Not rocket science but not bucket chemistry either.

With the weather warming and prices rising and reserves falling, all signs point to the time being right to start off the summer beer brewing season. True, I realise that summer is a month and a half away yet but the weather doesn't seem to realise that.


Lurking under this former rubbish bin is brew #1 of the season.

While the days are getting warmer, the nights are still a little cool so supplementary heating is required and that accounts for thos two brown wires disappearing into the top of the bin. Under the rubbish bin is a standard home brew container with airlock. The bin just helps keep the heat in one spot. But how is it heated (I hear you ask?), well for that I need to thank Parrish, a former employee from when I was involved with the laboratory.

One day I was talking to Parrish about home brew and discussing heating options. Suddenly he said "I havbe just what you need, in my locker!" Now, we gave the staff lockers to keep their clothes in, lunch maybe, shopping perhaps, you know, bits and pieces. Parrish's locker was more a cross between Dr Who's Tardis and Mary Poppin's hand bag. You never really knew what was in it and, quite frankly, I was happy about that arrangement. Parrish had a lunchtime hobby of scavenging in the waste bins of nearby factories. Anyway, Parrish rummaged inside his locker and came out with...

...a water-bed heater! (Of course! I should have known!)

So now I wrap the heating pad around the brewer, put the rubbish bin over the top, set the bed to 23degC and, hey presto, there is a contented 'boloop, boloop, boloop...' sound coming from the bin.

Now there is just the waiting bit...
...