What are you drinking right now?

[Josh Hughes]

If I was going to be delayed by something, I’d probably be okay with it being a Vo-Tech school. I wish there were more of them. College ain’t for everyone but everyone needs a marketable skill set. I’m doing my best to not climb up on my soapbox about the absence of options for today’s generations and what’s wrong in the world of occupational involvement. Companies sponsor sports teams, even collegiate sports now, but not Vo-Tech schools. Gotta be something wrong with that picture.

Since the mid 80s we’ve had one right beside the high school and treat it like an extension of the high school so kids can do it all without having to travel. They can take these classes in high school. We have health science, welding, carpentry, electrical, and business. They also compete in competitions and do quite well

 

[Sunfire96]

Pregaming the Orioles game at Pickles Pub in Baltimore

 

[RoadRoach]

What the heck is vo-tech?

I'm having a well deserved ginger beer. Got a lot done today, but not on the brewing part of things

Vocational/technical school, meant to be post high school graduation, but an awesome means for dropouts and kids stuck in challenging home life to be able to change their lives without being in debt for college for the rest of their life. We had what we called Vo-Ag (vocational/agricultural) classes in high school, which came with complimentary membership in 4H and FFA. It was actually required courses in our part of the world.

And to get off my soapbox and back on topic, I just finished this. Depressing photo of an empty glass, sorry.

 

[Brewdomestix]

Vocational/technical school, meant to be post high school graduation, but an awesome means for dropouts and kids stuck in challenging home life to be able to change their lives without being in debt for college for the rest of their life. We had what we called Vo-Ag (vocational/agricultural) classes in high school, which came with complimentary membership in 4H and FFA. It was actually required courses in our part of the world.

And to get off my soapbox and back on topic, I just finished this. Depressing photo of an empty glass, sorry. View attachment 30174

Our town was far better served by the local Polytechnic College than the third rate University which it became. Just been to the dentist opposite this morning so fresh in my mind. Between several other university towns, just overkill now as there simply are not enough graduate jobs and then as you say there is the debt. Now if it had been turned into a brand spanking new brewery perhaps...

 

[Brewdomestix]

Just earlier: 1 litre bottle of my Norfolk Nog at four months, ABV: 3.5%. Mellowing nicely.

Right now: the last 1 litre bottle of my Dark Mild at 8 months, ABV: 4%. The bitterness has reduced a fair bit but still not quite what I would call a mild although very pleasant and a good session combo following the Nog.

 

[Donoroto]

If I was going to be delayed by something, I’d probably be okay with it being a Vo-Tech school. I wish there were more of them. College ain’t for everyone but everyone needs a marketable skill set. I’m doing my best to not climb up on my soapbox about the absence of options for today’s generations and what’s wrong in the world of occupational involvement. Companies sponsor sports teams, even collegiate sports now, but not Vo-Tech schools. Gotta be something wrong with that picture.

@Zambi Vocational-Technical. For what we call 'the trades' - plumbers, heat & air conditioning, construction, electrical, that sort of stuff...

Roadie, I am a BIG fan of that particular soap box. I tell my kids on the High School robotics team to strongly consider the trades. You start out making 6 figures, no college debt, and even in a bad economy, people always need their toilet and lights to work.

 

[Sunfire96]

@Zambi Vocational-Technical. For what we call 'the trades' - plumbers, heat & air conditioning, construction, electrical, that sort of stuff...

Roadie, I am a BIG fan of that particular soap box. I tell my kids on the High School robotics team to strongly consider the trades. You start out making 6 figures, no college debt, and even in a bad economy, people always need their toilet and lights to work.

Plus, usually, a union. Worth its weight in fees these days

 

[Sunfire96]

Oh boy, what a beer!

 

[west1m]

I guess it has to be Hamm's tonight!

 

[Josh Hughes]

Dunkel

 

[RoadRoach]

@Zambi Vocational-Technical. For what we call 'the trades' - plumbers, heat & air conditioning, construction, electrical, that sort of stuff...

Roadie, I am a BIG fan of that particular soap box. I tell my kids on the High School robotics team to strongly consider the trades. You start out making 6 figures, no college debt, and even in a bad economy, people always need their toilet and lights to work.

I found myself working as an engineer many times where the labor that was working for me were making a lot more than I was. Case in point regarding learning a trade.

If a licensed plumber starts his truck these days, you’re going to get a bill for $150 or more whether he actually leaves his driveway or not. A good reliable electrician can do very well in industrial trades. Home construction, meh, but the work is a bit less demanding and they rarely work OT, which can be a lot better for family life. Employment in the home construction sector can be a little volatile too, because there are typically a lot more home builders than homes to build in a stumbling economy.

As for unions, I’m probably gonna have to steer away from that topic other than to say I had a very mixed bag of experiences with unions. Some good, some bad, some outright catastrophes. On jobs that had tight time constraints, more often than not, we used non-union labor, mostly because the unions wanted twice as many people on the job as the nonunion contractors. A union does nothing to guarantee better and more highly skilled and motivated workers. They can typically provide numbers when that is a criteria. Sorting out the skill level to make sure the right skill set is assigned to the task is challenging, next to impossible when there is no say. All journeymen are not created equal. Unions do not necessarily drive higher wages for skilled craftsmen, especially in electrical construction. A good skilled and experienced electrician can pretty much name his wage with a decent nonunion employer. Not true for a union employer because the union dictates the wages. I’ve seen the benefits and burdens of both union and nonunion operations, and learned to be completely indifferent about union affiliation when selecting a contractor. I had to consider a lot of things in my selection. After working with most of the labor force in the state for 40+ years, I knew a lot of them very well, some personally, and knew who to pick for what job at what price.

 

[Donoroto]

Short answer: some unions are good, others less so.

 

[Simonpyman]

Some vino to go with dinner.

 

[Sandy Feet]

When it gets cooler in the fall, I probably would not bitch one bit about a California Merlot Or even better, a Zin (not the cheap, pink shit).

 

[Brewdomestix]

My budget kit Ginger Beer at six months, ABV: 7%. Mini-keg out the fridge. Much softer on the back of the throat now thank goodness as it wasn't to my liking earlier. But it has kept the heat which is making my eyebrows sweat LOL. Actually quite sticky sweet underneath too which certainly wasn't apparent before.

 

[Josh Hughes]

Last of the Holschuh Biergarten while I brew.

 

[Sunfire96]

Happy Friday!

 

[Sandy Feet]

Damn, what a beautiful pour. Side pull or a shit load of flaked something?

 

[Sunfire96]

Damn, what a beautiful pour. Side pull or a shit load of flaked something?

Neither. I'm a big fan of the 2 step pour: open the tap full (or bottle) and pour straight into the bottom of the glass until the foam hits the rim. Set it aside for a couple of minutes, then top off with more beer. The violently-formed foam will retain its structure and let you pour a "pillowy" topped glass. This is the Oktoberfest marzen from the brewery I work at: no adjuncts or Lukr faucets

 

[Minbari]

Neither. I'm a big fan of the 2 step pour: open the tap full (or bottle) and pour straight into the bottom of the glass until the foam hits the rim. Set it aside for a couple of minutes, then top off with more beer. The violently-formed foam will retain its structure and let you pour a "pillowy" topped glass. This is the Oktoberfest marzen from the brewery I work at: no adjuncts or Lukr faucets

I do similar, except I pour the foam into a different glass, lol