The mystery of the half-filled fermenter

After four weeks in primary, I went to keg my last Kolsch. I took the shirt off the bucket and noticed that about 2 gallons were missing. It appeared to have been soured (brett?)

Possible explanations:
1. Beer seeped out through an imperfect spigot seal. This seemed to be the most obvious answer, however it is unsatisfactory. The bucket was sitting in a tub of water. If there was an active leak, I would have noticed it when carrying the fermenter, and the level of beer would have been equal to that of the water outside. However, this was not the case.

2. Mass evaporation. This seems unlikely... 2 gallons of water evaporated off in a closed fermenter?

I'm not ruling out the possibility of outside tampering (fermenters are hidden in an out-of-the-way closet at my fraternity house) but I VERY much doubt that anyone would have screwed with it.

Either way, I kegged the remaining half and am going to let it sit for quite some time before I check on the status.

Anyone got any other theories?

The dog had a poker party while your were at work. I've seen the pictures

bottleopener said:

(fermenters are hidden in an out-of-the-way closet at my fraternity house)

Anyone got any other theories?

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Do you really need any more theories? You don't believe on of your brothers was trashed one night and thought, Oh man, I know where there is beer!

Unfortunately that's the most reasonable conclusion. I'm just hoping that someone else has had a similar experience of magically disappearing beer that gives me a better alternative

Look at the rim of the fermenter. If theres a ring of purple thats lipstick and the brown ring thats skoal. Yep one of your brothers drank it

The mystery of the half-filled fermenter

Sounds like a job for Nancy Brew or the Barley Boys

Aliens.
They needed it to fuel Bigfoot's UFO.

Someone might have snuck in and tried it, but i doubt after having a glass anyone would go back and drink 2 gallons more of half fermented, warm, flat, yeasty semi-beer.

Could we get the barley boys to chime in now?

olllllo said:

The mystery of the half-filled fermenter

Sounds like a job for Nancy Brew or the Barley Boys

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haha... I rarely laugh out loud from reading forums...

Thanks for getting the SWMBO to give me that strange look...

Psiclone said:

Look at the rim of the fermenter. If theres a ring of purple thats lipstick and the brown ring thats skoal. Yep one of your brothers drank it

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That's right, your brother already borrowed the car...

olllllo said:

The mystery of the half-filled fermenter

Sounds like a job for Nancy Brew or the Barley Boys

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Yeah, or Airlock Holmes

Seriously, someone drank it, which also explains why it's infected.

Late one night when you were passed out, Autolysis and Bigfoot snuck in and stole it.

You had me until I saw Fraternity house. Beer went missing in a FRATERNITY house. I think if you ever get 5 gallons through to the end, that would be the real mystery.

stevea1210 said:

You had me until I saw Fraternity house. Beer went missing in a FRATERNITY house. I think if you ever get 5 gallons through to the end, that would be the real mystery.

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yup -- my thoughts exactly!

Well, I solved the mystery.

My next batch (not in water) bled out all over the closet floor.

That'll teach me to ferment in bottling buckets with untrustworthy spigots.

i still like the idea of your Fraternity brothers chugging a still fermenting ale just because all the beer stores are closed.

Seriously though, I'm glad you found the culprit. Looks like a better bottle is in your future.

Aw gee....too bad you figured it out...I was going to bet on it being the argentinian "Creepy Gnome" that keeps showing up....(and I'm not talking about one of our members.)

[youtube]3QH3LF974K0[/youtube]

2 gallons missing
It's been soured/contaminated
It's in a frat house

I don't see any mystery here!