Trickiest thing.

[Orfy]

Okay so we've had the Worst thing about homebrewing and the favorite piece of kit threads.
So what about the trickiest thing in homebrewing, that thing that causes problems or seems to be a bit hit and miss.

From what I can tell Carbonation is not a sure fire thing and I've opened a few flat bottles and been caught out with no fizz from the kegs.

 

[El Pistolero]

So what about the trickiest thing in homebrewing, that thing that causes problems or seems to be a bit hit and miss.

Starting a syphon without sucking or blowing devices while falling down drunk...to me that was pretty tricky.

 

[SwAMi75]

blowing devices while falling down drunk...

Your brewday must go a lot different than mine.

For me it's estimating boiloff.

 

[david_42]

Getting the sausages from the grill to the plate vs. from the grill to the ground to the greyhounds.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

remembering to add the hops after too many homebrews on brew day.....or caring after too many homebrws on brewday.

Sam, you gotta watch those OK people ;~)

 

[SwAMi75]

Sam, you gotta watch those OK people ;~)

LOL.....hadn't noticed his sig 'til you said that. "Baja, Oklahoma." That's classic.

 

[Cheesefood]

Getting a beer from infancy to adulthood without an error, wrong measurement or sloppy sanitation. I rarely get all three right for the "perfect beer".

Then again, realizing that you have 4 hombrews left and a case of MGD makes for an interesting judgement call.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Keeping a steady fermentation temp and Remebering to hydrate/pitch the yeast.

And When siphoning 10 gallons form a mixing bucket into two 5 gal carboys to PAY ATTENTION and not let it overflow...all over the floor, 2 gallons of beer. Doh!!!

Lately I've been having problems getting a good boil going. Been forced out of the house for the boil. I was using a propane range outside but the dang wind and cold was casuing me problems. Moved into the garage but the smell still made it into the upstairs of the house.

I guess the number one trickiest thing for me lately is not pissing off the upstairs neighbors/land lord/relatives with the smell of malt! I like it, they hate it.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

One word. Boilover

 

[ScottT]

For me, it's hitting the volume and SG. I get different yeilds from my kettle depending how much whole hops I've got in there. 6 gallons in my brew kettle may yield 5.5 gallons one time and only 4.75 another. I'm going to have to start brewing 6.5 in higher hop recipes.

SG seems to be just seems to be varried yields from my grist. Even in partial mashes. I get it dialed in eventually.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

try this from Ray Daniels:
http://www.allaboutbeer.com/homebrew/water.html