been watchin Johanna Lumely and she showed me a pic of the Dali Llama and the Derry Llama now where would that be at all at all?? [ no google searching please?]
I was sorry to hear about the loss of two of Australia/Britainâs finest entertainers, Judith Durham and Olivia Newton-John.
Both were very talented and will both be missed.
I have heard of the Derri Llama, but no nothing more than the name.
I have seen the Dali Llama being interviewed on TV, and he has a wicked sense of humour, using his accent to pronounce a purely innocent comment in such a way as to make it sound rude.
We have Llamas near where I live as well. I think they are farmed for their wool, but if they were used to produce meat as well, I expect they would be sold in one of our local farm shops as Deli Llamas.
a good finishing joke but not the correct answer so we ainât finished yet boyo!
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Do you want me to sing the answer as a mournful Irish Llament instead?
you could certainly try - do you produce your own youtubes?? died in the Llama deri deri funny!
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Oil give yuz a clue - the dali llama and the derry llama once met and almost kissed!!