This was finally it ...

[Shady Lane Brewing]

... the big moment, the one I had been waiting for for more than a year. A brew day that would be mistake-free. Oh, how I had longed for this! With every other brew session, there had always been something. Low OG. High OG. The need to add DME to the wort. Never quite being able to dial in the process on my all-in-one. Never a smooth ride. Ever a problem.

So there I was yesterday about to pour the wort into my just-sanitized conical. Everything had gone well. Numbers (mostly) hit. Self-esteem soaring. Anticipation of a post-cleanup pint in high gear. And as the sweet nectar fell into the fermentor, I felt an odd sensation. I couldn't recall my sandals requesting a shower. And, yet, that's exactly what it felt like. If you're wondering, "Did this idiot forget to close the main valve after draining the sanitized water from the FV?'' you are wondering correctly.

I lost about a gallon of wort on the floor. I wasn't aware that I had taken Cursing as a Second Language, but apparently I had. After closing the @#$%&!* valve, dumping the rest of the wort into the fermentor and adding the yeast, I spent two hours of mopping and washing to get rid of the sticky stuff.

Then I spent the rest of the day in self-recrimination.

It's always something.

 

[Ward Chillington]

Yeah..been there, done that...but thankfully not that much! Live 'an learn!

 

[Zambi]

I can't like the post
I'm feeling for you.
BUT, look on the bright side: more made it into the fermenter than out

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

A brew day without a mistake? What the hell is that? I never heard of it!

I’ve been brewing for years, still waiting for a perfect brew day. I do know the mistakes become smaller, but they never really go away.

Keep your head up and brew on!

 

[Minbari]

I can say, i have never done that one. I did forget to turn off the water to the herms on fri and overflowed it. About 1/2 gal water all over. Needed to mop anyway.

I fill my fermenter through the drain valve.

 

[Donoroto]

... the big moment, the one I had been waiting for for more than a year. A brew day that would be mistake-free. Oh, how I had longed for this! With every other brew session, there had always been something. Low OG. High OG. The need to add DME to the wort. Never quite being able to dial in the process on my all-in-one. Never a smooth ride. Ever a problem.

So there I was yesterday about to pour the wort into my just-sanitized conical. Everything had gone well. Numbers (mostly) hit. Self-esteem soaring. Anticipation of a post-cleanup pint in high gear. And as the sweet nectar fell into the fermentor, I felt an odd sensation. I couldn't recall my sandals requesting a shower. And, yet, that's exactly what it felt like. If you're wondering, "Did this idiot forget to close the main valve after draining the sanitized water from the FV?'' you are wondering correctly.

I lost about a gallon of wort on the floor. I wasn't aware that I had taken Cursing as a Second Language, but apparently I had. After closing the @#$%&!* valve, dumping the rest of the wort into the fermentor and adding the yeast, I spent two hours of mopping and washing to get rid of the sticky stuff.

Then I spent the rest of the day in self-recrimination.

It's always something.

Yeah, hard to Like that.

 

[GFHomebrew]

... the big moment, the one I had been waiting for for more than a year. A brew day that would be mistake-free. Oh, how I had longed for this! With every other brew session, there had always been something. Low OG. High OG. The need to add DME to the wort. Never quite being able to dial in the process on my all-in-one. Never a smooth ride. Ever a problem.

So there I was yesterday about to pour the wort into my just-sanitized conical. Everything had gone well. Numbers (mostly) hit. Self-esteem soaring. Anticipation of a post-cleanup pint in high gear. And as the sweet nectar fell into the fermentor, I felt an odd sensation. I couldn't recall my sandals requesting a shower. And, yet, that's exactly what it felt like. If you're wondering, "Did this idiot forget to close the main valve after draining the sanitized water from the FV?'' you are wondering correctly.

I lost about a gallon of wort on the floor. I wasn't aware that I had taken Cursing as a Second Language, but apparently I had. After closing the @#$%&!* valve, dumping the rest of the wort into the fermentor and adding the yeast, I spent two hours of mopping and washing to get rid of the sticky stuff.

Then I spent the rest of the day in self-recrimination.

It's always something.

Sounds like you had fun.

More cleaning practice wife will thank you if you mop The house as well!

 

[Shady Lane Brewing]

I can say, i have never done that one. I did forget to turn off the water to the herms on fri and overflowed it. About 1/2 gal water all over. Needed to mop anyway.

I fill my fermenter through the drain valve.

I'm new enough at this that I didn't even know that was a possibility!

 

[Minbari]

I'm new enough at this that I didn't even know that was a possibility!

If you look at the pot on the right, the brass fitting is a garden hose connection. Convenient to fill it, but if you don't pay attention, messy!

The fermenter has a tri-clover dip tube. Just pump from the boil pot directly after chilling

 

[Shady Lane Brewing]

If you look at the pot on the right, the brass fitting is a garden hose connection. Convenient to fill it, but if you don't pay attention, messy!View attachment 25423

The fermenter has a tri-clover dip tube. Just pump from the boil pot directly after chilling

View attachment 25424

I might do that down the line. It would involve a few purchases.

 

[Megary]

Apologies for liking your post, but man you gave me a good laugh. And any homebrewer worth their weight has fouled up plenty!

 

[Shady Lane Brewing]

Apologies for liking your post, but man you gave me a good laugh. And any homebrewer worth their weight has fouled up plenty!

No worries. I would have liked my post too if it hadn't been me!

 

[Donoroto]

I might do that down the line. It would involve a few purchases.

...and so opens the rabbit hole...

 

[Minbari]

...and so opens the rabbit hole...

Rabbit hole

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Anticipation of a post-cleanup pint in high gear.

I assume more cleanup time meant more post-cleanup pints?

 

[GFHomebrew]

I assume more cleanup time meant more post-cleanup pints?

Now your talking my Lingo

 

[Shady Lane Brewing]

I assume more cleanup time meant more post-cleanup pints?

I needed the carbs. And then there was the emotional damage to address.

 

[Mine's an Old Peculier]

... the big moment, the one I had been waiting for for more than a year. A brew day that would be mistake-free. Oh, how I had longed for this! With every other brew session, there had always been something. Low OG. High OG. The need to add DME to the wort. Never quite being able to dial in the process on my all-in-one. Never a smooth ride. Ever a problem.

So there I was yesterday about to pour the wort into my just-sanitized conical. Everything had gone well. Numbers (mostly) hit. Self-esteem soaring. Anticipation of a post-cleanup pint in high gear. And as the sweet nectar fell into the fermentor, I felt an odd sensation. I couldn't recall my sandals requesting a shower. And, yet, that's exactly what it felt like. If you're wondering, "Did this idiot forget to close the main valve after draining the sanitized water from the FV?'' you are wondering correctly.

I lost about a gallon of wort on the floor. I wasn't aware that I had taken Cursing as a Second Language, but apparently I had. After closing the @#$%&!* valve, dumping the rest of the wort into the fermentor and adding the yeast, I spent two hours of mopping and washing to get rid of the sticky stuff.

Then I spent the rest of the day in self-recrimination.

It's always something.

Yeah, wouldn't be a successful brew day if something didn't go wrong -

Braking a handle off a boil kettle had me mopping a good few pints up.

Also boiled the mash once, forgot ingredients, dipped various body parts, kids toys and/or articles of clothing, used the wrong ingredients, invaded by ants... the list goes on.

If nothing went wrong, the beer might not taste as good.

Also it solved the problem once or twice of naming the brew:
'Naughty Hose IPA'
'Broken Handle Winter Warmer'
'Ant Head In-Bread Wheat Beer'
'Breakfast Stout (Broken Heater Edition)'
'Tugboat Pale Ale'

 

[Sandy Feet]

The last couple have gone reasonably smoothly for me. I did miss gravity because of some things I had to do to with blueberries, but I kind of expected it. Before the Blichmann and using that stupid camp stove, I missed mash temperatures because the kettle wasn't level. I hit them dead on the last two brew sessions. Man, it helps getting heat on the whole kettle.
Something did always seem to go wrong for a point in time. I named one Redneck Blood because I got in a hurry and cut my hand on the thermometer. I named the ESB There goes the Fuc*** Door when I forgot about a fence picket caught on my garage door track. My wife with her lack of patience decided to hit the opener a few times and broke the pulley. I have a Fifty Cold Nipples when I decided to brew a Belgian on one the coldest days of the year.
I pretty much take my time now and plan things out in advance. The fermenter and buckets all have sanitizer in them a few days before brewing. I set-up my canopy a couple of days before brewing, and my wife has been really good about helping me bring things out to the back yard on the morning when I brew. Since things are thought out, no panic. I also know a whole lot better what to expect now and what I need to do when.

 

[Shady Lane Brewing]

Thanks all for making me feel better!