Semi Disastrous racking to secondary.

I decided to rack into secondary today, the gravity was about right and the bubbles had come to a near stop. This was an adventure and I really hope my beer survives.

First as I was attaching the hose to get from the bucket to the carboy somehow i managed to slip and the hard plastic piece took a couple layers of skin with it. Re sanitized, covered it up and continued. Then as I am pumping it into the carboy the hose comes lose and beer continues to flow out as I scramble to stop it (this was pretty funny actually.). Then to top it off after I put the rubber stopper in the carboy and my bubbler (which I had sitting in my cleaning solution until now). As I press it in it starts leaking cleaning solution into the beer. Apparently some got stuck in the stem of the bubbler that I didn't notice.

Think my beer will survive? I was able to take a taste test and...MAN it was wonderful. More so just worried about the small amount of cleaning solution that made its way into the beer.

Anyone else ever have any fun times like this getting it from primary to secondary?

guerillaboy said:

Anyone else ever have any fun times like this getting it from primary to secondary?

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Not really. Pretty simple little process.

And your beer is fine. Pretend it never happened.

Please research all the "Secondary not required" threads on this forum. Leaving the beer in the primary allows the yeast to clean up after themselves and results in a better end product. Additionally, you avoid mishaps.

Yet more reasons to not rack to another vessel until bottling day...

Long primaries kick ASS!!! :rockin:

If by "cleaning solution", you mean starsan, you're 100% fine.

If it's an actual cleaning solution, like OxiClean, you may have a sanitation issue on your hands. Odds are you won't though, because the beer is already fermented and the alcohol protects it.

Yeah I have been reading the no secondary stuff, decided I would do this one as my last into secondary.....It officially will be my last into secondary, haha.

spilled beer is not funny in the least. SHAME SHAME.

you should be ok depending on how much got into your brewsef

Ace_Club said:

Please research all the "Secondary not required" threads on this forum. Leaving the beer in the primary allows the yeast to clean up after themselves and results in a better end product. Additionally, you avoid mishaps.

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For some styles, but not for others/all.

Ouch!! you did have quite the adventure huh.

First question is what was your cleaning solution? if it was starsan you should have nothing to worry about, bleach water may be an issue....I think the biggest question is how much solution...a few drops...probably not a deal breaker.

Second, IMHO dont secondary at all...the only time I will secondary is for somthing that requires a secondary fruit addition or maybe dryhopping in the carboy.

Cheers!

Randar said:

For some styles, but not for others/all.

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There will always be times when you want to age a brew in another vessel... A couple of styles have it as part of the process since they actually HAVE a second fermentation kick off. Otherwise, it's pretty much just a carry over from the dark ages of home brewing...

I do think that pretty much anything using ale yeast can do without racking to another vessel... The only times I'm doing it, now, is when aging, or placing the brew onto a flavor element and either need to get it off of another element that was added, or need to get it off the yeast due to the interaction of the two items not being what I want... Even when I decide to age in another vessel, I leave the brew on the yeast for 4-6 weeks first... Getting GREAT results this way.

YMMV

bgruis said:

Ouch!! you did have quite the adventure huh.

First question is what was your cleaning solution? if it was starsan you should have nothing to worry about, bleach water may be an issue....I think the biggest question is how much solution...a few drops...probably not a deal breaker.

Second, IMHO dont secondary at all...the only time I will secondary is for somthing that requires a secondary fruit addition or maybe dryhopping in the carboy.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

Yeah it was starsan, and the amount wouldve only been a few drops (going to say 8 drops give or take a couple.).

After reading the numerous thread and opinions I probably wont be using a secondary, especially after today. I am still new and just "Following directions.". Slowing learning the directions they give you...arent always right.

Well thats good news then...I routinely rack into a carboy with a teaspoon or more of starsan solution in the bottom.

about the secondary thing......just an oppinon but I think you'll find it's a pretty common practice to skip that step these days.

At the end of the day though you'll develop your own style and habits based on what your comfortable with. Either way welcome to the hobby and best of luck!