Storm messed up my brewday; what are the consequences?

With about 15 minutes left in the boil of my 2-row/ Sorachi Ace SMaSH yesterday it started raining. I couldn't find an umbrella handy so I just let the rain hit the boil kettle. I didn't think that was too big of a deal until it started storming with about 5 minutes left. It was raining so hard it stopped the boil so I decided just to bring the brew inside to chill. When I was bringing in my keggle to where I chill the power went out so I was chilling in the dark and forgot to put in my flame out hops. I remembered when the wort was at about 120F and dumped them in. Immediately after dumping them in I realized I should have just saved them for dry hopping but it was too late. Add to that me dropping my flashlight into the wort and the siphon trouble in which I only collected about 4.75 gallons instead of 5.25ish and it was a pretty horrible brew day.

My questions are as follows: Will the rainwater affect anything? (I live in a Chicago suburb and I'm sure the rain is not that clean) Also will the flame out hops that I put in there at 120F until I racked which was about 20 min. later do anything or was it a waste of 3/4 oz. of hops?

Thanks ahead of time for the answers.

The amount of rainwater that made it into the kettle won't do anything and the hops, while not a total waste won't add much because of the temperature. Any aroma they might add will mostly dissipate by the time primary and bottling/kegging is done. You'll definitely want to dry hop I think.

On the bright side, it will probably be the greatest beer you've ever made - and you'll never be able to duplicate it.

I think I'd be more concerned with dropping the flashlight in the wort. What temp was the wort at when that happened?? Assuming it was pretty low, since the power went out while the brew was already off the boil and I doubt you sanitized the flashlight before it dropped in. I think that would be your biggest problem.

One of my most-used brewing tools:
Black Diamond Cosmo Headlamp from Backcountry.com
Whether it's checking on fermentation in a poorly-lit basement or late-night boils outside, this thing is a godsend. Plus it's great for snail-hunting in my garden.

seigex said:

I think I'd be more concerned with dropping the flashlight in the wort. What temp was the wort at when that happened?? Assuming it was pretty low, since the power went out while the brew was already off the boil and I doubt you sanitized the flashlight before it dropped in. I think that would be your biggest problem.

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I wouldn't worry about ANYTHING....we've all done much worst...like dipped BODY PARTS in our beers....and still it manages to survive.

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

as long as you got a decent original gravity, the beer will be fine. to be safe, i would put this batch into your keg. and avoid oxygen exposure during racking. relax, don't worry, and have a homebrew. (and get an exra umbrella for your kettle!)

It's rained on me the last two times I brewed. Granted I haven't ever lost the boil, but it's poured before. In fact the keg of the amber ale we dubbed "rainmaker amber" was just cashed, and it was great!

It will likely be the best beer you ever tasted.

IF the wort was over 140 during the flashlight part of the episode, you should be fine.


A bad day of brewing is better than a good day at work.

Best of luck. My beer is cooling right now..... 150 f and dropping.

David