I am calm but could be a nightmare... help quick:)

So my airlock was way bubbling over and i went to take it out and in the process my airlock rubber ring stopper pulled itself into the bucket where my Jacksnap IPA is in its first day of fermenting.. I could not find the ring as i searched for a second with a sanitized spoon.. So i got two plastic rings that are for sinks.. and put one the top side of the lid and one on the bottom side.. to try to make it as airtight as possible with some tape.. makeshift as could be..
so here are my options... since my homebrew store is closed till tuesday..
1) leave it as is.. might work might not tried to make it as air tight as possible..
2) take the top off again for the 3rd time.. and search for that ring...
3) hope my beer is not screwed and wait till monday... possibly tuesday..
suggestions
Gary

Option 4?

Sanitize some aluminum foil and stick it over the opening. It'll be fine. Just make sure it's not too tight so the co2 can escape.

Option 5?

Take your racking tubing, sanitize it and stick one end in the hole and the other end in a pitcher of water. That's called a blow off tube, and works fine.

That happened to me the first time I made a 5 gallon batch, and the grommit plopped right into the hole. I stuck some duct tape around the opening, to hold the airlock up, and it worked fine.

It really doesn't matter too much, to be honest. Just as long as you don't let fruitflies crawl into it, any option that involves leaving it alone for the most part will work. Don't go fishing it out or digging in the beer.

Shoot, most of us have done that. Well, maybe not the jerry-rigging you tried with the tape and such. I hope you sanitized it. Otherwise, leave it alone and you'll be fine.

Option 1.

Your beer is fine. During fermentation, the yeast will produce CO2 that will protect it, and as long as the fermenter is closed and sealed (which you did... doesn't have to be airtight), then the beer will be just fine.

-Steve

interested in option 4 what is that all about?
yea i sanitized the rings.. i can get a replacement top on tuesday.. i wasn't to worried cause i figured the monks did it openly for hundreds of years what does it matter if mine has some air for a day or two.. i was going to super glue the top to make it super snug.. would that have been over board?

This is how I ruined my last IPA

Stopper fell in and next day mold..

Not the greatest answer i wanted to see Tiako.. but a reality.. i came too expect happens some times

Tiako said:

This is how I ruined my last IPA

Stopper fell in and next day mold..

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Bah. I think something else in your sanitizing process fell through the cracks. That's awful quick for mold to form enough to recognize it.

garyhood said:

Not the greatest answer i wanted to see Tiako.. but a reality.. i came too expect happens some times

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I've brewed over 250 batches. Never had an infection yet. I've dropped the grommet on one of my first batches, forgot to sanitize some items, used tap water, etc. Beer is pretty resilient.

As long as fruitflies and that kind of stuff can't get in there, you're all set. When I was a paramedic in the early 80s, we used something called a "flutter valve" on sucking chest wounds. Basically, it's a one way valve to let air out, but nothing else in. You can do it with foil or even plastic wrap. Sanitize it, and then tape down three sides (but not too tight) on the top of the fermenter. The co2 can escape, but no bugs can crawl in.

If it was me, I'd just go with leaving it alone and keep it the way you have it.

Sounds good that is what i figured just leaving it alone.. Should i even bother with buying a new lid with a new grommet.. to replace when i set up my dry hopping portion of the process?

garyhood said:

Sounds good that is what i figured just leaving it alone.. Should i even bother with buying a new lid with a new grommet.. to replace when i set up my dry hopping portion of the process?

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Yes, that would be a good idea. By that time, the fermentation is over and if you remove the lid to add your dryhops, you want to be more airtight.

I'd leave it alone until then, then when you take off the lid to check the hydrometer reading or to add the dryhops, simply put on the new lid. You'll find the grommet later on, when you clean out the fermenter.

all i have to say to the quick responses is... and :rockin: thank you much!! <crossing fingers> all will be well! It is in the basement so i don't think to many fruit flies will make their way down there..

I'm surprised no one told you the default option for any predicament you have:

Relax, Don't Worry, Have A HomeBrew!!

In this case, that's all you need. Once your wort has started fermenting, it's near impossible to contaminate (the yeast have multiplied and create an environment that's hard for bacteria to take hold in). That's why beer used to be thought of as the only potable drink.

If it were me, rather than buying a new lid and dry hopping in primary, I'd just pick up a 5-gallon Better Bottle instead.

ChshreCat said:

If it were me, rather than buying a new lid and dry hopping in primary, I'd just pick up a 5-gallon Better Bottle instead.

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It is just you :cross: I got a Better Bottle recently to try....don't like it as much as my glass carboys. All those debates about safety factors are moot for me. I don't like the flexibility of the plastic used: even a slight grasp on the top and I see a pressure differential with the airlock. But that's me...YMMV

davesrose said:

It is just you :cross: I got a Better Bottle recently to try....don't like it as much as my glass carboys. All those debates about safety factors are moot for me. I don't like the flexibility of the plastic used: even a slight grasp on the top and I see a pressure differential with the airlock. But that's me...YMMV

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Well, then in your case I'd recommend a glass carboy for a secondary rather than buying a new lid and dryhopping in the primary. This wasn't a glass vs plastic debate.

shecky said:

Bah. I think something else in your sanitizing process fell through the cracks. That's awful quick for mold to form enough to recognize it.

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Everything was bleached and I have never got mold before.

I got rid of that silly O-ring and drilled the hole out bigger (1") and used a #6.5 rubber bung instead and that way if things get out of control in there you can switch over to the 1" hose for blow off!

I would consider a carboy but i am going to make 2 more batches till i move overseas and then i am going to buy a carboy and better equip in New Zealand. so I will probably just hit up a new lid with a new grommet.. to suffice.. thanks again everyone for the advice I am crossing the fingers so now bad news in 7 days

SO far systems all go! <knock on wood> I added the dry hops today and it looked nice and healthy a little darker than i thought the brew would come up but it wasn't green or anything and the walls of the bucket were covered with goodness as was the smell that came from it!! :rockin: So thank you everyone for all the suggestions! I have a new lid, grommet and air lock all sanitized and sitting pretty on top of my new brew! 2 weeks of dry hopping and then its bottling time! Next brew Pale ale any suggestions?

Excellent and thanks for following up. So many people never ro.

ChshreCat said:

If it were me, rather than buying a new lid and dry hopping in primary, I'd just pick up a 5-gallon Better Bottle instead.

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Wouldn't he want to get a 6.5 gallon better bottle/carboy? 5 gallon is not large enough to use as a primary without the use of a blow-off tube, and in which case you lost a lot of brew through it. Unless of course he would be using it only as a secondary. I'm thinking of using a carboy as my primary for my next batch. Anybody have any experience with that? Would you recommend it?

DRoyLenz said:

Wouldn't he want to get a 6.5 gallon better bottle/carboy? 5 gallon is not large enough to use as a primary without the use of a blow-off tube, and in which case you lost a lot of brew through it. Unless of course he would be using it only as a secondary. I'm thinking of using a carboy as my primary for my next batch. Anybody have any experience with that? Would you recommend it?

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He already had a primary, so the BB was for secondary, so he didn't have to dry hop in primary. You want as little headspace as possible if you secondary since your beer will be putting out less CO2 at that point.

I primary in buckets and am very happy with that, though I've thought about getting a Better Bottle to primary in now and then just because I miss being able to watch the beer ferment. I'm a beer peeping tom.

garyhood said:

SO far systems all go! <knock on wood> I added the dry hops today and it looked nice and healthy a little darker than i thought the brew would come up but it wasn't green or anything and the walls of the bucket were covered with goodness as was the smell that came from it!! :rockin: So thank you everyone for all the suggestions! I have a new lid, grommet and air lock all sanitized and sitting pretty on top of my new brew! 2 weeks of dry hopping and then its bottling time! Next brew Pale ale any suggestions?

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Pale ales are just about my favorite style! I like amarillo and cascade hops especially, so that's my suggestion. What was your recipe for the IPA? I'm sure you want to do something different for the next batch.

A 5 gallon carboy works great for secondary, and for dryhopping. Since I've been kegging most of my beers, I don't often use a secondary anymore. Unless I'm adding fruit (once!) or dryhopping (often!), then I don't even use a carboy.

Sounds like your batch is going great! Congrats!

YooperBrew said:

Pale ales are just about my favorite style! I like amarillo and cascade hops especially, so that's my suggestion. What was your recipe for the IPA? I'm sure you want to do something different for the next batch.

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That's what I used in mine. It's been dry hopping and should be bottled tonight or tomorrow, but the hydrometer samples have been fantastic.

Hey guys thanks for writing back I used cascades and amarillo in my IPA. I love both of those hops.. Cascades are becoming my favorite hops I have used so far.. So much flavor and beautiful citrus coming from those guys! The recipe I used was from here.. The Jacksnap IPA here for quick findings https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/jacksnap-ipa-93048/

I would love to use some different hops but I don't mind I would just love a solid Pale Ale that is perfect for this time of year! I am going to make one more beer from recipes than before i head to New Zealand to move I am going to attempt to make my first recipe!

Let me know
cheers
Gary