Fermenting w/o yeast???

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tv187u

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I finished a 10gal Irish red ale brew day two days ago. I transferred the brew to two 5 gal buckets for primary ferm, sealed with airlocks. I put one starter into bucket (A) and went to go get my second starter for bucket (B). In the process of returning the starter was dropped. :( No big deal... I can pick up a second yeast vial the next day. I spaced and didn't get any yesterday.

I have kept wort on hand in a sealed bucket in the past (4 days was the most) due to waiting on a yeast cake to be available.

This morning I awoke to find both bucket (A) and (B) with very active airlocks. I know which one is which, thanks to lables (I've mixed up brews before :drunk: ). Should I keep the (B) bucket? Should i still go get an irish ale yeast? The buckets were both very clean and both had soaked in fresh starsan.
 
I would ride it out. If your wort was innoculated with an undesireable wild yeast, it would probably outcompete whatever you pitched by now. And who knows, maybe you are cultivating the next greatest yeast in the "un-pitched" fermenter. It's possible. Anyway, you have a great experiment going on.
 
Buckets can get microscopic abrasions on them that act as hiding places for yeast and bacteria during your sanitation process. This might be a sign for you to replace your buckets. As well it is good practice when using plastic to avoid using any abrasive scrubbers (ie the green scrubby) when cleaning, stick to a soft sponge when cleaning plastic. In addition you should consider adding a hot caustic wash (PBW or Oxyclean) followed by a hot Acid rinse (Star-san) before putting your plastic fermenters away.

As for this batch, let it ferment out. See how it is. Toss the bucket it is in, and if you bottle it, be careful, read about bottling with brettanomyces, and use tubes and bottling buckets that you will not use for your other beers.

Another good test to, is to take a bit of wort, next time you brew and put it in to a sanitized glass jar, or pyrex flask, cover the opening with foil, and let it sit out.

If it takes less than a week to start fermenting, you have a sanitation problem post boil, during you cooling process. If it takes a week or longer the problem was with your fermenter.
 
Bsquared said:
Buckets can get microscopic abrasions on them that act as hiding places for yeast and bacteria during your sanitation process. This might be a sign for you to replace your buckets. As well it is good practice when using plastic to avoid using any abrasive scrubbers (ie the green scrubby) when cleaning, stick to a soft sponge when cleaning plastic. In addition you should consider adding a hot caustic wash (PBW or Oxyclean) followed by a hot Acid rinse (Star-san) before putting your plastic fermenters away.

As for this batch, let it ferment out. See how it is. Toss the bucket it is in, and if you bottle it, be careful, read about bottling with brettanomyces, and use tubes and bottling buckets that you will not use for your other beers.

Another good test to, is to take a bit of wort, next time you brew and put it in to a sanitized glass jar, or pyrex flask, cover the opening with foil, and let it sit out.

If it takes less than a week to start fermenting, you have a sanitation problem post boil, during you cooling process. If it takes a week or longer the problem was with your fermenter.
Click to expand...

I do the hot caustic wash (oxy) with yellow soft sponge and then star-san everything before put away and then star-san again before using. Prob a good idea to replace the bucket.

I had just done a yeast wash in the same area 30-60 prior. That was a strong farmhouse yeast.

We will have to let it sit and see. I'll even wash the yeast if it tastes alright.
 

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