Squirrel in my mash tun

[StewMakesBrew]

No, not the title of a hillbilly bluegrass song about home brewing, but an actual event last Friday.

I brewed on Friday but had some things to do around midday, so I started early, did the mash, ran the batch sparge and got my kettle full of wonderful beer-to-be by about 10:00 AM. Put the lid on the boil kettle and since it was a breezy day, weighted it down by putting my cooler-tun lid on top of it, and a brick on top of that.

Showered, ran out for an 11:00 AM meeting, then lunch with a friend, an errand, and got home about 1:45 PM. Come outside on the patio to fire up the brew kettle and get the boil going and as I stepped through the patio door, a squirrel leaped out of my mash tun, rocketed across the patio, up and over the fence and was gone. My dog didn't even see this it happened so fast.

I went and checked out the mash tun, and sure enough there are bite marks all over the grain bed where he was munching on his lunch plus squirrel paw prints. Thankfully no damage to the cooler tun.

Anyway, that's it - no questions. Just a classic brew day WTF moment that I had to share. Got anything wacky like that to share, feel free.

I wish I had video or pictures of it though.

 

[Dee]

Inspiration for your next brew?

 

[StewMakesBrew]

Inspiration for your next brew?

Believe me, I thought of that when it happened. And I dump all my spent grain over my back garden as mulch/compost and the squirrels have gotten plenty fat on it!

 

[Weezy]

And who said wort doesn't taste good????

 

[Lefou]

You need to have a chat with your dog. Them squirrels is outta hand.

When I first moved into my place, the tree rats were pretty bold. One even got in my house, chewed through a kitchen screen, and went after some nice juicy plants the wife had sitting. We got home immediately after the squirrel realized I had no less than three housecats stalking him.
LMAO What a three ring circus that was for a few minutes.
After running a couple rings around my screaming wife's feet and flying cats, the squirrel exited through the sliding glass door to the back porch.
My cats have kept them tree rats in check ever since then.

 

[enkamania]

No, not the title of a hillbilly bluegrass song about home brewing, but an actual event last Friday.

I brewed on Friday but had some things to do around midday, so I started early, did the mash, ran the batch sparge and got my kettle full of wonderful beer-to-be by about 10:00 AM. Put the lid on the boil kettle and since it was a breezy day, weighted it down by putting my cooler-tun lid on top of it, and a brick on top of that.

Showered, ran out for an 11:00 AM meeting, then lunch with a friend, an errand, and got home about 1:45 PM. Come outside on the patio to fire up the brew kettle and get the boil going and as I stepped through the patio door, a squirrel leaped out of my mash tun, rocketed across the patio, up and over the fence and was gone. My dog didn't even see this it happened so fast.

I went and checked out the mash tun, and sure enough there are bite marks all over the grain bed where he was munching on his lunch plus squirrel paw prints. Thankfully no damage to the cooler tun.

Anyway, that's it - no questions. Just a classic brew day WTF moment that I had to share. Got anything wacky like that to share, feel free.

I wish I had video or pictures of it though.

I know someone who can handle this for you. She works for cheese.

 

[jwalk4]

A Squirrel Sparge, eh?

I'd just use a mash paddle.

 

[bajaedition]

one question

What are you going name that Beer?

 

[jrgtr42]

Guess it's a good thing it didn't get into the beer part - just the spent.
I would still run an extra sanitization on the mash tun, just to make sure.

 

[madscientist451]

I live in the boondocks and critters like that make great pistol practice.
I usually miss, unless they sit still, but the gunshots scare the crap out of the critters and they don't come back for a while.

 

[casualbrewer]

I vote execution... Get a few and you got a meal. Rabbit munched on the wrong lettuce plant the other day lol

 

[MaryB]

Fatten them up then eat them!

Squirrel Whiz Ale...

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Was this a nut brown ale?
Regards, GF.