Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Yeah, yeah! pictures!

Powdered ginger I can handle

By honey beer I mean something like 'the bees knees', I don't think its anything like the traditional mead but they use part honey instead of fully sugar to brew???

A cold smoker takes a LOOOONG time and yep, the meat lasts longer if you get it right... but if you don't... ... botulisim! This can even be a problem afterwards if the sausages aren't kept in the right conditions. Thats why I'm planning to hot smoke and freeze me sausages afterwards. Not so good for flavour but better for the health and safety thing for a beginner.

Little while before I start making wine, ... jus a thought, I have an old book at home, might need to check and see. As for the cold smoker, yeah I will be building one but it will be some time off, probably a year or two, I believe the meat tastes so much better and lasts a lot longer smoked that way. My father and others have a bit experience in this so I'll draw on their knowledge when it comes to this.

As for the butcher you mentioned, it's not Linke's by any chance? When I lived in Sydney a few years back people thought I was crazy for having stuff mail orderd from them. best mettwurs in the world.

For those wishing to know, the honey beer I make is an ALE with a percentage of honey placed into the fermenter. The percentage of honey would depend on the type off honey and how much of the honey flavour and aroma you want from it. Just make sure you use a good quality honey, prefferably some from a local producer. ( I'm getting a bit anal about food miles lately)

As for the ginger beer, you can actually buy cans frome home brew shops that make up around 20 litres of GB. Depending on what sort of flavour you want out of it you can add some fresh or aged ginger (just boil it first), maybe some cinnamon and maybe also some nutmeg possibly some limes to buffer the ginger. Use raw suger and depending on your taste vary the type of yeast, Ale yeast, Cider yeast or if you like a dry taste use Champagne yeast.

Himzo.

ok, I understand re honey beer - mead is made form fermented honey only.
Agree re: cold smoking - can be deadly if not done properly. A large company here in S.Australia got somewhat careless with their smoking and quality control. Big scandal. One child died several people ill. Company bankrupt - closed down!
All Smoked Meat/Meat Products must have added Sodium Nitrate (by law) here in S. Australia

heka

Hi Himzol.....yep it is Graham Linke (Butcher) used to smoke all his products (Without added Sodium Nitrate) since that scandal he has to put it in (required by law) I alway by bacon/mettwurst etc.from him - I asked him "Who is going to make all the smoked products etc. when he can't do it anymore? " he just looked at me - no answer. He is getting on in age.
Hope he is training somebody who will be able to take over.
heka

Just dug it out you will need the hose of the barby packaged will be 4 kg heres a photo if you want it send your post code and i will get a price

Perfect!

Post code is 3888 but don't much care about the price...Just happy to get a burner that works to fire up the smoker enough!

I can't wait

looks like $10.00 postage pm me your full mane and address and i will post on monday

$10 plus her hair. That's a bit steep F&F

Sorry me no understand [please explain]

Dont worry just got it [ to many beers]

Is there anything you dont have?

Had to think a while one of those tim horses

Preserving.

I'm looking at getting a pressure canner, any advice?
I want to make sure whatever pressure canner I get is also tall enough to be reasonably used to water bath can quart jars as well as pints.

The canning will be done in the "outdoor" kitchen as there is not a chance that our little indoor kitchen would have the space and the electric stove has very un-level burners anyway so is unsuitable.

I've been over on the Garden Web forums learning what I can about canners and using them over outdoor propane burners and the challenges with that since that is what we will be doing.

Since our climate is too warm to really manage any real root cellaring and an extra freezer uses lots of electricity and you risk loosing all the food to spoilage if a hurricane comes through and knocks out power, I'm kinda left with drying, fermenting, and canning if I want to put by much more food. Our current freezer is packed pretty full. Only so many things dry well here. And I have not yet tried fermenting anything though I'll probably try fermented pickles if we ever get a good crop of cucumbers again.

I have no info on canning. Just bottling I'm afraid and bottling isn't really recommended for veggies unless they are bottled in a preserving brine with a higher acid content (vinegar bring, not enough acid in the veggies alone). Its good for fruit though.

Home Brew: I bought a beginner kit yesterday. It came with a huge book and no simple instructions on how to use the equipment in the box! I have read the beer section in the book but it talks about sugars and stuff and this kit has 'drops' and a pre made sugar mix. Very confusing. I'll get my head around it sooner or later. I now need to word up another neighbour to save his clear bottles for me (so I can see the sediment when I drink the stuff and watch it brew away ) He drinks a bit so there should be plenty of empties to be recycled in no time at all