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Beer - not just for breakfast anymore
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Author:  chuckfranke [ Sun Oct 26, 2003 9:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Beer - not just for breakfast anymore
Had a thought.... (OK, yes, a real shock)

Someone, guessing the yard folks, left a case of Keystone on my fiance's driveway and like the silly composter I am my first thought was COMPOST INGREDIENT! Since keystone may well have been the impetus for that joke about American beer and making whoopee in a canoe being somewhat akin to one another......

Ok, so my thought.... beer would seem like an excellent ingedient either in teas or mixed with molasses to wet down the top of the compost pile when it gets dry - lots of carbs and since it is produced by fermentation i was thinking a little bit of molasses, a couple beers, and a little cornmeal water left in the sun for a day would start fermenting and make a potent accelerator for my compost pile.... all that fermentation ought to provide heat and roll out a big 'welcome funghi' banner.....

At the risk of causing my soldier fly larvae flying into things and causing a flight hazard to other insects around my compost pile I think I'll take a stab at this one - been bored since Kathe forbid me to turn the pile more than once every 10 days :-)

Ok, thoughts???? Would a little sugar from the molasses and that nice milky extract from strained cornmeal water not make for a very rapid fermentation when mixed with the beer and the resulting brew a great kickstarter for the compost pile which already has some cornmeal and molasses in it???? Seems like it would work like a charm.

Obviously the only other use for weak watery beer would be to generate urea but I thought this idea sounded like more fun for a composter...

Insert your thoughts below.
Author:  user_48634 [ Sun Oct 26, 2003 11:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
My only problem with beer is the alcohol. If you can get rid of that antiseptic ingredient, then I'm for it.
Author:  chuckfranke [ Mon Oct 27, 2003 12:23 am ]
Post subject: 
I'm wondering how much that alcohol content would affect things here???? Thinking it would cook off pretty fast? I'm guessing that if you used it when first setting up a pile it would get the intial processes going fast and hot - later when the compost is nearly done I'd worry about the alcohol's effect on the fungus - maybe then it would be best to pre-process the beer through the kidneys and then onto the pile :roll:
Author:  Mr. Clean [ Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
Normally, I would say what a waste of good beer, but considering it's Keystone :wink: I've never had a significant amount to go in at any one time, but I have never experienced any problems when disposing of old alcholic beverages (beer, whiskey, wine) in my pile.
Author:  Enzyme11 [ Wed Oct 29, 2003 2:39 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think your beer would be a fine addition to the compost pile, and I wouldn't worry about the alcohol content. For one thing, the ethanol content is too low to affect microbes to a significant degree. Also, ethanol's anti-bacterial property comes primarily from its drying effect, and I doubt if the content in beer would cause perceptible drying in a compost pile. If you're concerned, dilute the beer with water before adding it. So, snocker up your pile, and don't let it drive. Sláinte!
Author:  greenacres [ Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think your beer would be extremely dangerous for your compost pile and you should send it to me. I'll drink it just because I'm a nice person and wouldn't want your compost pile to be harmed. 8)
Author:  chuckfranke [ Wed Oct 29, 2003 8:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
What a bunch of microbial comedians around here....

FWIW, here's what i tried:

4 cheap, nasty, dang near urinesque beers
1 quart of that milky water ya get when ya strain cornmeal
6 ounces of molasses

Sprayed that on the top of my pile to keep it moist as the sun dried it out and the next morning there was literally a steam cloud coming from the pile, 2" deep into the pile the temp was around 125 and deeper in it was about 160.

Me thinketh that bugs like beer, even crappy keystone beer.

Tragically, a dozen or so newly hatched soldier flies attempted to form a flying Conga line over the pile and evidently misjudged their altitude over the Koi pond. None are believed to have survived the tragedy. Naturally, our prayers are with thier 87.2 billion children left behind in the pile.

Greenacres... I would never subject a friend and fellow gardener to that kind of beer. Now when ya want to kill off a few Chimay's give me a shout - Good beer should never, ever be added to the pile until preprocessed through the kidneys to remove impurities that might be damaging.
We are an odd bunch.
Author:  Debby [ Wed Nov 05, 2003 9:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jerry Baker is an advocate of beer in the yard. I pour half empty beers that were abandon over the top of my compost piles. And when my sons were at home and i'd catch them w/ a cooler of beer, to the front yard we'd go so they could empty each and every can onto the grass.
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