Common Brewing Mishap Checklist

I have been brewing for about 16 months now, I consider myself an intermediate-advanced brewer. I've passed through the usual growth stages: beer kit-extract-partial-all grain. I've formulated my own recipes and tackled a few of the more challenging styles (lagers, high gravity, traditional Belgian).

But, I just had a couple of my bottles erupt soon after uncapping them, suddenly realizing that in my hubris (being an "intermediate/advanced" brewer) I bottled the beer too soon, when all the signs pointed to incomplete fermentation (higher than expected SG and 46% apparent attenuation). Now, I'm thinking that instead of defining my "level" of brewing experience by how long I've been brewing, or what method I use, or what styles I've brewed, I think a brewer's level of expertise should be defined by how many common mistakes he/she has made (and learned from).

Let's make a checklist for new brewers to see what they are in for, and also share our own experience. I think it's reassuring to know that the pros have made all the same bone-headed derps that I have made.

 

Temperature is a big one for me. It seems that once my new-brewer buddies begin to cool the post-boil wort quicker, pitch at a good temperature, and control fermentation temperature, their beers get much better in a hurry.

If a brewer begins to brew all-grain, then controlling the mash temp is also very important.

 

Not using a blowoff tube with a fast and furiously fermenting recipe. Messy!

 

Not leaving the valve on your mash tun open when you add the strike water...

 

Not calibrating thermometers. Something just didnt seem right about a recent brew day and the next day I found out my thermometer may have been 10-15 degrees off.

 

My second brew I forgot to fill the airlock with water... Yeah. Big mess in my fridge.

(I say forgot because it makes me feel better... I really just didn't know I had to)

 

This^^

Only took that one time to come home and see the airlock in one corner of the room and krausen all over the ceiling..

 

Not closing the valve on the kettle while draining the mash tun.

 

Equipment mistakes:
1. Mash tun/brew kettle/bottling bucket valve open while filling
2. Thermometer not calibrated
3. Hop boil-over

Contamination mistakes:
1. Unsanitized addition/utensil/appendage introduced to cooled wort
2. Tap water introduced to wort while cooling in ice bath.

Fermentation mistakes:
1. Yeast proletariat successfully overthrow airlock and burst the glass ceiling of confinement, achieving escape velocity each according to its means.

 

Opening the DME bag over the boiling wort in one hand and a pocket knife in the other. Steam is hot and knife gets slippery. But gives instant name for the new batch. Oops!

 

I've got nothing. What's the name?

 

Are you saying tap water shouldn't be introduced? Or tap water shouldn't be introduced while it's still cooling to pitching temp?

 

One thing I have found to help reduce mistakes is to lay everything out on brew day. I even put notes in the hops bowls with what time they need to be added to the boil. Putting everything out in front of you helps you not to forget!

 

Forgetting to fill the airlock...

 

I pitch and ferment too warm but then again I live in Florida. It's a ton of work to keep ferments below 70.

 

Old Henry Select. Not real creative, but gets a lot of questions when I share a bottle or two

 

The checklist should have an item "Own a hydrometer and know how to use it".

Subchecklist should include "Calibrate your hydrometer (i.e. stick it in 60F water and see what it indicates, and then compensate for bias and temperature)".

If they have broken a hydrometer in the line of duty they should get a level-up, or a drinking game social. If they haven't broken one yet they clearly aren't trying hard enough.

 

Calibrate. This includes the kettle and the fermenter. It is hard to hit OG when you are guessing about how much water you have

 

Or that glass floating thermometer that n00bs (myself included back then) get and use to stir so hard it breaks during the boil and leaves steel shot and glass in your wort.

 

Gave up trying to syphon the 'right' way, gargled with Iodopher for 2 minutes, then started the syphon with your mouth.

 

Esh. Try gargling with vodka next time.

 

I prefer StarSan for its light, citrusy taste.