Confession Time

[normonster]

When I first started brewing, I kept thinking DME was short for Dark Malt Extract and LME was short for Light Malt Extract. Don't tell no ones

Lol...x2 on that one.

Never used any and ordered all my stuff online and never saw any so the false beliefs went on longer than I'll confess here.

 

[Crispy31]

I rarely use my hydrometer, I usually just guess based on the recipe calculator. I never take samples to know a beer is done either yet never had a bottle bomb.

 

[slym2none]

I hate the Asian spammers. I have volunteered my services in getting rid of them, as I am up when they invade, but the regular mods are not, and that means we get overrun.

I can only keep offering my volunteer services as a late-night mod. Only to be used against these ******* spammers.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I hate the Asian spammers. I have volunteered my services in getting rid of them, as I am up when they invade, but the regular mods are not, and that means we get overrun.

I can only keep offering my volunteer services as a late-night mod. Only to be used against these ******* spammers.

I agree and would volunteer equally to combat the hordes of spam dished out nightly in the wee hours of browsing.

 

[Bosh]

I hate the Asian spammers. I have volunteered my services in getting rid of them, as I am up when they invade, but the regular mods are not, and that means we get overrun.

I can only keep offering my volunteer services as a late-night mod. Only to be used against these ******* spammers.

Well that's what happens when you have a nation that clings tenaciously to the older crappier versions of IE. Pretty damn easy for people to hijack computers and turn them into botnets.

 

[GHBWNY]

This is till the "confessions" thread, right? So...

I currently have an airlock grommet floating somewhere in my Black IPA. While aerating with my thumb over it, I pushed it in. I opened the lid and tried spooning through 2" of foam, but to no avail. Maybe if I check at high kraeusen, it'll be sitting on top.

Plus (I'll bet *no one* has ever done this), on the same batch, I was dumping the chilled wort into the ferm bucket and heard a subtle splashing sound, I looked down to see I had forgotten to close the spigot. Even with the extra top-off for lost wort, my OG was spot on. As they say, there's a reason for everything.

 

[Firewalker11]

I hate the Asian spammers. I have volunteered my services in getting rid of them, as I am up when they invade, but the regular mods are not, and that means we get overrun.

I can only keep offering my volunteer services as a late-night mod. Only to be used against these ******* spammers.

Then you gotta hate todays trash. "＼＼♡라이브카지노【라이브카*지*노】♡＼＼¶ 888ＴＨＥ.ＣＯＭ ¶＼＼♡라이브카지노"

 

[BadDeacon]

I knew that this fridge was not as good as it used to be. But I thought it was good enough to keep the root beer yeast at bay.... I was wrong.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1450056246.937429.jpg

 

[WI_Wino]

I knew that this fridge was not as good as it used to be. But I thought it was good enough to keep the root beer yeast at bay.... I was wrong.View attachment 322523

Holy ****

 

[KIRBREW]

I knew that this fridge was not as good as it used to be. But I thought it was good enough to keep the root beer yeast at bay.... I was wrong.View attachment 322523

That looks like a beer war zone! My condolences on your losses sir/mam..

 

[cyanmonkey]

Better in there than in your hand.

 

[BadDeacon]

I suited up and disarmed the rest of the bombs. Only 3 blew. But they took another 12 with them and the fridge too.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Play TAPS for those poor 'dead soldiers ' ....

Gone before you even got to know them! Sob.

 

[biochemedic]

Sorry for the loss...my two words of wisdom for you regarding root beer: Force. Carbonation!

 

[WilliamSlayer]

I bottled an American Brown only to find it had missed the date it was needed for a charity auction by a week. Feeling guilty about that one.

 

[Biscuits]

I forgot to check the fittings on the lines of my new keg set up. When I hooked up my tap to the out valve, about 4 Oz. of my delicious Oatmeal Stout sprayed into my keezer
Thankfully, I have very fast reflexes or it would have been much worse.

 

[GHBWNY]

I confess that 'detonating' some of my bitter amber ales was due to adding a hop pellet to those bottles at bottling time. I've bottle-hopped before with good results, except that the hops I used this time came in a Craigslist deal and were already opened, apparently long enough to pick up something that infected those bottles resulting in 4 bottle bombs and 8 gushers. Lost 12 beers to save a couple bucks on fresh hops. Not a good investment.

 

[drainbamage]

I hate shopping for wine for other people.

I don't dislike wine, I just don't drink it often and don't have a palate for it like I do for beer, or even whiskey. SWMBO is easy (sweetest Riesling they have), but when I find myself in need of buying it for someone else, I don't really know where to start as far as what vineyards do what well, which vintages were better for which variety, etc.

This must be how my family feels when I tell them, "just buy me beer."

 

[normonster]

I hate shopping for wine for other people.

I don't dislike wine, I just don't drink it often and don't have a palate for it like I do for beer, or even whiskey. SWMBO is easy (sweetest Riesling they have), but when I find myself in need of buying it for someone else, I don't really know where to start as far as what vineyards do what well, which vintages were better for which variety, etc.

This must be how my family feels when I tell them, "just buy me beer."

I'm in the wine business...picking a good wine is easy...look at that top shelf and grab something that seems too expensive for wine....$30 per bottle is a good spot to start.

I don't like wine much either but that price tag and associated quality make a HUGE difference vs a $10 bottle...huge.

Oah, and red meat = red wine, white meat = white wine.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I'm in the wine business...picking a good wine is easy...look at that top shelf and grab something that seems too expensive for wine....$30 per bottle is a good spot to start.

I don't like wine much either but that price tag and associated quality make a HUGE difference vs a $10 bottle...huge.

Oah, and red meat = red wine, white meat = white wine.

Cant. help. myself.

Well, actually...

I met some people while hiking in Spain (I sound quite pretentious here I know) and we were talking wines since we were in wine country. The lady is one of those really into wine types who teaches tasting classes, etc. She said that they have a tasting club/class and they would all bring in wines. She and her husband would bring in $20-50 up to the occasional $100 bottle and this other guy who had this extensive cellar full of all these expensive wines would bring in $1000 and such bottles to share. After a few tastings and what have you the trend came out that he liked the cheaper wines better. He since sold off all his expensive wines and is now has built his cellar back up with more moderately priced wines.

There have been studies where those who consider themselves wine snobs really appreciate and prefer the more expensive stuff where often non wine snobs tend to like the cheaper stuff more. I have found many amazing $10-15 wines though my wine palate is in no way refined. I have had some $20-30 wines that taste like they were inoculated with a dogs tennis ball to get them fermenting.

I find that the best thing to do with wine is to pick out one I enjoyed when I had it or someone else served to me (preferably the person who you are buying for). I also admittedly take a picture of the labels of ones I enjoyed so I can remember.

TL : DR - Taste is subjective, wines can be even more so.

 

[ballsy]

I have never checked my mash pH and I've always used tap water (I do treat it with campden tablets at least though).

 

[nDub]

I have kegged for a few years now with no problems. Just recently I have developed a CO2 leak somewhere and I went through two 5lb cylinders. I sprayed everywhere I can think of with starsan (which usually works) and found no leaks but now I'm paranoid.

So confession. Rather than really trying to find the leak I set my regulator at 25psi and open the cylinder valve up to pressurize then close it back up.

I force carbed two beers this way and now I pour a few pints before adding more CO2. One keg went flat (probably the leak or I dropped the pressure by pouring beer so that the lid wasn't sealed anymore) so I really hit it hard with CO2 and now its almost all foam... Other keg is good.

Probably have spent more effort in not fixing the problem then if I had just torn everything down to fix it...

 

[drainbamage]

There have been studies where those who consider themselves wine snobs really appreciate and prefer the more expensive stuff where often non wine snobs tend to like the cheaper stuff more. I have found many amazing $10-15 wines though my wine palate is in no way refined. I have had some $20-30 wines that taste like they were inoculated with a dogs tennis ball to get them fermenting.

I've heard of that study before, and that was another unstated factor in my post. If I pony up the extra money, I don't really know to what extent I'm "paying for the name" or perceiving a better quality just because I know I've spent more on it.

Obviously the same could be said for bomber prices, and whether or not a $25 bomber is going to be significantly better than an $8 one. I've had experiences both ways.

 

[BadDeacon]

I've heard of that study before, and that was another unstated factor in my post. If I pony up the extra money, I don't really know to what extent I'm "paying for the name" or perceiving a better quality just because I know I've spent more on it.

Obviously the same could be said for bomber prices, and whether or not a $25 bomber is going to be significantly better than an $8 one. I've had experiences both ways.

Or a sixer of Banquet Beer for 4.77 from Walley World.

There is a time and place for all those things.

( I bought the said sixer this morning and am really looking to it later tonight!!!!!)

 

[trussell]

I have never checked my mash pH and I've always used tap water (I do treat it with campden tablets at least though).

Me Too!

 

[Barley_Bob]

Ages ago I confessed that I'd been using a lid with a pretty gnarly crack in it and was staving off purchasing a new one because I'm such a skinflint. I was going to come back and confess I'm still using that thing. Which is true, actually (no infections yet), but that son of a ***** blew yeast all over my guest room today. I guess it wasn't up to the challenge of holding pressure against my Belgian dark strong (even with a blowoff tube). I'd tell you it's going straight in the trash... But without an LHBS, I'm going to bleach it and use it for the next batch (with a hefty weight on top). But I am sure as **** going to give it some choice words. Choice. Words.

 

[normonster]

I've heard of that study before, and that was another unstated factor in my post. If I pony up the extra money, I don't really know to what extent I'm "paying for the name" or perceiving a better quality just because I know I've spent more on it.

Obviously the same could be said for bomber prices, and whether or not a $25 bomber is going to be significantly better than an $8 one. I've had experiences both ways.

Well I guess there are no guarantees in life but there sure is a difference between a mass produced $10 bottle of wine and something from a specific winery with the minimum information on the label (vintage, varietal, appellation). I'm sure of it bro.

 

[GHBWNY]

Well I guess there are no guarantees in life but there sure is a difference between a mass produced $10 bottle of wine and something from a specific winery with the minimum information on the label (vintage, varietal, appellation). I'm sure of it bro.

If it is good enough a wine to depend on age to improve it, then your label info argument is somewhat valid. On the other hand, a "$30." wine that is mass-produced, mass-bottled with additives (cheap base blends, sulfites, etc.) to get it to taste the same year-to-year-to-year (which is virtually impossible with a REALLY good/expensive wine), then the argument for cost and detailed labeling goes out the window.

That said, there are some $15. wines that I happen to like because they will taste pretty much the same two years from now (blends, sulfites and all). But a 1969 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Mouton Cadet with the same info on the label as a 1971 bottle is going to taste better and command a higher price simply because 1969 was a better year for that grape in that region.

 

[normonster]

Alright, I'm not a wine maker but I've worked for two of the biggest wine companies in the world now and have had the privilege of tasting a lot of both types of wine, as a person who never really liked wine much.

That said, if you compare a Zinfandel by Grarly Head, 7 Deadly Zins, Ravenswood, Rex Goliath or any of the other huge labels to a top shelf Zin from a winery in one of the known California appellations like those in Sonoma, Napa Counties and along the coast, you will find the Appellated, Vinted wine to be much better in most cases, and at least $20-30 per bottle. If OP wants to pick something that his friends will appreciate then the choice seems obvious to me. Since I don't like wine much I will only drink good ones and will never touch a cheap bottle of wine ever again, now that I've tasted the difference.

Carry on...

 

[wyccad915]

I pooped my pants one time at camp. :S oh were talking homebrew stuff.... ;P

I've stuck my hand into the bottling bucket once. Ive also been known to over sample as the samples were too good

 

[ThomasPaine]

I pooped my pants one time at camp. :S oh were talking homebrew stuff.... ;P



I've stuck my hand into the bottling bucket once. Ive also been known to over sample as the samples were too good

I too stuck my arm in cool wort to unclog a valve. One of my favorite batches. Didn't tell anyone who tried it of course.

 

[kombat]

My pipeline is running low, and I didn't want to get caught beer-less over the holiday weekend when beer stores are closed. But I'm too cheap to buy 4 days' worth of craft beer. So yesterday, I bought a 28-pack of Coors Lite tall boys.

 

[Pyg]

My pipeline is running low, and I didn't want to get caught beer-less over the holiday weekend when beer stores are closed. But I'm too cheap to buy 4 days' worth of craft beer. So yesterday, I bought a 28-pack of Coors Lite tall boys.

As you were checking out did you pull the brim of your hat low & nervously look around hoping not to be noticed?

 

[Firewalker11]

My pipeline is running low, and I didn't want to get caught beer-less over the holiday weekend when beer stores are closed. But I'm too cheap to buy 4 days' worth of craft beer. So yesterday, I bought a 28-pack of Coors Lite tall boys.

I get the whole I had to buy beer thing but really? Coors Light?

 

[kombat]

I get the whole I had to buy beer thing but really? Coors Light?

Of course. I could've bought Bud, but then how would I know when it was Cold Certified(TM)?

 

[madscientist451]

if you compare a Zinfandel by Grarly Head, 7 Deadly Zins, Ravenswood, Rex Goliath or any of the other huge labels to a top shelf Zin from a winery in one of the known California appellations like those in Sonoma, Napa Counties and along the coast, you will find the Appellated, Vinted wine to be much better in most cases, and at least $20-30 per bottle. If OP wants to pick something that his friends will appreciate then the choice seems obvious to me.

Carry on...

Agree with the above, but since this is a brewing forum, if you really want to
have something that your friends appreciate, next fall get some wine grapes or a bucket of wine grape juice from a local supplier and make some wine of your own.
Its not hard at all to make good wine if you can get some decent grapes and the cost is like $2-3 a bottle. With a little practice and using the equipment you already have for brewing you can easily make wine that is just as good as the $15-30 a bottle stuff at the store.
Confession: I've get so busy making wine and cider in the fall I don't brew at all until after New Years's. Oh and Happy New Years all!

 

[Firewalker11]

Of course. I could've bought Bud, but then how would I know when it was Cold Certified(TM)?

 

[Kee]

Agree with the above, but since this is a brewing forum, if you really want to
have something that your friends appreciate, next fall get some wine grapes or a bucket of wine grape juice from a local supplier and make some wine of your own.
Its not hard at all to make good wine if you can get some decent grapes and the cost is like $2-3 a bottle. With a little practice and using the equipment you already have for brewing you can easily make wine that is just as good as the $15-30 a bottle stuff at the store.
Confession: I've get so busy making wine and beer in the fall I don't brew at all until after New Years's. Oh and Happy New Years all!

Since even experts get fooled, casual wine drinkers should be able to find wine to their taste at a reasonable price:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...s-failed-spot-type-served-multiple-times.html

 

[Zepth]

I batch primed my last kegs. The confession is the total lack of measurement. Pour precisely "about enough" sugar directly from bag into corny, rack on top. Time will tell how that works out.

 

[Venari]

Since even experts get fooled, casual wine drinkers should be able to find wine to their taste at a reasonable price:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...s-failed-spot-type-served-multiple-times.html

In times like this, I turn to Adam Conover for bits of wisdom to piss people off.

But this particular segment doesn't "ruin" anything, so it's not so bad.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PeKcWCC-tw[/ame]