What was you biggest boneheaded rookie mistake?

[McNasty]

My old roommate and I we're really drunk by time the boil was over. It was the first time using my keggle. We carried it in to the kitchen because our chiller had to hook up to the sink. Instantly smelled the wood floors burning. There is a perfect black ring on the floor. We told the landlords, offering to pay for it and they reply "Ahh, don't worry about. Those floors were in rough shape anyways". I actually thought the floors were pretty nice, but whatever. I even got my full deposit back.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Forgetting to close a spigot.

Worst was not making sure the bolts holding the new burner stand were fastened with nuts. One had a nut missing and have way through boil a bolt fell out t=and the stand collapses .. pics in my gallery.

I was fighting the government (and eventually won) for workers comp and was a tad broke at the time, so I made a "keg" out of a water bottle. It worked fine. I used a tire inflater. Damn thing f'd up and the valve opened full blast, blowing high pressure into the keg causing it to blow apart. Beer all over the brand new carpet and a nice scar on my left middle finger.

Not sure what exactly f'd up cause the tire inflater actually blew apart in my hand.

EDIT: Forgot to mention my latest error. I accidentally added way to much citric acid to a keg that I was filtering. Don't ask, it seemed smart at the time. I mis-measured and added about 5 times as much as I intended. Citrusy dark beer.

Hope that fades over time...

 

[Tripod]

My biggest mistake (to date...) was due to classic n00bie impatience.

I had used S-05 - which typically takes of in a few hours - for so many of the first batches that I thought all yeasts should take off that fast. Didn't realize that it's normal for yeast to take 24 hours to show results. So the first time I tried S-04 it didn't do anything for 5 hours or so and I assumed the yeast was bad. So like a good n00bie, I pitched another pack of trusty S-05 on top of the other and ended up with 23 grams of yeast... When those little f***ers took off it was like one of those science-class experiments when you build the working model of a volcano!! The mess was indescribable. The finished product, however, was one of my best so far!

Blow-off tubes and a little patience are my newest friends.

-Tripod

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

That reminds me of brewing at my parents place when I was 19. I had a large white plastic carboy that I pitched the yeast into and and put the airlock on.

Yeast selection was limited back then (to say the least) and I don't remember if it was a different strain or what, but it sure took off! Hops clogged the airlock, pressure built up...

I was at the bar and when I came home there was a nasty note. I went downstairs. There was a beery stain in the ceiling and a hose in the bung.

My Mom told me it sounded like a gunshot. The airlock launched at high speed and hit the ceiling. My Mom and my bro (15 at the time) ran downstairs to see a beer volcano spewing hops and beer onto the ceiling like a crazed fountain.

Wish I could have at least seen it. When I asked them if they at least took pictures, they didn't find the question as amusing as I did.

 

[agroff383]

As a boneheaded rookie this is a good thread for me to read! Thanks peeps!

 

[cushdan]

Recent mistake...

Making Yoopers Dogfish 60 clone (extract) I was ready to end my 60 min boil and start cooling when I realized that I forgot to add my late addition extract (about 4lbs). Added that in quick but the additional time waiting for the hop break completely threw off my hop addition so most of them added bitterness. This combined with a couple other things I thought I'd try to make it more bitter resulted in the most strangely bitter thing I've tasted. It makes your mouth dry when you drink it and you feel like coughing.

I still have it kegged, it makes me sad thinking I'll have to dump it but I think that's my best option at this point (the thought of trying to mix it with another batch and ruining two batches is unappealing).

 

[android]

first all grain, full boil: trying to carry freshly boiled wort down a set of stairs, backwards to the only faucet that can hook to my IC. my burn has healed nicely. when my wife got home and i had everything mostly cleaned up, she asked, "why didn't you just hook up the copper thing to the hose in the garage?" good idea hon.

 

[dontman]

Recent mistake...

Making Yoopers Dogfish 60 clone (extract) I was ready to end my 60 min boil and start cooling when I realized that I forgot to add my late addition extract (about 4lbs). Added that in quick but the additional time waiting for the hop break completely threw off my hop addition so most of them added bitterness. This combined with a couple other things I thought I'd try to make it more bitter resulted in the most strangely bitter thing I've tasted. It makes your mouth dry when you drink it and you feel like coughing.

I still have it kegged, it makes me sad thinking I'll have to dump it but I think that's my best option at this point (the thought of trying to mix it with another batch and ruining two batches is unappealing).

I know it doesn't help much now but I used to do all of my late additions at flameout. You do not need to get a hot break with extract. This has already occurred during the extracting process.

As far as the dump. I have a keg that I just have to dump. Bubblegum city. Just a nasty brew. I have tried everything including waiting 5 months. Now it is just taking up keg space and needs euthanasia.