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40watt · 03-19-2012, 04:38 PM

Just to help beginners, I'm going to admit a mistake that could stay hidden forever.

It doesn't matter how, but I froze an entire carboy of Dead Ringer. First instinct...something as close to panic as I get. I really didn't want to bottle a batch that wasn't going to pan out. I effin hate bottling, and my keg system is still being put together.

Well, I thawed it, and threw a tsp of dry yeast in my priming solution, bottled that ****, and said a little prayer to the beer gods.

Due to other improvements I had made in my process, this is my best beer yet.
The point being, no matter how stupid or monumental your mistake, you should indeed relax and have a homebrew. It's shocking how hard it is to eff up beer.

**Jsmith82** · 03-19-2012, 05:20 PM

I have to know how... for the love of all golden delicious beer, how does one accidentally freeze a carboy LOL... Did you cold crash it in a modified DF and accidentally set the temp too low?

That's cool it turned out well enough you would call it your best beer yet - just a testament to the strength of yeast and a home-brewer's will to never give up on a batch until you absolutely have to.

40watt · 03-19-2012, 05:30 PM

The freezing story is awfully ridiculous. Yes, I got a deep freeze, but had yet to get a temp controller. I hypothesized, that an otherwise empty, ancient chest freezer starting at ambient temp would take longer than overnight to freeze 5 gallons of beer. After getting it to 30-40 degrees I would unplug the unit. Boom, cold crashed beer. I was mistaken.

**Jsmith82** · 03-19-2012, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40watt

The freezing story is awfully ridiculous. Yes, I got a deep freeze, but had yet to get a temp controller. I hypothesized, that an otherwise empty, ancient chest freezer starting at ambient temp would take longer than overnight to freeze 5 gallons of beer. After getting it to 30-40 degrees I would unplug the unit. Boom, cold crashed beer. I was mistaken.

Heh! Awesome, little did the troll thermostat know that it did nothing to hurt the beer, just prolonged it's inevitable deliciousness by a couple days..

Had a feeling that may might have been the cause, I almost did something similar at one time

**chickypad** · 03-19-2012, 06:38 PM

Embarrassed to say I've done this more than once and I have a Ranco controller for the ferment chamber. Hint - when cleaning or moving fermenters in and out make sure the temp probe doesn't fall out onto the garage floor in the middle of summer.

Beer was fine.

40watt · 03-19-2012, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickypad

Embarrassed to say I've done this more than once and I have a Ranco controller for the ferment chamber. Hint - when cleaning or moving fermenters in and out make sure the temp probe doesn't fall out onto the garage floor in the middle of summer.

Beer was fine.

Ha! I'll remember to look out for that.

**daksin** · 03-19-2012, 10:38 PM

Wow, was there ANY yeast in the carboy? I froze a few bottles of an IPA I made and the lysed yeast made the beer worse than undrinkable. I nearly gagged. If you're studying for BJCP or the Cicerone's exam it's a good way to learn the autolysis flavor.

40watt · 03-19-2012, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daksin

Wow, was there ANY yeast in the carboy? I froze a few bottles of an IPA I made and the lysed yeast made the beer worse than undrinkable. I nearly gagged. If you're studying for BJCP or the Cicerone's exam it's a good way to learn the autolysis flavor.

Not much yeast. It had been fined with gelatin, and transfered to secondary because I dry hopped. Between that and the cold crash, what little yeast was present was left behind.

Special Hops · 03-20-2012, 01:13 AM

Best beer I ever made I grommet from airlock hole in the bucket lid fell into the wort right after I pitched yeast.

I sprayed my arm down good with starsan ad reached down in there and fit it out. I thought it was pretty well ruined.

Well that same batch won our monthly informal taste completion at our local brew club.