OT.
Sorry, can’t let this go.
So the most respected and reputable posters in AHB history, the likes of Argon, Doc, Thirstyboy, Manticle, Tony and Dr Smurto (to name a few) are all back with different names disrupting and destroying?
I don’t know why they don’t post anymore, but I for one think this forum is a much poorer place for their absence. Thankfully Mark (MHB) is still here with plenty of quality posts with his extensive knowledge. I highly doubt those aforementioned members are here in a different guise causing mischief.
JD
Hey JD. I had assumed my latter posting would cause a little stir here and there (pun intended). I stand by my words. I do not suffer idiots who want to start some sort of dick swinging contest when there's plenty of room for everyone on the special bus. If I knew pissing on his patch was such an issue I would have pissed over in the "I have a stuck sparg" thread. I find the whole attitude distasteful. In all reality, if some f@rking retard (and you would have to be retarded) had the the stupidity to start at me like that, unprovoked, at the Coutts Crossing Tavern, they would be picking up pieces of your ass out of the carpet for 12 months.
I am not called the "Mad Russian" for no reason. Fark, if I went in to Coutts and was that rude and disrespectful I would have my ass handed to me by the boys. I think anyone would react that way at ones own drinking hole. Well those city homos-things seem to have gentrified (gayed) every decent pub so maybe I have stretched the truth there. Who f#cking serves cubed kale puree with a T-bone?
My point is rudeness and disrespect don't make you knowledgeable, your opinions right or beyond reproach. Shouting someone down and accusing them of misinformation (character assassination in my opinion) doesn't make you right. Just makes you loudest. Why would I let myself be bullied by some egotistical person who thinks he and his opinions are the only right answer? I understand he is a sage here, I understand he has genuinely helped many here, but 10 yrs ago that was not the case and he wasn't doing that at all. 10 years ago, the others (as you have mentioned) WERE THE KNOWLEDGE now used for good deeds. Good for those who can pass others work as their own while making claims of piety. I seriously cannot be bothered with the argument. I did my time over a mash tun and learned many many lessons. I still learn now.
I didn't come to this forum to start any shit or blaze a trail of destruction. I did not disguise myself as being anything other than a previous member. I have never been barred from this site. I am not a rogue member of some farking childish adult fantasy-orgasism brewer site... whatever the fark that is??? I don't have the time, inclination, nor interest in some petty school yard lovers tiff over who's website is the best. I came here because I am going to build a very traditional wood fired brewery and I was hoping to share the experience with other like minded people. I thought the topic would be interesting for some brewers. I was hoping some would even offer advice where needed. Back in the day thats what we did here. We solved other brewers issues not just aggrandizing our own awesomeness. JD that's what made it a community. That's why it was so good and so helpful here IMHO. Heads were out of asses so proper blood and oxygen supply could be maintained...
Back in the day we all dumped brews on yesterdays brew cakes all of the time (big time exaggeration). We USED TO JOKE ABOUT IT (Truth). F#CK WE WOULD HIGH FIVE IF WE PULLED A DECENT BREW OFF. BUT No one died. Sure plenty of crap beer was made, shit I was personally responsible for making the most fowl rancid beers. 99% of the time you deserved what you got. But 1% of the time it would be pure genius. No seriously it would be. It was this type of tom f#ckery that lead to knowledge and discovery. Try it. Instead of worrying about making a mistake and asking the so self titled gods here for their anal advice why don't you just wing it? Give it a go FFS! Nothing to loose right? Gain your own knowledge for your own use.
While in OT mode... In all seriousness where I live is Hillbilly Hell but I love it to death. If you had told me this shit before I moved here I wouldn't have believed you. Dig this shit... One neighbour his mother, father and two sibblings murdered in bed and unsolved for 70 yrs. The farker lives in the same farm house/bedroom/bed and never lost a second of sleep. The dude is one tough mountain man. Has 6 of the most beautiful Guy Falkes brumbies you'll ever see. I have a another crackhead dude a valley over who gets off his nut and then shoots shit out of his and f@rking mine stuff. I have to chase the f@ckwit back home and sedate him 90% proof. The people behind are ex-italian mafia... older dude did 15 yrs for growing 25,000 plants... YES THAT'S RIGHT 25K MJ PLANTS... that's 2.5 tons of premo heads... Ya dig me here? His son is just out for assault and battery oh and he lost his licence til 2057... YEP cannot legally drive for another 37 years! Then there's Rambo on the mountain... dudes name is John funny enough... he is ex-military... the type of military you never want to see (and I don't mean your pretend video game type kiddies I mean a dude that the boogieman doesn't f@ck with)... he lives under two tarps... no really just two tarps... nothing else... even by his own admissions he prefers to keep to himself so "he doesn't loose his shit. again". I really haven't hung around to see what the F@CK that means and don't want too either. I know my limits on crazytown.
JD all those guys. Argon, Doc, Thirstyboy, Manticle, Tony and Dr Smurto (and plenty others like BribieG, Ross of Craftbrewer, Butters, Muckey, Squire and all the BABBS guys ETC to name a few) were but a few people I called good friends here. To be honest I was proud being around them. They were deadset legends at this art. Some were serious Master Brewers in every sense but would be way too humble to admit it. Some were incognito brewing/viticulture professionals who shared their knowledge freely for the betterment of the craft. Some were hardcore CSIRO scientists. All of them could back themselves not only in a debate but by what was in the bottle too. And that at the end of the day is what really counts. We all experimented and we all shared our experiences back on the forums and a lot behind the scenes sharing of knowledge on email and PM as well. These guys made the knowledge available that others now claim as their own. We were using stir plates 20 years ago, they aren't new, they are not fool proof, they definitely have their drawbacks and there are plenty of other methods worth a try if you can see past ya nose.
JD, if ya wonder why those aren't here... its simple really... they (like I did) got sick of the bullshit. I got sick of being shouted out by fellows claiming our hard fought knowledge as their own. We all got sick of being the only ones answering the noobs while others just cherry picked or ignored those posts. We answered the noobs for no other gain but to keep the brewing dream alive and bring someone new into the fold. Sadly a lot of us felt used and frankly betrayed by those who we helped. Self opinionated narcissistic ra ra fag boys moved in, shouted us down with vigor, so we left. Well I did. I remember a few of the guys asking me for my email diaries because of the information treasure that they held. I was begged not take photo,articles etc down from here. I didn't.
And that kiddies is the
real truth behind the other site. I know because I was there. WEAL I definitely don't remember you at all mate but what your pushing as fact is pure fabrication. That rival site was not created out of spite. It was created out of frustration. It was created to bring that special something AHB had back to life. But the magic was all gone. On here and the other place. Now things may have gone past that point in the end. I honestly don't know. I gave up giving a shit about petty man-child shit long ago so there might be some truth to what you say WEAL but from the outside here it all just plain sounds like childish sour grapes.
Maybe that special something can be found again in the future? It's not here unfortunately... but I do hope... they were incredible times. Cue dream music....... Wavey crap blurring the screen..... Chimes playing.... Home brewing was moving from the dirty backyard toilet wine to mainstream acceptance. There were dudes making beer in garbage bins desperately trying to calling it beer (That was me! Truth). There was a real fight against the dreaded cans of goop too. An All Grain army had assembled (now that is complete bullshit). Craft brewers and craft beers were only just emerging. No James Squire yet. Nothing. It was a beer wasteland of New and TED. You had to mail order Sierra Nevada from the USA if you wanted to try a real hoppy commercial beer. AND definitely not a bearded tight jeaned gender neutral hipster to be seen opening his new brew pub (those f#cktards came way later). Shit we even tried to recreate "Little Creatures Pale Ale" hahahahaha! That was our nirvana. That was the bar set upon high. Everyone's brews reeked of passionfruit. Not to mention the 3000 IBUs of essential bittering for that REAL MANLY HOP FLAVOUR.... HAHAHAHA! Embarrassing as that sounds it's totally true. Back then little creatures were our heros! They were taking the flavour fight to masses and we were helping them with our over hopped brews of pure passionfruit..... LOL! We actually started using real hops and not just POR of FUGGLES. Thanks of this miracle, in a very large way, is to people like Ross and grain and grape who had the foresight for stock these expensive imported adjunctions). Brewers actually gave a shit about other brewers (complete bullshit we used to fight like cats and dogs). I used to send less fortunate brewers my surplus equipment for f#ck sake (Truth! I think I sent Manticle a S/S pot and a bottle capper. It wasn't asked for by him). I wouldn't do it now that's for sure. You're all total khunts. I remember I made BribieG's first BIAB rig. I welded that frame from my spare steel and made him those pulleys and shit work. Now there's a dude that is a pioneer and a wizard brewer. He got absolutely pasted here for his BIAB ideas. I mean it was terrifying how vicious people can be. But to his credit he kept right at it and all those idiots that shouted him down had to eat a big steaming pile of shit when he won QLD and the Nationals for his BIAB beers. There were fellows here on AHB that swore off brewing because he won. They thought it was an abomination. Funny how attitudes change no? Makes me laugh.
Anyhow I am at the bottom of my own all grain 10 year old scotch (thanks to StillScotish I still use ya recipe) and I see I have written a war and piece rant there LOL. Sorry guys just completely ignore me and my indulgence here... I would also appreciate leave this crap right here. I don't give a shit and I am sure other feel exactly the same way.
If anyone here is into Blacksmithing and or knife making let me know as I am always keen to catch up with a fellow hammer hand.... Here's a photo of a new knife design I am working up. Been making stuff and bashing on anvils for 45 years, I definitely do not know it all because like brewing... it's just not possible. Anyway I usually mock up a new design like this one to use around the farm for 6 months or so. That way I test the blade, steel, handling, balance, edge durability, my bashing metal skills etc before selling it to the wide world. For those in the know... The blade is full tang 5mm 1075 steel. The bolster is solid brass billet. The handle is deer antler and red gum from my property thru riveted. The blade is very rough I know still showing the file marks. Usually I would have the finish done up to about 4000 grit to a mirror shine but its my test knife and that crap takes 5 hours over the belt grinder. The etching is a new process I am trying out but so I am happy. I do both etching and hand engraving on my stuff. Also all my blades and hand filed to profile. No grinders and no belt grinders. It takes a lot longer but I much prefer the results and accuracy. I am thinking about hand carving the sheath but lacking inspiration for a pattern...