You know you're a home brewer when?

[twalte]

When you drive by a Goodwill store and decide to stop and peruse the kitchen section looking for potential brewing parts.... (guilty...first time shopping in a Goodwill but did not find anything)

 

[neko]

When you see brewing/beer terms on random license plates

123 FWH
472 HOP
888 IPA

 

[unionrdr]

When you cruise goodwill & salvation army this time of year for beer glasses. Come warm weather,the flea market. I got 2 antique pilsner glasses that way. Then a third one. Tryin to get these old bones in better shape for all that searchin this spring. Gunna get a fancy lookin DIY cabinet for the man cave come tax time for glasses & dry brewing stuff.

 

[TriggerFingers]

You wander the beer aisle at the store, look at the craft beer onslaught, and think: "I can make that...but better"

 

[emjay]

You go into a store for the sole purpose of buying beer, and walk out empty-handed.

 

[CatHead]

Completely true, mate. Google "Pyrex explode" and read lots of similar stories to mine.

Pyrex can apparently handle going into the oven, but not going directly onto the stovetop. The thermal stress is too much for it.

I was just heating a small volume of water on my gas stovetop, to sterilise and then chill, so I could hydrate finings for my fermenter.

The explosion was unbelievable. I figure that this experience qualifies me as a homebrewer. I'm sure many other homebrewers have made this mistake.

My wife had a Pyrex dish blow up the same way. She was heating it up because the dirctions said to warm the dish. I still have burn spots on the kitchen floor 10 feet from the stove.

 

[Leadgolem]

Completely true, mate. Google "Pyrex explode" and read lots of similar stories to mine.

Pyrex can apparently handle going into the oven, but not going directly onto the stovetop. The thermal stress is too much for it.

I was just heating a small volume of water on my gas stovetop, to sterilise and then chill, so I could hydrate finings for my fermenter.

The explosion was unbelievable. I figure that this experience qualifies me as a homebrewer. I'm sure many other homebrewers have made this mistake.

I managed to blow up a cup of water. I was making tea the easy way. Stuck the cup in the microwave for a couple minutes. It didn't boil. So I microwaved it again. Still didn't boil. Ok, it's got to be hot enough. Took the cup out, dropped the tea bag in. Boom. Most of the water instantly turned to steam.

It blew the cup off the counter, didn't break it. The tea bag went up into the air and somehow managed to land in the trash can. Scorched my face, and sprayed water all over the ceiling.

That was one of the most bizarre things that has ever happened to me.

 

[dkwolf]

I managed to blow up a cup of water. I was making tea the easy way. Stuck the cup in the microwave for a couple minutes. It didn't boil. So I microwaved it again. Still didn't boil. Ok, it's got to be hot enough. Took the cup out, dropped the tea bag in. Boom. Most of the water instantly turned to steam.

It blew the cup off the counter, didn't break it. The tea bag went up into the air and somehow managed to land in the trash can. Scorched my face, and sprayed water all over the ceiling.

That was one of the most bizarre things that has ever happened to me.

It's rare, I've only ever been on the very edge of it, but as you experienced, it IS possible to superheat water in a microwave - that is, heat it above boiling temperature without actually boiling. The slightest disruption will instantly set off the phase change (liquid -> steam) rather violently. You're probably lucky you got it out of the microwave and set down on the counter before it erupted in your hand.

 

[Leadgolem]

Yeah. I still heat water in the microwave, even in the same cups, but I drop a toothpick in first. That way there are nucleation points for the bubbles.

 

[Leadgolem]

Your drinking a cup of tea and can't help but wonder what it would taste like if you made kombucha from this spearmint-chamomile tea instead of black or green tea.

 

[wilsojos]

You go into a store for the sole purpose of buying beer, and walk out empty-handed.

....on a regular basis. You've convinced yourself that maybe this time they'll have something I'll enjoy.

 

[unionrdr]

When you swear off drinkin till the weekend to give the old bones a break before they get too brittle & break. Just give me Friday......Friday night. Wednesdays go so slow,& thursdays I don't know. Got friday on my mind...

 

[mattmeiske12]

When I'm suppose to be working but I'm on HBT looking for new equipment to buy for brewing and looking to trade beer.

 

[TRS]

When gearing up for the switch to all grain, you tell your wife

"we need a new cooler, the plug somehow came out the old one and has a pipe in it"


"Look hun, a turkey fryer"..."no we need at least a 10 gallon one"..."I don't know why, we just do"


And you make regular trips to goodwill because you just know someone will donate a giant stock pot eventually.

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

Lol, desperate times call for desperate measures!

One must have priorities in a survival situation

 

[Cultkid]

When you make friends with someone only because they have hops growing on the side of their garage and you want to use them to get at the fresh hops.

 

[zmanzorro]

You want to install a night vision webcam in your fermentation chamber so you can watch your beer ferment from work.

 

[PhelanKA7]

When your breath catches in your throat watching athletes douse their coaches with 10 gallon Igloos because in your mind it could very likely be filled with scalding hot mash!

 

[krduckman]

When your breath catches in your throat watching athletes douse their coaches with 10 gallon Igloos because in your mind it could very likely be filled with scalding hot mash!

This is me!

 

[cluckk]

When your neighbor senses a strong aroma on the air and says, "He must be brewing again."

 

[jagec]

Yeah. I still heat water in the microwave, even in the same cups, but I drop a toothpick in first. That way there are nucleation points for the bubbles.

If you just rinse out your teacups after use, instead of cleaning them thoroughly, you never have this problem.

 

[Erroneous]

You want to install a night vision webcam in your fermentation chamber so you can watch your beer ferment from work.

Good news! If you can take apart your current webcam you can probably remove the infrared filter. Then all you need for night vision is an ir light source.

 

[unionrdr]

You're def a bit over the top if you feel the need to watch your fermenters with night vision. Jurassic beer,anyone?

 

[zmanzorro]

You're def a bit over the top if you feel the need to watch your fermenters with night vision. Jurassic beer,anyone?

You just gave me an idea for a beer: Jurassic Bark. Maybe a heavy stout or barley wine with oak chips.

 

[unionrdr]

Especially since one of the defenitions of a dog is rex. A T. Rex dog on the label? I'd brew the stout with oak. Sounds darn good too.
I've been thinking of try to see if BB has that milk stout kit in partial mash...with the 4oz of French medium toast oak chips I've got laying around.

 

[Brewtah]

When the high temps for the day are about 22 F and you use your electric blanket to keep your newly bottled batch at about 77F because your house is 62 F.

 

[Xpertskir]

When the first thing you do on your new stove in your new place is boil starter wort.

 

[buzbey]

When you avoid buying beer that's twist top or when you know there labels are overly stuck on.

 

[twalte]

when you're buddies call you at ten thirty because the beer distributor is closed

Your Pennsylvania laws are terrible!! I can't image having to go to a beer distributor or tavern to buy my beer!!!! What century is this?

 

[HoppedupDad]

Good news! If you can take apart your current webcam you can probably remove the infrared filter. Then all you need for night vision is an ir light source.

Oh dear! Now I have to do this. Lol the challenge is set!