MConnelly

Recipes 

I just completed my first foray into homebrewing but, after reading some online posts about sanitation, fear I may have ruined my batch. After transferring my wort to my fermentation bucket, while inserting the 3-piece airlock into the top of my fermenter, I forced the black seal/ring through the hole. After unsuccessfully trying to fish it out with my brew spoon, I soaped up my left hand and arm and fished it out manually. Will this ruin my batch? How will I know?

itsme6582

Recipes 

This is not recommended but you're not the first to do this. I bet it'll be just fine.

hoppymonkey

Recipes 

+1 on that. usually the yeast take over before anything gets a chance.

andythomas34

Recipes 

i think we all have done it ,should be fine

Revvy

Recipes 

This means you are now officially a homebrewer.

This is probably the most common first time post problem on here, and your beer, like the other's will turn out fine.

I've collected these stories to show new brewers just like you how hard it is to ruin you beer.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/what-some-mistakes-you-made-where-your-beer-still-turned-out-great-96780/

Read these whil you relax.

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Yooper

Recipes 

That's what I did right before my first post here on the forum. I didn't fish it out, though. Just slapped the airlock on it anyway and secured with some duct tape.

Even today, I mutter to myself, "Airlock on the lid, lid on the bucket" in that order as I finish up a brew. I did buy another $.35 grommet just in case it happened again, thouugh. Since I learned the hard way to put the airlock on the bucket lid first, then the lid on the bucket, I haven't had it happen again.

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Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

DoctorHops

Recipes 

When something goes wrong in brewing, remember the advice from "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" - "Don't Panic". Stop, relax, and try to think of a way to solve the problem without contaminating anything. Sometimes wives, children, or innocent standbyers can come up with a solution. Experience helps here. In your case, I would leave the grommet in the fermenter, wrap tape (electricians, masking, duct, shipping, take your pick) around the airlock to seal it and stick it in. Or cover the lid with plastic wrap to seal it. Then at your leisure the next day pick up a replacement grommet at your homebrew supplier or hardware store.

One lesson is to have a backup for things that can go wrong. In your case, get a replacement grommet the next time you are at the homebrew store. I always have backup yeast in the refrigerator to deal with potential yeast problems.

Inexperience is what differentiates us and our brews from the big boys.

llazy_llama

Recipes 

+1 to "I remember the first time I did that."

Common mistake, happens to the best of us. It'll be fine.

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weirdboy

Recipes 

This is what I did on my first ale pail, too. I am convinced that grommet just adds flavor.