I was gonna say. Yeasty brews gone awry is just part of the gig. And you get more complex interesting flavors that way.

At Yum you used to be able to get some sodas which were partly fermented and that was part of their appeal.

Tom says there is actually some truth to that, because the fact that the sugar stays and is not converted to alcohol. And when the concentrated sugar solution meets the yeast, it can be 'splodey.

Tom also mentioned carbon dioxide and a kegging method, without knowing the whole story (I just called out to him and asked if it was a possibility.)

Also, we have never had an exploding beer and we've bottle conditioned more than 20 batches.

So, do root beer purists insist on yeast fermentation? All popular root beer carbonically infused, right?

Oh, it's absolutely a possibility -- I'm just @@ at the brew shop guy playing the noobs by saying, "Oh, no, that's totally dangerous! You must buy all this extra equipment instead!" Because, yes, I've seen those who would do just that (in addition to the nice if somewhat freaky ones who will talk your ear off for hours about exactly which flavor notes you get with what strain of yeast.)

(in addition to the nice if somewhat freaky ones who will talk your ear off for hours about exactly which flavor notes you get with what strain of yeast.)

Ahahahaha! Yes.

That's "bomb" as in "sudden loud noise from the basement", not as in "homeland security has you on their list".

I've had homemade liqueur bottles explode. It was a bitch to clean up, but no more dangerous than dropping a wine glass.

I've had homemade liqueur bottles explode. It was a bitch to clean up, but no more dangerous than dropping a wine glass.

So it's not like there's glass flying everywhere and a broken shard severs your carotid artery and you end up screaming and staggering around, spewing blood all over the place?

OK, I'm less impressed now by the exploding root beer....

One of a bunch of amusing comments on Gawker about Plaxico Buress: [link]

Gay Penguins Steal Straight Couples' Eggs

A pair of gay penguins at Polar Land in Harbin, north east China has taken to stealing the eggs of straight couples and leaving rocks in place to fool their victims. The penguins, named Anderson Cooper and Clay*** by the zoo keepers, have been outed by their fellow penmates and have since been ostracized by the flock. Fearing for the stress levels of the flock, keepers have taken Anderson and Clay out of their enclosure and segrated them alone in a pen of their own.

When asked about the decision to separate the gay penguin couple, one keeper told the Austrian Times newspaper as reported in the Daily Telegraph, "It's not discrimination. We have to fence them separately, otherwise the whole group will be disturbed during hatching time."

...

***The names Anderson Cooper and Clay may not have actually been used by the keepers at the zoo, and may in fact have been invented by me.

I love the thing about the rocks....

Right-wing Christian types tend to deny the existence of gay penguins, figuring that gay penguins are evidence against homosexuality being a choice. But I think they should use this to their advantage: "Vote Democratic, and they'll implement the homosexual agenda! Next thing you know, gay penguins will come into your homes and steal your eggs!"