Sh*t...

I removed my blow-off tube from my primary, and as I was going to insert the airlock, the rubber stopper fell straight into the beer. I'm not too concerned about the sanitation issue. It sat in star-san for 3 days. What I really want to know is how to get this thing out of my 6.5 gal carboy

coat hanger

It happens all the time! Did you ever see the utube video of how to get a cork out of a wine bottle? It's the same principle. You simply wait until the carboy is empty, then place a plastic grocery bag in the top. Tilt the carboy by laying it on the counter, and get the stopper right up to the neck. Blow into the plastic bag until it "fills" the carboy space like a ballon. Then, pull on it, and the stopper pops right out. I'll see if I can find the utube link, to visualize it. It's easy, and no coat hanger or pliers required (although both work, too).

Yea a coat hanger sounds like your best bet.

Are you in Lexington, Kentucky?

Ok, here's what I was thinking of:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDr9B5ebuRo]YouTube - how to take cork out of wine bottle without breaking it[/ame]

The grocery bag trick works really well and takes all of 20 seconds to do without any frustration. (I speak from experience. )

not to get off topic here, but yooper, that has got to be one of the coolest things I've seen in a while, thanks for that

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'm from Lexington Ohio ODaniel.

Welcome to HBT, and don't worry. Your beer is never ruined.

That's right. Accidents just add "character".

Beer4U said:

I removed my blow-off tube from my primary, and as I was going to insert the airlock, the rubber stopper fell straight into the beer. I'm not too concerned about the sanitation issue. It sat in star-san for 3 days. What I really want to know is how to get this thing out of my 6.5 gal carboy

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The same thing has happened to me. Fortunately my beer was in the fermentor for about a week when fell in. So I just racked straight into a secondary fermentor.

I think everyone that has done more than a few batches has done this at some point. I know I have done it. I have never heard about beer turning out bad because the stopper (or gasket) fell into the fermenter.

arturo7 said:

coat hanger

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coathangers, great for getting ALOT of things out of places you don't want them.