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zorton

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Fairbanks Alaska
I had a can of Coopers real ale sitting past it best buy date so I "brewed" it up one night real quick. I added about an oz of miscellanious cascade I had sitting in the fridge to dry hop. I also cooked up a 1040 starter, pitching a pack of wyeast London ale and the pack of dry yeast from the can into the starter. This made for some very happy yeasties ready to go on brew day. For the hell of it I also threw a pack of saf ale on top when I pitched the starter.

Fermintation was quick with a lag time of 1 or 2 hrs. OG was 1041.

Last night I decided to check the progress of things. The first problem was the stuck bung in the carboy. I managed through much grunting and yelling, to break the air lock into several jagged bits of plastic, spraying star San all over the room in the process. The bung, here after referred to as "that damn bung", retreated deeper into the carboy neck after seeing my looks of rage. I then proceded with much drama to drive it further into the neck chipping the edge of the carboy in the process. Finally the damn bung performed a full dive into the bottom of the carboy attempting to thwart it's fate by drinking itself to death.

I swore a few oaths to some various gods of war before deciding to deal with it after I checked the gravity of a sample. The gravity turned out to be 1.012 sadly. The sample was very clear and tasted great so far for a $20 no boil can. After ptiching so much yeast though I'm disapponted in the low attenation. There still are a few bubbles making their way up currently though.

The trouble is that damn bung. It's currenty at the bottom of the carboy staring in drunken wonder at the new bung and airlock I put in to replace it. I had plenty of star San on the surface of that damn bung before it took a dive for freedom so I don't think I'll have a infection occur. I am worked about a rubber taste getting into the beer. Should I rack into the keg at this point and prime for carbonation hopping to kick gravity down in the process? I'm at around week two of the fermntation currently. Also, how should I get that dmn bung out?
 
The trouble is that damn bung. It's currenty at the bottom of the carboy staring in drunken wonder at the new bung and airlock I put in to replace it. I had plenty of star San on the surface of that damn bung before it took a dive for freedom so I don't think I'll have a infection occur. I am worked about a rubber taste getting into the beer.

You have me trying to hold back laughter in the middle of lecture hall, dude! I had the same thing happen to me yesterday, and posted pretty much an identical thread last night. Gotta say, you make me feel better that I'm not the only idiot out there! :D:D:D
 
I have also gotten a bung stuck in my carboy. I can't even remember how I got it out but it was a PITA

Consider changing to the orange carboy caps. They go on/off much easier. Are great for hooking up a blow off. And there is no chance of them getting pushed inside the carboy.

Lastly, you chipped the glass neck? I've broken several glass carboys over the years. I've even had one shatter in my hands while washing once. I've since switched to better bottles. Plastic makes it lighter, easier to handle and way safer. You could play touch football or hacky sack with a better bottle. Not that you'd want to but you could.
 
maida7:1891358 said:
Lastly, you chipped the glass neck? I've broken several glass carboys over the years. I've even had one shatter in my hands while washing once. I've since switched to better bottles. Plastic makes it lighter, easier to handle and way safer. You could play touch football or hacky sack with a better bottle. Not that you'd want to but you could.

The chip was from liberal application of force by the pliers against the rim of the carboy trying to remove "that damn bung". I don't think it's hurt anything beyond the cosmetic blemish though.

I'll check out the orange covers instead, thanks for the tip.
 
I recently made a Sam Adams Boston Lager clone and did the same thing. I left the stopper in the primary for a week before i racked it to the secondary and dry hopped it. Before i pushed it into the carboy it had popped out and the carboy was wide open for who knows how long. Not only that but with the weather being freakishly warm it fermented @ 60 degrees the whole time. I though i might get an infection or it would taste funny but it is excellent. And there is definately no rubber flavor to it.
 
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