Carboy Drank Starsan

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mulleram

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I'm wondering how bad this could be. I had a blowoff tube attached to my carboy going into a bucket with about 2 gallons of starsan. Somehow my carboy decided to suck up most of the starsan in the bucket. I know my fermentation is done since its been a few weeks.

The wort (or beer at this point) has since separated out into two distinct layers. A lighter one on top and a much larger darker layer on bottom.

Is this going to be a big problem?
 
Almost 2 gallons of Starsan is certainly going to have a negative effect on the beer and probably now a dumper.

With any kind of luck the light layer on top is the starsan and you might be able to siphon it off.

I suggest that you put a small plastic cup with maybe an inch (about 1 cup worth) of Starsan in it and put that in a larger container in case it overflows. Also keep it as low or lower than the bottom of your carboy so it is less likely to reverse siphon.
 
Fill a glass about one quarter of the way with starsan then top it off with your favorite brew. Have a drink & see what it tastes like... Sound disgusting? That's about what you have assuming it was a 5 gallon batch.

I'd definitely dump that batch!
 
I'm at a loss as to where it went. If you have 5.5gal in a 6.5gal carboy, did it fill the carboy all the way up? I have never been a "dump it out" kind of guy, but 17% starsan in that carboy? Might make me want a mulligan.
 
John Herskovits from Five Star Chemicals was just on the Beersmith podcast. Very much worth the listen. He said that the yeasties will turn Starsan into food. Although, in your case, you're at the tale end of the ferm process.
 
An airlock full of San would be fine but 2 gallons would ruin your beer. I usually only put about a cup in my blow off bottle.
 
Two gallons Star San in the blowoff vessel? And most of it sucked into the fermenter? Whoa.

How long is your blowoff tube (from the carboy spout to the level of the Star San)? I can't imagine a temperature shift that would suck so much fluids from the blowoff vessel unless the tube is very short.
 
I don't understand how a carboy filled with beer and co2 could generate enough of a vacuum to pull any amount of liquid up 2' to 3' of tubing and into the beer. Even if there was a change in temperature or atmospheric pressure. Have you accounted for the volume of liquid going back into the fermentor?

Do you have kids or a pet that could have knocked over the bucket or drank the starsan. I know my dog doesn't mind the taste of starsan.

Is this a serious thread.
 
This is a completely serious thread. I had about 5 gals in the carboy at the beginning, and now have well over 6 in there now.

The tube is about 3 feet long and the bucket was set below the carboy. No idea how it could have been sucked in. I think that will remain a mystery.

I'll try siphoning off the bottom and see how that works.

At least I know there's no chance of infection now.
 
Had this happen to me for the first time a few weeks back. Same as you, there were two separate layers in the carboy. I just racked the darker layer out from under the lighter one into a secondary fermenter and tossed the rest down the drain. The sample I took tasted normal and nothing seems wrong after an additional few weeks in secondary. There's even some slow bubbling in the airlock, so it seems like the yeast has survived.

You should definitely try saving the beer as the StarSan is probably diluted enough to not kill the yeast and it seems to be largely separated from your fermenting beer. If you are bottling, you could re-pitch yeast to be on the safe side. Best of luck :)
 
If the jug with Star San was below the carboy, the laws of physics seem to indicate impossibility.

I can imagine scenarios, as have been mentioned. For example, SWMBO comes along while you are away, says "This dang jug is in my way, I'll just set it on this shelf while I vacuum..." and now the impossible has become possible.

Good luck,
 
Well my saison just got done with its active phase. Last night it was going strong at 86...this morning it was at 84. Ambient is 80. Since its started to cool down I pulled the BO hose and put in an airlock with vodka just in case.
 
Well my saison just got done with its active phase. Last night it was going strong at 86...this morning it was at 84. Ambient is 80. Since its started to cool down I pulled the BO hose and put in an airlock with vodka just in case.

86 what, degrees?!? Fermenting at 86° will definitely not make very good beer. What yeast are you using? White Labs suggests 68-75° for their saison strain.
 
86 what, degrees?!? Fermenting at 86° will definitely not make very good beer. What yeast are you using? White Labs suggests 68-75° for their saison strain.

Have you ever made a saison? Check out the belle saison thread. People have gone into the 90s with this yeast. Trust me... it was hard for me to relinquish contol of temperatures too. I can't wait to see how it turns out. The smells in the chamber are amazing. I have a chest freezer/tstat I ferment all of my beer in. I'm used to doing everything in the low 60s.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/new-danstar-belle-saison-dry-yeast-359806/
 
Have you ever made a saison? Check out the belle saison thread. People have gone into the 90s with this yeast. Trust me... it was hard me for to relinquish contol of temperatures too. I can't wait to see how it turns out. The smells in the chamber are amazing. I have a chest freezer/tstat I ferment all of my beer in. I'm used to doing everything in the low 60s.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/new-danstar-belle-saison-dry-yeast-359806/

I haven't, that would be hard to do after all the time and effort in mashing and yeast prep.
 
If the jug with Star San was below the carboy, the laws of physics seem to indicate impossibility.

I can imagine scenarios, as have been mentioned. For example, SWMBO comes along while you are away, says "This dang jug is in my way, I'll just set it on this shelf while I vacuum..." and now the impossible has become possible.

Good luck,

SWMBO's do tend to defy all logic.
 
I've had this happen. My brother too. I had a 1/2 gallon pitcher sucked bone dry back into a carboy during cold crashing.

Pitcher and 2 carboys were sitting on the floor of my chest freezer. The starsan mix left 1" light layer on top of the beer in the carboys.

After kegging, the beer was pretty terrible. I tried to leave the starsan, but apparently I was unsuccessful. It had a very distinct soapy taste. That beer (2 kegs actually) was donated to friend of mine who distills (legally).

Air volume will reduce by about 7% going from 70F to 30F. So, if there is enough head room in the carboy, the condensing air will suck the starsan back. I think that's about a quart that would be sucked back, which might be about right.
 
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