Quarantine Activities

[Notanaviator]

I'm mostly a bourbon snob (should be its own thread in my humble opinion), but Gin is a favorite too. Hendrick's has been mentioned, that's a great one. Sipsmith hasn't been mentioned that I've seen - would add that to the running as well. But there is always a handle of Sapphire on my bar - great all around gin for cocktails and drinking neat or martinis, very good value.

On the other end of the beginner less herbaceous spectrum, St George spirits has a trio of small bottles that run the gamut but are all in the Masters/PhD program. One in particular is effectively drinking pine and juniper, the other two if memory serves are more floral, different flavor combos. Because Gin, like vodka, doesn't need to be aged, if you do some digging you'll find a tremendous variety of experimental combinations because similar to beer, you can pump out small batches much more economically than committing to trying something and then aging it for multiple years before you find out whether it sells. Fun area to explore.

 

[AllAmerican75]

Not to derail this thread any further, but are there any mezcal or tequila drinkers here? I've been trying to expand my horizons but mezcal is hard to find.

 

[nittany03]

On the other end of the beginner less herbaceous spectrum, St George spirits has a trio of small bottles that run the gamut but are all in the Masters/PhD program. One in particular is effectively drinking pine and juniper, the other two if memory serves are more floral, different flavor combos. Because Gin, like vodka, doesn't need to be aged, if you do some digging you'll find a tremendous variety of experimental combinations because similar to beer, you can pump out small batches much more economically than committing to trying something and then aging it for multiple years before you find out whether it sells. Fun area to explore.

The trouble is finding the obscure stuff in servings less than a fifth. Pre-COVID, I'm sure I could have gone downtown to a craft cocktail bar somewhere and done a mini-tasting for an evening.

Now that hypothetical place is probably boarded up with ACAB and Antifa graffiti all over it . . . ?

 

[mad dog]

Still doing dadskatesquad on Wednesday...pic from tonight...

 

[nittany03]

My old warhorse of a Weber gas grill died recently at the ripe old age of 10. Unknown leak I couldn't spot with the soapy water test, but it still stunk of gas and wouldn't heat up past like 250 degrees with the safety valve on the regulator. So I bought a Traeger as a replacement. And now, to paraphrase the Arby's marketing department . . . I have the meats!

I've done ribs, pulled pork, a cheeseburger, sausages, salmon, steelhead, shredded chicken, and some Cornish hens so far, and I'm not going back. Even found a dealer for Lumber Jack wood pellets down here who sells them as a side hustle for just over $10 a bag, which is almost half what Ace wants for the Traeger-brand ones. So I have 4 kinds of wood to choose from, sitting in pet food containers on my deck.

 

[Jim123]

Unknown leak I couldn't spot with the soapy water test, but it still stunk of gas

Chickened out on the match test didja?

 

[nittany03]

Chickened out on the match test didja?

Propane . . . old-ass wood deck the previous owner never maintained . . . what could possibly go wrong? ?

 

[nittany03]

A note. All of us did get cooped up earlier this year with the whole quarantine thing. Those of use who had these things called “lives” decided to start this thread to talk about whatever harmless stuff we were doing this year as the world went insane.

Rest assured that if you lack a life, and are reduced to continuously commenting on the Internet about how only your politics or only your epidemiology are correct, you have our sympathies. We hope that one day, you will meet a human being of your preferred gender whose name doesn’t end in “.jpg,” or at least that you find a therapist who you can talk to about your obsessive behavior.

In the interim, please direct potshots about whether or not “quarantine” is still a valid term to the War Zone where all the shit-flinging belongs. This is a harmless thread for talking about home improvement, gardening, skateboarding, fine booze, delicious smoked meats, and other such enjoyable things.

 

[Pags]

My old warhorse of a Weber gas grill died recently at the ripe old age of 10. Unknown leak I couldn't spot with the soapy water test, but it still stunk of gas and wouldn't heat up past like 250 degrees with the safety valve on the regulator. So I bought a Traeger as a replacement. And now, to paraphrase the Arby's marketing department . . . I have the meats!

I've done ribs, pulled pork, a cheeseburger, sausages, salmon, steelhead, shredded chicken, and some Cornish hens so far, and I'm not going back. Even found a dealer for Lumber Jack wood pellets down here who sells them as a side hustle for just over $10 a bag, which is almost half what Ace wants for the Traeger-brand ones. So I have 4 kinds of wood to choose from, sitting in pet food containers on my deck.
View attachment 27599

How's the searing ability? I looked hard at pellet grills when my gas grill needed replacing a few years ago and most still had limited ability to really do high temp searing.

I ended up with the old standby Weber Kettle. Added an aftermarket Slow and Sear and love it. After doing a ton of research I came across a post that said "if you want to spend X on a new grill, go buy a Weber kettle and spend the rest on good meat" and that resonated with my style.

But I still do cast jealous eyes at pellet grills...I really want to make a smoked apple pie.

 

[Dontcallmegump]

It wasn't the Blue Ridge mountains, but last weekend a buddy and I escaped to hill country to go riding and camping outside of San Antonio with the blessing of skipper and a warning to stay out of bars and restaurant's. The roads and scenery of the area weren't as grand as anything mountainous out west but it was exciting to actually have elevation changes. Fall was setting in around the valleys that actully had enough water for trees and the weather was fantastic. Great area for a newer rider to get some expirence with all types of road conditions and degrees of twisty-ness. Hopefully we'll able to explore more of the region to the northeast around Austin before too long and winter sets in.

 

[scoolbubba]

Texas Hill Country is awesome.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

A note. All of us did get cooped up earlier this year with the whole quarantine thing. Those of use who had these things called “lives” decided to start this thread to talk about whatever harmless stuff we were doing this year as the world went insane.

Rest assured that if you lack a life, and are reduced to continuously commenting on the Internet about how only your politics or only your epidemiology are correct, you have our sympathies. We hope that one day, you will meet a human being of your preferred gender whose name doesn’t end in “.jpg,” or at least that you find a therapist who you can talk to about your obsessive behavior.

In the interim, please direct potshots about whether or not “quarantine” is still a valid term to the War Zone where all the shit-flinging belongs. This is a harmless thread for talking about home improvement, gardening, skateboarding, fine booze, delicious smoked meats, and other such enjoyable things.

And deleting posts and replacing them with insults. Good one

 

[taxi1]

Still doing dadskatesquad on Wednesday...pic from tonight...

View attachment 27598

Awesome

We had a slew of secret drainage features in VA Beach back in the day, and one guy knew another guy who had a pool. Another guy knew someone who had built this magnificent plywood structure all over his backyard. When they built Mt Trashmore we'd go up and race down the soapbox derby track in our full aero tuck.

I still have my homemade woodie board with the Weber urethane wheels. Started out on the concrete ones, remember those? Also have a fibreglass high flex one stuck away somewhere.

I just use it for moving around refrigerators and other heavy stuff now. Sad.

 

[ABMD]

I decided to take on the task of building a treehouse for the kids. I should have looked at lumber prices before I promised the little one's. Holy crap, $6 for a common (Prime) stud! $10 for a treated 2x4, nearly $50 for 1/2 PT plywood. Pics to follow

 

[Hair Warrior]

Not to derail this thread any further, but are there any mezcal or tequila drinkers here? I've been trying to expand my horizons but mezcal is hard to find.

Ilegal Mezcal is pretty good, and relatively affordable. I'm not a mezcal aficionado but I've tried around 5 or so brands so far.

For tequila and mezcal, I think it's more about your aging taste (joven vs. reposado vs. anejo) as opposed to any particular brand allegiance.

I like Casamigos for tequila. I would never pay more than $50/bottle for either tequila or mezcal. In fact, I don't buy bottles period. I get a cocktail or two a couple times a year for $12-15 and that is enough for me.