Gromet in my Pale Ale, any thoughts.

So looooong story short, I believe that one of my gromets for the top of my primary bucket may have fallen in to my primary after I had pitched the yeast. Thankfully if it did, it was fully sanitized and clean.

The beer is fermenting just fine today. (less than 15 hours later).

Does anyone think this will have a negative affect on the beer?

Thanks for the help, I'm about to change my signature on her to
"if it can happen while brewing, it has happened to me"

I can't brew with out something going wrong.

It should be fine.

I did this once and realized it right away. My third brew if I remember correctly. I tried using a big spoon and racking cane to get it out with no luck. I was panicking so I sanitized my arm and dove in. I worried for weeks about an infection but everything went well. Beer was very good.

I'm starting to understand that good sanitation is a buffer against infection from several sources. Quite frankly, unwanted bacteria WILL get into your beer. It's a question of how much. Good sanitation will probably save you even from this flub.

On my first beer, I lost grip on the DME bag and it went splashing into my fermeter. I got paranoid I was off to a bad start on brewing. But after I tasted the beer, my fears were put to rest.

Odds are, it won't impart "rubber" flavors either, but I don't know enough to say for sure. Anyone fermented in a tire before? </sarcasm>

Consider yourself a real homebrewer now! You wouldn't believe how many first time posts, including one from someone who became a mod began like this.

No, I would leave it in there, the risk of infection is greater if you try to fish for it. What I would do (I actually have a lid that doesn't have a grommet, and I keep forgetting to get a grommet from the hardware store) is to sanitize some tinfoil and wrap it around the stem of the airlock a few times, and then wedge it into the hole in the lid.

We've all done much worse and out beers still manage to turn out. Read these stories and relax https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/wh...where-your-beer-still-turned-out-great-96780/

Revvy said:

Consider yourself a real homebrewer now!

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Haha, no doubt. That's like a rite of passage now. My first post was a panicky "OMG I JUST PUSHED THE STOPPER THROUGH THE CARBOY MOUTH!!! IS MY BEER RUINED!!!"

I have been brewing for five years and this happens about every 10th brew for me lol

I use a touch of Keg Lube on the grommet to help insert and remove the air lock. Slips in easy, and comes out easy.

iaefebs said:

I use a touch of Keg Lube on the grommet to help insert and remove the air lock. Slips in easy, and comes out easy.

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You just described my V-Day plans.

I find that if I dig my fingernail into the grommet it does not rotate with the airlock as I push it in or pull out while rotating. This is all that is necessary to keep the grommet from moving vertically with the airlock.