[MAC] Part Two: The Gauntlet

After successfully installing Yosemite on 3 of the 2010's, I ran into an issue with the last of the quadruplets.

It wouldn't erase. After scratching my head a bit at why the hard drive was formatted and partitioned for MS DOS, I tried looking at the partition options, and I could make a new partition, formatted correctly! (Or so I hoped.)

I tried that, and bumped into another issue. It can't be verified, so the existing partition can't be erased. It said I need to run First Aid... Well that can't fix it because it can't be verified. I tried verifying the disc, and still no luck. 

I have decided to drop it off with a note that I can't fix it, but Mad Macs might be able to. I felt defeated.

Lucky for me, the older Mac minis took the flash drive and can boot with it now for whatever reason! (Even though it takes forever.)

I am so happy now! This is actually starting to work... Other than the broken one, I might finish before work on Monday!

[MAC] Part One: Project from Work

At work we used many Apple Mac Minis to display our posters and other showtimes information, but we recently switched to ChromeCast and now have a ton of Mac Minis to deal with. The solution, sell 'em on eBay! The problem, they are old with a don of bulk ware on them.

My task is to wipe them clean, install Yosemite, and make up a spreadsheet with details so my boss can sell them in one fell swoop. A daunting (time-wise) task indeed.

I have a flash drive with Mavericks still on it, but I need Yosemite so I began downloading it onto my Mac as per < osxdaily.com/2014/10/16/make-os-x-yosemite-boot-install-drive/ > 

Formatted for "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" I am ready to partition it! With a GUID partition table, so it will work on Intel-based Macs. Their walk-through was simple and to the point.

Terminal is now called up and by copy-pasting a command sequence, it takes a loooooong time, but it is finally done.

With the drive re-formatted to the correct version of OS X: Yosemite. I now venture on the task of installing it on all 11 of the Mac Minis I got from work. This may take a while... But at least I have a cool set-up and a use for my aaxa Technologies P3 mini projector!

I tell it to go to the boot selector (Holding [Option]/[Alt] while the computer is turning on). I then double click on the drive I labeled "Install OSX Yosemite", rather than the normal Hard Drive it would boot from, everything should be working fine... But it decided to boot from the hard drive instead and brought me to the main Desktop, rather than going to disc utilities/ the install program.

I tried it on one of the 2010 MacMini's and it worked fine.

albeit a bit trippy due to the angle, projector, and camera.

I won't be able to work on this tomorrow due to other obligations, but it seems to have picked up some steam, now that I know it works on the 2010 models.

[BREW] Bottling Day

Today is the day! Where the fermentation is done! It seemed like only yesterday that the yeast was introduced to their new home... And in 7 days they wrecked the place! The Light Beer smells great!

Look at all that microscopic activity!!! Now the next step, other than sanitizing the bottles, was to drop in two cubes of priming sugar. This stuff is basically just Caro syrup crystallized and coated with sugar. Like 2 teaspoons worth in just two little drops. 

Following the drop, I was to tilt the bottles so as to gently pour the booze into the bottle from the spigot. Simple. Now cap and wait for 14ish days!

... Or until rock-hard due to carbonation. I will be checking back on them every now and again. Expected completion on the 24th... Which is beer can appreciation day and Mr. Beer's recommendation of the beer to drink is an American Light Beer... Perfect!

FOR NEXT TIME

• Clean bottles ahead of time. (Slight time saver)
• Don't screw the caps on all the way during the cleaning part. Makes the bottles look fresh and unopened.
• Stick labels on the bottles with alcohol %, bottling date, carb' date, and a cool logo!
• Drop a hydrometer into the keg to see the % alcohol content.

[BREW] Lets Make a Light Beer!

As a first post, I decided to crack open this Mr. Beer kit I found at K Mart for relatively cheap! (Something like $29.99 or whatever) I'll also be working on a nice format for these posts as time goes on!

American Light Beer Kit, cheap and easy and quite fun!

In college I did an independent study on brewing, and it was really fun! For one of the beers, my professor and I opened his Mr. Beer Kit and tried making an Aztec Cerveza from the can. It was really easy, really dummy proof, and really great because it was so fast. So I decided to do it on my own, without a biology lab to make things easier... true home-brewing!

Reading the directions is important, especially on the can because each beer (As we all know) has a different process. The sanitization process is the same though. Get  4qts. of warm water, pour them into the keg, add the no-wrinse sanitizer solution, mix it then swirl it through the keg and wait 2 mins before swirling again and waiting again.

Don't forget to sanitize all the brewing equipment,
like a PLASTIC spoon, measuring cup and can opener.

Plastic is the key! I love my wooden spoons, I use them for any and all cooking... but that's just it... they are for cooking. By cooking they get extra flavors, bacteria and other things that can easily ruin a batch of beer, so easy to rinse plastic is the way to go!

Following their instructions, I had the can sitting in a warm water bath for about 15 mins so the canned wort can become more liquidy (I think mine was close to frozen because I had it in the car for so long!) This stuff is about the consistency of molasses when it comes out of the can, and that is why you pour it into 4 cups of water (measured from your sterile measuring cup!) that you have boiling.

Because my instructions didn't tell me to put the can in the warm bath until step 7, and they didn't say anything about having 4 cups of water boiled until step 8, I was a little alarmed. Maybe it was my batch of instructions, who knows.

Once that is all done, pour your watery worty solution into the keg AFTER filling it with 4qts of cold water. Because plastics and heat don't mix. Finally, top it off to 8.5qts, mix it well, and sprinkle your yeast onto the top.

(why so fuzzy?)

The final step for now is to place it in a controlled area where it won't be exposed to direct sunlight. I chose my basement because of radiated floor heating, and even though we have huge windowed doors, it is still out of reach of that evil sun!

Look at you sitting on that table for a week! So cute!

So for now, the first project is started! The fermenting process should be done around the 11th, and then I can bottle them up and let them get all carbonated for 2 weeks. Maybe on Beer Can appreciation day I can enjoy the American Light... because it came from a can! HA!

FOR NEXT TIME

• Make a copy of the beer can's instructions before you soak it for 15 minutes!
• Open from the bottom!
• Move the keg to desired location before putting yeast in so they don't get sea-sick!

The First Step

So I am pretty garbage at blogging, but here's the first post for my blog: Project Book.

The idea for this is a list (Hopefully with pictures) of projects I want to complete, as well as ideas for others. I plan on posting what I did, what I was doing, how it went, and tips for the future for each project. These projects can range from playing with an Arduino, to making a DnD dungeon, to brewing beer, to drawing pictures! All sorts of things!

So if you are reading this, then hope you have fun on this journey with me! The goal is 12 big projects in 2015, or at least one a month!