First all-grain batch is...RUINED

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by ronobvious2, Oct 15, 2015.

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  1. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    Been dry hopping this Bells Two-Hearted clone for a week and two days ago decided to take a sample to see how it was coming along. Took a yeasty sip and noticed a distinct metallic aftertaste to it. I had immediate suspicions so I opened the keg and found my method for keeping the dry hop bag suspended had failed me. No dry hop bag on the lid: it had fallen to the bottom of the keg with the method used to secure it with it. Looks like the clip used had broken and began a hasty 'rustification' process even though this was a spanking new clip. I guess I'll try the dental floss or fishing bobber method next. I kinda like the fishing bobber since it seems to be an idea I hatched that I hadn't heard of before. Pissed but philosophical. Don't use these things. Even though it had a nice, tight feel around the post I guess the weight of the bag once the hops got soaked was too much, or the clip broke from the acidic, moist atmosphere.

    [​IMG]

    On the plus-side, JS's House Pale gets to go into the keezer right away. I'll be pumping extra vols of CO2 on it for the first 3 days or so to get it going. Think I'm going to retry gelatin clarification this time too.
     
  2. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    I'm sorry for your loss.
     
  3. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    Man that sucks. Definitely try the dental floss method. *Unscented*
     
    ronobvious2 likes this.
  4. Buck89

    Buck89 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,782) Feb 7, 2015 Tennessee
    Pooh-Bah Trader

  5. CurtFromHershey

    CurtFromHershey Initiate (0) Oct 4, 2012 Minnesota

    [​IMG]
    I could never get a good seal with floss so I started tying it to a clamp on the pressure relief valve
     
  6. NiceFly

    NiceFly Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Tajikistan

    Sorry about your luck. I never suspend the keg hop bag. I also use whole hops, not sure how it would work with pellets.

    Just toss it in and forget it.
     
    MarkGP likes this.
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Bummer. You learned the hard way that no metal that's not Stainless Steel should go in your fermenters or kegs. Floss works for me.
     
  8. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,635) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    I have used the hose clamp on some kegs, floss works on some, fro problem kegs you can use Teflon plumbers tape to suspend a hop bag - flat and no leaks on those.
     
  9. JohnSnowNW

    JohnSnowNW Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2013 Minnesota

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  10. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    corbmoster and ronobvious2 like this.
  11. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I do what @CurtFromHershey suggested, never had much luck running floss through the lid, even with lots of keg lube, hose clamp just works.
     
  12. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    FWIW, I haven't used keg lube in years. It doesn't really seal anything on its own...how would a glob of goo stand up against 12 PSI? It does cause gaskets to swell slightly. Water (starsan solution) does the same. But mainly, lube helps prevent tearing (and thus tear-caused leaks).

    For the record, I change gaskets/rings between each keg fill, because they are cheap compared to the time and money that goes into a batch of beer. So tearing is a low risk for me.
     
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  13. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    FWIW make sure you use a clamp that is 100% stainless. Had a buddy invite me over for a pint and it had a distinct rusty nail flavor. He didnt believe me, and tasted some for himself. Sure as shit he tasted it, and immediately tore into his keg to find the issue. The clamp had fallen down and the screw was zinc coated. It oxidized quickly and killed akeg full of wooky jack clone that was rather tasty.
     
  14. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    When you say just toss it in and forget it, are you still using a hop bag or just throwing in the whole hops loose?
     
  15. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

  16. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

  17. corbmoster

    corbmoster Pundit (848) Dec 15, 2014 Texas
    Trader

    Sorry for your loss man.
     
  18. NiceFly

    NiceFly Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Tajikistan

    I use a bag. I tie a knot in the open end.
     
  19. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Man, that sucks. Always use 100% Stainless Steel in your beers, never rusts, and if it does fall in, well, it never rusts.
     
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  20. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    I guess I put too much faith in it not falling in. Oh well. Gives me something to do for the weekend. I have two Sierra Nevada Torpedo clone kits to do (one extract, the last one I bought, one all-grain, I'll do that one first) and two empty fermentors.
     
    Lukass likes this.
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