Possible contamination?

After pasteurizing 5 gals of apple juice I dissolved 5 campden tablets in boiling water and added them to the must and transferred to carboy. Next day I was getting ready to pitch and I spilled water out of the airlock and into the carboy. Should I be worried about contamination?

I wouldn't worry about it. It will probably be OK.

Did you use sanitized water in the airlock?

Haputanlas said:

I wouldn't worry about it. It will probably be OK.

Did you use sanitized water in the airlock?

Click to expand...

No

I usually use brandy-but got lazy. Serves me right...:-/

With that said is there anything I can/should do?

Thanks for the help!

As long as you didn't see any nasties in the water, I think you'll be OK. I've had stupid things happen like that and have never had to worry about it.

The only time I've really had any problems with infections was when I stupidly introduced something I shouldn't have.

So don't worry.

You'll be fine. You don't even need to pasteurise the juice (heating the juice has a chance to set the pectins in the juice which will make it cloudy). All you need to do is sulfite with the campden tablets if using fresh-pressed juice, and if you're using supermarket juice then all you have to do is add yeast after pouring into the carboy.

don't sweat it. as oldmate says, ciders (yours apparently excepted) don't usually start out with sterile juice. yeast takes over quickly and does a pretty good job of suppressing other organisms. i think it is more important to be very clean and meticulous to avoid contamination and oxygenation after fermentation and during aging; i'm not that bothered before and during fermentation and often top off with untreated tap water. it will be fine

^ same as these guys. But use vodka or sterilized water next time - just to be safe. I find if you sterilize your airlock in a bowl of water along with your other bits and bobs on brew day, it's not difficult at all to use sterilized water because it's already in there!

Thanks for the help-pitched today, so far so good