Wisdom: Mistakes made and lessons learnt

[klangers]

After seeing a few posts about the place with some horror stories of first attempts AG brews, or drunken brewing or whatever, I thought it could be a good resource if we had a thread with some stories of mistakes that everyone's made - whether it be out of inexperience or a lack of sobriety!

A collection of "brewing fails" can also make one feel better after a stuff up...

What's your favourite brewing horror story, and what did it teach you?

 

[bullsneck]

Keg hopping without a bag.

For those playing at home... don't do it.

 

[buckerooni]

not taking a 2nd reading for my first BIAB last week, thought the super low OG reading was due to efficiency problems. chucked in a bunch of dodgey old DME and realised I'd overshot the OG by amount of malt I'd just thrown in. I also sprayed a few items with brew cleaner that I thought was no rinse sanitiser...

a few lessons:
- when you haven't brewed for over 1.5 years you're prolly gonna stuff something up if you're not careful
- stir more and take a few more readings
- keep some decent DME for those situations, throw the old dodgey stuff away!
- pay attention!

 

[panzerd18]

Keg hopping without a bag.

For those playing at home... don't do it.

Lol I decided it would be a good idea to learn about the hops flavor by putting a pellet in a few stubbys. Had to strain the beer when I poured because of the debris.

 

[mfeighan]

dont get distracted when kegging a double batch. Lost about 10L of beer over the floor & had 2 tipsy dogs who were happily cleaning up the mess

 

[boybrewer]

Getting drunk and slipping over whilst carrying the FV to the fridge , losing all but 5lt of wort . It turned out to be one of the best Bocks that I made . Shame there wasn't more of it , wort that is .

 

[Pogierob]

Keg hopping without a bag.

For those playing at home... don't do it.

+1 for this - totally sucks balls.....

 

[Mardoo]

Don't order equipment whilst drunk. "Why this no match???":blink:

 

[menoetes]

I've got this one guys...

Upon deciding I wanted to make a Kit wheat beer into a Raspberry wheat beer, I poured half a bottle of raspberry cordial into the fermenter before bottling. Got the idea off of HomeBrewTalk.com - those American Barbarians...

Bloody stupid and even more gross to drink, it tasted like an overly-tart slightly-malty cordial. I couldn't give that crap away. :icon_vomit:

 

[jaypes]

Just a few (yes I have done them all)

• Brew in thongs, chucking in 40gm of hops on a strong rolling boil with about 5L of headspace
• Try to brew whilst looking after 3 kids under 4yo
• Connect any beer or gas lines whilst drunk
• "Test" high flow regulator with 4 ring burner whilst drunk showing your mates your new brew toy

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Using hop flowers in your kettle, then getting then stuck in the outlet.....not fun

 

[StalkingWilbur]

Also blocked pick up tube with flowers.

Added first addition and they floated the bag even though it was weighted. Next addition I though "well they float so well, I don't need to put them in the hop sock". Oh how wrong I was.

 

[mofox1]

Didn't boil the wort. (first partial)

Not a mistake you make twice.

 

[Fat Bastard]

Went for a surf during the post boil/ whirlpool steep (I lived in a flat on the beach at the time) and lost the key in the water. No phone, so I couldn't contact Mrs *******, but a neighbor spotted me 10 bucks for bus fare to the real estate and back to get a spare. Beer turned out a fine, if overly bitter after a 2 hour steep!

 

[GrumpyPaul]

10 minute IPA does not mean 10 minute boil

 

[AndrewF]

I have doughed in a BIAB batch forgetting one important piece of equipment, the bag! I haven't made that mistake again..... Yet.

 

[Topher]

1)Don't spin the fermenter around by pulling on the tap. Only lost about a pint.

2)Don't leave an unclamped beer line connected to a keg while force carbing. (entire batch on the garage floor, and walls, and roof...)

 

[marksy]

1. Always check your bulk priming tap is closed before walking away.

2. Use brewing software for two reasons, keep track of recipes and to see how much quanties effect your beer ( I've made some extremely bitter ales in the past)

3. Keep your gear clean.

 

[brewinski]

Didn't use reading glasses,,,, turns out Ginger Beer doesn't need 11kgs of sugar per 20L

 

[brewinski]

Didn't use reading glasses,,,, turns out Ginger Beer doesn't need 11kgs of sugar per 20L