RDWHAHB being put to the test.

This is my first thread, and of course, I love the site/obsession.

Yesterday I brewed my fifth batch since getting my kit for christmas. It's the "Robust Porter" from JZ's "Brewing Classic Styles" (Forgive me if the title isn't accurate, don't have the book handy, but I think most here are familiar with the book I am referring to.)

Had some friends over, pre-partying for the SB, enjoying the fruits of my previous labors (Porter, Amber Ale, and an Irish Red,) and learning with a good deal of interest about this new found obsession of mine. They got to see the process of transferring my brown ale to secondary, watched with great insterest as I added four gallons of Apple Juice ontop of the gallon I left in my primary of Brown ale for a "graff-like" concoction. Then helped as I had probably the most seemless and efficient brew yet with one exception.

A couple of notes first. Mash went almost perfectly to spec, it was my third partial mash, and it seems I'm finally getting the hang of it. This was also my first time brewing on a turkey frier I've had that needed some gas. Cut my boil time by 75%, also a huge bonus. And considering it was 72 degrees out, it was a perfect day to do it (Plus the SWMBO was happy to not have the house reek of hops.)

Everything thing went great, and I was feeling confident (and four HB's in a little tipsy.) OG was .002 off, but no big worries there. Thankfully the whole group had gone inside to watch the game when my great shame occured.

I realized too late that the extra fermenting bucket I bought would ALSO need it's own airlock (simple oversight, I have three airlocks, but lost the cap to one of them and should've picked up an extra at the LHBS.) So, I decide to go ahead and make a blow off tube using my transfer tube. When I go to push through the air lock hole, I ended up cramming the grommit through and right into my wort. I spent 15 minutes trying to fish it out with a sanitized ladel, but just couldn't get it... Not knowing what else to do, I sanitized the bejeezus out of my arm and dove in after it.

Grommit and arm were both sanitized, but there is something not right about cramming your arm into something you spend so much time and effort trying to protect. All is sealed up and bubbling away nicely this morning. I've got it stored in a closet and am not going to even LOOK at the room it's in until it's had a couple weeks. Definitely putting my ability to RDWHAHB to the test.

Don't really need advice or encouragement, I have full faith in the yeast to do what they do best, just had a funny story on my brew day, and thought I'd share.

Happy Brewing Everyone, and thanks again for all the great information on this site!

Here are the fruits of yestedays efforts. Easier to not worry when I know I have at least 10 gallons of other goodies in the works as well...

If thats the blowoff bucket above the fermenter, get it on the floor asap otherwise youre risking a beer full of blowoff water. Btw, I did the arm in beer thing a couple times with no ill effects. Should be just fine.

x2 get that blowoff bucket lower than the beer or your just asking it to siphon into your beer.

Awe crap! Never even though about suck back, I guess that'd siphon every once of that back into the beer huh?!? I'll get right on that!

Well, the bucket is full of sanitizer and water, and the hose is only barely submerged so wouldn't get a whole lot sucked into the beer. Couple of Oz at the most, still wouldn't want that... It's amazing that I spend so much time studying these forums, and focus on getting everything right, and yet, still make silly mistakes like putting the blow-off bucket on top. Another lesson learned I suppose..

I've had airlock grommets fall in. Next time, as long as you've spray sanitized the lid and the grommet, just let it sit in the beer and get yourself another grommet.

Next time leave the grommet in the beer rather than sticking your dirty digits in the fermenter. Lacking a grommet, perhaps just wad up some cling wrap or aluminum foil / something clean...an absolute seal on your airlock is not that critical for fermentation.

You will likely be fine, just don't make a habit of this!!! Cheers!

Everybody's pushed the grommet in at one time or another. Just pick up a spare grommet you're at the LHBS and you can avoid arm hair in your beer.

I remember a thread a while back where one guy racked his beer to the bottling bucket and found a bunch of crayons in the bottom of the fermenter. His 3 year old discovered that they just slide right in the airlock hole. Thought is was a crayon bucket. I think he named it crayola lager

As w/ the above posters, I've stuck my entire arm in the fementer a couple of times w/ no ill effects. You'll be fine.

I think a spare grommet or two, and perhaps installing the hose BEFORE putting it over the beer might be a suitable solution. Again, I'm not SUPER worried about it, but being so new, I can't help myself sometimes...

I dropped a can of Mr Beer extract in my first wort. The can was in no way clean. The beer turned out as good as I could expect Mr. Beer to.

Although I have not had the fortune of dunking my arm to the elbow, while you are RDWHAHB, I can say that I brewed that 'Black Widow' recipe as he calls it back on Black Friday and it is mighty tasty right now.

Contrary to his warning, I feel that when I make his "black widow" porter, it wouldn't be in style to abstain. I'm going to have to track one down when the time comes...