new one for the 'don't ever dump your beer' crowd...

Well, maybe...

I've been out of practice in regards to brewing. I brewed my first batch in two years, this last Wednesday, a hefe... So, a little while ago, I was staring at my bucket, timing airlock burps (like an expectant mother) and being the impatient person I am, I just had to have a look at what was going on inside.

Well... along with the hops at the top, I found this...

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/3332/wthr.jpg

That is the inside of a smack pack!

So now, I have concerns.

Should I dump it? I got my nose down there a bit a gave a good sniff and all seems well.

Visually, aside from the hunk of freaking plastic in my wort, it seems okay. I have never used whole hops before so, I'm not sure if they look alright. I would assume that if it had turned sour, I would smell it.

I am also assuming that the inside of the smack pack was sterile. Interesting thing is, the next day, I picked up the outer casing of the smack pack and for the life of me, couldn't understand how they worked because I couldn't find the 'inner core'. hehehe

Anyway, any advice would be helpful.

Hehehe, I thought someone dropped a maxi pad in there! Don't sweat it. It will be just fine.

What's with all the hops in primary?

Anyway, next time just cut the corner of the yeast pack so the internal packet stays in there. No biggy though.

HOOTER said:

What's with all the hops in primary?

Click to expand...

By that, I'm assuming I should've racked into my primary? I've always used pellets in the past and just poured into my primary.

Looks like a dinner I had in Shanghai.

jiggs_casey said:

By that, I'm assuming I should've racked into my primary? I've always used pellets in the past and just poured into my primary.

Click to expand...

Some people pour through a strainer into their fermenter. I like to leave the break material and hops behind, though. I rack. Preboil an SS scrubby and a piece of string and tie that onto the end of your racking cane, then rack into your fermenter. The scrubby will block a lot of stuff and works pretty well.

Or use a bag when boiling your hops. Use a large one (or a few), then pull 'em out and squeeze 'em in the last few minutes of your boil (except for ko additions, of course). Some people use paint strainer bags for this.

Your pic link is dead for me, BTW...

I wouldnt see any reason to dump it. your chances are obviously slightly higher of contamination because of the smack pack, but if the beer looks and smells okay, why would you jump right to dumping it?
Unless you only have one fermenter and want to start another batch now or something.
I would never ever dump a batch unless it didnt even smell or taste like beer anymore.

When your beer turns out to be the best one you have ever made, then you can add your tale here;

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/wh...where-your-beer-still-turned-out-great-96780/

Until then there is no reason to prematurely dump your beer. People have left all manner of stuff in their fermenters with no porblems.