Doh! I can't believe I did that!

I had a checklist for everything and that includes transferring to the bottling bucket. I even sprayed my hands with iodophor. I removed my primary from the fridge after a 24-hr crash cool had everything double and triple sanitized. Since this is my first brew in 15-yrs, I'm using plastic buckets for fermentation instead of glass carboys. The first thing I heard when I opened the valve was the horrible sucking/gurgling of the damn fermentation lock! Even with it on my checklist, I still didn't pull it out. The water that was in it had been about 1/2 iodophor. I'm hoping that combined with toxic CO2 bubbling through kept the water pretty clean and free from any bugs that could be growing.

As far as the beer (an extract/mash brown ale from AHB), it was nice and free from sediment with a solid cake on the bottom. It smells great! I'll be filling three Tap-A-Draft bottles in a while or I may wait until morning. The beer is still pretty cool since it just came out of the garage fridge so it will probably be OK til morning.

I forget to pull the airlock out all the time. I use a dilute starsan solution. I cringe when I realize but have not had any problems.

This is the reason you will find that a lot of people here (myself included) use cheap Vodka in the airlock. Any suck back wont have an effect on the beer. I have done the same thing with many of my my beers and thus why I changed.

I doubt you will have any problems though.

sp1365 said:

This is the reason you will find that a lot of people here (myself included) use cheap Vodka in the airlock. Any suck back wont have an effect on the beer. I have done the same thing with many of my my beers and thus why I changed.

I doubt you will have any problems though.

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ditto on the cheap vodka in the airlock. .. you should be fine though.

Even with it on my checklist, I still didn't pull out.

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doh! is idophore safe to ingest at that concentration?

Glad to hear it has happened to others. Vodka sounds like a better solution.

mordantly said:

doh! is idophore safe to ingest at that concentration?

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Also, mordantly, I don't think the iodophor is a problem. Remember, the concentration was a few mls at most in my ferm lock. It is also a no rinse sanitizer and it had been there 20-days. The biggie is only a very small amount was sucked back into my fermenter and that contained 5g of beer to further dilute it. I'm more worried about a potential bacterial contaminant. But the iodophor that was at one time active combined with CO2 which is not hospitable to many organisms probably took care of any potential bug...I hope

I forget to pull the airlock out all the time. I use a dilute starsan solution. I cringe when I realize but have not had any problems.

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+ 134

I use better bottles and it sucks back ALL THE TIME. Hasn't affected a single beer, so RDWHAHB.

I try to fill up the airlock so that it just barely covers the notches of the the middle piece. That way if I forget to take it off before moving my fermenter it won't suck any of the liquid in, just air.

Don't use iodophore in your airlock. Its only active for a couple hours.

Synovia said:

Don't use iodophore in your airlock. Its only active for a couple hours.

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Yea, I definitely agree with this. Starsan dilute or vodka are the best ways to go. Ive always used a starsan dilution and have never had any problems.

I use Grey Goose Vodka, that way if it sucks back, then I call it top shelf homebrew.

CharlosCarlies said:

+ 134

I use better bottles and it sucks back ALL THE TIME. Hasn't affected a single beer, so RDWHAHB.

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This is my biggest beef w/ BB.

johnnyc said:

This is my biggest beef w/ BB.

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Seriously. I'm glad I didn't use them when I first started or I would have probably freaked the F out the first time it sucked back!

ditto on the cheap vodka.

I agree, use starsan or vodka. Your current batch will most likely be fine though.

middleofnowhere said:

I use Grey Goose Vodka, that way if it sucks back, then I call it top shelf homebrew.

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You're joking, but I'm currently using Absolut in my airlock because it's a PITA to get booze in WA State (only state liquor stores can sell distilled stuff) and I have a full liter bottle of Absolut that I never actually drink... I keep planning to get some cheap stuff, but always forget, and I do have to brew in the meantime...

Though if I ever run out of it, I don't think I'll start using my 18-yr single malt scotch...

qvantamon said:

You're joking, but I'm currently using Absolut in my airlock because it's a PITA to get booze in WA State (only state liquor stores can sell distilled stuff) and I have a full liter bottle of Absolut that I never actually drink... I keep planning to get some cheap stuff, but always forget, and I do have to brew in the meantime...

Though if I ever run out of it, I don't think I'll start using my 18-yr single malt scotch...

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Oban? they make a very nice 16 and 18 years. and only runs $89/750mL

ezerhoden said:

I forget to pull the airlock out all the time. I use a dilute starsan solution. I cringe when I realize but have not had any problems.

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This. I occasionally get some StarSan solution from my airlock into the beer. It has no effect that I can determine. Star San solution evidently makes pretty good yeast nutrient anyhow, so I'm not concerned.

I ditched the airlock all together after 2 blow offs. Now I just use 3 foot of 3/8 hose in a 22oz bottle filled 1/2 way star san.

The other reason to use cheap liquor in the airlock is because you need to pay tribute to Ninkasi before putting the airlock in (glug)