Dumping my batch

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MasterShake

MasterShake

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well..some of you may have seen my posts.

my first beer.. everything was going as planned. everything was fine.

i was bottling it. and i tried to ask as many questions on here as i could, but i knew i had missed something. Well i didnt take my blow off tube out of the fermenter and it was still in a bottle with water...which has been the same water for 3 weeks (with little dead bugs and everything...)

as i am bottling..i notice that the sides of my fermenter were getting sucked in...i knew i had to take the blow off tube out, but i accidentaly moved the bottle with water or i guess the tube got out of the water...and all the water that was into the tube dropped into my fermenter...

i made only 4 bottles from a 5 gal batch.

i dont see how I shouldn't dump my batch in this situation....
 
Finish it and see how it is. It won't kill you. It could turn out awesome and you would have wasted all that beer. Worst case, it's not good, then you can debate about dumping them.

Why are people so ready to dump a batch before they see how it turns out? It's like they WANT to. (not directed just at you, just something I've noticed).
 
ODaniel said:
Finish it and see how it is. It won't kill you. It could turn out awesome and you would have wasted all that beer. Worst case, it's not good, then you can debate about dumping them.

Why are people so ready to dump a batch before they see how it turns out? It's like they WANT to. (not directed just at you, just something I've noticed).
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because i'll be drinking 3 week old tap water with dead bugs in it?
 
So strain it and continue. No known pathogens can survive in beer right? So, worst case, it tastes bad. However, it could taste awesome. A little dirt and bugs never hurt.
 
why in the world would you leave the top of the bucket on with the blow off tube still in there as you are bottling? why wouldnt you take the top of the bucket off and remove the blow off tube? how did you get the priming sugar into the bucket? are you using carbonation tabs? just relax and take the top of the bucket off. you are using the bottling bucket as a primary?
 
jackson_d said:
why in the world would you leave the top of the bucket on with the blow off tube still in there as you are bottling? why wouldnt you take the top of the bucket off and remove the blow off tube? how did you get the priming sugar into the bucket? are you using carbonation tabs? just relax and take the top of the bucket off. you are using the bottling bucket as a primary?
Click to expand...

im using a ported better bottle so im bottling straight from it...i know i ask myself the same question...why in the world would i leave the top of the bucket with the blow off tube...

well to answer you and myself..cause im a f*n noob. everyone is always talking about O2 getting in so i didnt actually know what to do with that part...i had a hunch that would happen (simple physics right?) but thought i was overlooking something you guys know that i dont...i mean its such a small thing that nobody mentions it...but for noobs every little detail is a question.

like i said i tried to ask as many questions as i could, now i know. and if any other people will ask questions about bottling, i'll make sure to tell them about this...

there werent that many bugs in there, and i dont know if any got in...i guess i could see once i pour it into a glass 3 weeks from now.
 
Bottle it.

The acid from the hops and the alcohol from the yeast will kill just about anything in the beer that you may have seen. I'd bet lots that you just have fruit flies in that water (just like me), but they're pretty much sterile now. Filter the beer, and try it after bottle conditioning... worst case scenario is that you'll have to dump carbonated beer for taste. You'd be surprised at how much insects you eat in your lifetime....
 
MasterShake said:
im using carbonation drops. so im bottling straight from fermenter...dropping the drops in and capping...

beer was in the fermenter for 3 weeks.
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Are you fermenting in a bottling bucket with a spigot? I would recommend fermenting in another bucket or carboy, then siphoning into the bottling bucket when it's time, so you won't get a bunch of junk in your bottles.
 
jackson_d said:
why in the world would you leave the top of the bucket on with the blow off tube still in there as you are bottling? why wouldnt you take the top of the bucket off and remove the blow off tube? how did you get the priming sugar into the bucket? are you using carbonation tabs? just relax and take the top of the bucket off. you are using the bottling bucket as a primary?
Click to expand...

Newbz get overwhelmed sometimes with new terminology, concepts and make mistakes. He did his reading and read about o2 and got paranoid about opening up his fermentor. I remember when I joined HBT last September I spent hours upon hours reading new posts and also searching old posts for topics I was interested in. Even with all the reading I made mistakes on my first few batches. I didnt make big mistakes but sometimes you either forget or dont know about small things. I know my fermentors sucked in Starsan at least 10 times over the course of my brewing career (almost 20 batches deep), but I also read that such small amounts of Starsan would not do anything to 5 gallon batch of beer. After all Starsan is a no rinse solution. I also read about some people putting in vodka into airlock since that doesnt attract fruit flies. I brew inside an apartment so I have no fruit flies and being Russian I have better use for vodka ;).

I agree you are screwed. Luckily I am a CBDE (certified beer disposal engineer) that is located within a mile from you. I offer a free disposal to all my new clients. My reputation keeps me in business and I have many satisfied customers.
 
Pivzavod said:
Newbz get overwhelmed sometimes with new terminology, concepts and make mistakes. He did his reading and read about o2 and got paranoid about opening up his fermentor. I remember when I joined HBT last September I spent hours upon hours reading new posts and also searching old posts for topics I was interested in. Even with all the reading I made mistakes on my first few batches. I didnt make big mistakes but sometimes you either forget or dont know about small things. I know my fermentors sucked in Starsan at least 10 times over the course of my brewing career (almost 20 batches deep), but I also read that such small amounts of Starsan would not do anything to 5 gallon batch of beer. After all Starsan is a no rinse solution. I also read about some people putting in vodka into airlock since that doesnt attract fruit flies. I brew inside an apartment so I have no fruit flies and being Russian I have better use for vodka ;).

I agree you are screwed. Luckily I am a CBDE (certified beer disposal engineer) that is located within a mile from you. I offer a free disposal to all my new clients. My reputation keeps me in business and I have many satisfied customers.
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heh. you can come drink my bug infested beer anytime sir.
 
No problem... filter it before bottling it.

/me is not sure why people like to invent problems.
 
MasterShake said:
im using a ported better bottle so im bottling straight from it...i know i ask myself the same question...why in the world would i leave the top of the bucket with the blow off tube...

well to answer you and myself..cause im a f*n noob. everyone is always talking about O2 getting in so i didnt actually know what to do with that part...i had a hunch that would happen (simple physics right?) but thought i was overlooking something you guys know that i dont...i mean its such a small thing that nobody mentions it...but for noobs every little detail is a question.

like i said i tried to ask as many questions as i could, now i know. and if any other people will ask questions about bottling, i'll make sure to tell them about this...

there werent that many bugs in there, and i dont know if any got in...i guess i could see once i pour it into a glass 3 weeks from now.
Click to expand...

Don't dump it, and don't sweat oxygen. Most of us rack into a bottling bucket and the beer is exposed to O2 during the entire bottling process. F the naysayers, don't dump your Bug Beer!
 
Vuarra said:
No problem... filter it before bottling it.

/me is not sure why people like to invent problems.
Click to expand...

Hes a newb doing his first batch with minimal equipment and in the process of bottling and you ask him to filter it?

/mode Vuarra -v

/me slaps Vuarra around with a Brooklyn Saison
 
The fruit flys are back en force here in portland. I inevitably get one in every beer I pour lately. I'd be more worried about the water than the bugs. Bottle it. Drink it if you can. Everybody makes mistakes, you won't do it again!
 
Chester said:
The fruit flys are back en force here in portland. I inevitably get one in every beer I pour lately. I'd be more worried about the water than the bugs. Bottle it. Drink it if you can. Everybody makes mistakes, you won't do it again!
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i am also more worried about the water...

can anyone tell me the effects it can have? it was about 2-4oz that got into my fermenter. it was tap water thats been sitting around for 3 weeks.
 
Heck yeah, bottle it and drink that mother effer.

If it somehow infects in the bottles, it'll just taste like crap.

If it tastes good, congrats! Floating Bug Ale sounds like a pretty kickass name to me!

Plus, bugs float, right? So if you just left the last bit in the BB, you are fine!!

about the 4 oz of tap water in your fermenter...there's a chance it could infect your bottles....you might want to cover your bottles with a heavy blanket just in case they turn into grenades....but there's also a very good chance that you won't notice it, they won't get infected, and you'll have great beer!
 
Pivzavod said:
Hes a newb doing his first batch with minimal equipment and in the process of bottling and you ask him to filter it?

/mode Vuarra -v

/me slaps Vuarra around with a Brooklyn Saison
Click to expand...

Haven't been kicked off IRC like that in 10 years!

What I failed to mention was funnel... cheesecloth... patience. But I would drink the insects. It's in beer :)
 
I'm new to the brewing world as well and can appreciate the OP's thoughts on every little detail being a question. One comment I thought I'd make - it sounds like you are fermenting in a bottling bucket. I've read several posts where the spigot out of the bucket leaked or even broke off. I'd get a regular bucket or a carboy to ferment in and leave the spigot one for bottling only. My 2¢
 
Just make sure you label the bottles w/o bugs.... you want to drink those first!
And be sure to give a report after it carbs up! :fro:
 
I had a small ant floating around in one of the bottles of my first Mr. Beer batch. I drank it anyway and it tasted just fine, but, then again, I've eaten an entire meal composed of bugs as the main protein, by choice. So, I may not be the best person to ask, but, I say, go for it!

As for fruit flies not liking vodka, there's one in the airlock of my latest mead batch who sure seemed attracted to the stuff!
 
yes. but what about that nasty stale tap water??

im pretty sure none of you would drink 4oz of 3 week old tap water with bug floating in it, so why is it ok to drink in a beer?
 
Its okay because the acidity of the beer and the alcohol will work together to kill just about any pathogen in that water.

Maybe some lactobacillus or some such beer loving organism could be in that water but the worst it can do is sour the batch and make it taste nasty. And sometimes this process actually improves the batch and makes for some of the best, most complex beers in the world.

Seriously, there is little chance that that occurred. Just let it carb up and drink the best beer you have ever made in your life. I mean it. It will be the best beer you ever made.

(I'm giving 4:1 odds that this batch gets dumped by Mastershake before it ever has a chance to get good.)
 
dontman said:
Its okay because the acidity of the beer and the alcohol will work together to kill just about any pathogen in that water.

Maybe some lactobacillus or some such beer loving organism could be in that water but the worst it can do is sour the batch and make it taste nasty. And sometimes this process actually improves the batch and makes for some of the best, most complex beers in the world.

Seriously, there is little chance that that occurred. Just let it carb up and drink the best beer you have ever made in your life. I mean it. It will be the best beer you ever made.

(I'm giving 4:1 odds that this batch gets dumped by Mastershake before it ever has a chance to get good.)
Click to expand...

nope. i will be drinking this one way or another..i just want to make sure i wont end up in a hospital..

but, like you said and i just did my reading about pathogens and beer..i am reassured that the worst that can happen is it will taste bad and thats it.

...so if i dont have an infection or bottle bombs, i will be drinking this beer.
 
There is no way you can get sick, but it will likely spoil quickly. Once they are to the carbonation level you want, throw them in the fridge and consume quickly.
 
MasterShake said:
yes. but what about that nasty stale tap water??

im pretty sure none of you would drink 4oz of 3 week old tap water with bug floating in it, so why is it ok to drink in a beer?
Click to expand...

I'm no mathmatician, but 4oz of water would get pretty diluted in 5+ gallons of beer. That's 4oz of water into 640 oz of beer.:eek: You're good! Bottle and drink it!
 

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