Misadventures in Homebrewing

So, you guys may or may not know that I don't brew at home. I come up to my job, a former brewpub, now just a pub, and brew in the back alley. Well, I used to always come in the back garage door, since that's the easiest way to get all my equipment to the spot, but about two months ago we started using an alarm system, and I had to come in the side door so I could disarm the alarm.

I'd done that a couple of brew sessions, and it was no big deal, since I'd just park real quick, come in the door, punch in my code, and then go back around to the back like normal. Well, a couple weeks ago our alarm stopped working. It said something was open, because the sensors weren't lining up. So we stopped using it. So the last time I came up, I just went around back like always, and brewed my big double batch.

So TODAY, I come around back and get my whole thing going. I've got all my equipment set up, my water almost to temp, my drink, and I'm almost ready to toss in the steeping grains. So I come inside and go back to the office to get the thermometer we keep in there, and as I'm fumbling for my keys...



***WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO WAO!!!***


Holy ****! The motion sensor went off right by the office door. Startled me out of my mind. Luckily, I got it together and ran right over to the control panel, and disarmed it. Apparently the damn thing is working okay again! So the security company called, and I gave them my code, and told them what happened, and all is well, by good god, I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

In fact, while I was typing this, the police just came in and asked me what was up. I explained what had happened again, and he said that our alarm permit had expired, and we needed to get it paid up again. Pretty damn ironic. Okay, back to brewing! :fro:

That happened to me one time at work. The alarm was very loud and we couldn't get to the control box fast enough.

I've set off the alarm multiple times at work going in after hours and on weekends. When we first moved into the building I didn't know it was turned on yet, and the alarm sound is very faint in the back part of the building. I was installing PCs and toting around monitors when the cops showed up... I'm sure that looked good.

I don't think I've ever had a really whacked out thing happen while brewing, though, most of my brew days have gone pretty well.

lol @ Buford

This was by far the worst thing to happen to me, so far. *fingers crossed*

The cool thing was, the GM showed up, and we joked around about it. I told him I didn't know the alarm was working again, and he said he hadn't known either! So I didn't feel as bad as I would've.

Since you mentioned it, I'd be curious to hear people stories about their most bizarre/worst/funniest misadventures during an actual brew session. It seems like it would normally be a pretty controlled and predictable environment, but between all of us, there have got to be SOME good stories out there.

You think that's a b!tch. I installed my home alarm system and I have it connected to a central station of course. When I programmed it, I had the choice of whether or not the system will monitor the phone line for a dial tone. The theory is, if the line goes dead, that was probably some lowlife with enough forethought to cut the line outside. Once in a great while, the phone company moves whole bundles of cables and has to do a quick splice over. They usually do this at 3am when they suspect the lowest number of calls. Yeah, 3am. My alarm goes off. Talk about heart attack!! I have a keypad in my bedroom so at least I can quickly see that it wasn't a zone trip, but then I have to wait by the door with the baseball bat just in case.

Ok, so this isn't a brew related post but just for arguments sake, say I was brewing at 3am. Still scary!