Hasta La Gadget!

Did you know that in most states, you can brew up to 100 gallons of beer or wine per adult in your home, 200 gallons max? So why are you still buying it from the supermarket?

To put that into perspective, 200 gallons will fill roughly 2000 12 oz bottles of beer or about 1000 standard 750mL bottles of wine. You can’t sell it, that’s illegal, but you can drink it yourself. While setting sail on a river of beer might seem enticing, many people are wary of homebrewing because it appears to be overly complex and scientific—but the truth is that basic beer and winemaking isn’t much more difficult than making soup. And the best part is that doing it yourself can have you enjoying a better quality of beverage at a substantially reduced cost.

Ingredients
With both wine and beer, your finished product is only as good as your ingredients. As a beginner, I urge you to stick with all-in-one ingredient kits until you are ready to branch out into more complex recipes like all grain brewing and wine from whole grapes. These kits are cost effective and include all of the ingredients and instructions to make a particular style of beer or wine. For example, I recently purchased a Hefeweizen kit (with liquid yeast upgrade) for about $40. Throw in six gallon jugs of spring water and I’m going to end up with about 50 bottles of quality beer for about 85 cents apiece. Even the cheapest beer costs around a buck a bottle when purchased at a store.

Wine kits work in much the same way and will usually run you between $70 and $200 on average. So, if you were looking for an everyday wine, a $70 kit with a bag of corks and six gallons of spring water (for the concentrated grape juice) would yield 30 bottles of wine at less than $3 a bottle. It’s not going to be a world-class wine or anything, but its probably going to be on par with bottles you would pay twice as much for in a store. Keep in mind that ingredient kits are sometimes bundled with starter equipment kits, which could mean greater savings.

Sanitation and Water
Outside of the main ingredients, various sanitary compounds and bottled water will usually be your only other repeat purchases. Near obsessive compulsive sanitation practices are of the utmost importance, so you will definitely need compounds like One-Step no rinse sanitizer or Sodium Metabisulfite (wine only). These compounds only cost a few dollars for a decent supply and can be bought in bulk if necessary.

Homebrewers are fussy about their water and there are a lot of contradictory opinions floating around about what type of water you should be using. Generally, the rule of thumb is spring water for beer because it lacks off odors and flavors and it possesses nutrients that feed the yeasts needed for fermentation. Some claim that distilled water is best for wine because of its purity while others claim that it should be avoided because it has been stripped of nutrients. As far as I’m concerned, spring water is probably your best bet in both cases. Obviously, buying this in the store will bring your overall costs up—but tap water is going to be fine as long as it is thoroughly filtered.

Equipment
There is a startup cost associated with this hobby of course, but your investment will eventually pay for itself if you are brewing in any significant quantity. As I noted earlier, the ingredients and various sanitation compounds that you will be buying again and again are inexpensive when compared to a finished product you buy at the store. Most homebrewing stores or online merchants will offer a starter’s set that will provide most if not all of the necessary gadgets and equipment for up to $100 (without ingredients). Plus, basic beer and winemaking can be done at home with (mostly) the same set of tools. You may even have some of this stuff lying around the house already.

Standard Beer Starter’s Kit:
• 6.5 gallon plastic fermenting bucket
• Bottling bucket with spigot
• Airlock – Allows gases to escape during fermentation without air exposure; comes in several varieties
• Triple-scale hydrometer – Lets you take measurements on sugar percentage, alcohol potential and specific gravity
• Bottle capper – There are several varieties, but most kits will come with a standard handheld version
• Racking stem – Part of the siphon system that is used to “rack” or transfer wine/beer into different containers
• Siphon tubing
• Spring-loaded bottle filler
• Cleaning brushes
• Rubber stoppers

Necessities That Might Not Come With Your Starter Kit:
• One big-ass brew kettle – 20 quart is fine, but I urge picking up a 30 quart that allows you to brew up more wort (unfermented beer) without worrying about boil over. Stainless steel is recommended. I was able to purchase the kettle above for $75 at my local brewmaster store, but you might be able to find something even cheaper at Walmart or on Craigslist.
• Floating thermometer – These are only a few bucks at Walmart.
• Long Handled Spoon – You probably already own something that would work.
• Around fifty 12 oz brown glass beer bottles, forty 16 oz bottles or thirty 22 oz bottles for a standard 5 gallon batch – Start saving your empties now, because these are a ripoff to buy separately.
• A long, shallow plastic bin – These are great for sterilizing your instruments with a minimum of water and solution. You may also want to consider a large, deep bucket if your sink isn’t big enough to properly fit your kettle and icewater when it comes time to chill the wort. If you don’t already have these on hand, both should only set you back $5-$10 apiece.
• A funnel – Useful in both beer and winemaking, you probably have several lying around in your home right now. Larger sizes for racking and filtering beer can be found for $10 or less.

Standard Wine Starters Kit:
A wine starter’s kit comes with just about everything that a beer version does. The differences are that the fermenting bucket may be a bit bigger, the bottling bucket will be replaced with a 6-gallon glass or plastic jug known as a carboy (though some beer starter kits do include a carboy) and the capper will be replaced with a corking instrument. There is no need for a kettle since wine is not boiled, but the other extras will definitely be useful. Again, remember to save your empty bottles—about 30 for a standard 6 gallon batch. You may also need to buy a set of 30 corks, which usually run less than $10.

Gadgets You Might Want To Consider:
Although not necessary, you will probably find yourself looking for these time-saving gadgets somewhere down the line, (mostly) regardless of whether you’re making wine or beer.
• Drill-mounted stirring rod – Takes the armwork out of stirring liquid in the fermenter or carboy and its excellent at removing or “de-gasing” CO2 from wine. Also good for aerating wort to promote yeast action. These can usually be had for around $20.
• Auto-siphon – Racking wine or beer requires you to create a vacuum that will transfer the fluid through the siphon assembly to another container. An auto-siphon handles this with a simple pump action. It’s also great at preventing sediment from going along for the ride. These run $10 to $15.
• Wine or beer thief – Used for cleanly extracting samples of your brew for hydrometer testing—some even double as a hydrometer tube. You can get proper instruments at a homebrew store for under $10, but a turkey baster will work just fine in most situations.
• Floor corker – If you are making wine, you may not be satisfied with hand corkers. They are super easy to use and insure a proper fit every time, which reduces the chance of oxidation. These usually run from $50 to $120, but can be rented for a day at most brewmaster stores.
• Bottle sterilizers/rinsers – Makes the job of sterilizing bottles easier and it uses less water. Basic versions can be found for $20 or less.
• Carboy handles – Glass carboys are slippery and fragile. If only I had one before I broke a six gallon carboy full of wine all over my kitchen floor. It was epically bad. Less than $10 will save you from this horror. Plastic carboys are also available.

As you mature as a homebrewer, you will find even more ways to cut costs down—experienced brewers can make bottles of beer for 50 cents or less (although you will need more expensive equipment). However, in the beginning it pays to stick with kits for ingredients and equipment. It also pays to look for quality bundles—there are an endless array out there that range from starter sets to super deluxe packages. Just make sure to shop around at local stores and online before you buy. For example, a starters kit from Northern Brewer includes an auto siphon and 144 bottle caps for the same price as one from Brewer’s Outpost without the pump action siphon and only 50 caps.

Because of all the factors involved, determining how long it will take to recoup your equipment investment is hard to say. Even time is a factor: Many kit beers are drinkable in a month’s time while basic kit wines usually take at least 3 to 6 months—longer if you want improved quality. If you are comparing the cost of your craft beer and wine to the cheapest of swills, the craft brews will lose every time. It’s about quality—and quality beer in the store is going to probably run $9 or $10 for a six pack. If you are producing beer of a similar quality at home for less than a dollar a bottle, the math works out well. Plus wine and beer use basically the same set of tools, so I get the most out of my equipment by producing both throughout the year.

Many of you readers are homebrewers and winemakers too. How about sharing your own tips for saving money while expanding your beverage horizons?

Taste Test is our weeklong tribute to the leaps that occur when technology meets cuisine, spanning everything from the historic breakthroughs that made food tastier and safer to the Earl-Grey-friendly replicators we impatiently await in the future.

Top Image via Spewing Obscenities

You can talk, play, surf the web — and now you can pay for stuff with your cellphone. Nokia announced a new mobile payment service Wednesday, called Nokia Money, that will allow consumers to send money, pay bills and recharge pre-paid phone cards–all using their cell phones.

The Nokia Money service is likely to debut in Asia and Africa in early 2010. The company hasn’t commented whether it will offer the service in the U.S.

Mobile payments are a big business in emerging markets where there are more cellphones than a PC, and where many users still don’t have a bank account. But paying by phone hasn’t caught on in the U.S.

“With more than four billion mobile phone users (worldwide) and only 1.6 billion bank accounts, global demand for access to financial services presents a strong opportunity,” says Mary McDowell, an executive vice president for Nokia.

The widespread use of credit and debit cards and easy access to banking services has meant few American customers are clamoring for mobile payments. That’s changing, says Bruce Cundliff, director of payments research and consulting for research firm Javelin Strategy.

“Mobile payments in the U.S. market are still very nascent,” says  Cundiff.  “But there are a lot of pilot projects that are currently being developed.”

Smartphones are the key to the growth of mobile payments here. The devices are a fast growing segment in the cellphones business, with U.S. sales growing nearly 47 percent in the second quarter. The increased capabilities of these phones mean that they are potential new platforms for commerce. And as handset makers battle for consumer attention through app stores, developers have greater incentives than ever to create services that customers can pay for through their phones.

Though American consumers may have to wait a long time to try Nokia Money there are a few other projects that users can try out. Mobile payment services currently in trials in the U.S. include a project from social networking giant Facebook, banks, and credit card service provider MasterCard.  Here’s a quick rundown on some of the mobile payment options available currently to American consumers.

Banking apps: For the last few years, banks have been trying to offer mobile payments as part of their online banking solutions.  But now these financial institutions are using smartphone apps as a way to popularize the service. For instance, Bank of America has an iPhone app that lets its customers check their banking accounts, pay bills or transfer funds using their mobile phones. Users can download the app for free through Apple’s app store. Other banks such as Well Fargo and USAA also have iPhone apps available that lets users schedule payments and tranfer money using their accounts. About 26 million users in the U.S. are likely candidates to use mobile payment services, estimates Javelin Strategy. “Mobile payment may finally be ready for prime time,” says Cundiff.

Facebook mobile payments: With more than 200 million users worldwide, Facebook is the most powerful social networking platform today. Facebook users are willing to spend real money to shower their friends and family with virtual gifts.  Earlier this month, Facebook started testing the use of mobile payments for its virtual currency, Facebook Credits. Facebook has partnered with mobile payments service provider, Zong, to let users buy Facebook credits using their mobile phone. Users are then billed to their account with the mobile carrier. The service is still in its very early stages and it is more expensive to pay using the mobile phone compared to a credit card. But as more users buy into the idea, Facebook and Zong hope mobile payments will become more competitive.

MasterCard MoneySend: Who doesn’t have a MasterCard in their wallet? MasterCard is now hoping it can achieve that kind of iconic status on the mobile phone. In June, the company launched a mobile payment platform enabling customers to transfer money to another person, and all they need to know is the recipient’s mobile phone number. Currently, customers use the service through a prepaid card issued by The Bancorp Bank and then link it to their mobile phone number to send or receive money.  But as more issuers enroll into the program, says MasterCard, mobile phone users will be able to take just about any account and link it to MoneySend. MasterCard is working with Obopay, a Redwood City, California-based startup, that is also powering the Nokia Money service.

Special-purpose smartphone apps: One of the significant announcements from Apple this year was that it would allow developers to charge users for goods and services purchased through their apps. The move could turn out to be an important boost for mobile payments, because it will get people used to the idea of paying for things within special-purpose apps. For instance, the Taxi Magic iPhone app allows users to call a taxi through the app and then pay for the ride using their phone.

See Also:

• Shopping by Cell Phone? No Thanks
• 4 Years After TJX Hack, Payment Industry Sets Security Standards
• Buy Xbox Live Points Through Japanese Cell Phones

Photo: (whiteafrican/Flickr)

When you need more than just a camera case and less than a backpack or shoulder bag – if your’re carrying one camera and one telephoto lens – check out the Lowepro Toploader Pro 75 AW crossover bag. It’s a well-padded, top-loading or holster-style bag for a digital SLR attached to most any telephoto lens you’ll buy. Zippered and mesh pockets on the top and two sides let you stick in a cellphone, electronic flash, notepad, batteries, sunglasses, and filters. The Toploader Pro has become my favorite bag to carry when I just want a camera and one lens, plus all the stuff that would otherwise fill my pockets. Price is about $70 street for Toploader Pro 75 AW, a bit more than other bags without all the pockets, and worth every penny.

The Mountain Hardwear Sing Slingpack ($90 list) is a stylish, egg-shaped, compact sling pack for laptops, tailored for women on the go. Equipped with a compression-molded foam back panel, and an adjustable padded sling strap for an easy over-the-shoulder motion, the Slingpack was just able to fit my 14-inch IBM ThinkPad T41 snugly into the well-protected laptop compartment. This backpack might be better suited to carry systems with smaller screens, like netbooks.

The Sing Slingpack weighs in at 1 pound 3 ounces, with an 850-cubic-inch capacity. Aside from the laptop sleeve, it has a decent internal compartment space (though you won’t be able to carry a lot of books around), and a simple internal organizer–two open pockets and one zipped. On the outside is a larger central zip pocket, two smaller side pockets, and a long mesh pocket on the shoulder strap.

The Sing Slingpack was definitely designed to be efficient: My clamshell cell phone fit into one of the smaller side pockets, though it likely couldn’t hold an iPhone or other smartphone. The other pocket is probably big enough only for change, a transit card or perhaps an iPod nano. I’m still trying to figure out what can fit in the pocket on the shoulder strap.

Well, the PSP Go may still not be available to the general public just yet, but the folks at levelup.cn have somehow managed to wrangle one out of Sony’s hands, and have promptly gone and done what appears to be the first proper disassembly of the device. While there’s expectedly not a whole lot of surprises, we do get a good look at the now non-removable battery (pictured above), the on-board memory, the familiar nub and controls and, of course, the complete lack of any UMD remnants — not to mention a curiously placed GameCube watermark. Hit up the link below for the step-by-step teardown.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

PSP Go disassembled, reassembly still in question originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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