Stupidest....Mistake.....Ever!!

SwAMi75 · 11-14-2005, 02:06 PM

Well, it's taken me a week to get up the nerve to post this. Last weekend was to be the inagural brewday over at my new place. I was to brew the "Dog's Bollocks" IPA in my sig. Incedentally, this was also to be my first beer for competition.

So, I got off work, and got started. All my gear was packed away in the shed. I was in a rush to get started, so we wouldn't be out there all night. So, I decided to get mashed in, then take care of everything else.

I heated my strike water, and popped open my pre-packaged grains. I was to use some nice Golden Promise two-row in this. So, I start mashing in, alternating between mixing my water and grains. I get about 75% of my grains in, and realize I have a problem. THEY'RE NOT CRUSHED!!!

I always order them crushed, because I don't have a mill yet. At this point, I don't know if the mistake was mine, or the online HBS I ordered from. It's a moot point, because in my haste, I'd failed to notice. I mashed for about 2 hours at 151F, and batch sparged it.

Long story short, I lightly hopped it and came up with a SG in the fermenter of 1.038 (it was supposed to be about 1.064). It fermented, but it was weak. I need to check my gravity to see how it attenuated.

Lesson learned.....don't get in too big a rush!

Darth Konvel · 11-14-2005, 02:14 PM

Ahh, bummer. Sounds like something I might do

Hopefully you got some fermentables out of it. Did you taste the wort before you pitched at all?

**Baron von BeeGee** · 11-14-2005, 02:18 PM

Bummer, indeed! Hope it works out in some way. I'll add it to my list of mistakes I should try to avoid!

SwAMi75 · 11-14-2005, 02:25 PM

Yeah, the wort was pretty damn sweet. It fermented, but only put on about a 1 1/2" kreautsen. If it didn't attenuate well, it'll have to get flushed. I'll probably take a reading when I get home later. If it does, it might turn out to be a pretty decent mild ale!

**david_42** · 11-14-2005, 02:30 PM

Nothing wrong with a Mild, the hard way. Certainly a one-time error.

My worst had to have been when my brewing buddy put four pounds of rye in a batch that called for four oz. Had to toss the tarball, all 18 pounds of it!

**Dude** · 11-14-2005, 02:41 PM

I don't think it is going to be a big issue.
We know we got sugar out of the grains because the wort tasted normal.
Kudos to Sam for some quick thinking and coming up with a pretty decent recipe (I think it will be anyway) for the mild. he had a bunch of different hops laying around and made it work!

We had a damn good time brewing it too though! My bro-in-law is still raving about that night!

Steak, beer, brewing, does it get any better than that?

Can't forget to mention 2 of the biggest dogs I've ever seen too!!!!!!

**DeRoux's Broux** · 11-14-2005, 03:18 PM

bummer Sam, i know that was like a kick in the gut. no problems, live and learn right? like someone above said, ebter it into a mild category and you just may be suprised.

way to think on the fly!

**david_42** · 11-14-2005, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Steak, beer, brewing, does it get any better than that?

New York Style Hot Italian sausage smoked with apple wood! Can't find any in Oregon.

SwAMi75 · 11-14-2005, 03:35 PM

Thanks fellas! I think I'll be ordering the stuff for that batch again, making for CERTAIN they get crushed this time. With luck, ORRELSE and I will be doing a dual brewday at his place this weekend.

**Dude** · 11-14-2005, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam75

Thanks fellas! I think I'll be ordering the stuff for that batch again, making for CERTAIN they get crushed this time. With luck, ORRELSE and I will be doing a dual brewday at his place this weekend.

Yep! I'm going to attempt the "North to Alaska Porter". Need to figure out how to smoke grains before Saturday. I already ordered the ingredients from HBA.

We might have a special guest too! Huleoo might come!