Simply heat the water to 160-170°F. A roast termometer reads this exact range of temperatures and will cost you about $3 at K-mart or Walmart. The washtub will likely need to be placed over all four stove burners. I cover two of the burners with inverted glass pie pans and rest the washtub on that while the other two burners heat the tub. If you try to place the tub directly on all four burners and turn them all on full, you're likely to burn down the house.

While the water is heating, stuff an industrial laundary bag (huge nylon bag you can get at Walmart for about $4) with 1"-6" cut straw. Use as much as you like, but for beginners I'd use about the amount of a beach ball. Once the water is at 160-170°F dunk the laundary bag in the washtub and put a weight on it. Let it cook at 160-170 for between 30-45 minutes.

Once this has been done, lift the laundary bag, let it drain over the tub, then hang it up on something for an hour or several. You do this to evaporate the excess water. Once it's totally cool and drained as well as possible, spawn in the manner above.

ShroomGod

PS - As for the bacterial smell, this doesn't necessarily mean you are doomed. I've had a block make it that smelled really sweet and rotten. It just drastically reduces your chances of making it. You can reduce your chances of this smell coming up by making sure that (a) you don't sterilize your straw and (b) you drain all the excess water out. Sterilization opens the playfield for bacterial blooms and overwets the straw.

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End the War on Drugs...Vote Libertarian
http://www.lp.org

Why is pasturization necessary?

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-snarf

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"Not all drugs are good... some are great."

I dont have a shredder, so I am going to try to use my lawnmower to cut the straw up, or else maybe a machette on a block of wood.