How I probably ruined 5 gallons of beer...

[philosofool]

I just discovered that after turning off the heater on the fermenter in my garage, it cooled off enough to have sucked water from the blow off back into the fermenter.

 

[drainbamage]

Don't freak out just yet. Was it just tap water? Star San solution?

How much did the temperature drop?

 

[philosofool]

Well see. It was tap water and smells a little acetic now.

 

[Skep18]

How much volume was in your blow off container?

 

[kh54s10]

How long had the water been in the blow off and how much. If recent water and low volume it might be just fine. I would not give up on it.

 

[philosofool]

About 1.6 L were sucked back in.

 

[Skep18]

About 1.6 L were sucked back in.

I wouldn't dump it, especially if its only tap water and not star san. Depending on the style of beer it may taste a bit different and watered down but whatdya do?

 

[drainbamage]

I wouldn't dump it, especially if its only tap water and not star san.

Even then, Star San breaks down into a yeast nutrient. Those kind of concentrations wouldn't be enough to harm things.

 

[Skep18]

Even then, Star San breaks down into a yeast nutrient. Those kind of concentrations wouldn't be enough to harm things.

I wouldn't worry about real harm. I think I've just read around here that star san in increase concentrations can act as sort of a diarrhetic...