Confession Time

[TorMag]

Feb 9th 2015? If not I'd let it go a year, it gets better. The first time I made it it tasted like rocket fuel for at least a year. I had bottled it so it was no skin off my back to let it age. Mine came out really really dry, tart and with a slight apple taste.

Although I must confess I haven't made it again... If I'm committing to a year I'd rather made mead or cyser.

It's Feb of this year. It is sitting in my basement. Heck, I should let it go a year, just because I can at this point, and try it then....

 

[CGVT]

I have some I made 5 years ago. I have tried it every now and then since I bottled it. I keep waiting for the epiphany, but it has never gotten any better.

 

[headfullahops]

I RIMS mash and pump through a plate chiller with fittings for inline oxygenation and digital temp monitoring, but I have never controlled fermentation temperature. I ferment Belgians upstairs and ales in the basement. I also ferment "lagers" in the basement with Cali Common yeast. I've also never fretted over mash pH or water chemistry. Haven't had a bum batch yet!

 

[biochemedic]

What is a blow off tube.

You'll find out the first time you have to clean krausen up from all over your counter...or god forbid, your ceiling!

 

[phug]

I made a batch, it's probably 2 years old, I still don't like it, but it does well in competition, so i'm going to keep submitting bottles until I run out.

 

[hio3791]

I made a batch, it's probably 2 years old, I still don't like it, but it does well in competition, so i'm going to keep submitting bottles until I run out.

Winner winner chicken dinner. That's funny!

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I never measure gravities, I have my system tuned now, I just brew it and drink it

 

[cyanmonkey]

Sigh...I've been brewing over 3 years and it just occurred to me that I don't need an auto siphon to transfer beer. All I need is a tube. [emoji17] So much faster to transfer and way less oxygen introduction.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Sigh...I've been brewing over 3 years and it just occurred to me that I don't need an auto siphon to transfer beer. All I need is a tube. [emoji17] So much faster to transfer and way less oxygen introduction.

We did not have them when I started. Pansies afraid of infection used a sanitized turkey baster to start the siphon...the rest of either used the thumb over the tube end our a nice oral siphon starter.

That said, love the autosiphon. Just put a 1/2" or more of star san on the back side of the seal before you start and no extra O2 introduction.

 

[sleepspeaking]

I'm pretty sure my beer sucks...

 

[MizzouFermentationScience]

I can justify the schiza out of all my bad habits except one- never waiting long enough before I tap a keg.

 

[cyanmonkey]

We did not have them when I started. Pansies afraid of infection used a sanitized turkey baster to start the siphon...the rest of either used the thumb over the tube end our a nice oral siphon starter.



That said, love the autosiphon. Just put a 1/2" or more of star san on the back side of the seal before you start and no extra O2 introduction.

I just filled the hose with some starsan and turn it over. Worked like a charm. I can't see why I'd go back to an auto siphon at this point.

 

[rtracer]

I squeeze my sack, oh and I have yet to find a reasonably priced freezer so I am constantly fighting with my fermentation temps.
Oh, and I kinda really like squeezing my sack.....been that way since before I started brewing....well that's a different story for a different forum

Hey, I've had my ferm chamber for a while now so I can void my confession.

Though I have a new one, I don't usually take multiple gravity readings. After two weeks I take one and keg assuming my beer is near or below target FG. To me, taking multiple readings is opening up my precious beer to the elements unnecessarily.

 

[ThatVideoKid]

Hey, I've had my ferm chamber for a while now so I can void my confession.



Though I have a new one, I don't usually take multiple gravity readings. After two weeks I take one and keg assuming my beer is near or below target FG. To me, taking multiple readings is opening up my precious beer to the elements unnecessarily.

Plus if kegging it's not going anywhere at 38F anyways

 

[Barley_Bob]

So, uh... I'm still using that cracked lid. It may have caused a mild infection in my last batch. On investigation, it will no longer hold an airtight seal. I wanted to buy a new lid last week, but the boss wouldn't permit the purchase.

So, I brewed another batch anyway! Right now, the bucket is in my basement with a woodworking clamp holding the lid on tight (because I couldn't quite get hot glue to do the job). Looks like it's holding a seal! I sprayed everything down with starsan throughout all the fiddling, and I did pitch a healthy yeast starter. But if someone wants to weigh in with a comment to boost my confidence, I'll appreciate it. I'm mildly concerned about this batch.

BONUS CONFESSION #1 - I listen to my wife, even when she's being irrational.
BONUS CONFESSION #2 - I'm an idiot.

 

[jschein]

So, uh... I'm still using that cracked lid. It may have caused a mild infection in my last batch. On investigation, it will no longer hold an airtight seal. I wanted to buy a new lid last week, but the boss wouldn't permit the purchase.

So, I brewed another batch anyway! Right now, the bucket is in my basement with a woodworking clamp holding the lid on tight (because I couldn't quite get hot glue to do the job). Looks like it's holding a seal! I sprayed everything down with starsan throughout all the fiddling, and I did pitch a healthy yeast starter. But if someone wants to weigh in with a comment to boost my confidence, I'll appreciate it. I'm mildly concerned about this batch.

BONUS CONFESSION #1 - I listen to my wife, even when she's being irrational.
BONUS CONFESSION #2 - I'm an idiot.

Sounds like a prime time to try open fermentation

 

[Barley_Bob]

Sounds like a prime time to try open fermentation

I'm pretty sure that's what the last batch was. Whether I like it or not.

 

[MidAtlanticBrew]

I've filled bottles with commercial beer and told my friends I brewed it.

 

[cyanmonkey]

I've filled bottles with commercial beer and told my friends I brewed it.

I've wondered about sending commercial beer into a competition and seeing how it might place or what kind of notes it might get.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I've wondered about sending commercial beer into a competition and seeing how it might place or what kind of notes it might get.

This. I'm very curious how a bud light would score.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I do spend nearly as much on brewing, time or money, as I do on racing cars that should not even be allowed on the street (often, they aren't) let alone on the racetrack...

But I spend more time drinking beer than racing.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

So, uh... I'm still using that cracked lid. It may have caused a mild infection in my last batch. On investigation, it will no longer hold an airtight seal. I wanted to buy a new lid last week, but the boss wouldn't permit the purchase.

So, I brewed another batch anyway! Right now, the bucket is in my basement with a woodworking clamp holding the lid on tight (because I couldn't quite get hot glue to do the job). Looks like it's holding a seal! I sprayed everything down with starsan throughout all the fiddling, and I did pitch a healthy yeast starter. But if someone wants to weigh in with a comment to boost my confidence, I'll appreciate it. I'm mildly concerned about this batch.

Meh, I have done about 22 batches now with just the lid sitting on top of my 20 gallon HDPE barrel. No ill effects and I kind of plan to keep doing it that way.

 

[Barley_Bob]

Meh, I have done about 22 batches now with just the lid sitting on top of my 20 gallon HDPE barrel. No ill effects and I kind of plan to keep doing it that way.

Well, let me send you some of my fruit flies...

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Well, let me send you some of my fruit flies...

Can't get in my fermentation chamber so just a different level of annoyance.

 

[RunDadRun]

I have broken 2 hydrometer sample tubes and zero actual hydrometers.

 

[cyanmonkey]

I have broken 2 hydrometer sample tubes and zero actual hydrometers.

My sample tube would double as a prison shank, but still works.

 

[Hoppity]

My sample tube would double as a prison shank, but still works.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dug-G9xVdVs[/ame]

 

[VladOfTrub]

I've wondered about sending commercial beer into a competition and seeing how it might place or what kind of notes it might get.

The beer would score 0 stars. The criteria set forth by Lord Papasian and used by BJCP judges to evaluate home made and craft brewed stuff wouldn't cover beer produced by a brew master. If a commercial IPA was entered and if it didn't contain cat urine, astringency and pine soap characteristics the judges would give the beer a 0.

 

[Totally]

I like eating vanilla ice cream with LME on top, its amazing.

I'm not the only one though right?

 

[jjeffers09]

I got caught watching brewing tv during a phone conference...