Another Noob mistake...

[BrewinHooligan]

On Sunday I bottled up my Brown Ale and had my children watching fascinated and wanting to help. We had a good system going with one passing me a new bottle as I passed the full bottle to the other. Afterwards they wanted to help cap it. I have a few 1 liter PET bottles that I use for each batch so I can gauge carbonation without having to crack one open to check. I wasn't about to let them cap the glass bottles so I let them screw on the lids to the plastic ones. Needless to say, one didn't get screwed on tight and I was dumb and didn't check. I give said bottle a squeeze last night (24 hours after bottling) and my stomach turns in knots as I hear a hiss of CO2 escaping and then oxygen getting sucked into the bottle. Hopefully it still manages to carb ok and that will be one of the first to drink. I could just kick myself!

 

[macsyrinx]

+1 to having the children help out. Very cool. My boy loves throwing in the hops. As for the bottle, no worries. Wait, drink, brew. Repeat.

 

[stevehardt]

Very cool that you let the kids help. And don't feel bad, I've forgotten to tighten down a cap myself, and no kids were involved!

 

[dcarter]

Even if it's terrible, it will be terrible BEER. Pretty good for a mess up if you ask me. If only all of my mess ups would eventually turn into beer.........LOL

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Very true, it will still be beer. Most of my mess ups don't result in beer and I'm learning to slow down and not rush. "Speed kills"

 

[gratus fermentatio]

You've started your kids down the long & satisfying road of homebrewing...
RDWHHB!
Very cool! Regards, GF.

 

[LTownLiquorPig]

My capper broke capping a batch, and I only had about 3-4 liters left to go, so I threw the rest in a a full 2L PET and the rest in a partial 2L PET. A couple days later it hit me that all that head space might not be so good, so I took the partial, cracked the cap and squeezed out the air, then sealed the cap tight again. Beer was fine.

On a side note, my 4 year old daughter watches me mess with my beer all the time. I was bottling yesterday, and she came into the kitchen and said "you're still making your beer? It takes a long time. You should finish fixing the bathroom (remodel, all done but paint and trim; been on "hold" for 12 months), it's more important than your beer".

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Hahaha! My 7 year old daughter kept saying how much I love my beer and asked me during the process if I had to choose between them (my kids) and beer what whould I choose. I told her I would choose them of course, but it's funny how their little minds work

 

[rlhvegas]

No worries on the beer. You caught it early enough, it should carb fine. As for help, my 10 year old daughter has been helping me brew all grain since she was 6! She can tell me which grain is which by tasting them! I'm so proud.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

That is so impressive! I would love to teach the kids more and have them learn that stuff but SWMBO would have none of it even though she is the one who started my hobby/addiction with a Christmas present brew kit. Women...