Don't brew drunk!!!

[hirambiram]

So my brother and I have been brewing together for a few years now and have become quite effecient at brewing a few recipes over and over. We have an arrogant bastard clone recipe that is pretty close. We have brewed it a few times and really liked the results.

So at the last brew day we decided to make a 10 gallon batch. We purchased the ingrediants, and set up the brew station the night before. On brew day we decided to tour a local brewery first. We had a few beers and felt confident enough to start our brewing. As always we had some homebrews as we mashed in. A couple of my bros friends came over as they were interested in the process and maybe brewing on their own in the near future. They each brought more beer. To make a long story short we drank, laughed and drank some more which lead to us miscalculating the sparge water and losing track of the boil time.

We ended up with 6.5 gallons of total run-off and did'nt think to top off.

So instead of a tasty near arrogant bastard ale we ended up fermenting a tasty arrogant bastard barley wine.

We oaked half of the batch and were pleasantly surprised by the end result. We're going to let some sit and see how it ages. Believe me, this stuff will put hair on your chest.

Here's are some questions that I pose to the HBT community. What have you come up with from a drunken brew day? Did you keep it? If you liked it can you reproduce it?

 

[hopsfan76]

damn, I thought getting a buzz was a requirement in home brewing. Are you saying we should be doing it sober?

 

[PasbitinusBluinusRibbinus]

The first ever brew I ever made was an extract kit with my old roommate.

We needed 24 more bottles before bottling day. Naturally, we decided to buy two 12-packs and start them before we started to brew. You know, to put a dent on things. We finished them.

To make a long story short - it ended with trying to get a vegetable steaming rack out from the bottom of boiling wort (confused for a lid) and beer that had hints of caramel from the slightly burnt LME.

I still have a 6 pack... the stuff is incredibly good. I'll always keep at least a bottle, I think. There's no way I could replicate it. All I remember is waking up to a bucket of beer fermenting by my bed. I looked at him and we both burst out laughing.

 

[ResumeMan]

I dunno, sounds like a success to me

 

[watersr]

I've never brewed drunk but I also never brew without drinking. It's a rule for me. I never brew or grill without good beer. My homebrew if possible. I consider it bad luck. So far no fatal mistakes.

 

[hirambiram]

I dunno, sounds like a success to me

Success? Yes I guess but that was dumb luck

 

[hirambiram]

damn, I thought getting a buzz was a requirement in home brewing. Are you saying we should be doing it sober?

Sober while brewing? Not a chance! Shnockered while brewing is probably ill advised. This beer was good but that surprised the hell outa me!

Cheers mate

 

[ResumeMan]

On a more serious take, the possibility of botching your beer is one thing, but you're dealing with boiling hot sugar water and open flames, so some sense of reality and ability to maintain a vertical posture are really pretty essential safety requirements!

 

[Phunhog]

I never drink until the yeast is pitched but I will usually have one while I clean up.

 

[jhoneycutt]

First and so far only time my brother brewed with me we got pretty smashed. Missed addition times, boil time, the whole nine yards. It was extract with steeping grains. I soberly left the dry hops in way too long. Dumped all but maybe two or three bottles.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I've brewed drunk several times. I tend to get creative with the recipes when I do that. I start changing ingredients at the last moment, not measuring things, and not making note of any changes. that kind of stuff.

 

[JDGator]

I've never brewed drunk but I also never brew without drinking. It's a rule for me. I never brew or grill without good beer. My homebrew if possible. I consider it bad luck. So far no fatal mistakes.

I'm with you on that one!!

 

[Cider123]

My brews tend to be lower gravity. Rarely is a beer over 5%. Right now I have a 3.5% mild and a little over 4% Amer wheat. I drink a few during brewing times, but I takes 5 or 6 to really feel anything from my beers.

Yep, I drink 'em, just for the taste of it.

I got some hard stuff for when I want to get lit.

 

[JonM]

I notices my clean-up practices kind of ... um, suck, when I tie one on while brewing.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

My brews tend to be lower gravity. Rarely is a beer over 5%. Right now I have a 3.5% mild and a little over 4% Amer wheat. I drink a few during brewing times, but I takes 5 or 6 to really feel anything from my beers.

Yep, I drink 'em, just for the taste of it.

I got some hard stuff for when I want to get lit.

well happy birthday! yeah, we're all home brewers here for a reason, right?

 

[Frige]

I brewed a real tasty irish red once while getting toasted with a few friends. I never have been able to duplicate it. Hell I really dont remember much about that day. My buddies swmbo passed out on the porch steps...LOL