Things You\’ll Need

• 2 buckets

• 2 large cookie sheets

• 2 dish towels

• Tap water

• Amaranth seeds

Amaranth beer is a rarity.

Beer brewed with Amaranth is safe for those with celiac disease, is gluten-free and is a rarely used ingredient in American beers. Amaranth, an ancient grain used by the Aztecs and enjoyed in Central and South America, is relatively easy to obtain.

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Sprouting Amaranth Seeds

Step 1

Purchase 10 to 20 pounds of Amaranth seeds.

Step 2

Split your seeds in half between the two buckets.

Step 3

Cover the seeds with cool tap water up to one-half inch above the seeds.

Step 4

Cover each bucket with a damp towel.

Step 5

Change the water every eight hours or the sprouts can die or go moldy.

Step 6

Store in the coolest and darkest place in your house for 24 hours.

Step 7

Spread the wet seeds on cookie sheets, and cover with towels to keep moist.

Step 8

Allow the seeds grow to 1/4 inch in length, six to 48 hours.

Step 9

Adjust the oven to the lowest setting and remove towels.

Step 10

Place the cookie sheets in the oven.

Step 11

Allow the sprouts dry out slowly; checking every 30 minutes. The point is to dry them, not cook them.

Toasting Amaranth and Brewing

Step 1

Cook dried and sprouted seeds on cookie sheets for 10 minutes at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for a Pilsner malt, 250 degrees for an amber malt, 325 degrees for a dark malt, and 400 degrees or higher for a chocolate malt. This cooking requires experimentation, observation and patience. Please try small batches until you master your oven temperature.

Step 2

Select your favorite beer recipe. Kolsh, Cream Ale, Honey Brown or any other light ales or lagers are appropriate choices for this ingredient.

Step 3

Convert a standard barley or wheat beer recipe by multiplying the barley or wheat grains by 2.0 to 2.5, as it will take more Amaranth to make the brew than it would wheat or barley.

Tip

Find Amaranth seeds online, at farmer's markets or at feed stores.

Add agave nectar or honey to boost flavor and alcohol.

Add Amaranth to standard barley-based beer for a light-tasting additive.

Warning

Select your brewing adjuncts carefully when brewing for people with celiac disease. Many ingredients, including certain brewer’s yeasts, contain wheat/barley products and even trace amounts can be harmful.

Purchase only feed grain and never seed grain; seed grain may contain pesticides and insecticides.

How Many Beers in a Mini Keg?

A draft beer is one of the joys of a hot summer day–it's much better to many people than a can or bottle. However, it is just not practical to keep a keg of beer on hand in your house. The mini keg is a much smaller version of the traditional keg, but with all of the same qualities. There are 14 12-ounce cups, 10.6 16-ounce cups and 8.5 20-ounce cups in a mini keg.

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Definition

A mini keg is generally considered to be a miniature keg for containing beer that holds 5 liters or 1.32 gallons of beer. The mini keg is usually disposable and is made of aluminum with either a pressurized tap or a pour spout. The mini keg is about 1/10 the size of a full sized keg.

Types

Other terms for smaller kegs are pony kegs, beer balls or party balls. These types of kegs all hold 5 gallons or 18.9 liters of beer. A mini keg is much smaller than these types.

Beer Size

A typical can of beer holds 12 ounces, but most cups for parties will hold either 16 or 20 ounces of beer. When figuring out how many beers are in a mini keg, you must know how much your cups will hold.

Conversion

One liter is equal to 0.26 gallons or 33.8 ounces. A five liter mini keg is equal to 1.32 gallons or 169 ounces. Therefore, there are 14 cups of 12 ounces, 10.6 cups of 16 ounces and 8.5 cups of 20 ounces in a mini keg.

Fun Fact

The mini keg was called a "Bubba" in Canada by Molson. You can ask at a store for a "Bubba" and they will know you mean a mini keg. However, in America, there is a company called "Bubba Kegs" so the term can be confusing to American consumers.

You can still enjoy a half-finished bottle of wine — but don\’t wait too long. Image Credit: ktsimage/iStock/Getty Images

Whether you only felt like a single glass or the party wound down with a few half-empty bottles lying around, you don't need to pour out the rest of your wine. Stored properly, a half-full bottle of wine should still be good for a few days. The exact length of time varies depending on the wine, but you can do some things to extend it.

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Wine Life Expectancy

Exactly how long your wine will last depends on the wine itself. Most red and white wines will last for about two to three days after opening; after this point, they begin to sour and lose their flavor. Sparkling wines lose their carbonation almost immediately and should be enjoyed as soon as they are opened. By contrast, fortified wines such as port or sherry can last several weeks or more; the higher the alcohol content, the longer the life of the wine.

Wine lifespan varies depending on the acidity of the wine; a high-acidity wine such as a Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc will survive a little longer than a lower-acidity wine such as a Pinot Grigio.

How to Spot Bad Wine

As wine is exposed to air, it begins to undergo a chemical reaction called oxidation. Whites are more vulnerable to oxidation than reds, but both will oxidize rapidly if left exposed to oxygen. The color of the wine may change; if a Merlot takes on a brick-red hue or a Pinot Grigio begins to go brown, it's oxidized. Oxidized wines typically develop a dry, bitter flavor, although the exact result varies depending on the wine.

Prolonging Your Wine\’s Life

Once you've uncorked your bottle, the clock is ticking. However, you can do a few things to maximize the wine's lifespan. With proper care, you can make a bottle of wine last a week or even more. Cork the bottle tightly, using the original cork or a wine stopper. Refrigerate it, even if it's red; this will inhibit oxidation. You can also transfer the remaining contents into a smaller bottle to reduce the surface area exposed to oxygen. For the gadget lover, devices are available to remove air from the bottle or even replace the air it contains with an inert gas; these might be good strategies for an expensive bottle, but for ordinary table wine they're probably overkill.

What to Do With Spoiled Wine

Once wine has started to lose its character, you don't have to get rid of it right away. Wine that you wouldn't drink can still be useful in the kitchen. If you have a recipe that calls for wine, feel free to use older wine for it; the differences in flavor won't be noticeable in a dish with lots of other ingredients.

You can also put old wine to other uses; some believe that a small amount of wine added to your bath helps to soften the skin. You can also use red wine as a fabric dye.

Beer is a great beverage for social events.

Beer is a popular alcoholic beverage around the world. Beer is popular for many reasons, including its refreshing taste and its easy transportability. Unlike mixed drinks, beer doesn't require a lot of preparation except perhaps to be kept cold until you're ready to enjoy it. There are a variety of ways to keep your beer cold until you reach your destination.

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Coolers

Coolers are perhaps the most popular and obvious way to carry bottles of beer from place to place. Coolers come in many sizes; make sure you aren't using one that is going to be too heavy to carry when filled with ice and beer bottles. Smaller coolers work great and are very portable, but they are often designed to hold cans. You may have to get creative with your beer placement to fit as many bottles in the cooler as possible. This will be more difficult with long-neck bottles. Short-necked bottles will pose less of a problem.

Plastic Bags

In a pinch, you can use plastic bags to carry bottles of beer. Use an ordinary bag such as you might get with your purchase at a grocery or department store. If the bag feels flimsy, you can double bag and put another bag inside it. Lay your beer flat in the bag and cover it with ice. Check the bag frequently and dump out any water that forms as the ice melts.

Cooler Boxes

The cooler box is an innovative invention by the brewing industry, specifically Coors Brewing, that makes taking bottles of beer with you simple and easy. Coors Light cooler boxes are specifically designed to handle ice without getting the box wet and warping it, causing it to break apart and crumble. All you have to do is open the box and add enough ice to fill the open spaces in the box and you're ready to go with your bottled beer.

Backpacks

You can carry bottles of beer in a backpack. Take a backpack you don't value too highly. It may get a little bit wet in the process. Put an old towel down and line the backpack with it. Place the bottles of beer in the backpack. Place them on their sides and line the bottles up facing each other so you can get more bottles in the bag. To keep the bottles cold, use reusable ice packs and place them in the bag directly next to the bottles. If you don't have reusable ice packs available, you can fill up a locking, sealed plastic bag with cubes of ice; just make sure the bag is sealed.