Double IPA Disaster!!!

[CrystalShip]

I've suffered my first homebrew casualty.

My wife doesnt understand..

...most of my firends don't either.

I'm crushed. This thread isn't about making a bad beer. The beer was superb. 8% abv, 90ibu, all-galaxy hopped Double IPA... The things that dreams are made of. A beer so aromatic it could have made Pliny the elder look tame...and now no one will get to enjoy it because after sampling it to check for proper carbonation levels, I left the picnic tap line connected to the keg and closed the lid to the kegerator on top of the spout. Apparently it opened just enough drain the entire contents of the keg (as well as a full co2 tank) into the bottom of my kegerator. It's ALL gone. I'm so sad.

does anyone else have a similar story?

 

[SEABrewer]

Oh man. I feel for you. I've fortunately haven't had a similar experience, although it does feel like I'm always fighting picnic taps.

I guess every batch is a learning experience, but it sucks that it was such a painful one in this case...

 

[CrystalShip]

I was also going to enter it into the north sound winter homebrew competition. already paid the entry fees and everything.

 

[ResumeMan]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Yeah, I had a similar fiasco earlier this year. I had naturally carbed an APA, and had a bunch of trouble clearing the resulting sludge in the first couple pints. It wasn't as good a beer as you describe, but it was quite a nice pale ale. Well apparently some of that sludge stuck somewhere in the faucet overnight, because it all drizzled out.

The weird thing is that (at the time) the concrete floor where the kegerator sits was unfinished, and I guess it all just soaked in. The only evidence I had that the beer all had dripped out was that the keg was empty, plus a damp throw rug nearby.

It was quite a disappointment!!

 

[davekippen]

Damn man, I will drink a double in your honor.

 

[CrystalShip]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Yeah, I had a similar fiasco earlier this year. I had naturally carbed an APA, and had a bunch of trouble clearing the resulting sludge in the first couple pints. It wasn't as good a beer as you describe, but it was quite a nice pale ale. Well apparently some of that sludge stuck somewhere in the faucet overnight, because it all drizzled out.

The weird thing is that (at the time) the concrete floor where the kegerator sits was unfinished, and I guess it all just soaked in. The only evidence I had that the beer all had dripped out was that the keg was empty, plus a damp throw rug nearby.

It was quite a disappointment!!

Damn, I bet you had to play beer detective for a while to figure out what happened. I know that I got all CSI to figure out my fiasco

 

[CRoth36]

Let's all have a moment of silence to remember those we've lost

 

[CrystalShip]

Let's all have a moment of silence to remember those we've lost

exactly! each batch feels like a baby to me!

 

[Sheldon]

I did the same to a half keg of Pliny I made. I was beside myself. But, the good thing is, life goes on

 

[Doctor_M]

"Don't worry folks, I can make more"

Sorry for your loss.

 

[CrystalShip]

"Don't worry folks, I can make more"

Sorry for your loss.

....speaking of which, I just ordered a pound of galaxy

 

[CrystalShip]

Also, I got my hands on a fresh pack of wyeast 1217 west coast ipa. Bring on the hop bombs biatches!

 

[atom]

sorry for your loss...

seems like there is a thread like this every other day... be very careful when using picnic taps!

 

[theck]

That sucks! I recently went though a loss myself. My faucet was leaking for days, I taking a break from drinking didn't catch it right away... Good thing it was just a drip I only lost a good gallon not the whole thing.

 

[bannedbrewingco]

Dang, that is terrible. Just out of curiosity, is a picnic tap the same thing as a cobra tap? I am planning on legging for the first time and would like to avoid this dilemma.

 

[RhodySeth]

Sorry there chap.

 

[atom]

Dang, that is terrible. Just out of curiosity, is a picnic tap the same thing as a cobra tap? I am planning on legging for the first time and would like to avoid this dilemma.

yes, they are the same. picnic/cobra taps are fine if you are careful with them. I'm not the only one pouring beers from my keezer so i'd rather not have to worrk about it. if possible, go with perlick faucets and save the beer!

 

[gueykewl]

I share your pain brother. Same thing happened to me about 2 months ago. I would have been happy if it happened to the keg of lime-hefe that I have sitting in there and not beautiful Mirror Pond clone. I have since moved to perlick faucets.

 

[CrystalShip]

yes, they are the same. picnic/cobra taps are fine if you are careful with them. I'm not the only one pouring beers from my keezer so i'd rather not have to worrk about it. if possible, go with perlick faucets and save the beer!

Perlicks are wonderful. I have three myself but had the new keg hooked up to the cobra tap. Also it is good to make sure the ball lock connections are on tight too. I went back through and tightened them all...one of them was iffy..

Don't catch kegging complacency!! lol

 

[hbtasdfg]

the good news is you have perfected your recipe and can make it again or even double up next time because you know it is good

 

[CrystalShip]

the good news is you have perfected your recipe and can make it again or even double up next time because you know it is good

This is true!

Actually I may change it slightly and not use galaxy as a bittering hop...kind of wasted talent throwing it in there so early. It really shines at flameout/dryhopping.

 

[bannedbrewingco]

Is your recipe listed I the recipe section? Or are you protecting your IP

 

[Roadie]

Sucks ass. Incentive to put some perlicks on the keezer.

 

[CrystalShip]

Is your recipe listed I the recipe section? Or are you protecting your IP

Nope. It is pretty simple though

11.5 lb 2row
1lb Vienna
8oz carared
12oz corn sugar (boil)

.5oz galaxy FWH
.5oz galaxy 90min
1oz galaxy 60min
2oz galaxy 5min
2oz galaxy flameout
2oz galaxy dryhop

Mash low... Use a clean attenuative yeast. I like 1272 American ale 2. Like I said, when I do it again, I'll probably use warrior at the beginning and use those 2oz of galaxy split between flameout and dryhopping

 

[CrystalShip]

Sucks ass. Incentive to put some perlicks on the keezer.

Already have three of them on there. This keg was in the number four position lol

 

[erichsmith]

That's the equivalent of a miscarriage.

 

[CrystalShip]

That's the equivalent of a miscarriage.

I thought it felt more like watching my dog get ran over by a car.