Submariners Only: Porter, Stout and Ales Updates

Last week, we were happy to learn of scientific studies showing Xanthohumol (found mostly in the hops of Porter, Stouts and Ales) inhibits cancer-causing enzymes. That was certainly exceptional news.

Out of ensuing comments and discussions, more good news has come to light for beer enthusiasts: Brew your own! Homebrewing is legal in the U.S. as long as it's for private consumption and not for sale. There is a federal 200-gallon limit per year and West Virginia requires the beer to be less than 6% alcohol. For starters, check out the 10-gallon apparatus in Gus Van Horn's posting here. Be sure to read the last couple of comments regarding Man Caves. Why are submariners interested in man caves? Rooted in the pre-paleolithic abodes of mankind, man caves are a submariner's dream (the opportunity for solitude we never had at sea). Here is how the modern man cave was recently described:

-- a hideaway where the television screen can never be too big, the beverages can never be too cold and the home team can never score too many points. Some Man Caves have high-tech electronics and rare sports memorabilia. Others are simply odd collections of manly items picked up over the years. They are all designed with the express purpose of creating a comfort zone for their owners.

But the good news does not seem to stop. Are you getting on in years (at one time, even peacetime submarine service was said to decrease one's life span by 1 year for every 5 served -not the radiation, just actuarial statistics)? The good news? Well, its a hope really: An Irish nursing home is keeping spirits up with its own pub! The pub opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m.