Doesn't always work - how many fails have you had

[BigFloppy]

For this thread, I'm still classifying myself as a "newbie".

In my limited brewing time, I've actually only had 2 fails

1. Bottle bombs (yeah, I over-sugared) - I keg now
2. bloody awful cider (unknown)


How many and what caused your fails?

 

[kaconga]

1) flattish beer (not enough sugar)
2) bottle bombs (sugar not mixed well)
3) plasticky taste in a cream ale (unknown)
4) sweaty Belgian (poor temp control)
5) underattenuated beers (poor aeration and early extract additions)

My list could go on and on. Each one of those beers made me a better brewer. I learned more from my "bad" beers than I ever have from a great one.

 

[C-Rider]

Only 3 in two years. Each time infection. Change sanitation of bottling bucket. Not one fail in say 9 months.

 

[quantumbeer]

Brew during summer -- watch my utility costs rise.

Rye beer without rice hulls and beta-glucan rest -- lost gravity points.

lager without good temperature control, overdo by putting fermenter in freezing stairwell, beer freezes. Until I buy a kegerator or something, stick to ales.

let mash sit too long, microbes fall in, mash turns sour and does not convert.

overcarbonate, 40 psi. More work for my arm to hold counterpressure filler down, and beer is a gusher.

Mashing and brewing with rye took several tries for me to get it right. Rye can make you cry

 

[glick]

Accidentally used caravienne instead of vienna in a very light low hopped beer. Talk about sweet!