Epic Fail

[johngaltsmotor]

Okay, which one of you wise guys suggested using a nylon paint strainer as a leaf hop bag??
The most important question being: Why didn't you comment on making sure it doesn't get pinched to the bottom when you put the wort chiller in?!?!?! :smack:

3 hours and $40 in... just 10 min to go... and all of a sudden things don't smell right... Burnt nylon completely kills a fruity session IPA. Looks like I make a hop spider and try again next weekend. (mumble mumble mumble...)

How do you know something went wrong? When cleaning up from brewing requires ear plugs, gloves, goggles, and a right angle grinder.

I hope this is my worst ever SNAFUBAR and never ever gets beat.

 

[LowNotes]

Ouch...

I use the nylon paint straining bags to hold my boil hops (pellets not leaf though, so must not have been me!)

I have what is basically a false bottom though...it is actually just a metal 'plate' with about 1.5" high rim aorund the edge, and 1/4" diameter holes all across the surface. The pot was actually for steaming seafood originally, so I guess they were worried about burning the crabs, etc... and included the 'false bottom' and I lucked out that it makes them perfect for brewing.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

I've got a false bottom I could use, but I'd have to put a hole in for the drain tube (it is adjustable from the very bottom to several inches off depending on anticipated trub).

I was more just looking to complain about this great batch that got ruined because I didn't have enough foresight to see this as a possibility. I've used hop bags for a couple of years and never had this happen. Thankfully I wanted to smell what the Galaxy and Mosaic that I added right after the wort chiller would make the steam smell like. At first I went "oh man, that is grassy", then I realized... no... not grassy... (expletive) as I ran to get a pair of tongs to try to fish out the bags. 1st one came out fine. 2nd... well, I got 1/2 of it.