Blow off bucket tragedy

TurboBrew · 09-17-2008, 03:33 PM

I was going to rack my coffee stout into my secondary when I noticed that my blow off tube had water from the blow off bucket creeping up it. It was maintained at a constant temperature so what else could cause such a pressure drop inside the carboy?

Now for the tragedy, many of you probably already know where this is going and I'm going to blame this on my lack of sleep, but I lifted the tube out of the water bucket...therefore sucking about 2 cups of not so clean blow off bucket water into the carboy. I tasted the beer during racking hoping maybe it was already screwed up and it wasn't a loss, but alas, twas delicious (if not a bit green). So I went ahead and racked it into the secondary. My question is am I going to be able to tell if the beer is contaminated while it's in the secondary, before I bottle?

**Yooper** · 09-17-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboBrew

I was going to rack my coffee stout into my secondary when I noticed that my blow off tube had water from the blow off bucket creeping up it. It was maintained at a constant temperature so what else could cause such a pressure drop inside the carboy?

Now for the tragedy, many of you probably already know where this is going and I'm going to blame this on my lack of sleep, but I lifted the tube out of the water bucket...therefore sucking about 2 cups of not so clean blow off bucket water into the carboy. I tasted the beer during racking hoping maybe it was already screwed up and it wasn't a loss, but alas, twas delicious (if not a bit green). So I went ahead and racked it into the secondary. My question is am I going to be able to tell if the beer is contaminated while it's in the secondary, before I bottle?

Maybe. Maybe not. It might be just fine. Did you use sanitizer with the blow off water, or vodka, or is it icky water? Regardless, it's probably just fine. It takes quite a bit to infect a fermented beer, because of the alcohol content. Hopefully, it'll be a great beer, in spite of your "secret ingredient"!

**BigKahuna** · 09-17-2008, 03:44 PM

Until you've brewed at very least a billion gallons of beer, you've got NO guarantee that it isn't going to be good at bottling time. Search some of Revvy's work if you don't' believe me.

All of that to agree with Yooper, you're probably fine and dandy, but please don't trash your beer regardless of what it tastes like at bottling.

TurboBrew · 09-17-2008, 05:52 PM

I use a crap ton of Iodophor in the bucket. I know iodophor sublimates quickly but the bucket still smelt of iodine (and a bit of beer) when i dumped it.

MgMt_Home_Brew · 09-17-2008, 06:02 PM

I would assume the water in the bucket was still sanitary if you loaded it up... but then again who knows. There is only one way to find out!