Kevin heads to a brewery to learn how to make his own beer at home. Bridget Lancaster from America's Test Kitchen stops by with a lesson on ales versus lagers. Tom is in Baltimore to help install a do-it-yourself rain barrel. And Richard has advice on what not to put in your disposers.

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How to Build a DIY Rain Barrel
Tom shows a homeowner how to make her own rain barrel for just forty dollars. Tom installed the DiverterPro Rainwater Diverter, manufactured by Fiskars. A reused 50-gallon food-grade barrel can be purchased from soda bottlers and other food suppliers.

A boiler drain with threaded ends and thread-sealing tape can be purchased at a home center.

The Dos and Don'ts of Kitchen Disposers
Richard demonstrated which foods can and cannot go into a disposer on a Badger 1 Garbage Disposal.

He also showed the high-powered, quieter Evolution Excel Disposal.

Both are manufactured by InSinkErator and available at home centers and plumbing supply stores.

The History of Beer
Bridget talks about the first mention of beer being found in 3500 B.C in Mesopotamia.

Ales are made using top-fermenting yeast, brewed at warmer temperatures than lagers and typically have a floral aroma.

American Pale Ale used: Sierra Nevada
India Pale Ale used: Lagunitas
Stout used: Guinness

Bridget explains lagers are made using bottom-fermenting yeast, brewed at cold temperatures and take longer to ferment.

Lager used: Budweiser

Kevin worked with Night Shift Brewing and employee Alex Navarro to learn the steps of home brewing.

All of the ingredients and items used in the brewing process including pre-milled grains, hops, yeast, food-grade buckets, lids with a fermentation lock, siphons, propane burners, and boil kettles can be found at home brewing stores or online stores that sell beer brewing products.

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Products and Services from this episode

DiverterPro Rainwater Diverter
Category: Materials, Miscellaneous
Manufacturer
Fiskars Brands, Inc.
http://www.fiskars.com

History of beer
Category: Side Trip

Kitchen disposers
Category: Plumbing, Kitchen, Appliances
Manufacturer
InSinkErator
http://www.insinkerator.com

The Evolution Excel Disposal & the Evolution Excel Disposal

Visit to learn about home brewing beer
Category: Side Trip, Kitchen, Miscellaneous
Side Trip
Night Shift Brewing
http://www.nightshiftbrewing.com

About Ask This Old House TV: From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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ASK This Old House | Beer, Barrel, Disposers (S18 E8) FULL EPISODE
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