Most embarrassing homebrewing mistakes

[Still Brewn]

Putting quick-disconnect-perlick-tap on keg, forgot to close tap first.
Beer all over pants.
Quickly slap tap handle shut, which now pressurizes the unsecured screw top of the quick disconnect
Beer all over face and ceiling.

Best part? I was at someone else's house.

It is always better to mess up at someone else's place. At least for us, because it's funny!

 

[str1p3s]

I had a mash resting on one end of a small picnic table and the burner and cinder blocks on the other end. Decided to pull the cinder blocks off and sent the table see-sawing and the mash tun rolling across the floor. That beer was named Table Flipper.

 

[pshankstar]

This is nothing compared to others who have posted.

I had an issue with a SS Intertap Faucet where some hop particles made it into faucet. I disconnected the keg from the tap line and started to take apart the faucet to clean it out. Well I started taking the tap apart and received a shower of beer. Yeah, I picked the wrong tap and it was connected to another keg.

 

[Still Brewn]

Ahhh yes the old picnic table flip. Reminds me of my younger days .... family picnic. Large guy at one end, large cooler at the other. We had just finished filling a dozen plastic cups with red coolaid. Wife asked me to move the cooler.

 

[balrog]

Ahhh yes the old picnic table flip. Reminds me of my younger days .... family picnic. Large guy at one end, large cooler at the other. We had just finished filling a dozen plastic cups with red coolaid. Wife asked me to move the cooler.

Sorry. Disqualified. Not beer.

 

[passedpawn]

Ah, you want pictures. I've got some of those. Here's my how-to video that I made for my brother, who was considering learning. How many f-ups can you count? The final one, at the very end, was a real mess later.

• airlock on top of starter; check
• lift with your back, don't bother with a sissy spigot: check
• mispronounce very brewing term: check
• floating boil kettle in pool with noodle-ducttape: check
• nearly capsizing the kettle to retrieve after it's floated to middle of pool: check
• Marlee the wonderdog licks any potential infection from neck of carboy: check
• zero headroom in carboy: check
• etc

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

Ah, you want pictures. I've got some of those. Here's my how-to video that I made for my brother, who was considering learning. How many f-ups can you count? The final one, at the very end, was a real mess later.

• airlock on top of starter; check
• lift with your back, don't bother with a sissy spigot: check
• mispronounce very brewing term: check
• floating boil kettle in pool with noodle-ducttape: check
• nearly capsizing the kettle to retrieve after it's floated to middle of pool: check
• Marlee the wonderdog licks any potential infection from neck of carboy: check
• zero headroom in carboy: check
• etc

You should consider doing a KickStarter campaign for your noodle-ducttapte "Beer Bouy" contraption. Have it kick off on 4/01

 

[Still Brewn]

I'm wondering if that is a glass carboy?
On brick.... check
no pants... check
No shoes.... check
No lid on the kettle that's cooling in the pool .... check
Just an all around disaster waiting to happen. And a trip to the hospital.
So did the brother decide that brewing was not for him?
How did the beer turn out, that is the important thing?

 

[Still Brewn]

I was drinking beer, does that count?

 

[passedpawn]

I'm wondering if that is a glass carboy?
On brick.... check
no pants... check
No shoes.... check
No lid on the kettle that's cooling in the pool .... check
Just an all around disaster waiting to happen. And a trip to the hospital.
So did the brother decide that brewing was not for him?
How did the beer turn out, that is the important thing?

Brother is an avid brewer now, 30g Morebeer system. Glycol-cooled conical, etc. He's also a member here.

Beer was an issue.
It was a lager. Pitched the yeast at 80F and fermented in the garage or somewhere similar. I don't think I would have won any awards with it. Can't remember, actually. From my notes:
"There is a slight off taste that might be DMS. Probably need to boil longer next time." Probably wasn't the length of the boil haha.

 

[jonny24]

Similar to a post above...


I have 4 taps on kegerator door. Recently all torn down and cleaned, so only 1 tap is installed and hooked up to a keg (I just moved, creating a gap in my supply) on Line 1.
I kegged a second beer, hooked it up at 35ish psi to co2 Line 3, vented the keg, and then ALMOST hooked up the liquid line. But I stopped myself, and realized I needed to put the tap on.
Got up, put the tap on, hooked up to the line, and hear the inevitable splatter of beer hitting the floor.
Got up, threw a towel down, and looked at the door. I had put the tap on line 2, not 3!

It doesn't end there!

The next day, eager to try a somewhat carbonated sample, opened the fridge to hook back the the liquid line, and get real confused... why is liquid line 3 empty? And why does line 4 have beer in it?

I had put the tap on the wrong line, AND put the wrong line onto the keg!

 

[Still Brewn]

Brother is an avid brewer now, 30g Morebeer system. Glycol-cooled conical, etc. He's also a member here.

I know you know what you are doing now and I know you have been around here for a long time, but..... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/

 

[ListerH]

I know you know what you are doing now and I know you have been around here for a long time, but..... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/

Wow... yeah I haven't used my glass carboy for a while as the potential for disaster is huge! Used to secondary in one all the time... now it goes in a nice stainless steel keg.
I wonder how close I ever came to being one of the photos in that post! Carrying a full glass carboy around to rack it, swirling Starsan around in it with wet hands etc etc!

 

[SEndorf]

Bottling a 5 gal batch of beer, looking over and noticing the beaker with priming sugar water sitting on the counter.

BTDT.. At least you HAD the priming sugar ready.
On one of my first batches, I bottled the 5 G. and I completely forgot about the priming sugar.

 

[MaxStout]

BTDT.. At least you HAD the priming sugar ready.
On one of my first batches, I bottled the 5 G. and I completely forgot about the priming sugar.

I had bottled and capped them all before my discovery. But I popped off the caps, used a plastic pipette to dose each bottle with sugar solution, then re-capped with new caps. Beer turned out OK. Only lost about 50 bottle caps and some time.

 

[SEndorf]

I had bottled and capped them all before my discovery. But I popped off the caps, used a plastic pipette to dose each bottle with sugar solution, then re-capped with new caps. Beer turned out OK. Only lost about 50 bottle caps and some time.

I remember re-sanitizing the bottling bucket, dumping them all back in and started over bottling with the priming sugar. That was a long night.

 

[MaxStout]

I remember re-sanitizing the bottling bucket, dumping them all back in and started over bottling with the priming sugar. That was a long night.

Ouch. Did the beer turn out OK?

 

[Jayjay1976]

I remember re-sanitizing the bottling bucket, dumping them all back in and started over bottling with the priming sugar. That was a long night.

I hate bottling so much that a night like yours would have been my last batch of beer for a loooooong time. Possibly forever.

 

[SEndorf]

Ouch. Did the beer turn out OK?

Drinkable, but not really very good.
I'm sure multiple other factors were involved other than the bottling debacle!

 

[passedpawn]

I know you know what you are doing now and I know you have been around here for a long time, but..... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/

My broken carboy was why I started collecting links to similar accidents, and why I started that thread.

 

[SEndorf]

I hate bottling so much that a night like yours would have been my last batch of beer for a loooooong time. Possibly forever.

I never hated bottling with that much passion, but I do like the kegs. Haven't bottled for quite a while.

 

[Still Brewn]

My broken carboy was why I started collecting links to similar accidents, and why I started that thread.

I didn't realize you started that thread. But yeah that thread is why I have never used glass. I also don't like carboys because of the lack of head room. I would rather not deal with extra stuff..... blow off tubes, pans of sanitizer.

 

[odie]

First mistake...early extract days, circa 1994 Hawaii...maybe my 3rd or 4th batch...had something I can’t remember fermenting in the garage...well I had to go on detachment so I left my roommate what I assumed to be clear priming and bottling instructions...a week later I’m in the garage working and “boom”??? Another “boom”...why is my leg bleeding??? So I ask my roomie...any problems bottling the beer? Did you put a teaspoon of corn sugar in each bottle? “Yeah, just like you said”...show me the spoon i left you...”uh, this one?”....dude, that’s a tablespoon...

 

[odie]

Second mistake...my third kegerator and second homemade one...brand new small chest freezer...wasn’t thrilled about the condensation so i decided to coat/seal/treat the inside to prevent rust...with auto undercoating spray...that sh*t never cures...spent days getting it out...

 

[NitrogenWidget]

Using reclaimed yeast that was too old to work, burning the string on my bag while squeezing as the water heats up, biggest was my wort chiller hose melted in the boil because it got too close to the burner and when I turned it on I ended up with an extra gallon of wort and had to boil it back down again.

Sent from my KFFOWI using Home Brew mobile app

 

[JoanofArc]

Messing around in a water calc trying to add this and that to get all the numbers close to target, zero idea what I was doing, and when it all looked right I ended up putting 7 grams of epsom salt in my kettle. The weizenbock ended up with a weird tart flavor that won't fade and I just can't get used to. Not to mention the slight laxative effect. Can't decide whether to dump it or soak my feet in it.

Oh hell this is funny. Thanks for the laugh.

 

[JoanofArc]

I may have recently forgottten a VERY full keg of sanitizer in the garage.

View attachment 609853

Oh dude, that hurts. Guess it can't take the pressure.

 

[JoanofArc]

I didn't realize you started that thread. But yeah that thread is why I have never used glass. I also don't like carboys because of the lack of head room. I would rather not deal with extra stuff..... blow off tubes, pans of sanitizer.

I bought a kit with a plastic carboy for the reason given of the danger of glass breakage

 

[ferm.adventures]

The most embarrassing was also recent and was a little heartbreaking too. Most of 2018 was a busy year and for various reasons I didn't brew for 6 months. Once the dust cleared I made two quick 3 gallon batches, a short session mead and a smoked amber ale.

After the hiatus, I had 4 kegs to clean, and I used my keg washer to wash all 4 and they came nice and clean. Then I rinsed all 4 kegs with just the one gallon of water in the keg washer. And added some sar san to the same water to sanitize. I was proud that I saved so much water, not realizing how dumb I was being.

I kegged both the mead and amber, and the hydrometer samples were great. a few days later when I tried them from the keg, they were horrible... and it took me a little while to realize what I did. Obviously there was quite a bit of PBW residue transferred to the beers. It took me weeks to dump the kegs until I was finally kegging more home brew in correctly rinsed kegs.

 

[wepeeler]

Made a yeast starter Monday night which I intended to harvest from the night before cold crashing. Grab the flask off the stir starter. I sanitize the foil, grab my magnet to pull out the stir bar, run it up the side of the flask and the stir bar pulls the magnet into the flask. SPLASH. I grab another magnet to pull out the stir bar and magnet, run it up the side of the flask and again the first magnet and stir bar crash to the bottom of the flask. Only this time they cracked the flask. Grrr...This was last night...