Bottling Brown Ale Drunk!!

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EPS

EPS

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So my brother came down from Boone NC last night. He brought a couple jars of white lighting with him. So i busted out the home brew and we started drinking and talking. Well it started to get later and i was telling him i had a Honey Brown Ale thats been primary for 24 days and i was gonna bottle this weekend. Well he was like lets do it now i will help you and will bust it out quick. So of course i was like lets do it bro. Well the last thing i remember is checking FG and it was good. Next thing i know i woke up Brown Ale bottled and all my equipment including kitchen clean as a whistle. First thing i thought when i woke up in bed with my labtop sitting next to me open hit the mouse and it was on HBT forums was my kitchen and equipment is gonna be a mess. To my surprise everything was clean nothing was broken and all my equipment was sitting out clean to dry including a 6gal GLASS carboy. I don't remember how much priming sugar i put in or even if i put priming sugar in at all. So either beer won't be carbed at all or i have bottle bombs inbound or what i hope is it will be carbed perfect. Has anyone ever done something this stupid where they don't remember such an important process such as priming sugar? Anyone think i'm doomed and bottle bombs or no carbed Brown Ale is in my future? Well i guess will see i'll keep y'all posted. And yes i asked my brother if he remembers anything. And last thing he remembers is carrying the GLASS carboy downstairs to the kitchen. So ya he was no help either.
 
Not sure how many batches you've done, but if you've done enough, it's all second nature. You got all those other things right, so I trust you got the priming sugar right too. Do you know how much priming sugar you had before you started? And how much do you have now?

I probably have a little too much experience trying to piece things together from the night before... It's all about looking for clues, pretend you are a detective investigating the situation. Lots of coffee to clear your mind, then go look for clues.
 
If you did prime, you may be able to see some sediment in the bottom of the bottles but that won't tell you how much you used. Keep them in a place where you can clean easily just in case.
 
ya i already through the bottles in a trash bag. Also i was searching around for clues and the Brown sugar was in a diff spot then where i usually keep it. Maybe i used brown sugar as priming cause my corn sugar bin kind of looks the same as when i put it away last time i think.
 
EPS said:
ya i already through the bottles in a trash bag. Also i was searching around for clues and the Brown sugar was in a diff spot then where i usually keep it. Maybe i used brown sugar as priming cause my corn sugar bin kind of looks the same as when i put it away last time i think.
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It does make sense to use brown sugar to prime a brown ale, especially in a drunken state thinking in simplistic terms. Brown sugar, brown ale, yes!!! Finding the brown sugar in a new location is a great clue. If you hadn't moved it, who did? If the wife didn't recently make cinnamon rolls and used the brown sugar, you can safely assume you are the one that moved it? And yes, also look at the bottles, priming causes sediment to form quickly at the bottom of the bottles. I believe that if you primed, you probably used the right amount. If you can still bottle and clean up when you are that drunk, I bet you got the priming right too.
 
Ya there is for sure sediment at the bottom of the bottles. It was for sure me or my brother who moved the brown sugar. And we didn't use brown sugar to cook anything thats for sure. I also just looked at my web history and it shows i went to Northern Brewers Priming Sugar Calculator site. And thats where i get all my priming sugar info at usually. I'm feeling much better about this situation now. I just hope i sanitized everything good. I'm usually anal about sanitizing so hopefully i was last night also.
 
EPS said:
Ya there is for sure sediment at the bottom of the bottles. It was for sure me or my brother who moved the brown sugar. And we didn't use brown sugar to cook anything thats for sure. I also just looked at my web history and it shows i went to Northern Brewers Priming Sugar Calculator site. And thats where i get all my priming sugar info at usually. I'm feeling much better about this situation now. I just hope i sanitized everything good. I'm usually anal about sanitizing so hopefully i was last night also.
Click to expand...

Nothing to worry about then. As clean as it sounds like everything was, I'm quite sure you sanitized well. You have found enough clues to know you were on the right track. Brown sugar moved, priming sugar calculator and a clean kitchen the morning after.... tells me you primed correctly, sanitized well, and used the correct amount of sugar.

I hope your hangover isn't too bad. Cheers!!!
 
I guess being a long time watcher of CSI, CSI Miami, And CSI NY has finally paid off LOL!!! And thanks BobbiLynn your saying investigate and search for clues. Really got me to sit down and think about what to look for and to search around. After finding the Brown sugar moved i thought how would i have got the right amount. And i know i always use Northern Brewer priming sugar calculator so i checked my web history. And everything started falling into place. I feel like things are going to turn out great with this brew now. Well as long as i weighed the prime sugar out right LOL.
 
Forensic Beer Detectives.... You went through all that other trouble, I'm sure you weighed correctly.


:rockin:
 
Worse case scenario you have no carbed or under carbed beer. It will still taste good and do the job. And look at it like this, you got a free bottling and cleaning because you cant remember. Heh.

Should be fine. And if you dont want them sent to me.....
 
jdhammans52 said:
I mostly just want to drink moonshine and bottle beers.
Click to expand...

That's basically what I want too. As forensic beer detectives, we could have that kind of life. How better to get into the mind of a guy drunk on moonshine then experience the same thing for yourself. Get drunk like him and solve his mysteries. Grab your magnifying glasses and get the flashlight strapped to your forehead, we're looking for clues....

:drunk:
 
Did we find any more clues? I feel a little silly with the flashlight still strapped to my forehead. And the magnifying glass almost started a forest fire in the hot Florida sun.

:tank:
 
Yeah, save it, probably a clue... what is it that we are trying to detect? We are detectives, right? Just keep looking for more clues until it finally makes sense.
 
Funny, things always happen for me in reverse. Last thing I remember I'm with the filled, carbed bottles and when I wake up they're all empty. It's the weirdest thing...
 
Now this is key...

Did you wake up 'next' to the brown sugar? This can cause some very significant issues. Not so much on the brewing front... but still.
 
This is like the homebrew version of The Hangover!

(for those who don't know the movie):
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I did almost the same thing last weekend. My brewing buddy came over to brew two batches, and of course we were drinking beer. We invited two other friends over to check out what we were doing. they brought Jack Daniel's. In the middle of all this we had a batch to bottle. COMPLETELY forgot the priming sugar. Had to let the beer sit there in the bottling bucket until we got it ready. At least we hadn't put anything in bottles yet. When it comes to brew day, less is more as far as friends who are not brewing with you. Lesson learned!
 
I forgot to put priming sugar in a batch once, but I wasn't drunk. I was just still a noob at brewing. I hate to tell you all this, but sediment at the bottom of your bottles does not mean you added priming sugar. It's just yeast that settled out after racking/bottling. I decided to leave the beer alone, because I was informed that after time it might carb up due to residual sugars slowly attenuating. After 6 months it was still as flat as the day I bottled. After 14 months it was carbed up lightly and it didn't taste half bad.
 
Why don't you just crack one open and see if it tastes overly sweet?
 
I;m tryin to stay quit!!! I had a gut PM telling me ATF (LOL) could show up at my house for saying white lighting on the forums. All jokes aside is this a joke are you serious. ATF is going to come to my house for saying me and my brother drank white lighting. Really maybe i'm an idiot but i laughed me A$$ off. I respect these forums with the utmost respect but i'm not going 2 sat sorry for this . This was silly fun not breaking the law or breaking forum laws don't PM with that BS!!! What a Joke..
 
EPS said:
I;m tryin to stay quit!!! I had a gut PM telling me ATF (LOL) could show up at my house for saying white lighting on the forums. All jokes aside is this a joke are you serious. ATF is going to come to my house for saying me and my brother drank white lighting. Really maybe i'm an idiot but i laughed me A$$ off. I respect these forums with the utmost respect but i'm not going 2 sat sorry for this . This was silly fun not breaking the law or breaking forum laws don't PM with that BS!!! What a Joke..
Click to expand...


Are you still feeling a little tipsy? A little hair of the dog that bit you? And yes, ha ha, no ATF agents will be at your doorstep. Guy probably just meant don't make a habit of talking about illegal stuff. Said once in passing will do no harm.

Is that a white van in your driveway?
 
ATF won't show up just because you DRANK the home boiled mountain hooch. Drank is past tense. As long as you're not making it or drinking it at the moment, it would be a waste of their time. It would be like the police showing up because they thought somebody was doing a bunch of coke at a house last week.
 
Unless you are making a living providing your neighborhood with moonshine, Id say you were good. Lol
 
Ya i was using a iphone and i was at the bar with my brother when i wrote it. So ya i was a little tipsy. My brother is visiting till Monday so were just having fun while he is here. I just thought it crazy that some random person was like Watch Out ATF could show up at your door step. I really laughed even if they were being genuine. You could scare someone on the forums saying that where they wouldn't post anymore. Not me i know better that ATF isn't gonna waste there time coming to my house. Has this person ever watched utube people on video showing people how to brew moonshine? ATF dosen't want you selling moonshine or any alcohol for that matter. They could care less about someone who makes a few jars on there stovetop for personal use. Seeing that i don't even make moonshine myself and i drink everything i brew i think i will be ok LOL.
 
Remember one thing: the Feds won't come after you for talking about moonshine. But we [sadly] live in a country where -- if you piss off the wrong bureaucrat -- they'll dig to look for something you've done wrong. Hell, even if it's not the Feds, it can show up elsewhere. You sound like you're not married, but imagine how easy it would be in a divorce/custody battle would it be for someone to take what you just wrote and make it sound like you're an alky drinking illegal hooch. And if you talk to lawyers, they'll tell you that the *first* thing they want when they represent you in a case is to know what you've put online.

Sure, it'll probably never happen to you. Which is the same thing that everyone who it's happened to before said.
 
bwarbiany said:
Remember one thing: the Feds won't come after you for talking about moonshine. But we [sadly] live in a country where -- if you piss off the wrong bureaucrat -- they'll dig to look for something you've done wrong. Hell, even if it's not the Feds, it can show up elsewhere. You sound like you're not married, but imagine how easy it would be in a divorce/custody battle would it be for someone to take what you just wrote and make it sound like you're an alky drinking illegal hooch. And if you talk to lawyers, they'll tell you that the *first* thing they want when they represent you in a case is to know what you've put online.

Sure, it'll probably never happen to you. Which is the same thing that everyone who it's happened to before said.
Click to expand...


I'm so glad I'm too old to worry about that stuff. Kids are grown, and I don't give a crap if they come get me. Feed me, house me, no worries. Not that I do anything illegal... But, yes, young people should be careful what they post online. I'm sure the person who PM'ed the OP was well meaning.
 

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