Sadness is...

...coming home and entering your garage to check on your most recent brew's fermentation status only to find that your failure to have a temp controller on your lagering fridge (because it had stayed at a consistant 33 for the last week) has resulted in a frozen and shattered carboy full of a five week old hellesbock that you took the time to do a triple decoction mash the results of which was one of the tastiest homebrews yet as sampled during the pre lagering hydrometer taste test. I believe I am currently at stage 2 (pain and guilt) of the grieving process. I'm not sure how much covering your cement floor with quality beer helps a house's resale value. It sure smells tasty!! :rockin:

Drink a home brew for a fallen friend!

Well, so long as it stay frozen it should be easier to clean up.

I think grieving stages III and IV are: post pics and wallow in community misery, respectively.
-Jefe-

Yes Pics Will Help With Grieving Process

"Lessons learned" is a very important process to follow after something so heart-breaking as this!

Don't use glass.
Wire in a circuit that would prevent this from happening again. Let me know if you need help with this.

Durden said:

"Lessons learned" is a very important process to follow after something so heart-breaking as this!

Don't use glass.

Click to expand...

Solid copy on the lessons learned. Never trust a fridge with precious cargo unless you have a quality controller on it.

I never thought of using plastic. I guess I figured (with no justification) that glass was the better way to go. So plastic for lagering?

Glass is fine if you have a good control scheme. Many have good luck with Better Bottles but I have no experience with them. I use 6 and 7 gallon plastic buckets (I have 8 of these or so), 1 glass carboy, 1 half barrel SS keg and a 14 gallon conical. I would say the conical is best but it doesn't fit in my fridge so I use the keg usually for lagering.

Sorry for your loss, I am raising a pint for your loss.

hmm... now the wife wants to know why I'm weeping on my keyboard..... Sorry about your loss.

J8D said:

Solid copy on the lessons learned. Never trust a fridge with precious cargo unless you have a quality controller on it.

I never thought of using plastic. I guess I figured (with no justification) that glass was the better way to go. So plastic for lagering?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't lager in plastic. Of course I keg, so I lager in there. Glass is fine, just spend the $45 and get a digital temp controller.

Your condolences are appreciated. Photos of destruction (not for the faint or sober) to follow.

One good point to come out of this, since I am an optimist, is what I have learned about glass carboys from this site. Apparently they are not necessarily everyones favorite for fermentors. I thought better bottles were for those of us who couldn't dump the coin on the glass ones. I only had glass since I bought my kit used. I now know that my two buckets and my future purchase of cheaper BBs are perhaps a safer way to go.

The other light at the end of the tunnel is that Mama San is heading out of town on a four day business trip. This equates to a "brewing 96."

Children: What's for dinner Dad?
Me: Open up that igloo cooler over there and get yourself a nice warm
bowl of spent grain.
Children: What about a vegetable?
Me: Here, have some lettuce.
Children: Why do you have lettuce inside that kettle and why is it sticky, bitter, and funny smelling.
Me: That's because it's good for you now go finish cleaning those bottles, Daddy's got work to do.

:rockin:

Okay, the Garage Floor in your sig made me chuckle. Laughter helps the grieving process.

*raises his glass in a toast*

It was not meant to be, but never forget. Brew again, and be glad.

To a fallen beer!

J8D said:

Children: What's for dinner Dad?
Me: Open up that igloo cooler over there and get yourself a nice warm
bowl of spent grain.
Children: What about a vegetable?
Me: Here, have some lettuce.
Children: Why do you have lettuce inside that kettle and why is it sticky, bitter, and funny smelling.
Me: That's because it's good for you now go finish cleaning those bottles, Daddy's got work to do.

:rockin:

Click to expand...

HA!

My 7yo son wanted to try a hop pellet. I'd never seen such a look of pained disgust in my life.

RIP. I feel your pain.