Don't Do That.

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Don't let the nylon hop bag free roam in the boil kettle. I have done so for many, many batches, but this time it caught itself on the element, and now there is burnt plastic in the hot liquor.

**AND**

Don't believe that it might be easier to try to char the remaining plastic bits to clean them off by briefly turning on the power to the dry 5500W heating element.

Now I can dump the 5 gallons of wort as well as the dead heater.
 
I screwed up today. I was making a Cilantro Lime wheat beer. I was supposed to add lime juice and zest with 5 minutes left to go in the boil and forgot. I was chilling and down to about 100 when I realized it. So I removed the hops (in a spider), reheated the wort to 185 and added the juice and zest and let it steep for 5 minute. Probably it will be fine, but a huge waste of time and water (fortunately water is fairly inexpensive around here).
 
Spartan1979 said:
I screwed up today. I was making a Cilantro Lime wheat beer. I was supposed to add lime juice and zest with 5 minutes left to go in the boil and forgot. I was chilling and down to about 100 when I realized it. So I removed the hops (in a spider), reheated the wort to 185 and added the juice and zest and let it steep for 5 minute. Probably it will be fine, but a huge waste of time and water (fortunately water is fairly inexpensive around here).
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I bet you will be fine... of course you will always 'notice it' but i bet no one else will!!!

Also... when you post here, no need to start with the below- it's redundant! Lol.
Spartan1979 said:
I screwed up today.
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Keep us posted on how it turns out!
 
When transferring from your brand spanking new fermzilla, there's a few things we don't do. DON'T forget to open the valve on the fermzilla so the co2 from the receiving keg goes back in it, keeping the siphon going. DON'T forget to loosen the straps so the vessel can be tipped over to get the last of the beer. And finally; watch some youtube and google before trying to take the lid off using a screwdriver in the liquid-out hole. It cracked. New one coming (only $10, not too fussed), but it's aggravating. And one last thing; if you go the route of adding co2 to the empty vessel to get the lid to pop off, DON'T forget to release the pressure first. I almost blackened my eye that thing came off so fast with only 5psi in it.
 
seatazzz said:
When transferring from your brand spanking new fermzilla, there's a few things we don't do. DON'T forget to open the valve on the fermzilla so the co2 from the receiving keg goes back in it, keeping the siphon going. DON'T forget to loosen the straps so the vessel can be tipped over to get the last of the beer. And finally; watch some youtube and google before trying to take the lid off using a screwdriver in the liquid-out hole. It cracked. New one coming (only $10, not too fussed), but it's aggravating. And one last thing; if you go the route of adding co2 to the empty vessel to get the lid to pop off, DON'T forget to release the pressure first. I almost blackened my eye that thing came off so fast with only 5psi in it.
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Good to know, thanks for the info
 
Hey Kids! What time is it? Why, time for another episode of Don't Do What Seatazzz Does!! Yesterday I kegged my brand new tasty NEIPA, into a super clean/sanitized/purged keg, that a few days ago I installed a floating diptube in. Oops, forgot you can't force carb with a floating diptube! So I opened it up, taking a gander at the shiny cleanliness within (and not noticing one VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL that is coming up), and added the carb lid. Off to the kegerator to chill, and this morning started the force carb. Since the co2 goes through the lid, still did not notice the one VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL that is coming up shortly, I promise. Came home from a short day at work eager to taste the fruits of my labor. Pulled the PRV a couple of times, then released the pressure and installed the co2 & beer connections. Boy, that co2 sure does sound weird going into the keg (WARNING BELLS it's coming up). Finally tapped; nothing but co2 with a bit of foam. WTF? After staring at the top of the keg for a few moments, it hit me. I INSTALLED THE FLOATING DIPTUBE ON THE GAS POST. Pulled the keg out, again, opened the lid, AGAIN, starsanned the heck out of my hands, and installed the diptube on the CORRECT post. Now the diptube float is sitting on an airy bed of foam and won't pull any beer until it dissipates. Yah, DON'T DO THAT.
 
The Kolsch I’m drinking now was fermented and is being served from the same keg. It’s had a floating dip tube in since I pitched the yeast on April 15th. Are you not supposed to carbonate through the FTD? I was unaware, though it seems to have worked just fine.
 
BongoYodeler said:
Are you not supposed to carbonate through the FTD?
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FDT - and I don't think anyone applies exogenous CO2 to an FDT to carbonate a keg as the performance would be virtually identical to simply applying CO2 to the gas In post like normies do ;)

The issue here was the FDT was hooked to the In post - so dispensing would be a hella big challenge...

Cheers!
 

day_trippr said:
FDT - and I don't think anyone applies exogenous CO2 to an FDT to carbonate a keg as the performance would be virtually identical to simply applying CO2 to the gas In post like normies do ;)

The issue here was the FDT was hooked to the In post - so dispensing would be a hella big challenge...

Cheers!
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LOL, FDT, and yes I need to post when I haven't had a few beers. Disregard my previous post. 🥴
 
BongoYodeler said:
LOL, FDT, and yes I need to post when I haven't had a few beers. Disregard my previous post. 🥴
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As an English language writer, I do hereby declare that forthwith FTD is a valid acronym for the device hitherto known as a Floating Dip Tube and that said acronym shall in all perpetuity expand into Floating Tube of Dipping.
 
Their lawyers will be in contact with you, shortly...

1688172406978.png


Cheers! 😁
 
When sanitizing a keg by overfilling it with StarSan through the liquid post and a bare disconnect on the gas post...use a gas disconnect with a short bit of hose that points down to the drain....do NOT just grab a bare gas disconnect and absent-mindedly leave it pointing right at yourself while closing the lid!
:ban:
 
Broken Crow said:
When sanitizing a keg by overfilling it with StarSan through the liquid post and a bare disconnect on the gas post...use a gas disconnect with a short bit of hose that points down to the drain....do NOT just grab a bare gas disconnect and absent-mindedly leave it pointing right at yourself while closing the lid!
:ban:
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If I did that, there is no doubt that it would squirt me right in the crotch.
 
I've been at this for about 7 years now. Sometimes I make great beers, sometimes mediocre, sometimes they get dumped before even cleaning a keg for them. I change things sometimes, either due to something I read here or on the interwebs, or because my brain tells me to. This is a story about when NOT to listen to the tiny brain, and also about how it's sometimes the simplest thing that screws up a beer beyond saving. It took reading a thread on the beginner's forum to figure it out, too. This is going to be a long one, so feel free to skip to the end if you have other things to do.

I like to re-use yeast. It's cheap, it works, and for some yeasts the 2nd unto 5th generations seem to make better beer. For some reason, I got it into my head that I needed more yeast nutrient for the beers I used slurry on, and also with fresh yeast. 3tsp (or sometimes more) of fermax, what could it hurt? A LOT, apparently. Yeast nutrient has zinc, which can kill yeast; and cause a nasty metallic/bloodlike flavor in the finished beer. Thanks to whoever posted that on BBF. I have been racking my tiny mind for weeks trying to figure out why my beers were plagued with acetaldehyde, which we all know is produced as a by-product of fermentation; the yeast will clean it up when they're done with the big party. But if those yeast are killed dead by zinc (or overwork because of the dead guys) at the end of the party, that acetaldehyde will continue on into the finished beer. Along with possible metallic/rust/blood flavors that nobody likes unless you have friends named Bella and whatever those guys' names are from twilight. Not only did I figure it out from the BBF, but going to the way-back machine and checking my notes from my first almost perfect PF lager (where I was almost out of fermax and only used a scant tsp) made me smack myself upside the head.

I brewed yesterday and today, each one got just one tsp of fermax; so it does remain to be seen if my theory here is correct. But I'm betting it is.

TL;DR, but do NOT overdo the yeast nutrient.
 
B1AF3A6D-AC76-460E-AD30-4F1E1E31C976.jpeg


Accidentally shutting the door to kegerator/fermentation chamber without making sure the temperature probe is inside. Don’t do that.

Luckily the Pilsner was nearly kicked and I need to move over my new Pilsner from the other ferm chamber to put on tap.

Now I’m wondering what, if anything, this does to the CO2 🤔
 
seatazzz said:
Yeast nutrient has zinc, which can kill yeast; and cause a nasty metallic/bloodlike flavor in the finished beer. Thanks to whoever posted that on BBF. I have been racking my tiny mind for weeks trying to figure out why my beers were plagued with acetaldehyde, which we all know is produced as a by-product of fermentation; the yeast will clean it up when they're done with the big party. But if those yeast are killed dead by zinc (or overwork because of the dead guys) at the end of the party, that acetaldehyde will continue on into the finished beer. Along with possible metallic/rust/blood flavors that nobody likes unless you have friends named Bella and whatever those guys' names are from twilight. Not only did I figure it out from the BBF, but going to the way-back machine and checking my notes from my first almost perfect PF lager (where I was almost out of fermax and only used a scant tsp) made me smack myself upside the head.

I brewed yesterday and today, each one got just one tsp of fermax; so it does remain to be seen if my theory here is correct. But I'm betting it is.

TL;DR, but do NOT overdo the yeast nutrient.
Click to expand...
Agreed, too much of a good thing isn’t always good. Now, may I ask when do you add the nutrients?
 
Vital Context: Parents and brother visiting my home from Nebraska/Missouri. Dad smokes, tries to keep it outside and away from everyone because nobody else does.

They helped me kick a keg so started washing it out. Opened up a new container of PBW. Pop off the seal, huh, it smells kinda like cigarettes. Wonder if Dad has been discarding his butts inside but hadn't checked yet. Let's confirm that by taking a HUGE wiff of PBW and watch the dust from it go around while choking.

Don't do that.
 
When making a DIY counterflow chiller the rubber washer falls out of the garden hose and bounces under the car. You're in the middle of coiling this whole contraption around a jug so you think "I'll get that in a moment". Two days later when you brew and use your new DIY project you can't figure out why it's spraying water all over the basement. You just keep tightening things with no fix and eventually move everything outside to just let the water flood your yard as all your late addition hops are turning to early addition hops.

Don't do that.
 
Used to boil stuff in ehrlenmeyer flasks on bunsen burners in the lab all the time (yeah, I'm old). Never had one crack, much less shatter. I wouldn't put one on an electric stove, but gas should be fine. That's assuming that we're talking about a real pyrex glass flask (or equivalent).
 
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balrog said:
First boilover ever on the stove became my "Hello Joseph, meet Mr. Garage" moment.
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I strategically withdrew to the laundry before conflict broke out. Plus it was a good excuse to buy a grandfather.

However it means the kitchen is no longer spotlessly clean every three weeks.
 

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