Making such boilers, the caps, and the coiled copper “worm” condensers in the old styles calls for skilled metalwork. American turnip boilers were traditionally made of copper sheets hammered into shape and riveted and soldered together. In the Blue Ridge it was used into the 1930s, but few, if any, area bootleggers today have ever seen a turnip still in operation. Named for its squatty turnip-shaped boiler (often called the “pot”), the turnip still dates back centuries. The moonshiner can tell how far along the fermentation process has gone by feeling the foam or “breaking up the cap.” Virginia Blue Ridge, circa 1970s. It’s looking more and more likely that this could be Johnson’s last season in Pittsburgh, and Dulac’s latest reports only continue to confirm that.When the cap of foam has disappeared, mash is ready to distill. Unless things change, it seems unlikely the black and gold will, especially with the potential of rookies George Pickensand Calvin Austin III.

He’ll likely eventually get the $20+ million per year that he’s asking for, but it’s just a matter of what team will give it to him. He was by far the team’s best, most consistent threat on offense, racking up 1,161 receiving yards. Johnson made significant strides in 2021, his third season since the Steelers picked him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. It’s clear the Steelers won’t change their ways with Johnson, despite the hiring of a new general manager this off-season with the retirement of Kevin Colbert. In his prime, he was the best in football for a stretch of over five years. Antonio Brown was the one exception to this, but he was more than just a very good wide receiver. In years past, they’ve shown an unwillingness to overpay star wide outs like Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and even JuJu Smith-Schuster. In a press conference on Tuesday, general manager Omar Khan admitted to wanting the wide receiver in black and gold for “ a long time.” While that may hold true, it clearly has to come at a certain price for the Steelers. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half of an NFL football game as Sunday, Nov. Getting Boswell’s deal completed likely allowed them to shift focus to negotiations with Johnson. That’s an improvement from the last few weeks, as it seemed as if there were no ongoing conversations. If Dulac’s reports are true, that means the two sides are at least talking about a potential deal. “According to a team source, the sides are so far apart from what Johnson is seeking and what the Steelers are willing to spend, the plausibility of getting a deal done before the Sept.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the two sides are indeed very far apart, and it remains unlikely for things to happen before the season opener. It seems as if the Steelers haven’t gotten anywhere near reaching a deal with Johnson, if the two sides are even negotiating. The list includes Hunter Renfrow, Terry McLaurin, DK Metcalf, AJ Brown, and most recently, Deebo Samuel. Johnson’s stats from his first three seasons are comparable to Renfrow and McLaurin specifically, so as a result, his price has gone up significantly. If you haven’t already seen, nearly every successful wide out from his 2019 draft class has signed hefty extensions this off-season. Pittsburgh Steelers kicker, Chris Boswell (#9), celebrates a made kick against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.

Thumper still