Exploding Fermenter - Is Beer Salvageable?

Greetings Everyone!

I'm on my second ever batch, the Russian Imperial Stout from the Brewer's Best Kit. After about 2 days and a few hours of fermentation in the primary, I received an email from my roommate saying "I think your beer exploded"

Sure enough when I got home from work I found that the plastic lid of the primary had shot across the room (I assume the air lock got clogged, since I have read that stouts have a pretty violent fermentation). I made up a quick batch of sanitizer and sanitized the airlock, bottom of the lid, and the rim of the fermenter, and reattached the lid.

After a few more days, I transferred to a secondary. It looked and smelled alright (at least, it looked and smelled like I would expect it to). Basically, what are the chances that the beer will still turn out alright if I just go ahead and bottle it? Is it nearly guaranteed to be contaminated? Is there anything I should be considering that I'm not?

Thanks!

No, you should send it to me for proper disposal.


You'll be fine, as long as active fermentation was taking place not much bad can happed with an open fermenter.

It is most likely fine. You didn't TASTE it when you racked?!

Welcome to HBT!

There is very little chance that your beer is contaminated. During fermentation, particularly violent fermentation, CO2 is pushing out so hard nothing can get in. If you used proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures making the beer, it should be fine.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I feel a bit more confident about everything now. This entire second batch has been a disaster from the get go...

First, after chilling the wort, I noticed that my hydrometer had broken (read. shattered), so no OG reading. (The homebrew store was closed that day so I couldn't get a new one)

Then, I dropped the rubber grommet in the fermenter...

Then the lid blew off the ferementer

Hopefully I get all this stuff out of the way all at once, and it will be smooth sailing from here on out...

And this is all after the first batch I did went perfect and seamless

Again, thanks!

Pics or it didn't happen.

I think it will be one of your best brews yet! RDWHAHB!

Same thing happened to my strong ale and it turned out fine, I just lost precious beer

mayanpilot said:

Thanks for the replies everyone! I feel a bit more confident about everything now. This entire second batch has been a disaster from the get go...

First, after chilling the wort, I noticed that my hydrometer had broken (read. shattered), so no OG reading. (The homebrew store was closed that day so I couldn't get a new one)

Then, I dropped the rubber grommet in the fermenter...

Then the lid blew off the ferementer

Hopefully I get all this stuff out of the way all at once, and it will be smooth sailing from here on out...

And this is all after the first batch I did went perfect and seamless

Again, thanks!

Click to expand...

You should add this one to the previous post from Rev when he was asking about the brews that went wrong and still turned out ok. Seems like Murphey's Law was working against you.

To anyone concerned/interested...

I bottled the fail ale stout tonight. It smelled really good, and the bit i tasted was just fine (not overly sour, or bitter... just like a flat, room temperature stout).

I guess I'll let you know in a few weeks!

To anyone who posted in this, just want to let you know that the beer turned out just fine...

In fact, it's fantastic! I'm quite pleased. It's a very smooth stout with a clean finish.

RDWHAHB attacks again and wins! Congrats on the tasty beer.

MoRoToRiUm said:

I think it will be one of your best brews yet! RDWHAHB!

Click to expand...

Heh, it's his second batch. So, worst case scenario, it will be the second best batch he's ever made.

congrats, beer is more resilient than we think sometimes.

"fail ale". LOL, I like it!

I find it a bit reassuring when something goes just alittle wrong..... when everything goes right and smooth I get scared......

I also like to tell myself that if nothing goes wrong you didnt learn a damned thing....

Its stories like these that just warm the cockles of my heart.

does this mean he joins the flying fermentor club

or the honey I stained the roof group ?