Accidental secondary, or should I just get on with bottling!!!

[Moezart]

Hello everyone!
So here is a weird one for you... Well maybe not for some!
Alright! this is a 5 gallon Ginger Ipa with us 05 yeast.
Friday the 6th was day 19 in primary. I siphoned it into the bottling bucket with a solution of honey as a primer. All great so far until I got a crazy phone call and I had immediately leave the house. So, I finished the transfer put the lid tight on the bottling bucket and bolted out the door...

Now we are more than 24 hours after the fact... I am lost what do I do after this? Should I proceed with bottling as if nothing happened, or should I treat this as a secondary fermentation and allow time for the honey to ferment out? And if so, how long do you think?
Thanks

 

[IslandLizard]

It should definitely not stay in the bottling bucket. Oxidation galore, not good for any beer, especially those that float on hops!

Do you have a recent gravity reading, from before adding the honey? That could tell you how much honey has been consumed.

If it were me, I'd add another half of the amount of honey for priming and bottle the batch. Then also fill a few small soda bottles to keep an eye on the pressure.

 

[Moezart]

It should definitely not stay in the bottling bucket. Oxidation galore, not good for any beer, especially those that float on hops!

Do you have a recent gravity reading, from before adding the honey? That could tell you how much honey has been consumed.

If it were me, I'd add another half of the amount of honey for priming and bottle the batch. Then also fill a few small soda bottles to keep an eye on the pressure.

Hey! No gravity reading because I broke my hydrometer a while and I won't be able to buy one until I travel next month, (not available in Tunisia)

I will try to bottle it tomorrow as soon as I Get some free time.
Thank u

 

[IslandLizard]

Better make it a priority, that beer is not getting better sitting in that bucket with a huge headspace.

I just wonder after 48 hours how much honey could have been consumed... How clear is that beer?
How strong are your bottles?

I'm sort of thinking to reprime it with the same amount of honey, bottle, as well as a few small plastic bottles for gauge. You can always crack the caps in case they start to get over-carbonated. Or chill when just right, and drink fast.

 

[Moezart]

Better make it a priority, that beer is not getting better sitting in that bucket with a huge headspace.

I just wonder after 48 hours how much honey could have been consumed... How clear is that beer?
How strong are your bottles?

I'm sort of thinking to reprime it with the same amount of honey, bottle, as well as a few small plastic bottles for gauge. You can always crack the caps in case they start to get over-carbonated. Or chill when just right, and drink fast.

Trying to think here. If that honey is going to ferment won't it fight off that oxygen stuck in the head space and minimize oxidation? Might just be wishful thinking!

 

[IslandLizard]

There's a lot of oxygen relative to yeast and fermentables.

 

[Moezart]

There's a lot of oxygen relative to yeast and fermentables.

I appreciate it!

 

[Moezart]

There's a lot of oxygen relative to yeast and fermentables.

The beer is very clear. I am using recycled beer bottles.

 

[ncbrewer]

Or chill when just right, and drink fast.

My wife back sweetened some wine and put it in the fridge. It started fermenting, even cold. I'd say drinking fast enough might be impossible, or impractical.

If re-priming, be really careful both storing and handling. Wear eye protection, gloves, etc. And I've read reports of chilled beer bottles exploding while opening - I guess because of the extra strain from the opener on the neck.

 

[IslandLizard]

If re-priming...

That's the big question, how much honey has been eaten? Or as I said before, reprime with only half the honey. It will then be anywhere between somewhat carbonated (0.5x) to somewhat over (1.5x).

Anyway, the OP is on his 3rd day now...

 

[Moezart]

Hello. So I bottled it last night after 72 hours... Just wanted to give time for the honey to ferment out knowing that I am compromising the taste. Just wanted to minimize the risk of them exploding... This time I primed with 3/4 cup of dextrose.
Today I noticed a weird white foam on top the bottled beer and the same foam on of the sediment. Pictures attached

Do you guys have any idea of what that might be? I know I botched this recipe really bad. But I was really looking forward to this one... Should I let it age and see if it mellows out or should I just pour it down the drain and avoid explosion of a shitty beer?

 

[IslandLizard]

What is the status on this beer?

 

[Jayjay1976]

Looks like it's still dropping yeast and that white cap looks like kraeusen. It's normal for a minuscule amount to appear when bottle conditioning, evidenced by the small ring that must be brushed out of bottles before re-filling. My guess is that the honey is fermenting slowly along with the corn sugar. It should still taste good, just pour carefully to avoid swirling up the sediment. Oh, and watch out for bottle bombs.

 

[Moezart]

What is the status on this beer?

Hey! So I opened the first one 8 days after bottling OK carbonation... Just skunk smell, exaggerated soapy taste and a gorgeous color and head... So upsetting. 2 days after that same gorgeous color even better head... Oooofff but that skunk smell and awful soap taste... I was about to dump all the bottles but I figured I ll keep them as an experiment and see how they age and if anything changes overtime. Not that I am hoping they'll become drinkable I just want to see if aging has any effect on these off-flavors... Never again messing arou g with Temps the way that I did.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Hey! So I opened the first one 8 days after bottling OK carbonation... Just skunk smell, exaggerated soapy taste and a gorgeous color and head... So upsetting. 2 days after that same gorgeous color even better head... Oooofff but that skunk smell and awful soap taste... I was about to dump all the bottles but I figured I ll keep them as an experiment and see how they age and if anything changes overtime. Not that I am hoping they'll become drinkable I just want to see if aging has any effect on these off-flavors... Never again messing arou g with Temps the way that I did.

Sorry for your loss. Keep brewing, the sun'll come out tomorrow.

 

[Moezart]

Sorry for your loss. Keep brewing, the sun'll come out tomorrow.

Thanks jajay!!!