The measuring cup, and marital bliss.

[Grossy]

The measuring cup, and marital bliss.

After 2 hours of brewing, I’m a little a hot, and I want a beer, at 9:00am in the morning.

(Last weekend it was 105 degrees, this weekend it will be 115 degrees. So when I brew I like to start early. At 7:00am it is 80 degrees, by 12:00pm it will be over a 100.)

But at 9:00 in the morning you cant just pull out a glass and pull one off the tap, there are real world repercussions for doing that.

“starting a little early are you”
“Really? Really…”

A condensing look, a roll of the eyes, you GUYS know what I am talking about. (Now in all fairness to the beautiful, understanding, and lovely ladies who frequent this forum, obviously my comments are not meant for you.)

So with that in mind, last weekend I was about to grab a glass and pour myself a cold one, but I thought, “she’s going to make a comment”. At which point inspiration came to me, there literally was a yellow light-bulb right over my head:

Why not use the measuring cup.

So I poured a pale ale right into my measuring cup, took a long pull, and placed the cup down on my work bench. A little later my wife came by, and nothing. No comments, no rolling the eyes, no look of reproachment. Right there in full view of my pale ale.

It gets even better, in the event that you actually get caught drinking from the cup, “why honey, it’s a sample, I’m taste testing the brew.” Which technically is not a lie.

So raise your measuring cup without fear my thirsty friends, life is good.

 

[the_trout]

Brilliant

 

[funnycreature]

Just wait until she figures out that during brewing the beer shouldn't have a head... But it's a brilliant idea nonetheless! I like to start brewing around noon-ish so I don't run into these problems. Bottoms up!

 

[Homercidal]

Excellent!

Only a true lush could come up with such an elegant way to sneak a morning drink.

Then again, I don't see what's wrong with having a glass in the morning as long as your not working or driving or anything. It's called Breakfast Stout for a reason! (And before the popularity of coffee, many people used to have a nip of strong drink in the morning to brighten their day.)

 

[vraftsman]

This speaks inspiration for a brewery glass, like a step further than the Lagunitas mason jar!

 

[kh54s10]

Just tell her the sun is above the Yardarm somewhere. In other words at 9am in New England it is 2PM in England. Tell her you are working on Greenwich Mean Time.

 

[Pratzie]

Brilliant

+1! :cheers:

 

[nutty_gnome]

I like your copper hydro sample vessel... It must be very easy to cool the wort in that pitcher of ice water. Very innovative. Do you fill it to the brim to read the hydrometer?

 

[Wynne-R]

I agree, brilliant. I know from doing Photoshop fakes, context is crucial.

One summer I was visiting my brother at summer school. It was hotter than hell and even hotter in his trailer. He kicked on the air conditioner and then pulled a vodka bottle out of the ‘fridge and took a mighty swig. I gasped.
He gave me a funny look and said something like ‘It’s water, do you think I’m crazy?’

A similar deal, I know a guy that walked around the factory carrying a clipboard and a part. He did very little actual work. He explained to me, that as long as you have something in your hands, they think you’re working, they won’t ask what you’re doing.

 

[signmastr]

I Like It!

 

[Grossy]

I like your copper hydro sample vessel... It must be very easy to cool the wort in that pitcher of ice water. Very innovative. Do you fill it to the brim to read the hydrometer?

I place the copper cylinder into the ice bath on the left. Fill the copper graduated cylinder to almost the top with my 150-156 degree pre-boil wort. (which is why I now have two measuring cups, one for wort, and one for...)

Stir it with my thermometer, in 60 seconds it goes from 155 degrees to 70 degrees, drop in my hydrometer and take a reading. (Some wort will overflow into the ice bath, which will be dumped anyway, and there is no mess)

60 seconds to get an accurate read of my pre-boil wort is fast enough, I now see no reason to use my refractometer for anything.

I documented the build on the DIY page:

Copper Graduated Cylinder, hot wort, fast read

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Only those concerned about becoming alcoholic worry about drinking at 9:00, before noon, or, whatever time.

Foolishness, I say.

The whole POINT of drinking is to become alcoholic, but not necessarily drunck.

Never have understood the stigma of timing for food or beverage. Hunger/thirst don't care what time it is. Stomach don't care what time it is. And, what difference does it make if you are a drunk ******* in the morning or evening, you are still a drunk ******* either way.

 

[Mike M]

Inspired! The delight from pulling off such a simple yet masterful ploy probably made that beer taste even better.

 

[Hammy71]

My SWMBO could care less if I drink at 9 am. I routinely do, especially on brew days. But, why not just do what I used to do when I was young and dumb. A travel coffee mug works great when wanting to drink conspicuously. Just sayin....

 

[Jaybird]

I use my graduated hydrometer cylinder The big one!

Cheers
Jay

 

[MuddyCreek]

I keg Root Beer.

And Chocolate Stouts.

Think about it... Think about it...

 

[grathan]

Interesting that you'd rather avoid the refractometer.

 

[n240sxguy]

Glad I'm not the only one! Best thing you can start your day with is a nice cold beer. I usually brew in the evenings in the garage, so out of sight out of mind.

 

[catdaddy66]

I agree, brilliant. I know from doing Photoshop fakes, context is crucial.

One summer I was visiting my brother at summer school. It was hotter than hell and even hotter in his trailer. He kicked on the air conditioner and then pulled a vodka bottle out of the ‘fridge and took a mighty swig. I gasped.
He gave me a funny look and said something like ‘It’s water, do you think I’m crazy?’

A similar deal, I know a guy that walked around the factory carrying a clipboard and a part. He did very little actual work. He explained to me, that as long as you have something in your hands, they think you’re working, they won’t ask what you’re doing.

Hardhat and a clipboard and you can gain access to damn near anywhere, unmolested! Lol

 

[beaksnbeer]

I've had the wife tap me beer while I 'm doughing in, most weekends this is around 6am

 

[Gab1788]

Off topic and slightly OCD, but, turn that damn spanner around!!!

 

[Grossy]

Off topic and slightly OCD, but, turn that damn spanner around!!!

That spanner is for left-handed thread.

 

[Trail]

Off topic and slightly OCD, but, turn that damn spanner around!!!

God damn it, now I see it too.

 

[Homercidal]

In the same vein as the OP's post, I once saw a guy at a Western Michigan Broncos Football game watching the game with a pair of binoculars. Then every once in a while he's unscrew the eyepiece on one side, take a nip, and put the eyepiece back on.

Combination monocular and flask. Made to look like a pair of binoculars.

 

[TheSmithsEra]

This idea is awesome. Keep the nagging at bay, totally cool

 

[DrunkleJon]

Hot Scotchies? Wort with some sort of whiskey. Better'n coffee for morning brews, and most coffee mugs are opaque anyway.

I am not a morning drinker though. If I have any sort of alcohol in the morning or early afternoon, I have to maintain the rest of the day or take a nap.

 

[Babybatch]

I've done the coffee mug thing with success but I always my wifey usually like to steal sips from just about anything that I am drinking so I sort of have to babysit the mug.

 

[jnr1005]

Martial bliss....until she catches on, then your toast. Hahaha. No offense but why do men think us women are that dumb? I wish ya luck though

 

[Babybatch]

Martial bliss....until she catches on, then your toast. Hahaha. No offense but why do men think us women are that dumb? I wish ya luck though

Nah.... It's just that we are that dumb! :cross:

 

[DrunkleJon]

I know. Red Solo cups. She will never guess what is in there. I mean, it works on the police, right?

 

[C-Rider]

After 46 years I don't listen to negative or sassy comments. And it works both ways.. LOL

 

[mattd2]

Just wait until she figures out that during brewing the beer shouldn't have a head... But it's a brilliant idea nonetheless! I like to start brewing around noon-ish so I don't run into these problems. Bottoms up!

Or when she catches you sampling the wort in the morning... when you not even brewing

I agree, brilliant. I know from doing Photoshop fakes, context is crucial.

One summer I was visiting my brother at summer school. It was hotter than hell and even hotter in his trailer. He kicked on the air conditioner and then pulled a vodka bottle out of the ‘fridge and took a mighty swig. I gasped.
He gave me a funny look and said something like ‘It’s water, do you think I’m crazy?’

A similar deal, I know a guy that walked around the factory carrying a clipboard and a part. He did very little actual work. He explained to me, that as long as you have something in your hands, they think you’re working, they won’t ask what you’re doing.

Got a guy a work with a bottle of vodka on his desk, it's always empty by the end of the day

 

[Trail]

Since the OP is so inconsiderate of OCD brewers re: his spanner placement, I've taken the matter into my own hands.

 

[mattd2]

Since the OP is so inconsiderate of OCD brewers re: his spanner placement, I've taken the matter into my own hands.

There's a crooked one 8th from the right

 

[JonM]

Kinda reminds me of a basement shelf-building project I had with my FIL. I had just set up the keg system in the basement and it just happened to be week 2 of the NFL playoffs. SWMBO and MIL were upstairs and FIL says, "you know, if we just bang on these metal shelves with a mallet every now and then, they'll think we're doing stuff when, in reality, we're just going to stand around and drink beer and watch football."

 

[Trail]

There's a crooked one 8th from the right

I've gotta set limits somewhere. Otherwise I'll spend a week Photoshopping all his screwdrivers into straight rows.

 

[Grossy]

Ok ok!!!

No way would I ever put my beer in a coffee travel mug, even coffee taste terrible in those cups.

Now thanks to Kerin above, I cant find my left-hand-thread spanner anymore.

Kerin after you get done straightening out my screwdrivers can you arrange them by type. Phillips on the right, followed by slotted, and then finally torx.

Finally when I get caught, and I'm sure that one day I will. This one goes in the win column.

Why? because for a couple of months I got away with it. Which is two months more that I had before.

And then my wife and I will have a good laugh at the whole thing, because she knows me to well to expect anything different.

 

[grathan]

good stuff.

I remember the days before homebrewing and kegging. My wife would attack just based on a quick empty bottle count. Now she actually has to observe my behavior. I know she has no clue because she is always asking me to drive errands instead of yelling at me.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

Since the OP is so inconsiderate of OCD brewers re: his spanner placement, I've taken the matter into my own hands.

HAHAHA!!

good stuff.

I remember the days before homebrewing and kegging. My wife would attack just based on a quick empty bottle count. Now she actually has to observe my behavior. I know she has no clue because she is always asking me to drive errands instead of yelling at me.

Dude! It's a trap!