Jump to content
Coopers Community

Fail Thread (Mistakes You've Made) 2019


ben 10

Recommended Posts

Kegged beer today and rescued bit of lid, funnily it had resurfaced after chilling (It initially sank)

I could send my fermenter back to Shanghai for repair but its probably out of warranty by now.

Tasted brew and it seems good.

20190605_134546.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/3/2019 at 9:20 PM, drewbert said:

My first beer just over a week ago was massive fail for the ages. 

My instruction reading went full derp, and thought i should be shooting for 28 degrees, so when i hit 21 degrees and 23 litres (yes i know), i filled up to around 28 litres with hot water to get to temp. then drained it back to 23l.

I had not heated the can to get all the juice out, and had the biggest ever clumps of DME were in the wort. They got whisked back to manageable state. But still.

 

Then the last part of the calamity, when it came time to bottling, the drain straw thingie went missing. so filling was an absolute nightmare. 

 

Here is hoping that the next one goes a bit better. (FYI initial flat and warm taste test went kinda well)

So its origin night tonight. so got some bottles in the fridge. its a bit early in regards to conditioning (8-9 days). 

 

Noted that there was not very much head. I think thats partly due to the bottling issue i had. 

 

Taste is sharp, slightly bitter with a mild pepper after taste. 

Got me a nice buzz on after the mug. Went down great with pizza. 

 

Looking forward to it getting some more aging in... mmmmm

IMG_0611.jpeg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎6‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 9:20 PM, drewbert said:

Here is hoping that the next one goes a bit better. (FYI initial flat and warm taste test went kinda well)

Mate any new projects take a little while to get sorted.  Don't despair - honestly - had I had this amazing site to talk to fellow brewers when I started... I reckon now I would be the Chief Brewing Consultant to Carlsberg.

You have to start out somewhere.  I do a bit of cooking.  And cooking your first Pavlova or Sponge - or even a great Curry - takes a few goes.

What is incredibly important is to record what you have done - and then allow continuous improvement in your process.

Cos when you get it right - due to God's natural processes we are working with - it is incredibly simple.

Plants - Yeast - Water.... this stuff is so natural - when you get the process right... amazing results.

Mate I was a plain old Kit brewer forever. And through this site... I have been encourage to do All Grain - which is a Quantum Leap over Kits.

But even with this site - my kit brewing galloped... two cans... one Coopers Dark Ale One Lager in 23 L of water throw in both yeast packs... amazing results.

The amazing people on this site - provide so much help and feedback… including the Coopers Guys... AND if you take note of what your process is - and seek to improve it … you will have the greatest opportunity to brew absolutely festive tasty brews... with the basic kits and some liquid malt and bits and pieces.

For a very low cost...  so mate... keep going.  And whatever you do - don't think you have blown it - some older mates at work - 1980s brewers... did not quite get it - and they did not realise that they needed to add sugar for secondary ferment - thought they would add it when the opened the bottles a few weeks later.... and they never brewed again... sad story.  And funny ; )

So don't worry - it is easy to not quite get it right with this stuff - but - these days the instructions are so much better - so much stuff on Web - and you have this site - so CRANK UP - don't look back.

BUT I will say one thing - sorry - and that is only recently learned - your brewing life will be better - if you have temperature control.

Plenty on this site about that. 

Cheers and good brewing.

BB

Edited by Bearded Burbler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎6‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 9:51 PM, Gag.Halfrunt said:

Decided to check brew this arvo, lid on fermenter stuck tight so in my wisdom i thought wacking it with a hammer to loosen it was a good idea.

Maybe a tap rather than a wallop? 😨

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

So don't worry - it is easy to not quite get it right with this stuff - but - these days the instructions are so much better - so much stuff on Web - and you have this site - so CRANK UP - don't look back.

BUT I will say one thing - sorry - and that is only recently learned - your brewing life will be better - if you have temperature control.

Plenty on this site about that. 

Cheers and good brewing.

BB

Thank you for taking the time for such a detailed post. 

Luckily I am a bit of an optimist with my hobbies. I have a post update a bit higher with how it came out. Pooped a few bottles last night for state of origin. And to say it was just my Blues that shat the bed. Beer was good. And expecting some of its harshness to settle with some more aging. 

 

I'm about to bottle a cider tomorrow v with plans for a Bavarian ale next. 

Also got a few 5l demijohn today to start testing recipies for ginger beer and hard lemonade. 

So much fun 

Edit: yes I am looking into the temp control. Gotta work a budget and what I can do with it

 

Edited by drewbert
Additional info
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, drewbert said:

So much fun              Edit: yes I am looking into the temp control. Gotta work a budget and what I can do with it

Good stuff.  Really pleased to read that.

Like Billy Slater said to Kalyn Ponga… you gotta play your own game!

And really cool to see your post re beer n pizza and a bit of Zing - onwards and upwards - great stuff!

It is like everything we do... takes a cuppla goes to get it where we want it to be!  Cheer DB and good brewing.

BB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/5/2019 at 3:01 PM, drewbert said:

Noted that there was not very much head. I think thats partly due to the bottling issue i had. 

Hi drewbert, I consider others are being kind but it has been noted that I don't play well with others sometimes so here goes ... buy some decent glasses ... no beer  was ever meant be be served it that crappy thing you were drinking out of ... seriously good beer glasses are part of the path to drinking good beer ... o i suggest go to the local pub and borrow a couple of Headmasters ... 2 glasses will cost you the price of 2 schooners ... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, MartyG1525230263 said:

Hi drewbert, I consider others are being kind but it has been noted that I don't play well with others sometimes so here goes ... buy some decent glasses ... no beer  was ever meant be be served it that crappy thing you were drinking out of ... seriously good beer glasses are part of the path to drinking good beer ... o i suggest go to the local pub and borrow a couple of Headmasters ... 2 glasses will cost you the price of 2 schooners ... 

im sneaking off before work to the home brew store to get some champagne yeast for some ginger beer, and a syphon. might just as well add some glasses on there too. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

I got mine from Craftbrewer and a local brew shop for about $3 each. However I do have one "borrowed" glass. Everyone has their preferences but for me personally mason jars are for storing stuff in not drinking beer from 😜

it was the only clear glass i had. everything else is coloured/frosted or has Moana on it...

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So to continue the failing. I've been waiting for my cider to be flocculated. But just wasn'tt happening. Checked and found some small mould around a few of the rasins. So emergency sterilise of bottles and tools then scooped out and bottled. Hoping it's not ruined. 

Name: Mum's cider

Type: cider

Start Date: 30/05/2019

Bottle Date: 10/06/2019

Status: Aging

Recipe:
21 l golden circle apple juice
2l apple & pear & raspberry juice
1kg car brown sugar
5g brigalow yeast
Handful rasins

SG 1059

FG 1000 

Est 7.7%

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/3/2019 at 9:51 PM, Gag.Halfrunt said:

Decided to check brew this arvo, lid on fermenter stuck tight so in my wisdom i thought wacking it with a hammer to loosen it was a good idea.

Now massive chunk of lid in brew due to miss hit.

Fortunately its now  beer no longer wort and ready to be kegged so contamination shouldn't be a big problem.

A bit pissed of with my stupidity though.

Chilling it as fast as i can now prior to kegging. 

beer fail.jpg

Was very close to trying out this method after I couldn't get mine open to dry Hop it! Won't be tightening it as much anymore 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

It's been a little while but it's time to make another contribution to this thread haha.

It was a smooth brewday until I capped the cube and went to move it. I bumped the tap and knocked it off. Hot sugar fountain all over the floor and I lost a litre or so before refitting the tap. It went into the fermenter the next day and I gave the tap a quick starsan spray so hopefully everything is ok. I'd often wondered what it would be like if the tap failed. At least the floor got a mop.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tip for all of you Grainfatherers out there.

Make sure the pump switch is off before unscrewing the cap on the pump pipe. Spraying 94° wort all over the laundry and your hand isn’t pleasant.

  • Haha 3
  • Sad 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Popo said:

Ouch. Hope you're ok man. 

I'm actually quite surprised I haven't already done it.

 

Yeah, I’m ok. Luckily I was wearing shoes. The burn on my hand is surprisingly not that bad considering I wasn’t expecting it and left my hand there for a bit. 

I am normally really conscious of checking it each time. I must have accidentally switched on at the end of the boil.

Edited by Hairy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...