Don't Do That.

[Snuffy]

At least you had a home. We lived for three months in a rolled up newspaper in a septic tank.

We had no cup and had to suck our beer from a moistened rag.

 

[beren]

We had no cup and had to suck our beer from a moistened rag.

Wait. You had beer!?!

 

[balrog]

Procrastinate.
Don’t do that.
You’ll end up with shriveled fingers if you “just put it there for when I clean them”.

2.5 hours.

Don’t do that.

 

[pvpeacock]

I've got four empty kegs in the garage waiting to be cleaned this 3 day weekend. Although I find when I clean multiple kegs, I tend to be more thorough including disassembling everything, soaking it all in PBW, replacing o-rings where needed and keg lubing everything. When I only clean one, I tend to just rinse it and put it away. So maybe procrastination is a good thing?!

 

[balrog]

I've got four empty kegs in the garage waiting to be cleaned this 3 day weekend. Although I find when I clean multiple kegs, I tend to be more thorough including disassembling everything, soaking it all in PBW, replacing o-rings where needed and keg lubing everything. When I only clean one, I tend to just rinse it and put it away. So maybe procrastination is a good thing?!

With the Mark2, which pumps through diptube as well as directly into keg, I've perhaps grown a little complacent about disassembly when cleaning. It has definitely been required in certain hoppy styles when poppets required debris-ectomies.

The main issue was a couple of kegs of apfelwein, the 2.5gal, where I'd waited *way* too long, and the settled yeast "cake" of Montrachet wine yeast was molecularly bonded to the keg bottom, requiring manual intervention. Translation, arm in keg with scotch brite.

 

[shoengine]

I don't disassemble each time. Maybe once a year to check rubber bits.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I only take a post off a keg is there's a problem. Otherwise it's Mark II all the way.

Cheers!

 

[Spartan1979]

This is more of a "Don't let that happen" rather than a "Don't do that."

I was brewing today (an electric system) and while chilling through a CFC, it seemed as if the temperature was dropping slower than I expected, even after I switched to recirculating ice water. After transferring the wort to my fermenter, I saw that a bag containing crushed coriander and bitter orange peel had wrapped itself around my thermowell containing the probe effectively insulating it. The temperature controller in my fermentation chamber indicated the beer was about 12 degrees colder than I thought. Now I'm waiting for it to warm up so I can pitch the yeast.

 

[seatazzz]

This is going to be a rough one to write. Kicking myself still, a few hours later.

Been a weird weekend for work, mainly due to the fact that the system our omniscient leaders make us use crashed big time Friday night. Just came back up today, but not without several sessions with Tech Support who do not operate in this country. Also, since our company was 'acquired' by our corporate overlords, we have a separate IT section that works maybe a few days a week. And not everyone can access the system yet, myself being one of those lucky few; also I'm one of the lucky few who have to work on a holiday weekend. So one of my coworkers had to meet me at the office so I could finish my tasks.

Anyway. Decided to brew regardless, since I wasn't going to have to hit the office until this afternoon. Everything went great until time to chill, when one of the garden hose disconnects that was working JUST FINE on Friday decided to nope it out of there, spraying water all over the garage. Managed to get things situated, dug around for a replacement. THAT is when I discovered that I hadn't closed the valve on the BK. About 2g of tasty wort ran out into the 12g kettle I use to house the semi-leaky plate chiller, which already had about 3g of questionable water in it. Many loud swear words later, water on the floor, running back and forth, found a disconnect that didn't want to turn into a shower. At first was going to trash the batch, but decided nah; I've got the yeast ready, let's see what happens. Dumped the watery wort from the 12g into the BK, cranked the burner back on, and boiled it down to 5.25g from 8. Wound up with about 1.065 SG, doesn't smell bad. Didn't have the heart to taste it. The yeast was already rehydrated, so I ran the wort through the now working plate chiller into the fermzilla. Chucked it in the ferm fridge to cool down, and just pitched yeast about 20 minutes ago. It will beer, but might not be anything I'll want to drink. Magic Karma 8-Ball says it will either be swill, or something so fantastic that I'll want to try to replicate it.

TL;DR; DON'T FORGET TO CLOSE THE EFFING VALVE ON THE BK.

 

[balrog]

TL;DR; DON'T FORGET TO CLOSE THE EFFING VALVE ON THE BK.

Yes yes, very bad. But what about the bittering hops?

[edit: have i mentioned how much i hate typing on a tennsy weensy phone virtual keyboard?]

 

[seatazzz]

Yes yes, very bad. But what about the bittering hood?

Bittering hood? Is that yet another new gizmo that I will have to get???

Oh it got bittering hops, and late hops, which after boiling again probably turned into MORE bittering hops, so this got bittering hops to the nth degree. It's taking off this morning, under pressure so it should be ready to test in a few days. Since the fermzilla will partially carbonate it, when it's done I'll know if it's a keeper or a tosser.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Don't...

...leave a keg in your garage, subject to pretty much any level of crazy temperature swings, about 1/4 full of beer, for 5 1/2 years.

I brewed yesterday and was getting ready to keg the previous batch so I could free up the fermenter. And holy hell what I smelled (and saw) in that keg was the stuff of nightmares...

Disassembly, cleaning, sanitizing, reassembly, etc was a bigger job than I'd planned for...

 

[balrog]

Don't...

...leave a keg in your garage, subject to pretty much any level of crazy temperature swings, about 1/4 full of beer, for 5 1/2 years.

I brewed yesterday and was getting ready to keg the previous batch so I could free up the fermenter. And holy hell what I smelled (and saw) in that keg was the stuff of nightmares...

Disassembly, cleaning, sanitizing, reassembly, etc was a bigger job than I'd planned for...

“…..and then, at 5:28 pm eastern time, the ‘beer’ became self aware, and started learning at a geometric rate…”

 

[Snuffy]

Don't...
...leave a keg in your garage, subject to pretty much any level of crazy temperature swings, about 1/4 full of beer, for 5 1/2 years.
I brewed yesterday and was getting ready to keg the previous batch so I could free up the fermenter. And holy hell what I smelled (and saw) in that keg was the stuff of nightmares...
Disassembly, cleaning, sanitizing, reassembly, etc was a bigger job than I'd planned for...

A guy gave me an old keg once to use as a gas tank for a dune buggy. One of those old rounded aluminum ones with a bung hammered in the side. It still had at least a gallon of beer in it you could hear sloshing around. I have no idea how long it had been in there or what beer it was. It laid around the shop for most of the summer and I eventually had a buddy called Rooster drop by and offer to trade me a set of carburetors for a CB750 for it. While we were discussing it, he pried the bung out and rolled it down a hill into the next yard to drain the old beer out. It was so putrid that it had an effect similar to tear gas. The neighbor kids started running and gagging and we had some 'splaining to do when their dad got home. I had to hose down the entire area to kill the smell. My eyes are watering just thinking about it.

 

[seatazzz]

Here's one that might be good for the noobs.

You've maybe read about this lovely stuff called PBW (powdered brewery wash); relatively cheap, and advertised as great for cleaning your equipment. You may have looked at the price and thought, oh heck no, I can do just as well with storebought oxyclean (scent free please) and other household cleaners. (Never bleach, please and thank you.). I'll be fine!!!

Then, after nine years of homebrewing, you finally decide to buy a 1lb tub of the stuff, just to see what it can do. Leave it on the shelf for a few weeks, because busy. Then one Saturday, that you finally have free, decide to use it to clean some somewhat nasty kegs that you've had for several years. Always rinsed out, scrubbed a bit at the crud inside, but thought oh heck this is fine. That Saturday, you fill a keg with hot water and the prescribed amount of PBW, thinking well, it might do some good. Leave it in for 30 minutes, shaking several times. Then....

You dump it out (or push to the next keg needing cleaning). Pop that keg lid and...you are temporarily blinded by the shininess inside. Without any scrubbing, that stuff did away with several years of scale/beerstone/nastiness. Leaving a keg that looks brand new on the inside. And you put on your old softball cleats, and proceed to kick yourself into next week for not doing this sooner.

I made up ONE 5g batch in hot water, and it proceeded to clean three kegs to a fare-thee-well with minimal scrubbing. Right now it's recirculating through my plate chiller to give that a good cleanout. All for less than $3 per treatment.

Why didn't I do this sooner? Good question. Thought I could do things cheaper, or my cleaning was sufficient.

TL;DR; PBW is your friend. You know, that friend that comes over on a weekend and helps you clean when your in-laws are coming over, and doesn't expect anything in return. DO DO THAT.

 

[doug293cz]

Don't...

...leave a keg in your garage, subject to pretty much any level of crazy temperature swings, about 1/4 full of beer, for 5 1/2 years.

I brewed yesterday and was getting ready to keg the previous batch so I could free up the fermenter. And holy hell what I smelled (and saw) in that keg was the stuff of nightmares...

Disassembly, cleaning, sanitizing, reassembly, etc was a bigger job than I'd planned for...

I did that, but it was with a Flanders red sour. Brewed in 2015, and finally kicked a few months ago. Was good drinkin' until the end.

Brew on

 

[Agent]

If you rinse a bottle as soon as you are done, it'll be fine they says...

Yeah, PBW took care of that EZPZ.

 

[doug293cz]

If you rinse a bottle as soon as you are done, it'll be fine they says...
View attachment 883636
Yeah, PBW took care of that EZPZ.

What the heck was in that bottle?

Brew on

 

[jrgtr42]

What the heck was in that bottle?

Brew on

Iodine?

 

[jrgtr42]

Don't...

...leave a keg in your garage, subject to pretty much any level of crazy temperature swings, about 1/4 full of beer, for 5 1/2 years.

I brewed yesterday and was getting ready to keg the previous batch so I could free up the fermenter. And holy hell what I smelled (and saw) in that keg was the stuff of nightmares...

Disassembly, cleaning, sanitizing, reassembly, etc was a bigger job than I'd planned for...

Been there, sort of. A ways back I bought a few kegs and a couple carboys off a guy through Craigslist or something. The carboys were fine, one of the kegs empty, (I did clean it before use, of course...) but the other was mostly full, Of what, he couldn't remember, He'd last brewed at least that long ago (5 years, maybe more) and that may not have been the last thing he kegged. We opened it up before loading it in my car (good thing, too; I may have been tempted to try it...) and it was pretty ripe. I can't even describe it - a sour, mixed with mold, and who knows what else. That one took a good long soak and rebuild kit before I used it.

 

[beren]

Here's one that might be good for the noobs.

You've maybe read about this lovely stuff called PBW (powdered brewery wash); relatively cheap, and advertised as great for cleaning your equipment. You may have looked at the price and thought, oh heck no, I can do just as well with storebought oxyclean (scent free please) and other household cleaners. (Never bleach, please and thank you.). I'll be fine!!!

Then, after nine years of homebrewing, you finally decide to buy a 1lb tub of the stuff, just to see what it can do. Leave it on the shelf for a few weeks, because busy. Then one Saturday, that you finally have free, decide to use it to clean some somewhat nasty kegs that you've had for several years. Always rinsed out, scrubbed a bit at the crud inside, but thought oh heck this is fine. That Saturday, you fill a keg with hot water and the prescribed amount of PBW, thinking well, it might do some good. Leave it in for 30 minutes, shaking several times. Then....

You dump it out (or push to the next keg needing cleaning). Pop that keg lid and...you are temporarily blinded by the shininess inside. Without any scrubbing, that stuff did away with several years of scale/beerstone/nastiness. Leaving a keg that looks brand new on the inside. And you put on your old softball cleats, and proceed to kick yourself into next week for not doing this sooner.

I made up ONE 5g batch in hot water, and it proceeded to clean three kegs to a fare-thee-well with minimal scrubbing. Right now it's recirculating through my plate chiller to give that a good cleanout. All for less than $3 per treatment.

Why didn't I do this sooner? Good question. Thought I could do things cheaper, or my cleaning was sufficient.

TL;DR; PBW is your friend. You know, that friend that comes over on a weekend and helps you clean when your in-laws are coming over, and doesn't expect anything in return. DO DO THAT.

Wait until you see how well it does with a decent pump, near boiling water, and sanke kegs . Can run one for 5 or 10 mins on the pump, pull it, start the next, and then put it on cold water for rinsing when done, swap again.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Slicing sourdough accident. Luckily it was only almost deep enough for a medical visit.

 

[IslandLizard]

Slicing sourdough accident. Luckily it was only almost deep enough for a medical visit.

Ouch!
Sourdough can be pungent, but didn't know it could become that sharp...

Were you slicing it?

 

[seatazzz]

Wait until you see how well it does with a decent pump, near boiling water, and sanke kegs . Can run one for 5 or 10 mins on the pump, pull it, start the next, and then put it on cold water for rinsing when done, swap again.

All of my kegs are cornies, so don't really have a setup to recirculate unless I want to buy more stuff. Shaking every few minutes worked just great. The leftover solution did a number on my plate chiller though, lots of brown flakes came out of it after only 30 minutes recirculation each way. I'm definitely a fan now. Got my spare carb stones soaking in some now.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Ouch!
Sourdough can be pungent, but didn't know it could become that sharp...

Were you slicing it?

Surprisingly bread crust can cut you, in my early twenties I worked a temp job for on shift at a commercial bakery, packing Italian bread and hero loaves into boxes. To keep up the pace I’d grab 2 loaves in each hand and pack them. The employer didn’t provide gloves (probably a health code violation even back then) and I finished the shift with little bloody cuts on my cuticles. Ewe.

Yes, serrated bread knife, bouncing off the crust, so that my thumb was no longer a safe distance from it. About 40 years ago a hand saw blade skipped across the same thumb. /// light scaring as a reminder to “Don’t do that!” Again. The picture above was taken the day after.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Wait until you see how well it does with a decent pump, near boiling water, and sanke kegs . Can run one for 5 or 10 mins on the pump, pull it, start the next, and then put it on cold water for rinsing when done, swap again.

Pbw says to rinse with the same temp water. Is that not necessary?

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

Pbw says to rinse with the same temp water. Is that not necessary?

I think it's the most optimal but whatever temp works.

 

[Agent]

What the heck was in that bottle?

Brew on

That was from a wine barrel aged imperial honey blonde, itself now nearly 7 years aged.

 

[Snuffy]

That was from a wine barrel aged imperial honey blonde, itself now nearly 7 years aged.

How was it?

 

[Agent]

Certa

How was it?

Certainly past its prime.
But I'm not passing judgement on it; I've looked in the mirror recently.