Tell us about your mistakes.

This hobby is fun & enjoyable, but it is not tiddlywinks. Be safe!

Moderator: Site Moderator

User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

Jimbo.... I really really wanted to run it but with the FG so high I figured it wasnt worth the propane... out of 5 gallons each I might have finished with 3 quarts of low wines... from my previous experience it didnt seem to be worth the propane... Did you have a different experince? If so what would you call the cut off froma starting point of 1/063+/- SG??
I might run the next one if I can get it to finish with less sugar in the barrel,,, (hopefully there wont be a nest one...)
My God the man cave still smells like those nasty buckets... Hope the wife doesnt wander out... It will be hard to explain this smell...
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

On a different note seeking some advice....
What the Hell did ya'll do to remove that smell from your ferment room... FYI...guys if you think you have a stalled "stinky" ferment then by all things natural open it OUTSIDE...
OK so you didnt open it outside... What can you do to remove the Stench from your man cave... I am currently using fans fans and more fans (none of the fans have asked for an autograph so that should help the productivity..)
Any help from anyone in removing the smell..??
RR
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
User avatar
Jimbo
retired
Posts: 8423
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:19 pm
Location: Down the road a piece.

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Jimbo »

HAHAHA, my sweet wifey walked in the brew room and grabbed her face gagged and said it smells like puke in here. Yup. Its that bad.

It dissipates. scrub the living hell out of everything, and sanitize everything. You dont want that particular bug finding its way back into another hooch. I scrubbed hell out of everything including the floor. then used a pump sprayer to spray bleach water over pretty much everything in that room.
In theory there's no difference between theory and practice. But in practice there is.
My Bourbon and Single Malt recipes. Apple Stuff and Electric Conversion
User avatar
HDNB
Site Mod
Posts: 7360
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:04 am
Location: the f-f-fu frozen north

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by HDNB »

i put it into the slough my septic pumps into. that made it smell a bit better....
I finally quit drinking for good.

now i drink for evil.
User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

Hey HD NewBie
I have reread your post like 4 times (OK maybe 3). You are posting drunk,,,, maybe time to edti sobre..

I dumped 10 gallons so far onto the backyard... OMG it smells bad... A sherriff deputy lives just North of me but he just went to work. Hopfeully by the time he gets home in the morning the wind will shfit or the smell dissipate..

I still have 5 gallons to disopse of....
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
User avatar
pfshine
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3106
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:59 pm
Location: Vegas

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by pfshine »

I don't understand
Last edited by pfshine on Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Life is a journey you take alone. Make sure you do what you what makes you happy
User avatar
pfshine
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3106
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:59 pm
Location: Vegas

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by pfshine »

ranger_ric wrote:Hey HD NewBie
I have reread your post like 4 times (OK maybe 3). You are posting drunk,,,, maybe time to edti sobre..

I dumped 10 gallons so far onto the backyard... OMG it smells bad... A sherriff deputy lives just North of me but he just went to work. Hopfeully by the time he gets home in the morning the wind will shfit or the smell dissipate..

I still have 5 gallons to disopse of....

Is this some sort of drunken reverse psychology?
Life is a journey you take alone. Make sure you do what you what makes you happy
User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

HDNB wrote:i put it into the slough my septic pumps into. that made it smell a bit better....
Come on FPshien

Rereed that..It dont make no English scense...
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
User avatar
pfshine
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3106
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:59 pm
Location: Vegas

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by pfshine »

Hehehe
Life is a journey you take alone. Make sure you do what you what makes you happy
User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

Pretty sure it dont make no Irish scense iether...!!!
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
sltm1
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1059
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:12 am

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by sltm1 »

CRS, dyslexia, brain fart...you pick. I checked the ph in my wash cause it was slow to start and it was low. Soooooo, I added some lemon juice concentrate!!! 10 minutes later, my brain re-engaged and I dumped in a large amount or calcium carbonate, some dap and new yeast (pre-started in warm wash) and she started working. Perhaps I should enter my name in the "Darwin Award" contest !!!
A Paraphrase of a Joe Walsh Album Title, "The Drinkier I get, The Smokier I Play!!"
Every new member should read this before doing anything else:
User avatar
skow69
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3230
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2011 3:03 am
Location: Cascadia

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by skow69 »

pfshine wrote:Hehehe
I guess that means pfshine got the joke, but I didn't.
HDNB wrote:i put it into the slough my septic pumps into. that made it smell a bit better....


There is a swamp where HDNB's treated shit goes. That is where he disposed of his smelly wash. The wash smelled so bad that the odor of the swamp was an improvement.

I thought maybe all those misspelled words were part of the criticism, but I don't see anything that HDNB spelled wrong.

What's your problem, ric?
Distilling at 110f and 75 torr.
I'm not an absinthe snob, I'm The Absinthe Nazi. "NO ABSINTHE FOR YOU!"
User avatar
HDNB
Site Mod
Posts: 7360
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:04 am
Location: the f-f-fu frozen north

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by HDNB »

RR, i ain't smrt enuf to put hidden meaning in posts.

a shit slough is just what Skow69 spelled out. maybe it's a canadian way of spelling slew? (small stagnant pond with no fresh water in or out)

the smell of the fermented shit pond is a definite improvement on a Butyric infected wash. :shock: :sick:
I finally quit drinking for good.

now i drink for evil.
StillLearning1
Trainee
Posts: 918
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:43 pm
Location: South of the Mason Dixon line

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by StillLearning1 »

Had my fores jar (mason jar) in hand over a fire the other day. Seemed a good time to flare the fire up a little. I got a little too close to the flame and when I lifted the jar back up it had a little blue streak about 3 inches off the top of the jar. It was just dark enough to see it otherwise I would have never known it was there. All it took was a good blow to put it out but it made me think about it pretty hard. Could have been real bad depending on where I set a flaming jar of fores down to forget about!!!!
But what the heck do I know.....I am still learning.
Antler24
Trainee
Posts: 979
Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:00 pm

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Antler24 »

I once had the great idea to store my high proof aging stock of gallon jugs behind the wood stove thinking the rise and fall in temperature would help the aging process. Man was I embarrassed and pissed at myself when it clicked in my head what could happen. Shit might as well put my 5g can of lawnmower gas back there with it. Fuck me.
Swedish Pride wrote:
get a brix reading on said ball bearings and then you can find out how much fermentables are in there
User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

Well HDNB

here I am a week later readin my posts and well that was the night I made the mistake of gettin into the white dog that had NOT been cut... The jar I was working on was 70% and not 80 proof....
I am still snickerin though at my display of wit....

Carry On
RR
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
User avatar
thecroweater
retired
Posts: 6079
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:04 am
Location: Central Highlands Vic. Australia

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by thecroweater »

Yeah knocking a jar of 176 proof slivowitz down sink :(
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
Johnny6
Bootlegger
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:37 am
Location: Midwest

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Johnny6 »

I'm one of those who has to pack everything up between runs. I've got all of the pieces of my concentric LM tucked into a box on the shelf. While pulling it down to set up, the box slipped and fell to the floor. A quick look didn't reveal any damage, so on I went. I've been stripping a wonderful smelling corn flake sugar-head and I had just enough time to make the run before the missus had other plans for us. Just as it came to a boil, and I turned up the cooling water, the hidden damage became very obvious. The 1/4" tube where the cooling water exits my liebig was cracked and leaking. I attempted to bend it slightly to close the crack and, of course, it came off in my hand. (Insert Benny Hill music here.) I dashed around, heat off, replumbed the cooling lines to keep the steam condensing, and redirect the condensate to drip into the sink while I did some hasty, and ugly, repairs. I was back in operation in just 20 minutes or so, but the image of the broken stub in my hand with water pouring out is vivid in my mind. :esurprised:

BTW, I've got a few places on my rig where I have 1/4" stubs soldered in for cooling lines and condensate collection. I've had repairs to do now and then when these relatively weak joints have cracked. I've begun making rings out of 12 AWG solid copper wire. I slide these down the 1/4" tube and solder them in place at the joint to reinforce them. Sort of a poor man's flange. So far I haven't had one of these reinforced joints crack.
Monkeyman88
Rumrunner
Posts: 739
Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2015 5:49 am

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Monkeyman88 »

Put a smaller ferment then I usually do in my fermenter. Temp probe over the side, didn't realise it was only just under the surface. When I put the lid on, it must have lifted probe out of the liquid. Week later when I went to check the gravity, had only gone down 0.010, and my glasses fogged up as I looked it the barrel. Noticed the probe still up. Checked temp. 52*!! Guess that's too hot for bakers yeast. Haha
BourbonStreet
Swill Maker
Posts: 210
Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2012 5:58 pm

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by BourbonStreet »

I had the whole shebang ready to go, and was looking for my lighter. I reached down, and caught my hand on a cracked collection jar. It was razor sharp... :esurprised:

I cleaned the hole, patched it up, and finished the run. Good stuff, it was almost worth the pain. At least I had plenty of "disinfectant" lying around! :D
User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

Never Leave the Still unattended
Never fire up the still without turning on the pump to the Liebig
Never drink and run your still
and fer damn sure dont combine all three!!
And that is all I am going to say.....

Carry On
RR
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
User avatar
Kegg_jam
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1167
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:29 am
Location: Appalachian Mountains of MD

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Kegg_jam »

I like havin a cold beer when the run is done. Makes cleanin up mo fun.

No drinkin when the likkers drippin.
User avatar
Brutal
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1349
Joined: Sat May 18, 2013 6:02 pm

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Brutal »

ranger_ric wrote:Never Leave the Still unattended
Never fire up the still without turning on the pump to the Liebig
Never drink and run your still
and fer damn sure dont combine all three!!
And that is all I am going to say.....

Carry On
RR
Wrong answer. This is not the get preachy about rules thread, its the Tell us about your mistakes thread.

So let's have it, Tell us about your mistakes!
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
User avatar
ranger_ric
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1277
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: West Of Eden

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by ranger_ric »

Just read the fourth line..

And that's all I am tellin' about this mistake...

Carry On
RR
If you are not willing to learn
No One Can Help You...
If you are Determined to Learn
No One can STOP you!!
We want you to be safe and succeed so start here
User avatar
Wooday
Swill Maker
Posts: 232
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:14 am

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Wooday »

I have celiac sprue, and I just HAD to sneak a taste while stripping some all bran.
I thought the wheat taste was amazing. A few hours later the cramps started and I realized why.
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by rad14701 »

ranger_ric, I think Brutals mistake was not realizing that you were, in fact, posting about your personal mistake... :lolno:
User avatar
Brutal
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1349
Joined: Sat May 18, 2013 6:02 pm

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Brutal »

Naw Brutal got ripped off! I think my mistake was asking Ric to tell his story a little bit too early in the day. Need to wait until he's got some drinks in him. I'll be back tonight.
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
User avatar
Jimbo
retired
Posts: 8423
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:19 pm
Location: Down the road a piece.

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Jimbo »

Have I ever mentioned I HATE SQUEEZING GRAIN! What..... only 2000 times. OK how about 2001 then!

For anyone who ever wondered if an apple press, with some press bags would work on bourbon grain, dont bother. Bourbon grain is not minced apple. Even going very slow with a little pressure at a time, the bags clogged, and the shit finally blew an 8 ton grain shit squirt gun of shit all over the shittin place. See the spray marks on my trash cans. Back to squeezin and mop bucket. Yes I KNOW, I NEED STEAM! Bad.
IMG_20151025_4881.jpg
IMG_20151025_54769.jpg
Last edited by Jimbo on Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
In theory there's no difference between theory and practice. But in practice there is.
My Bourbon and Single Malt recipes. Apple Stuff and Electric Conversion
User avatar
Kegg_jam
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 1167
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:29 am
Location: Appalachian Mountains of MD

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by Kegg_jam »

Sorry, but that's the funniest thing I've seen all week. I can just picture that happening and the choice words spoken immediately after....
User avatar
jedneck
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 3769
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:16 pm
Location: drive to the sticks, hang a right past the sticks amd go a couple more miles.

Re: Tell us about your mistakes.

Post by jedneck »

Steam =no squeezy=more nappy. Just sayin
welcome aboard some of us are ornery old coots but if you do a lot of
reading and don't ask stupid questions you'll be alright most are
big help
Dunder
Post Reply