How NOT to Brew - Chapter 3: The Chill

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Go ahead, count the mistakes in this video. Feel free to laugh at my stupidity, it's OK.



Disclaimer: this is several years ago. I don't use the pool, the pool noodle / duct tape assy, that pot, or that glass carboy anymore (broke the carboy in the pool, no big surprise there). I now have a pump, and Marlee doesn't lick my carboys.

Found this video while going through old family footage.
 
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ai think the pool was a great idea. But why didn't you just pour some of the wort out before adding the yeast? Good flick either way. :0)
 
Well, just let the blow-off tube empty into the pool, and I'm sure it'll be fine :mug:

How many times did you lose a whole batch into the pool using that set up? Haha.

Thanks for the laugh :mug:
 



The thing that confused me the most is that you were "experienced" enough to have a big ass flask and make yeast starters but not experienced enough to care out your dog licking the bunghole?

cheers, thanks for the laughs.
 
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Hey, I have that exact turkey fryer stand. I'm guessing the same pot, too.

When i acquired the kit - i think i paid $30 for it off CL - I thought that stand was so effing cool.

And then i used it.

No wind screen, and the burner in mine produces tons of soot at any setting - my guess is that it's really a natural gas burner.
 
Great video! I laughed out loud. Love the dog licking your bunghole, but for me the best part was when you're standing around, KNOWing it's too full, and I could just see the thoughts going through your head as you try to convince yourself it's ok to just pour the yeast in. That was awesome! Thanks so much for posting this.
 
:D Thanks for sharing! It's good to laugh at yourself man, none of us are perfect but having fun learning makes that truth A LOT easier.
 
Awesome post! Love the soundtrack!! What a great reminder of the great lessons and experiences we have in brewing.
 
I'm pretty sure we've *ALL* had that moment where we stood there and said, from your video, and verbatim... 'It's gonna *have* to be ok. It's gonna *have* to be ok.' :D

LOL, great video. And resourceful - using the pool as part of your cooling equipment...
 
Just wondering... why have the kettle in the pool when you had an actual wort chiller? Did you really think it would help the IC that much?

Oh, and I love the way you say wort (eg, "wart"), you big noobie ;). I would probably pass on one of your beers if you first told me that you rehydrated dry yeast in "warm" water!
 
That was brilliant. Made me laugh out loud. Think I snorted too. The Benny Hill music was the icing on the cake. Thanks for posting. Made my day.
 
Am I the only person that equates brewing to cooking?
Meaning that I like to do it in a clean, controlled environment from start to finish?

I wouldn't chill in a pool, leave the kettle open for God knows what to fall in it, have animals running around, etc. But hey if it works, more power to you! :rockin:
 
Disintegr8or said:
Am I the only person that equates brewing to cooking?
Meaning that I like to do it in a clean, controlled environment from start to finish?

I wouldn't chill in a pool, leave the kettle open for God knows what to fall in it, have animals running around, etc. But hey if it works, more power to you! :rockin:

You've never grilled, I take it?
 
Man that video made me laugh. The yeast starter over flowing the carboy is great.

Am I the only person that equates brewing to cooking?
Meaning that I like to do it in a clean, controlled environment from start to finish?

I am fanatical about my cleaning and run hepa filters to clean the air. However, folks have been brewing beer for so long without clean environments, that I'm convinced making beer is not a delicate process.
 
That made my day! From this point forward, I will have a new outlook on mistakes I may make while brewing.

The dog had me rolling. Talk about having a dog lick your wounds! Even the dog knew you were making a mistake and tried to lick it to make it better. :D
 
Glass and pools makes me nervous. Saying you broke your carboy in the pool makes me cringe.
 
that dog is amazing. i dont have sound on my computer at work and i think that made it 100X better your facial expressions and "techniques" great stuff and even better acknowledging your mistakes and posting the video for everyone else!
 
That made my day! From this point forward, I will have a new outlook on mistakes I may make while brewing.

The pool idea worked until it started raining one time. I nearly capsized the pot trying to retrieve it from the middle of the pool. I've made monumental mistakes.

I broke my first glass carboy by filling it with hot wort and setting it on those pool steps there, in the cold winter pool water.

It's easy to convince yourself that these things will work, but in the end you find yourself in the wee hours of a cold January night, standing in a pool wearing pajama shorts and tennis shoes, wading around looking for shards of glass and praying your wife doesn't catch you.

Here's a picture from that fateful night. Another example of How NOT to Brew - Chapter 3 - The Chill.

broken_carboy.jpg
 
That was great passed pawn, I sadly do not video tape myself but I used to do some hilarious stuff as well.
 
That was great passed pawn, I sadly do not video tape myself but I used to do some hilarious stuff as well.

These were tutorials (I know, guffaw) for my brothers in California who wanted to learn to brew. I set up a camera with the intent of sending a DVD. You can see why I never sent anything.

I eventually flew to California and they are both brewers now :rockin:
 
It's easy to convince yourself that these things will work, but in the end you find yourself in the wee hours of a cold January night, standing in a pool wearing pajama shorts and tennis shoes, wading around looking for shards of glass and praying your wife doesn't catch you.

I hear you. I used to brew in SWMBO's kitchen despite her protests. One fateful day, I was brewing while she was away purchasing strange non-brewing products to stock said kitchen with and I spilled about a gallon of wort down the side of the cabinets and all over the kitchen floor. :( After I stopped crying and was left with only a quivvering lower lip, I commenced to wiping it up. Well, turns out that wort is so full of sugar (go figure right) that unless you scrub it with every fiber of your being and use a cleaner that is too toxic to be legal in most states, you end up with a sticky film all over everything. After my shoes began sticking to the floor, I realized my dire situation. I scrubbed like a maniac for another two hours. SWMBO came home after quite some time and was surprised I was still brewing. I merely replied, "I got started late, honey." She was never the wiser and that kitchen was cleaner than ever. I went to Lowe's and purchased a cheap propane turkey fryer. I never brewed in the kitchen again. :D
 
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