Each flavor of sake, the national spirit of Japan, comes with its own fans, not unlike whiskey aficionados here in the States. While sake is often called "rice wine," it is more akin to a malted beverage like beer. Unfortunately, many people's first exposure to sake comes in ...more
You can brew your own beer on the stove, in a keg, or even inside a pumpkin, but those all look boring next to The Wobbly Boot Pico Brewery, the most sophisticated home-brewing system you'll ever see. Built by Ben_B, an engineer at National Instruments, the brewery sits on a s ...more
This is an easy homebrewers project for carbonating beverages in PET bottles with a CO2 regulator setup. You can get all these parts at an auto parts store. This is a clutch thing to use for making beer or cider. This keeps beer fresh!
Easy step by step guide into making your home brew, the best brew! By introducing oxygen into your wort before you begin fermenting it, you can greatly improve the quality and taste of your beer! Don't forget to leave your keys somewhere you can't reach! Skoal!!!
There's a lot of firsts that President Barack Obama can claim, like being the first POTUS from Hawaii, the first to publicly support same-sex marriage, and of course, the first African American to hold office. One of his coolest firsts, though, is that he's the first American ...more
Step aside, ginger ale; ginger beer is here, and it's delicious. Ginger beer is made by fermenting a combination of ginger simple syrup, yeast, and water, which gives it its robust flavor and sparkling quality. It's extremely simple to make, but you do have to wait a bit for ...more
Due to the dour economy we've all been cutting back on unnecessary expenditures. And unless you're a heavy (or heavily addicted) beer drinker, beer is one of those expenditures that cost a lot for minimal product. Brew your own happy juice by watching this video on how to cra ...more
In this video series, our expert Mark Emily will show you how to brew your own black lager, he will tell you about hops and malts, yeast, and Irish moss. Mr. Emily will also teach you about brewing equipment, different styles of beers, recipes, and ingredients, and equipment c ...more
The best wines will set you back almost as much as a pair of Blahniks on sale, so why not cut expenses and just make your own wine? Watch this beer brewing tutorial to see how to brew hard apple cider which has a wine-like taste. This is how to take some simple apple juice, y ...more
In order to make starter years, for home brewing beer, you will need the following ingredients and supplies: water, sanitizer, DME, scissors, refractometer, a magnetic stir bar, aluminum foil, yeast, and a funnel. Everything must be sanitzed first. Put water on to boil. Add D ...more
Three smart devices shown at CES 2016 are making it easier for you to make stupid decisions. PicoBrew, Somabar, and 10-Vins demonstrated their systems for beer, mixed cocktails, and wine, respectively, and each one is attempting to change the way we enjoy our favorite potent p ...more
The wait is almost over. The sixth season of Game of Thrones kicks off this Sunday, April 24th at 9 p.m. (PT) on HBO, or at 5:57 p.m. (PT) on HBO GO and HBO NOW, with the first episode "The Red Woman." Video: . Whether you're watching GoT with friends or at home by yourself, i ...more
Fish is a remarkably useful ingredient, whether you eat it as is or use fish sauce to give your recipes extra depth and flavor. However, if you enjoy a glass of Guinness on occasion, you might be surprised to know that there's most likely fish in that beverage, too. Isinglass ...more
Whether your holidays are cause for celebration or exhaustion from over-celebrating, alcohol is more often than not involved in the merrymaking. We at Food Hacks are very fond of enjoying this particular indulgence in lots of different ways. Flavored liquors and liqueurs have ...more
Serious Eats' latest Meet and Eat features Todd Barricklow, creator of the Taco Bike, an eco-friendly alternative to the fast growing food truck industry. The 200+ pound bike is equipped with a propane tank, three sectioned griddle, water tank, heat exchanger, wash sink, waste ...more
One of my favorite things about American Chinese food is how easy it is to eat: the pieces are bite-sized, the flavors are addictive, and the meat is always tender and easy to chew. But if you've ever tried to replicate any of your favorite takeout in the kitchen, you've likel ...more
When alcohol tastes bad, there's little you can do to save it—or so you think. While it might seem easier to toss your entire bottle of old, opened wine, or to give up and drink crappy vodka anyway, there are creative ways to turn a spoiled or just plain bad boozy beverage int ...more
Harry Potter fans got a treat last week when Pottermore, a site created by Harry Potter author, J. K. Rowling, released a test that let users learn what form their Patronus protective charm would take. Does it need to be said? The internet almost exploded. Riding this new wa ...more
Once again, you've found yourself inviting comrades, companions, and compatriots over for beverages on a Friday evening whim... but alas, your alcohol cabinet is looking rather meager, and your skills are lacking. No worries—just utilize these 10 tricks and spice up your at-ho ...more
Dave and Pat break down the basics of RFID technology and show you how to put it to use by building an RFID beer safe! RFID, or Radio Frequency ID, is everywhere: key cards in office buildings, electronic tollbooths and even passports. But how do you take that technology and ...more
Sometimes just drinking your alcohol can feel a little dull and boring. Eating your alcohol, however, is always a party. Whether you're hosting a party and looking for a unique idea to serve drinks, or have a problem with people judging you for drinking at noon, all you have ...more
With all due respect to the fine folks at DrinkTanks, it's a little surprising that no one came up with their idea sooner. After all, last I checked, beer was pretty darned popular. Still, the company has come up with the ultimate toy for beer drinkers. (Santa, I've been good ...more
In my opinion, vodka gets a lot of undeserved flak. It seems like most people have a bad experience in college with a plastic bottle of vodka and never go back. I can't blame them; it took me a few years after graduating college to start to enjoy vodka again—but now I adore it ...more
Koji is a culture made up of a certain fungus (mold) called Aspergillus oryzae, which has been used to ferment rice and soybeans in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean kitchens for centuries. Koji can actually have other involved fungi, but Aspergillus oryzae is the most common, and ...more
Beer, glorious beer! It can stop grilled meats from producing carcinogens, can make fried foods super crunchy, and it even saved civilization from total annihilation. Is there anything it can't do? Sadly, yes. While most of you know that a perfect pour makes all the differenc ...more
One of my favorite things about cocktails is that they're so diverse. They can be sweet or savory, filling or refreshing. And they can take advantage of nearly any ingredient imaginable, including egg whites, smoked ice, flavor cubes, and even beer. As a card-carrying member ...more
To some people, Thanksgiving is merely quality time with family and friends that they can't get throughout the rest of the year. To others, it's that one time when it's okay to be a greedy hog and get hammered all weekend long. In that spirit of eat-and-drink-until-you-drop, ...more
My years in the restaurant business have taught me many things. Some of those things are best left unsaid and other things require a PhD in vulgarity, but the one thing I learned that I keep coming back to night after night is that you do not have to spend a lot of money to dr ...more
It's that time a year when winter storms begin causing havoc across the United States, and when "rotating outages" are common to help sustain the electrical grid during intense cold periods. That means pretty much anybody with snow and ice in their backyard can succumb to powe ...more
This is a short documentary on brewing moonshine at home.
For your next home movie night, pop some fresh popcorn without using those microwave bags. Learn how you can build a simple popcorn popper made from a soda, beer, or any aluminum can. You can use this in a camp fire, on top of a candle or simply on your stove. Check out this h ...more
Comfort food doesn't get better than fish and chips. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, deep fried fish dipped in tartar sauce tastes like heaven on earth. And paired with our favorite vegetable, french fries, you can't go wrong. If you love fish and chips as much a ...more
Geekosystem has generously assembled a handy list of 10 foods you can allegedly make in a coffee maker. Sounds kinda grimy to me, but my own mother passed this link along, so if mom thinks it's kosher, I'll give it a try. Here are the ten (click through to Geekosystem for len ...more
In this video, we learn how to flatten a bottle cap in the Cuttlebug with Sara Sandberg. Before you do this, make sure you purchase bottle caps from a store, the ones from your home beer will not work with the Cuttlebug. Place your thick white A mat in the Cuttlebug, then plac ...more
This daring docu-drama explores the esoteric underground of hard-cider brewing. This fast paced thriller is sure to captivate the mind, and leave you on the edge of your seat. OK, it's just a video shot with a 3mp Cannon digital camera on video mode and edited with some lousy ...more
What's the Difference Between Ales and Lagers People often ask me, "Nick, what is the difference between Ales and Lagers?" Well, as you may or may not know, there are two types of beers -Ales & Lagers. All beers are made from the basic combination of water, hops, malts, and y ...more
Don't you love those simple little tricks that just make life easier? Like quick solution for a pesky stripped screw? Apartment Therapy says, "Taking my father's advice, I unscrewed the hinge and placed a few pieces of toothpick in the screw hole. As I reinstalled the screw, ...more
Testing products for a living is a bit more complicated than it sounds. You Will Need * A field of interest * A college degree Step 1: Pick a field Pick a field. Do you want to test toys? Evaluate appliances? Judge new ice cream flavors? The area that interests you will deter ...more
The next step in ultimate coffee brewing. Roasting your own beans creates the freshest cup of coffee. Roasting beans at home, ultimate coffee luxury. Forget Starbucks!
What Dad Really Wants from You for Fathers Day! Stop and think before you give your dad another "World's Best Dad" t-shirt this Fathers Day. This is the healer of scrapped knees and your biggest fan at your baseball games when you were a kid. Shouldn't he be able to sit back ...more
I've been curious to watch one of these famed '3D' games for a while now. Last April at NAB, I attended several 3D panels and folks from ESPN suggested that one of the strongest experiences that would bring 3D into the home would be live sports. I've missed opportunities to wa ...more
The Deens cook up a batch of bratwurst in beer with peppers and onions. Follow along and learn hot to make this Midwestern bratwurst classic. This cooking how-to video is part of Paula's Home Cooking show hosted by Paula Deen. Paula Deen, owner of Lady and Sons, a famous Savan ...more
Check out this cool video and learn how to create the Allassonic effect with a coffee cup, instant coffee and boiling water. When the bottom of a ceramic cup filled with boiling water and a heap of instant coffee is tapped at regular intervals the pitch of the sound heard slow ...more
Drinking too much is bad for your health and your wallet. Here are a few simple strategies for cutting back and keeping it in moderation. You Will Need * A pen and paper * Willpower WARNING: If your drinking habits show signs of alcohol addiction or abuse, seek professional h ...more
In this how to video series, learn how to brew your own cream ale from home brewing expert Mark Emiley. Mark will give you expert home brewing advice such as what ingredients you need to brew Cream Ale, and what equipment you will need for home brewing. Part 1 of 19 - How to B ...more
This is a great trick to play on your least-bad-ass pal. Pick a friend who doesn’t smoke, and barely drinks (spends Fridays at home watching Lifetime) and take them out for a beer. A couple days later, take them out for another beer. A couple days after that, do it again, only ...more
Wee-Man in a even more outrageous replay of his 'naked walkabout' in JA2; this time he sent to go around nude into some of Los Angeles' top night spots, bars and dance clubs. Also he will during the day time go nude into restaraunts & shopping malls.To enhance the wackyness, n ...more
Iced coffee may not be as simple as brewing hot coffee and sticking it in the fridge until it cools down, but it's still very simple to make if you plan ahead. Simply mix together 1 part ground coffee (coarsely ground, full-bodied dark roasts work best) with 4.5 parts filtere ...more
Making your own alcohol at home sounds like fun, but it's a long, complicated, and sometimes expensive process. You need all sorts of equipment, and by the time you're finished, it's been a few weeks—even months. If you want to try home-brewing without all the hassle, one of ...more
When Chan Mei Zhi Alcine chose her senior project, she thought outside the box by thinking inside the bottle. Along with a research team at her university, she found a way to combine health and enjoyment, while meeting a challenge not so definitively met before in alcoholic be ...more
If you think that "pawpaw" is just an affectionate name for your grandfather or a cute way of talking about your cat's feet, you're missing out on one of the most interesting fruits out there. The pawpaw is that rare tropical fruit that is actually indigenous to the United St ...more
Bud Light being the official beer sponsor of the NFL just makes sense for American football. But what about the NHL, with hockey being the official winter sport of Canada by decree? Enter Labatt Blue, which might as well be the national beer of Canada and includes a hockey pa ...more
Roasting turkey is a topic that inspires endless debate among cooks. How do you get the perfect mixture of juicy meat, crispy skin, and flavor? Everyone has a favorite technique, whether it's brining the bird or spatchcocking it. However, if you're ready to move onto Ph.D. lev ...more
The landscape of augmented reality marketing is growing by leaps and bounds nearly every month, with Hollywood and the cosmetics industry leading the way. But increasingly, the alcohol industry is coming up with interesting ways to ply its liquid wares in virtual space, the l ...more
What happens when a entrepeneur/theme park creator and special effects artist/magician team up? You get a team crazy enough to create the first true virtual reality theme park (sorry, Six Flags). They only have a single experience so far, but it's already taken a giant leap be ...more
There's nothing in this life that we love more than making one ingredient or one food tool do multiple things. It saves money! It saves time! It makes us look smart at cocktail parties! Without further ado, here are several ways to save money, waste less food, and make the mo ...more
Whether you're a coffee fiend or beer enthusiast, having good coasters is necessary to prevent watermarks from forming on your tables. But instead of going out and buying a set, consider making some custom ones yourself that match you and your home's personality. All you need ...more
Alcohol is a marvelous thing. It might even be responsible for saving civilization. And we're always fans of hacking our booze intake, whether it's learning how to drink all night long without getting drunk or how to discreetly get your drink on without anyone knowing. Now, i ...more
We're living through the technological revolution, and while devices like the iPhone 6 or Galaxy S5 have made life easier and more entertaining, it's possible that sometimes our smartphone usage can become uncomfortably excessive. In your own experience, think about how anxiou ...more
Apple demonstrated their continued interest and investment into the awesome world of augmented reality during their Sept. 12 event, highlighting a few new AR games that will appear on iPhones thanks to ARKit. But that's not all you can expect — as long as you have an iPhone wi ...more