I am an idiot

[atomicsnuffbox]

This is what I get for drinking while brewing. I am doing Edwort's Oktoberfest Ale, and everything was going beautifully. I let it mash for longer than normal (120 min) because I was out running errands, then came back and had a couple beers with a friend. Poured myself another while the sparge water was heating, added it, let the 170 degree mash sit for 10 minutes, then started draining into the pitcher I use for vorlaufing. Unfortunately, I then went into the living room and started watching the U-20 World Cup game between Cameroon and Mexico... and next thing I know, 5 minutes have passed, and my 5-gallon cooler has emptied, with my little 1-gallon pitcher filled to the brim and my kitchen floor covered in wort.
ARRGRHGHGHGH!!!

So.... should I add some pale malt extract I happen to have on hand to make up for the loss (likely about 1.5 gal - it took an entire roll of paper towels to soak up), or just suck it up and do a smaller batch of the Oktoberfest?

 

[blizzard]

If you lost 1.5 gallons total I would probably go with a smaller batch. If you lost 1.5 gallons of the most concentrated first runnings I would bump it up with some DME.

 

[onipar]

Duuuuude. Sorry to hear it, that really sucks.

I haven;t done any all grain batches yet, so I may be of no help. But if you have any LME or DME on hand, maybe you could treat it as a partial mash?

 

[atomicsnuffbox]

Thanks for the replies... I lost 1.5 gal of the first runnings. I ended up adding a cup of pale malt extract, so basically treating it as a mostly grain partial mash. I'll check the gravity once the boil is done and see how far off I am... <crossing fingers>

 

[shafferpilot]

ouch..... that's gonna hurt a lot!

 

[Bierliebhaber]

I haven't done it with the first runnings, but I can't tell you how many times I've flooded the kitchen filling up buckets of water.

 

[blizzard]

I haven't done it with the first runnings, but I can't tell you how many times I've flooded the kitchen filling up buckets of water.

I did it this past weekend while transferring into the carboy. It sucks to watch such a smooth brew day (and all that beer) go down the drain. The extra cleanup is insult on top of injury.

 

[billf2112]

That is why I have a TV in the kitchen.

 

[wildwest450]

Losing wort to a soccer game? I concur, you're an idiot.


_

 

[BrewerinBR]

Okay this is more ammunition for my attitude that TV is a mind killer! Wasting good home brew, so sad!

 

[onipar]

How did this turn out? What was your OG and how did you proceed? Just curious.

 

[atomicsnuffbox]

How did this turn out? What was your OG and how did you proceed? Just curious.

After the boil, I ended up with just short of 5 gallons at 1.052 OG. It also tasted a little bit too bitter to me for an Oktoberfest. So, I went ahead and pitched my yeast (I used a starter), and also boiled a half-gallon of water with about 3 cups of pale malt extract. After letting it cool overnight, I added it to the fermenter. It will be beer, but maybe not the Oktoberfest I was shooting for.

Next time, no leaving the kitchen when the valve is open!

 

[onipar]

After the boil, I ended up with just short of 5 gallons at 1.052 OG. It also tasted a little bit too bitter to me for an Oktoberfest. So, I went ahead and pitched my yeast (I used a starter), and also boiled a half-gallon of water with about 3 cups of pale malt extract. After letting it cool overnight, I added it to the fermenter. It will be beer, but maybe not the Oktoberfest I was shooting for.

Next time, no leaving the kitchen when the valve is open!

Still, that sounds like a good OG to me! Good luck; I'll bet it tastes great.