No matter how many I own

[MightyGiants]

I bowl in 2 leagues

207 in one and 175 in another.

That seems like a pretty drastic difference

[Sem]

@Sem I understand the amount of hops changes a beer's flavor how does the type of hop do that?

Not a simple answer in part because I'm not sure I understand the question entirely. When you infer the amount of hops can change the flavor I'm not sure if you mean adding different hop varieties, (there are well over 100 varieties, each bred to bring a different characteristic), or if you mean the flavor is affected by the amount added of one single hop.

At both the commercial and homebrew level there are exceptions every "rule," so I'll answer as best I can in general terms from a homebrew perspective. Hops are primarily used for two purposes, bittering or aroma/flavoring. Hops higher in alpha acid percentage are usually used for bittering, lower AA% hops are usually used for flavoring/aroma. (Yes, some can be dual-purpose).

In general at the homebrew level, wort (what you call beer before the yeast is added), is boiled for 60 minutes. You would add hops at specific times to help achieve the flavor profile you're shooting for. Generally, the longer you leave hops in the boil the more bitter the resulting beer will be. For instance one ounce of a bittering hop (ie: Apollo hops at up to 20% AA) at the start of a 60 minute boil will give much more bitterness than an ounce of Apollo added with only 30 minutes left in the boil. Citra hops, probably the most popular flavor/aroma hop used in IPAs today could also be used as a bittering hop, but usually isn't because of it's distinct flavor profile (peach, tropical, melon, etc.) when used towards the end of the boil or later. Multiple varieties of hops, especially flavor/aroma hops, can be combined to compliment each other by bringing flavors, that together, exceed the sum of their parts.

Kind of a *very* high-level generalized answer that in no way is the be all - end all, as it doesn't even touch on things like whirlpool or dry hop additions, hop oil, lupulin powder, LupoMax/CryoHops, not to mention the latest genetically modified, highly thiolized yeasts that are potentially game-changing when it comes to enhancing hop flavors.

[Sem]

My most recent homebrew, A 4% English-style Best Bitter, (a misnomer since they're not bitter at all).

[weeze]

On a typical Pinball Machine your goal is to complete "A" then "B" then "c" and then while something is lit up from doing "A' then "B" then "C" you will then have to do something to get the "special". The "special" is only awarding whatever it is for a limited time while that ball is in play. If you DO get the "special" it will award you with a complete game to the credit wheel which keeps track of how many games you have left to play. say its 3 games for a quarter whatever. THe special when done will kick your credit wheel one complete game, a "free game' is the reward and the object of your playing. This special is "lit" until that ball your playing at the time is still in play. If the ball goes down the middle or out one of the left or right OUT lanes so you lose the ball ang either go on to the next whole game if its your last ball or start all over again trying to get "A B and C" again to get a chance to win some more free games.
WHew! I trust this all makes sense takes a lot of words to describe.
Two states, NY and Minnesota decided that pinball machines that you could win extra games on was a gambling device and made them illegal.
Back then there were four manufacturers of pinball machines, Bally, Williams, Gottleib and Chicago Coin. I do not know which one came up with the idea for a "add a ball" design but Gottlieb went to town on them. With a add a ball game you try and complete A,B, and C again and the special lights up when you get the special it awards you a extra ball right there immediately. The Special does not stop though and as long as you can keep that same ball in play you can continue to hit the special again and again and you can run your specials all the way up to 10 balls!
Know lets say the game has a pool playing theame. So the main run of the games that award free games is called TARGET POOL. lets say they make 5000 of them. THat same game with ALMOST the same layout has a completely different art work and is a "add a ball game" and  is named "Pool KIng". Now they only make like 300 or 200 or even down to a production run of 150 of them and they are only sold and used in NY and Minn. because thats the only two states they are legal in.
This results in them being pretty rare and hard top find. I dig these games up and then do a total restoration on them to the point that they are better then they were when they came out of the factory in 1964 or whatever. THe finished products are down right beautiful I must say. I take them down to bare wood, all new paint, some things get chromed , new parts where necessary, no different then restoring a 1964 Chevy.
Gee I hope this all makes sense as that was a real lot of typing and my fingers hurt!
One other thing though, if I DO move to New York State I won't be able to take my handguns.Ill need to sell them so if you are interested PM me. Ill keep the german luger, family heirloom, legal or not but the rest ILl have to sell so let me know my friend!
ok Im done typing.
 

[T200]

That seems like a pretty drastic difference

Who you telling, lol! Two different centers, two different oil patterns. The house where I average 207 is a much easier shot. There are 28 teams in this league that bowls on Thursday night. Through 6 weeks there have been 7 300-games thrown and 4 or 5 800+ series games. I threw a 287 and 256 my first two games last week.

The other house is a much tougher shot. Only 1 300 thrown in the 15 years I've bowled there. The manager is a PBA member and he hasn't thrown one either.

[MightyGiants]

I own about 15

YA Tittle (throwback)
2 Manning (away and home)
Strahan
Jacobs (super Bowl 42)
Carson
Bavaro
Hampton
Armstead (my current one for our winning streak)
Way
Tuck
Shockey (buried in the back of the closet)
Taylor
I believe there is another one, I just can't recall right now--I'm not home)

Several I didn't buy new, but picked up in thrift shops, online, and on craigslist.

Funny though, right now, there really isn't one player I would want their jersey, maybe McKinney

How about an Andrew Thomas jersey from today's team?

[MightyGiants]

Not a simple answer in part because I'm not sure I understand the question entirely. When you infer the amount of hops can change the flavor I'm not sure if you mean adding different hop varieties, (there are well over 100 varieties, each bred to bring a different characteristic), or if you mean the flavor is affected by the amount added of one single hop.

At both the commercial and homebrew level there are exceptions every "rule," so I'll answer as best I can in general terms from a homebrew perspective. Hops are primarily used for two purposes, bittering or aroma/flavoring. Hops higher in alpha acid percentage are usually used for bittering, lower AA% hops are usually used for flavoring/aroma. (Yes, some can be dual-purpose).

In general at the homebrew level, wort (what you call beer before the yeast is added), is boiled for 60 minutes. You would add hops at specific times to achieve what flavor profile you're shooting for. Generally, the longer you leave hops in the boil the more bitter the resulting beer will be. For instance one ounce of a bittering hop (ie: Apollo hops at up to 20% AA) will give much more bitterness than that same ounce of Apollo added with only 30 minutes left in the boil. Citra hops, probably the most popular flavor/aroma hop used in IPAs today could also be used as a bittering hop, but usually isn't because of it's distinct flavor profile (peach, tropical, melon, etc.) when used towards the end of the boil or later. Combining hops, especially flavor/aroma hops, can also compliment each other to bring flavors that together exceed the sum of their parts.

This was a *very* high-level generalized answer that in no way is the be all - end all, as it doesn't even touch on things like whirlpool or dry hop additions, hop oil, lupulin powder, LupoMax/CryoHops, not to mention the latest genetically modified, highly thiolized yeasts that are potentially game-changing when it comes to enhancing hop flavors.

Thanks for that education on beer (one of my favorite subjects  )

[MightyGiants]

On a typical Pinball Machine your goal is to complete "A" then "B" then "c" and then while something is lit up from doing "A' then "B" then "C" you will then have to do something to get the "special". The "special" is only awarding whatever it is for a limited time while that ball is in play. If you DO get the "special" it will award you with a complete game to the credit wheel which keeps track of how many games you have left to play. say its 3 games for a quarter whatever. THe special when done will kick your credit wheel one complete game, a "free game' is the reward and the object of your playing. This special is "lit" until that ball your playing at the time is still in play. If the ball goes down the middle or out one of the left or right OUT lanes so you lose the ball ang either go on to the next whole game if its your last ball or start all over again trying to get "A B and C" again to get a chance to win some more free games.
WHew! I trust this all makes sense takes a lot of words to describe.
Two states, NY and Minnesota decided that pinball machines that you could win extra games on was a gambling device and made them illegal.
Back then there were four manufacturers of pinball machines, Bally, Williams, Gottleib and Chicago Coin. I do not know which one came up with the idea for a "add a ball" design but Gottlieb went to town on them. With a add a ball game you try and complete A,B, and C again and the special lights up when you get the special it awards you a extra ball right there immediately. The Special does not stop though and as long as you can keep that same ball in play you can continue to hit the special again and again and you can run your specials all the way up to 10 balls!
Know lets say the game has a pool playing theame. So the main run of the games that award free games is called TARGET POOL. lets say they make 5000 of them. THat same game with ALMOST the same layout has a completely different art work and is a "add a ball game" and  is named "Pool KIng". Now they only make like 300 or 200 or even down to a production run of 150 of them and they are only sold and used in NY and Minn. because thats the only two states they are legal in.
This results in them being pretty rare and hard top find. I dig these games up and then do a total restoration on them to the point that they are better then they were when they came out of the factory in 1964 or whatever. THe finished products are down right beautiful I must say. I take them down to bare wood, all new paint, some things get chromed , new parts where necessary, no different then restoring a 1964 Chevy.
Gee I hope this all makes sense as that was a real lot of typing and my fingers hurt!
One other thing though, if I DO move to New York State I won't be able to take my handguns.Ill need to sell them so if you are interested PM me. Ill keep the german luger, family heirloom, legal or not but the rest ILl have to sell so let me know my friend!
ok Im done typing.
 

I have enjoyed restoration shows on TV.  I wish they could do a show on you taking an old pinball machine and restoring it to better than new.   Have you ever done this for profit?  In other words, restored one for a paying customer?

[MightyGiants]

Who you telling, lol! Two different centers, two different oil patterns. The house where I average 207 is a much easier shot. There are 28 teams in this league that bowls on Thursday night. Through 6 weeks there have been 7 300-games thrown and 4 or 5 800+ series games. I threw a 287 and 256 my first two games last week.

The other house is a much tougher shot. Only 1 300 thrown in the 15 years I've bowled there. The manager is a PBA member and he hasn't thrown one either.

How closely are pins regulated?   

[Jolly Blue Giant]

How closely are pins regulated?   

I shouldn't jump in here because I'm no expert on bowling. I bowl once every 5 years and suck at it. But because I have a friend who bowls in competition, I learned a little. I asked him why he has 5 bowling balls that he takes with him in a long wheeled cart made especially for it. He said that alley surfaces vary a lot and that each ball is made up of a different compound that works differently for particular alley surfaces. He said there are some alleys that have many 300 games and other alleys that are very rare for a 300 game to be thrown. I don't know the exact details, but I suspect Tim can fill you in. Getting into the chemistry of surfaces, compounds, etc., is pretty high tech. I will wait to see what Tim has to say and probably eat crow because I am out of my element on this one

[Bill Brown]

Hey Tim. Have you ever bowled candle pins?

Bill

[MightyGiants]

One question for @weeze

While I played pinball, I was never really good at it.   Was my lack of ability simply due to a lack of aptitude/practice, or do the good players know how to impart a little body english to the ball?  I never really jostled the machine when I played, instead relying on only my timing with the paddles.

[T200]

@MightyGiants
The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) is thr main governing body for sanctioned bowling. Not all centers are sanctioned nor are they required to be. If they are sanctioned, I believe they must be certified annually but that's just a guess. I'm not sure whatsoever.

I do know that the lanes (material and condition), pins, pinsetters, are all within USBC regulations. Ball manufacturers are also held to USBC standards and regulations for ball weight and balance.

@Jolly Blue Giant
You were spot on! Bowling has become more scientific with bowling ball cores and coverstocks (surface). Manufacturers push out new balls with a myriad of combinations of chemicals and science and technology every month!

@ps11yat14
Bill, no, I have not done candle pin or duckpin bowling. One of my friends grew up bowling duckpins for years before he threw a regular sized bowling ball.

[jimv]

I save movies.  Some are homemade.  I have a little over 2,200.

[MightyGiants]

I save movies.  Some are homemade.  I have a little over 2,200.

Do I hear you right?  Jim, you have made some of your own movies?  What are they about