>> ROFL, I'm going to try a flat tomorrow, and I also got cheapo beer kit[color=blue][color=green]
>> foe Xmas. First batch is four days old. I've tried wine before, and IMO q
>> is a lot easier and more forgiving. :-)
>>[/color]
> Haven't cooked a flat in years--always thought the whole packer cut was
> easier(&better), just cook it with the fat towards the hot spot in your
> cooker 'till it goes wabba-wabba. Made a few bucks on the circuit with
> the brisket in the last couple years---hopefully the beer will taste
> better sooner<sf>
>
> what kind of pit do ya use??[/color]

I'm a realtive newbie, on my second year with a modded ECB. I've been doing
lots of turkeys and little stuff lately. When this machine has had its day,
I plan on a picking up a WSM. The store I visited last night doesn't have
whole briskets, so I got a shoulder (can't mess those up) and a corned beef
flat. The flat is for fun, just to see if I can get one done right.

I'm really torqued about my beer in the basement, and having read the last
couple months' posts I've set my standard a little lower for this first
brew. My primary ferment is in a cool basement, and it took a good 20 hours
to start going. However, I did fast-cool the wort by putting the fermenter
in the sink filled with cold water. (I had to be somewhere) I was concerned
about cooling it too fast, but maybe I did OK, by accident.

-John O