Airlock missing the lock & evaporation

Hi,

After I thought I was finally past extra stupid mistakes, I came home from vacation to find I failed to put some vodka in my air-lock. I'm dry hopping a 5.5 gallon batch of Biermuncher's tits up IPA, and just returned to find that I didn't put any vodka in the air lock. The beer was 1 mo old, and fully fermented. The house was closed up, and probably ran in the upper 70's to low 80's while were were out of the country. I started with 5.5 gallons, and now there is 4.75.

Beer "tasted" ok. When comparing previous taste notes, it seems less bitter, less grapefruity (smell and taste). Nice hops, but a more mellowed complex taste. Definitely less in the nose (did it all evaporate away) or is it maturing nicely.

It's in the fridge crashing now.

What are the long term effects of this mistake?

The beer was one month old? Does that mean you were gone for a month or it was one month old before you left? I've had an airlock full of vodka evaporate over the course of several weeks.

Also, are you sure the vodka wasn't sucked back into the beer? Was the temp consistent while you were away?

Just some thoughts, I'm sure the beer will be absolutely fine.

Some of the better flavors won't be present in young flat beer. Last Ipa i did was rather unsatisfying flat and warm. A month after kegging it was great. Your probably fine.

Even wo an airlock there should be a layer of co2 on the beer so no worries. It's gonna be good.

Shooter said:

The beer was one month old? Does that mean you were gone for a month or it was one month old before you left? I've had an airlock full of vodka evaporate over the course of several weeks.

Also, are you sure the vodka wasn't sucked back into the beer? Was the temp consistent while you were away?

Just some thoughts, I'm sure the beer will be absolutely fine.

Click to expand...

Beer was one month old at dry-hopping, and 6 weeks old this week-end. I remember "not" putting vodka in the airlock (if that makes sense). Temps were probably not consistent while I was gone, and would have fluctuated with the areas temperature swings, 70-83ish.

Since it was such a strong character IPA, I'm hopping I just lost some of the character and still have a nice tasting beer. Those hops were expensive, so I'm kicking my self in the assets for being so absent minded.

cvstrat said:

Some of the better flavors won't be present in young flat beer. Last Ipa i did was rather unsatisfying flat and warm. A month after kegging it was great. Your probably fine.

Even wo an airlock there should be a layer of co2 on the beer so no worries. It's gonna be good.

Click to expand...

I agree - but from my memory and tasting notes, it was really grapefruit taste and smell forward before. Much more subdued now. Also before I got the IPA aroma in the nose when popping the lid, not so tonight. As I said to the previous poster, I suspect I just lost some character with a beer that should have been exuding hop character.

Really... you should be okay... condition it as you would any other one month old beer.