Should I abort?

[sleepydad]

A couple of weeks back, I brewed an ESB. I pitched the powdered yeast, rehydrated in warm water as usual, gave the fermenter a few shakes over the first hour or so and left it alone. I never got a bubble in the airlock, but noticed after two days that there was a ring in the fermenter. I left the beer in another two days then racked to the secondary to clear. At this point, I also began a dry hop. Rather than clear, a couple days later the beer began to aggressively ferment! I'm wondering, since I splashed it somewhat transferring to the secondary, if this beer is worth finishing. My plan was to bottle this batch, but I really don't want to waste two hours of my day if the beer is bad. The dry hop is floating in foam, and the beer is hazy.

Suggestions/opinions??

Thanks -
sleepydad

 

[COLObrewer]

I suggest you taste it, wait for it to clear, then CHECK THE GRAVITY to be certain it is done. I think it will probably be just fine and requires RDWHAHB.

Keep on brewing my friends.

 

[indigi]

Leave it for a couple weeks, then give it a taste before you do anything rash like dumping it. It might have just been a slow starter.

 

[Shooter]

I don't see anything here that is life threatening. Transferring it to secondary may have introduced some oxygen, if it WAS fermenting more than that probably drove it out. However, it's very likely that was CO2 coming out of solution in the secondary.

I would have waited a few weeks prior to transferring to secondary myself. Dry hopping or fruit additions would probably be the only reasons I would transfer.

 

[MikeinAK]

You racked to the secondary way too early. Hydrometer readings are the ONLY way to know how fermentation is going. You CAN NOT judge fermentation by airlock activity. There is most likely nothing wrong with the beer. I would let the beer finish fermenting and bottle after a few more weeks.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

You racked to the secondary way too early. Hydrometer readings are the ONLY way to know how fermentation is going. You CAN NOT judge fermentation by airlock activity. There is most likely nothing wrong with the beer. I would let the beer finish fermenting and bottle after a few more weeks.

bingo

 

[sleepydad]

Thanks everyone. I'll just ride 'er out then. I tasted it prior to racking to the secondary, and it tasted fine - good actually. My main concern is that I splashed it around while it was technically still fermenting so I thought I might have thrown the flavors off. I haven't tasted it since, but will try some tonight.

Thanks again to everyone!
sleepydad

 

[sleepydad]

I suggest you taste it, wait for it to clear, then CHECK THE GRAVITY to be certain it is done. I think it will probably be just fine and requires RDWHAHB.

Keep on brewing my friends.

Just curious - what's RDWHAHB?

 

[MikeinAK]

Relax
Don't
Worry
Have
A
Home
Brew

Check out The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian. Some consider it to be a "bible" of sorts for homebrewing.

 

[sleepydad]

Relax
Don't
Worry
Have
A
Home
Brew

Check out The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian. Some consider it to be a "bible" of sorts for homebrewing.

Duh, I should have known that! I have three of his books. (Thanks for the clarification, though)