Sad Brew Day for me

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dwinkjr

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So after alot of family issues going on I finally had a chance to brew my partial mash Newcastle close from AHS. Well I had the the kids and wife out of the house and started gathering up my ingredients and equipment. I wanted to check out my stuff so I got my grains together and in my grain bag. Then for some reason I wanted a sniff of my LME that came with the order. Well when I opened up the can I noticed it had mold growing on the top of it. :( Well there went my brew day. Luckily I had not started my mash yet. So the LME went into the pail and everything went back into the garage. Now I need to go and get some more LME and plan on getting the wife and kids out of the house another time. Thank you for listening... :eek:
 
how old was the kit? was the seal broken?
I'd let AHS know about that one!
did it have an off taste or smell?
 
The kit was like 2 months old. I bought 2 kits in January and brew the one and then life stepped in and pushed back this other one.
 
I've actually had this exact issue once with a pail of lme from AHS. It was fairly old, and the small amount of mold was visible only on the lid. I decided to use it anyways, it's going to be boiled for 60 minutes anyways, right? The beer turned out just fine. I figured it was my fault, I had kept the LME in the garage through Sept and Oct, two of the hottest garage months down here. Stupid me, but the beer was fine! Just use it! :mug:
 
My 3 year old loves to just hang in the garage with me while i'm brewing. Of course I don't let her taste beer but I love to explain the process while i'm doing it. Sure, most of it goes in one ear and out the other, but who knows...maybe one day she'll thank me. Not to mention, I love to hear myself talk :D
 
I would have used it but the mold spores were on the lid and on top of the extract as well. I need to talk the wife into liking the hobby. Right now she just doesn't. Then my 8 month old is hard to carry and watch over a boiling kettle of wort.
 
I dont belive those mold spores can survive an hour of 212+ F temps. They'll all get killed in the boil and you'll be fine and the beer will be fine. Mine did. :)
 
pre-boil ingredient, I'd have used it since it's boiled for an hour, nothing will survive that.

I sometimes enjoy brewing solo, but it is nice to have someone to talk to when brewing. I'm all-grain and the process is much longer.

has wife joined or watched the process yet? she may lighten up on it when she see's how much like cooking it is. Unless you have a boil-over then there will be HELL-to-Pay! lol Or you don't clean up to her satisfaction.
 
Sorry, slightly off topic here...

Does she like drinkin' beer at all? If not, have you cionsidered an alternative brew to help her get interested? I just brewed a Country 'A$$ Whoopin' Lemonade that my LHBS has the recipe for. It sounds good and like something wifey might enjoy...

2lb Light LME
2lb Honey
2lb Corn Sugar
2lb Frozen Raspberries

Heat ~ 2gal of water to 165 degrees and add the above stated ingredients. Pasturize at 165 for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.

Clean and sanitize a carboy, pour in:
5 Minute Maid Frozen Lemonades (or any other non-preserved lemonade)
2 64oz Jugs of non-preserved grape juice

Pour the kettle contents into the carboy on top the lemonade and grape juice. Top up to ~5gal. Add 1tsp of pectic enzyme. Chill to pitching temps, aerate and pitch Champagne yeast of choice.

Ferment until done. Add Potassium Sorbate to kill yeasties, let it sit for 24 hours. Add 2 more cans of the lemonade and, to taste, 6 cups of dissolved sugar.

Force carbonate and serve cold.
 
Thanks for the recipe. She likes beer. I just need to get her more involved. Well now I am sorry that I pitched the LME already. I will have to give AHS and see if they can send me some more LME. I didnt think I would get mold on something I got at the end of January.
 
Well I emailed AHS. Looks like my milled grains for the min-mash will not be good either. They said I could have used the LME. I will know for next time. But looks like I need to go out and buy some more LME and grains now. :(

Here is a list they sent me.


Grain: Milled grain has a shelf life of about two weeks before starting to go stale but you can keep it fresh longer (up to 3-4 weeks) by storing it in the refrigerator. Unmilled grain can keep for a year or two if store properly (not too warm, humid).

Extract: Liquid Extract will last about 1 month before mold will start growing on it. You can scoop the mold off and kill whatever remains during the boil, but you can also add a thin layer of neutral vodka over the top of the extract and it will keep stuff from growing on the surface. Dried malt extracts can be stored for a long time because it has moisture removed from it making it harder for things to grow on it.

Yeast: Liquid yeast has a shelf life of about 6 months but can still be used after that point if a yeast starter is made. If any new yeast grows in the yeast starter, then it's ok to use this yeast to make a batch of beer. Dried Yeast packets normally have a shelf life of a few years. You should store yeast in the refrigerator but avoid lowering or raising the temperature of yeast too fast. Large temperature swings cause damage to yeast cell walls.

Hops: Hops can be saved for up to a year in the freezer, but after 6 months the bitterness will start to break down and will weaken with time.
 
I've recently used some milled grain I ground 3 months back, reordered my brew list and had a few rain out brew days. Used the grains and it's a fantastic mild. I'd say use them, cut your losses and use them. they'll be fine.

Did they offer to replace? Scary for a new brewer to see mold on extract and think it's ok to use.
 
No they didnt offer to replace them. I think I will just go and get them from my LHBS. After getting my credit card information stolen from them and now this. I may have to cross AHS off my list. Too bad because they are Texas boys.
 
Ouch! I heard about their recent security breach. So they got you too. I have ordered once from them they where OK... before I found a mail order place closer in NC. Alternative Beverage www.ebrew.com. Haven't had any problems with alt bev, notify quickly if something is back ordered.

Well good luck and let us know how this brew comes out. may want to switch out to dry malt extract. I find it easier to use, and can prime bottles for carbing, or make a yeast starter with the left over dry malt extract.
 
i just brewed an AHS Black Ale with ingredients a year old. everything smelled good, grains weren't stale (i chewed some) and LME seemed unchanged except the acidity of the hops had eaten into the plastic of the wrapper.

smelled delicious on brew day though!

AHS is good people, they would probably replace it. they have forgetten my yeast and priming sugar on seperate occasions and replaced them no Q's asked. i just walked in and said "you forgot to pack this" and they handed it right to me.
 
dwinkjr said:
No they didnt offer to replace them. I think I will just go and get them from my LHBS. After getting my credit card information stolen from them and now this. I may have to cross AHS off my list. Too bad because they are Texas boys.
Click to expand...

hope all works out good man.. keep in there, sad to have **** go side ways on yah... i had my primary fermentor explode and hit the roof this weekend... brutal!!!
:mug: brew on my friend
 
Thanks for the well wishes. Hopefully I can get over to my LHBS this week and pick up some replacement grains and extract since AHS offer to replace.
 
dwinkjr said:
Thanks for the well wishes. Hopefully I can get over to my LHBS this week and pick up some replacement grains and extract since AHS offer to replace.
Click to expand...

Whch store do you use? I use Winemaker's Toy store in Carrollton. They are nice people and there is a homebrewer on staff who is knowledgeable. I like they way they treat me, they don't mind that I'm a woman who brews (I've heard stories from other women brewers who are ignored when they go into some brew shops)
 
dwinkjr said:
So after alot of family issues going on I finally had a chance to brew my partial mash Newcastle close from AHS. Well I had the the kids and wife out of the house and started gathering up my ingredients and equipment. I wanted to check out my stuff so I got my grains together and in my grain bag. Then for some reason I wanted a sniff of my LME that came with the order. Well when I opened up the can I noticed it had mold growing on the top of it. :( Well there went my brew day. Luckily I had not started my mash yet. So the LME went into the pail and everything went back into the garage. Now I need to go and get some more LME and plan on getting the wife and kids out of the house another time. Thank you for listening... :eek:
Click to expand...

That sucks. sorry to hear about your sorry brew day. However, you're in McKinney like me, you could have been to one of two LHBS and back in less than an hour and continued on! :D Do you ever use either of them?
 
Stardust said:
Whch store do you use? I use Winemaker's Toy store in Carrollton. They are nice people and there is a homebrewer on staff who is knowledgeable. I like they way they treat me, they don't mind that I'm a woman who brews (I've heard stories from other women brewers who are ignored when they go into some brew shops)
Click to expand...

Didn't finish the entire thread before I wrote my previous post.

+1 to WMTS. Love this place. They are great people and Brian can answer pretty much any question you may have. If you are buying bulk extracts, however, you may want to check out Homebrew HQ in Richardson. Another really good store. WMTS does not carry bulk LME and HBHQ does.
 
I usually hit up Homebrew HQ. They are nice and always seem eager to answer any questions that I might have. They are only like 10 min from my office. I have not been over to the other place.
 
That's what made me start going to WMTS, very close to the office. I brew with 2-4 other guys from McKinney, you'll have to come over for a brew day sometime! The more the merrier!
 

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