How can i test for infection before bottling?

[dmaxdmax]

Brewed my fist batch 2.5 weeks ago and plan to bottle at or just after 3 weeks provided fermentation has stopped. I had airlock activity for about 9 days. My sanitizing procedure was really pretty good but not perfect and before I go through the bottling process I want to make certain that it's potable. How can I tell? I don't know what warm, flat, young beer is supposed to taste like.

It's a Belgian Wit beer. If I don't get to it next weekend will another week in the primary hurt anything?

Thanks

 

[Darwin18]

Brewed my fist batch 2.5 weeks ago and plan to bottle at or just after 3 weeks provided fermentation has stopped. I had airlock activity for about 9 days. My sanitizing procedure was really pretty good but not perfect and before I go through the bottling process I want to make certain that it's potable. How can I tell? I don't know what warm, flat, young beer is supposed to taste like.

It's a Belgian Wit beer. If I don't get to it next weekend will another week in the primary hurt anything?

Thanks

The odds are super low that your beer is infected so long as you practiced some basic sanitation, which it sounds like you did. Just bottle as normal and seriously relax.

 

[deepcdan99]

It may not taste great but still should be drinkable warm, flat and uncarbed. If it didnt taste like rubbing alcahol or bandaids, I'd bottle it up. Hell, I'd bottle it anyway, what do you have to lose at this point but a few oz. of priming sugar.

 

[kh54s10]

Sight, smell and taste is how to test for infection.

If it is infected you would probably see something disgusting on the beer, smell something awful or have it taste really bad.

If you don't have a reason to suspect that your beer is infected it probably isn't.

 

[dmaxdmax]

What do I have to lose? I am going to hate bottling and will be ticked if I do it for nothing. I like the chemistry and recipe-playing aspects. And the drinking bit. And the sharing (showing off) bit.

 

[Zalf]

If you don't see obvious; and I mean truly obvious; signs in sight, smell, or taste then you aren't infected. Look through some of the threads with pics of infections they are pretty nasty looking and obvious things.

 

[homebrewdad]

People worry WAY too much about the horrible infection boogeyman. Relax. If no gross tastes or sights, bottle and enjoy.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

What do I have to lose? I am going to hate bottling and will be ticked if I do it for nothing. I like the chemistry and recipe-playing aspects. And the drinking bit. And the sharing (showing off) bit.

is there anything, other than this being your first batch, that is causing you to worry about infection? as was said before, infections are quite rare, and as long as you cleaned and sanitized, not very likely at all. i'd say your chances of getting an infection in your first batch are about the same as getting mauled by a polar bear and a regular bear on the same day.
as for bottling, how do you really know you're going to hate it? you've never done it.... saying you're 'going to hate it' before even bottling a batch of beer is sort of setting yourself up for annoyance during the process. i'm not saying bottlings fun, but it's not something i'd look to develop strong feelings one way or another over. just bottle this batch up, and in three weeks the painful bottling process will be a distant memory, and well worth it when you're drinking homebrew.

 

[beergolf]

as for bottling, how do you really know you're going to hate it? you've never done it.... saying you're 'going to hate it' before even bottling a batch of beer is sort of setting yourself up for annoyance during the process.

Bottling is not as bad as most make it out to be. I actually find it very easy. Get a good system and go to it. I usually bottle while my grains are mashing. I can do a full batch before the mash is done.

 

[dmaxdmax]

I'm worried about infection because I forgot to sanitize or even rice the nylon filter that went over the primary bucket. NooB mistake to be sure.

Ok, "hate" is a strong word but assembly line style efficiency has never been my long suit. My wife asked when I was going to bottle and I told her the more appropriate question was when are *we* going to bottle.

I'll taste later today and bottle next weekend - 3 weeks + 2 days. (probably)

 

[homebrewdad]

Bottling is not as bad as most make it out to be. I actually find it very easy. Get a good system and go to it. I usually bottle while my grains are mashing. I can do a full batch before the mash is done.

+1 to this. I see so many people complaining about bottling, about how it's hard to fill bottles, about how a wing capper is annoying to use... and I wonder how these people manage other compicated processes, such as heating a burrito in the microwave or walkin while chewing bubble gum.

Bottling is not difficult. Give yourself plenty of space and take your time. It can actually be rather enjoyable, in my opinion.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

+1 to this. I see so many people complaining about bottling, about how it's hard to fill bottles, about how a wing capper is annoying to use... and I wonder how these people manage other compicated processes, such as heating a burrito in the microwave or walkin while chewing bubble gum.

Bottling is not difficult. Give yourself plenty of space and take your time. It can actually be rather enjoyable, in my opinion.

I couldn't agree more, nothing harder about bottling than any other household task. Once you have a collection of de-labeled bottles, it's a rather easy process. I wouldn't actually agree with 'enjoyable', but rewarding.
OP, you really should get yourself in the habit of rinsing and sanitizing anything and everything that comes near you wort or beer after the boil. I know that may come across as obvious, and I'm not trying to sound ******-y, it's a crucial part of the process. For now, I'd still guess you're not infected, but in the future a good santation regimen will pretty much eliminate the need to worry about infected beer.

 

[malweth]

I'm worried about infection because I forgot to sanitize or even rice the nylon filter that went over the primary bucket. NooB mistake to be sure.

Ok, "hate" is a strong word but assembly line style efficiency has never been my long suit. My wife asked when I was going to bottle and I told her the more appropriate question was when are *we* going to bottle.

I'll taste later today and bottle next weekend - 3 weeks + 2 days. (probably)

Put a lid on it next time. Open air fermenting is possible and relatively safe, but if you're worried, don't do it!

I don't mind bottling. Bottling is actually pretty fun! It's cleaning and sanitizing bottles I (and my lower back) hate. My kegging system is on its way.

 

[JonM]

Give it a smell. If it doesn't smell like the back of a garbage truck in August, it's fine. (Be aware, though, that Belgian yeasts can sometimes smell a little funky or sulfury. All perfectly normal.)

In the meantime, read this. This was very helpful to me when I was starting out and nervous about ruining my beer. It's a collection of stories about people accidentally dropping unsanitized stuff (the phone, kids' toys, slobbery dog toys, etc) into the beer and making all sorts of other mistakes but the beer turned out fine. It's heartier stuff than we think. Cheers!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/wh...where-your-beer-still-turned-out-great-96780/

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I practice basic (not anal) sanitation and have never had an infected batch. I usually bottle and brew the same weekend, so I mix up 2.5 gallons of sanitizer and pop everything that touches the wort post boil into it. If you position the bucket of sanitizer in a proinent spot, its kinda hard to miss. Oh, and lay off the beer the first batch or 2. There's lots of things going on, and until its second nature you need all your wits about you. As for bottling, its not nearly the oppressive chore that others will lead you to believe. Its kind of like meditation. I usually step through the upcoming brew day process in my mind while I bottle. If you use the revvy dishwasher trick there's minumal cleanup required.

 

[HopHeadGrady]

In my brew club I have met a couple die hards that have just used hot water for years and never had a problem... lol

 

[bacchusmj]

I think you have psyched yourself out. Bottling is easy, especially with a bottom filler. Boil sugar, cool, pour, mix, bottle, top. Stick in closet for 3 weeks. I've only done 6 batches and bottling is the easiest step (and as with every step be sure to add beer).

As for the worry over infection, you wouldn't be asking if you had one, you would know.