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J. Steinhauer
Advanced Member
Username: Jstein6870
Post Number: 598
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 04:54 am: | 
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Remember discussing this before the Holidays?
Well, let me tell the story.
I sent my sister, 2 years younger and a Bud Lite drinker, a basic brewery and Irish Ale kit from Midwest Supplies (they include a video). In her words this was one of the coolest gifts she ever received.
Well, it took her until two weeks ago to acquire bottles (I have ridiculed her for this). She had to buy them. I offered to send her some, but she turned me down. In the meanwhile, I had asked her to communicate to me the instructions she received, such that I might clear anything up or simplify matters. Never heard a thing about it.
On brew day, I get several calls on my cellphone. Well, she added the priming sugar to the boil (who knows why), and didn't know which hops were bittering, flavoring and aroma. Consoled over the former and helped figure out the latter. All was well and yeast was pitched. I asked the next day about airlock activity. She seemed unsure, but not worried, so I let it go. Later I find out she did not put the airlock in the hole in the bucket lid - did not know what it was for. Finally, on bottling day (now using table sugar, at my recommendation) she decides to start a siphon using her mouth. Later that week, I talk to my mother, and her fridge is full of beer that is conditioning. I told her to take it all out and put it in the closet.
Turns out, she never really payed attention to the video and did not read the instructions. She just did it. I just can't believe it. |
Joe DiBenedetti
Junior Member
Username: Docwino
Post Number: 81
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 10:39 am: |
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Ok now that you have me hanging, how did it all turn out? Biginers luck and it was the best beer ever or-------5 gals of Dumpenbrau? |
don price
Advanced Member
Username: Donzoid
Post Number: 592
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 11:05 am: |
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"Turns out, she never really payed attention to the video and did not read the instructions. She just did it."
I used to think this was a guy thing....now I believe it has something to do with Bud Light consumption.
Don |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 2725
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 12:28 pm: |
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Steinhauer, your sister sounds a lot like my wife: independent, contentious and intentionally inconsistent, but possessed with an indomitable spirit to push ahead on her own. She made beer, and it probably is as drinkable as most of our first batches. Perhaps she'll even do it again, unless (also somewhat like my wife) she ascribes to the "done there, been that" philosophy. If she persists, tell her about this forum. We've had some sibling brewers here in the past, and her attitude would certainly fit in. |
robert rulmyr
Advanced Member
Username: Wacobob
Post Number: 518
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 12:33 pm: |
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This must be fiction. Only men, don't read instructions. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 2726
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 12:41 pm: |
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I don't know about that, Bob. My wife considers recipes a challenge to prove that she doesn't have to follow someone else's rules. According to her, why would you want to do anything the same way twice, anyway? |
Paul Erbe
Junior Member
Username: Perbe
Post Number: 57
Registered: 05-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 02:55 pm: |
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My brewing is much the same way. I go to repeat a recipe I really liked to find I have 4 oz. of caramunich left from two batches ago, what the h&ll it will work in an oatmeal stout.
"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer."
-Abraham Lincoln
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Geoff Buschur
Advanced Member
Username: Avmech
Post Number: 620
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 03:02 pm: |
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Did she sanitize anything? |
J. Steinhauer
Advanced Member
Username: Jstein6870
Post Number: 604
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 08:15 pm: |
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She said she sanitized everything, but that siphon start makes it somewhat for naught.
Bill is right, though. I myself have done much worse things to beers that have turned out just fine.
I don't know how it turned out yet. I emailed last night, but have not heard back. |
Pete Mazurowski
Junior Member
Username: Pete_maz
Post Number: 65
Registered: 07-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 10:18 pm: |
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I must admit, I started more than a few siphons by mouth back when I was first learning. Now I have my dog do it. They have much cleaner mouths, you know. |
Colby Enck
Member
Username: Thecheese
Post Number: 163
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 12:03 pm: |
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I always looked at siphon-starting (by mouth) as a good excuse to have a mouthful of whiskey beforehand. Don't do that anymore, though. |
Kevin Davis
Intermediate Member
Username: Ktdavis98
Post Number: 263
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 01:11 pm: |
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Pete your a genius
Steinhauer, I would have been good if you could have got her to brew with you the first time.
Kevin
(Message edited by ktdavis98 on March 19, 2005) |
Bill Moore
Intermediate Member
Username: Bill_beerman
Post Number: 290
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 01:11 pm: |
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Here's a thought.
How long has beer been made and how much attention to the details we agonize over today was paid back then?
I've come to learn that beer making is a lot more forgiving than we might think. |
Wortgames
Junior Member
Username: Wortgames
Post Number: 80
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 01:17 pm: |
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Giving kits as gifts is just wrong.
BREWING IS FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS.
It's a tragedy to see all those abandoned, homeless fermenters in January.
Wortgames is an independent home brewer, and has no commercial interests in the brewing arena. In fact, brewing is largely a gadget-based obsession that places a significant burden on his resources.
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J. Steinhauer
Advanced Member
Username: Jstein6870
Post Number: 610
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 05:10 pm: |
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Kevin, I would have, except for the several hundred miles that separates our homes.
Bill, beer made a couple of hundred years ago was bad, but they just did not know it.
Wortgames, I have no delusions about converting a Bud Light drinker to a homebrewer. But, she thought it was a fun gift, so it was a success. It also helps to support the LHBS and at least expose the hobby to one person and some of her friends who will share the produce. She's not disciplined enough to be an avid homebrewer. |
Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 2898
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 08:05 pm: |
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>>She's not disciplined enough to be an avid homebrewer.
My wife considers me to have zero discipline, especially when I am offered another beer at some function, yet having brewed 155 gallons last year, I consider myself to be an avid homebrewer.  |
robert rulmyr
Advanced Member
Username: Wacobob
Post Number: 521
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 11:16 pm: |
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What does discipline have to do with brewing? |
J. Steinhauer
Advanced Member
Username: Jstein6870
Post Number: 614
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 01:04 am: |
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How can you not see it.
I have to constantly be aware of the supply variety and volume and plan ahead, brewing, racking and kegging on a fairly active schedule. I have to make sure that primary and secondary fermenters are available at the times when I will need them. I have to anticipate what I will run out of and in what time frame; I would not want to have two similar beers on tap at the same time. I have to make sure I have a good stock of grain, hops, and other non-durable equipment.
This is a considerable investment of time and effort. Some may go home after a long day at work and watch television. I go home and delabel or sanitize bottles, clean carboys and kegs, rack or keg beer, and write recipes. Not to mention running or lifting weights 6 days a week so as to minimize the effects of having so much beer around.
This takes a heck of a lot of discipline. Sometimes I just want to sit and drink beer, but I can't. |
Wayne Faris
Junior Member
Username: Bugeaterbrewing
Post Number: 97
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 03:56 am: |
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I am sorta like JS. I only have a limited amount of discipline, and it all goes towards the beer brewing activities. As a result, a lot of people think I have no discipline. |
Brews and Views Archive 2005 
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