First beer bottled, first carboy broken

[homebrewdad]

Well, I got my Yorkshire square brown ale bottled today after 15 days in primary followed by 15 in secondary. For all the moaning I read about bottling, I found it to be an enjoyable process.

Sadly, I also managed to break my first carboy; I let my 5 gallon secondary slip out of my hand as I was lowering it into its box concrete basement floor). Yep, it's dead. Good thing I do still have a 6.5 gallon primary and another 5 gallon secondary.

For full details on today's adventures, here is a link with pics: http://www.homebrewdad.com/index.php?blogid=11

Can't wait to get the third batch going!


edit: this post originally contained my typo quota for the entire week. Sheesh.

 

[Czm]

I broke a 5 gallon.. Well kiddo knocked over. So far 1 broken Carboy, 1 broken hydrometer. I'm waitin on this pale ale to try out.. Got to wait another week and I'll crack a bottle open.

 

[NRF]

Congrats HBD! Thanks for the link- I enjoyed the read.

..sorry about that carboy though....bummer.

 

[homebrewdad]

Congrats HBD! Thanks for the link- I enjoyed the read.

..sorry about that carboy though....bummer.

Thanks very much! I am trying to post regularly.

My wife was pretty awesome about the break, is insisting that I buy another right away.

 

[tre9er]

Thanks very much! I am trying to post regularly.

My wife was pretty awesome about the break, is insisting that I buy another right away.

You got a good one there! Mine has been very supportive, too. We are lucky men!

 

[homebrewdad]

You got a good one there! Mine has been very supportive, too. We are lucky men!

I agree. She holds that the brewing process makes the house smell like ferret, and she's not crazy about carboys in the closet, but she has been a champ. She's even giving me suggestions on what to brew next - and her idea is actually what I had in mind (she suggested something lighter, since both of these first two have been very dark, and I was thinking of a Leffe Blonde clone).

 

[tre9er]

Does she drink beer? Mine does occasionally so I'm making a few that she will like first. Aiming for a blue moon clone next possibly.

 

[homebrewdad]

Does she drink beer? Mine does occasionally so I'm making a few that she will like first. Aiming for a blue moon clone next possibly.

Sadly, no. Liquor or mixed drinks are her typical choice, aside from an odd glass of wine with a nice dinner.

 

[tre9er]

No worries! When I say "occasionally" I mean once every few Weeks!

 

[homebrewdad]

No worries! When I say "occasionally" I mean once every few Weeks!

lol mine occassionally drinks, period... but pretty much never beer.

 

[Golddiggie]

See if you can convince her to let you get stainless steel fermenters.

You could go the route of the expensive conical fermenters. OR go for the more budget friendly sanke keg fermenters. :rockin:

I've been fermenting in sanke kegs for some time now and love it. With the sanke fermenter kit from Brewer's Hardware it's even easier. Especially with the thermowell (you can send a probe thermometer down there and get a much better reading)... I'm adapting mine to use liquid dip tubes instead of the racking canes. I've also fitted my fermenters with gas in posts (in the tops) so that I can push with CO2 when it's time to move the brew. Within another two weeks I expect to have all my fermenters equipped with gas posts. One of my short pony kegs is going to get cut and fitted with a corny keg lid too. Of course, I'll be installing a gas post on that one too. I'll be installing a fitting in the lid (where the relief valve used to go) that will allow me to use either a racking cane, or liquid dip tube, to get the brew out of it. :rockin:

One of the benefits of sanke keg fermenters, that you'll appreciate (as will she, I'm sure) is they cannot be broken by dropping them. They can take some SERIOUS abuse and laugh at you. Another would be IF you ever get an infected batch (or decide to make a brett) you can sanitize/sterilize it by simply boiling water inside it. You could, also, try the fermenting under pressure routine too, IF you ever wanted to...

 

[lowtones84]

Congratulations on bottling your first beer! Sorry to hear about the carboy breaking, but you're okay right?

 

[homebrewdad]

Congratulations on bottling your first beer! Sorry to hear about the carboy breaking, but you're okay right?

Just hurt my feelings. All the glass shards were contained in the box... small favors.

LOL... I don't see her going for stainless yet!


Thanks for all of the positive feedback, folks.

 

[Golddiggie]

If you get the keg for a decent price, it won't cost any more than using a carboy. You can go with the large universal bung for some time (it fits right in the hole in the keg) and go with a normal airlock. I did that for a while before I decided to step it up a few levels.

Just remember, if you drop a sanke, the floor will break before it does.

 

[RM-MN]

Spend some time reading about people fermenting without using a secondary and about fermenting in a plastic bucket. Look for the threads showing the injuries from breaking carboys and think how one of them would change your life. I won't have a carboy in my house.

 

[homebrewdad]

Spend some time reading about people fermenting without using a secondary and about fermenting in a plastic bucket. Look for the threads showing the injuries from breaking carboys and think how one of them would change your life. I won't have a carboy in my house.

Thanks for the concern. There are injuries, I know this... but statistically, they are extremely insignificant.

What I got yesterday was a lesson on being careful. It was my fault; I was leaning over something else, and the carboy was still wet. I knew better, and as a result of my stupidity, I broke the carboy. It's that simple.

 

[tre9er]

I was thinking that a carboy handle will be on my list when I do eventually get a glass carboy. that and some sort of flooring everywhere that I will be moving it.

 

[homebrewdad]

I was thinking that a carboy handle will be on my list when I do eventually get a glass carboy. that and some sort of flooring everywhere that I will be moving it.

Yeah, I'm suddenly seeing the value of the carboy handle. I may invest that $5 or so.

 

[tre9er]

I have scrap vinyl flooring around my workspace in the basement. I think I will get some more (remnants from home depot/lowes are usually like $20) and make sure I have semi-soft flooring everywhere. Today's vinyl is thick enough to stop a lot of breaks from happening. Sorry this happened to you but I'm glad some good is coming from it!

 

[homebrewdad]

I have scrap vinyl flooring around my workspace in the basement. I think I will get some more (remnants from home depot/lowes are usually like $20) and make sure I have semi-soft flooring everywhere. Today's vinyl is thick enough to stop a lot of breaks from happening. Sorry this happened to you but I'm glad some good is coming from it!

I could see the value of putting some scrap vinyl down at least in the basement closet where I keep my gear.

On the bright side, it was an empty carboy... I didn't lose five gallons of beer.

 

[AdamPag]

I started and continue to use only plastic for exactly that reason man.

And my GF not only funded my brewing venture (bday present) shes actually my sioux chef when im brewing, she loves the smell and damn near drinks half the sweet wort like its tea lol

 

[malevolent]

Congrats ...on the first beer that is.

That is one dark brown ale.

 

[homebrewdad]

Congrats ...on the first beer that is.

That is one dark brown ale.

Thanks!

As for the darkness... I know. *sniff* I'm so proud!

 

[spokaniac]

Wife got me a kit for Christmas. First batch has been in bottles for 2 weeks, almost there.
She's always liked Blue Moon. Have been buying some different kinds of beer to get her to try and see what she likes. Got her hooked on Sam Smiths Oatmeal stout and Young's Double chocolate. The AHS double choc kit should be here tomorrow.

 

[homebrewdad]

Wife got me a kit for Christmas. First batch has been in bottles for 2 weeks, almost there.
She's always liked Blue Moon. Have been buying some different kinds of beer to get her to try and see what she likes. Got her hooked on Sam Smiths Oatmeal stout and Young's Double chocolate. The AHS double choc kit should be here tomorrow.

Impressive selections!

Heh, I mentioned chocolate stouts to my wife and shee turned green at the thought of beer and chocolate.

I'm plannign to do a Leffe Blonde clone - I'm hoping that one will be "accessible" enough that she might give it a whirl.

 

[malevolent]

Impressive selections!

Heh, I mentioned chocolate stouts to my wife and shee turned green at the thought of beer and chocolate.

I'm plannign to do a Leffe Blonde clone - I'm hoping that one will be "accessible" enough that she might give it a whirl.

Whatever you do, don't give her Choklat from Southern Tier Brewing Company...its like drinking Chocolate Syrup with a hot alcohol finish. Not my favorite.

I added my cocoa and vanilla beans to my stout a few days ago. Only 5 more months until it will be drinkable.

 

[homebrewdad]

Whatever you do, don't give her Choklat from Southern Tier Brewing Company...its like drinking Chocolate Syrup with a hot alcohol finish. Not my favorite.

I added my cocoa and vanilla beans to my stout a few days ago. Only 5 more months until it will be drinkable.

Sounds... ick (Choklat).

lol @ 5 months for drinkability.