Terror and near catastrophe

Been brewing for just over a year now. Today I had an experience I hope never happens to anyone else.

I have never experienced terror until now. I hear a small "clinking" to my left while working....."there it is again.....what is that?.....and again?" get up, walk to the storage room to WATCH the shelving unit containing all my homebrew actively leaning forward. HOLY F-BOMB.

One hand on the shelf to stabilize while I grab everything I can from the top 3 tiers and place on the floor. I was able to snap these pics before finishing the 4th tier. Good. Lord. That was close. These shelves were supposed to be rated for up to 300lbs a piece.

As a side note, I realized I have a brewing problem after seeing HALF of my stock on the floor and the rest still on the shelves and most recent batch outside with a current one going......

good thing your spidey sense kicked in! I would say that you don't have a brewing problem. More like you have a drinking problem. That is, you are having a problem drinking all those beers by yourself! Get some help!

Looks like someone needs some help drinking their beer.

That IS scary.

But, that is also not nearly enough beer on hand!

Yup, I need friends apparently lol Even the wife said to me, after I showed her her pantry floor, "dude, you need to slow down....or we need to have people over." I'm going with option 2. I can't slow down. I've got approximately 11 days to drink enough of my swing tops for the next batch to be bottled......

Not a brewing problem....that's definitely a storage problem.
If you need help drinking, hit me up, I am local and willing to do what I can for the cause.

Truth is though....I have the same problem. :cross:
Too much beer, not enough time to drink it.

E-Mursed said:

Not a brewing problem....that's definitely a storage problem.
If you need help drinking, hit me up, I am local and willing to do what I can for the cause.

Truth is though....I have the same problem. :cross:
Too much beer, not enough time to drink it.

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HAHA, we may have to arrange a sit down or something then

Well, I'm saving this box and all warranty information. 1000 lbs / shelf BETTER frickin' work!

pwortiz said:

Well, I'm saving this box and all warranty information. 1000 lbs / shelf BETTER frickin' work!

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The problem with those shelves is the cheap **** particle boards warp very easily, especially if any moisture (humidity) is around them.

Chap said:

The problem with those shelves is the cheap **** particle boards warp very easily, especially if any moisture (humidity) is around them.

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dammit. should I just go ahead and cut plywood instead?

Unless your storage room is a sauna the particle board will be fine. I use those shelves to hold racks of 10 gallon aquariums for shrimp and fish breeding. Mine get wet all the time. As long as you wipe excess water from a spill it's all good.

PHEW......it's in a non conditioned basement room so.....humidity is a problem but it appears that it'll be an issue after a while vs anytime soon. I can deal with that.

I am not sure what this thread is about but I'm just glad I'm not the only one with beer bottle storage issues. Thanks for the pics.

Yeah sorry, I should have mentioned that I do pretty much live in a sauna (plastic will rust in Okinawa). In about 2 months of being in a non-climate controlled ventilated storage room all of my shelves have a deep bow in them with nothing overly heavy stored on them

Chap, I take it by the signature you're part of the Marines? THANK YOU.

How's the local micro brew scene there? I have always wanted to go and visit Japan!

The HBT knows all.

Read this:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/my-newly-discovered-bottle-storage-unit-90478/

pwortiz said:

Chap, I take it by the signature you're part of the Marines? THANK YOU.

How's the local micro brew scene there? I have always wanted to go and visit Japan!

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Thank you!

Yes, I hit 25 years of active duty this week. Unfortunately Okinawa is about as different from mainland Japan as you can get. We are about 20 years behind in everything. There is a very small micro-brew scene here... like 2 bars small. Several of the local liquor stores sell quality beer but it is damn expensive. Other than home-brew, we are at the mercy of the base stores and whatever they order... which is usually BMC with "exotic treats" like Rogue or Leinenkugel's thrown in every now and then LOL

iambeer said:

I am not sure what this thread is about but I'm just glad I'm not the only one with beer bottle storage issues. Thanks for the pics.

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Iambeer, it started out as my way of relating an experience. I almost lost 156 bottles (those that were on my first two tiers), created a MASSIVE mess in that room, and then just an overall realization of, HOLY CRAP...it appears someone upstairs was watching today!

opus345 said:

The HBT knows all.

Read this:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/my-newly-discovered-bottle-storage-unit-90478/

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HAHAHAHAHAA, that's awesome. Most of my bottles are swingtop though. I usually only cap ones I'm going to give away. Still, that's an awesome post!

I'm the same way with my bottles..capped ones are give aways...Grolsh bottles stay home.

If you want long term quality, get all metal heavy shelving. Check the big box stores and CL for sale deals. Quality heavy duty shelving will last a lifetime.

So, after giving away 54 of the capables this is what stock looks like with the new shelf....it looks like I have space to fill.....And these things are already showing a good bit more sturdiness!

Chap said:

Thank you!

Yes, I hit 25 years of active duty this week. Unfortunately Okinawa is about as different from mainland Japan as you can get. We are about 20 years behind in everything. There is a very small micro-brew scene here... like 2 bars small. Several of the local liquor stores sell quality beer but it is damn expensive. Other than home-brew, we are at the mercy of the base stores and whatever they order... which is usually BMC with "exotic treats" like Rogue or Leinenkugel's thrown in every now and then LOL

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With all that said, how do you get your homebrew ingredients? Do you have to order from the states?...Do they have a supply there or do you have to hit the mainland. I have always wanted to see some of the more traditional areas of Japan so perhaps Okinawa is the place to get to...?

I do not, and will not, trust a plastic shelf for storing ANYTHING of significant weight. I don't care what the box says. If it's going to carry anything of significant weight or value, it's either a metal shelf (with the particle board replaced by plywood/OSB) or an all-wood shelf I've built myself.

Time to start kegging!

If you have a stockpile that you need help depleting, I'll gladly give you my address. I don't have much of a pipeline right now and football season is nigh!

Slipgate said:

Time to start kegging!

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I'm working on it. Plans for keezer and kegs are in the works....just need to wear the SWMBO down a bit more....

pwortiz said:

With all that said, how do you get your homebrew ingredients? Do you have to order from the states?...Do they have a supply there or do you have to hit the mainland. I have always wanted to see some of the more traditional areas of Japan so perhaps Okinawa is the place to get to...?

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MoreBeer is one of the few vendors who will ship to an APO/FPO address so they get all of my business. They won't offer free shipping even though they only have to send it to San Fran and the Military Postal takes it from there... but whatever.

No, I don't think Oki is what you are looking for. It's a great little island, especially if you are a diver (fantastic!!!) but really it's not that "Japanese" in the traditional sense. It has it's ruins, castles and cherry blossoms but mainland is the place to go for traditional Japanese.

dkwolf said:

I do not, and will not, trust a plastic shelf for storing ANYTHING of significant weight. I don't care what the box says. If it's going to carry anything of significant weight or value, it's either a metal shelf (with the particle board replaced by plywood/OSB) or an all-wood shelf I've built myself.

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Building your own shelves FTW.

pwortiz said:

dammit. should I just go ahead and cut plywood instead?

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Wrap the particle boards completely in contact paper. That should keep moisture out.

is it chip board or MDF? MDF can barely handle its own weight. It is a TERRIBLE shelving material on wide spans like this. I have screwed up sheets in my metal storage unit in my average humidity basement.