Stopper popped out

[ArcLight]

I brewed a beer I was going to age. I fermented it, cold crashed it, and racked it to an aging better bottle, and put in an undrilled stopper.
I checked on it 4 days later later and the stopper had popped out.
I sanitized it and put it back, but fermentation was complete a while ago.

Aside form the Oxidation damage, do you think it will be infected?
The risk of infection is what worries me.
I'm thinking I should just bottle it now and not age it, since it's likely that something has floated into it.

It's a Bourbon Barrel old ale.

 

[cujocon]

If there was enough fermentation still going on that it popped the top, then I wouldn't worry that something made it's way in.
I would sanitize the stopper and try it again.

 

[Darwin18]

It's probably fine. There's a layer of CO2 above the surface of the beer that should prevent ambient air from mixing in with the beer. Unless you're shaking it or actively mixing the air into the beer, I would think you would be totally fine. Put the stopper back on and let it age as you intended.

 

[grainbill]

Yeah, you don't ever want to use an un drilled stopper. I exploded a 6 gal carboy that way, Halloween 1990. 5 1/2 gallons of brown ale, under the washer, dryer and the stairs. The scary part, the largest piece of glass was about 1/2 of the neck. The rest was little shards.....

 

[flars]

Changes in air pressure or temperature will eventually loosen an undrilled stopper. Always use an air lock. Check the airlock regulary to keep it filled with sanitizer.

 

[ArcLight]

Changes in air pressure or temperature will eventually loosen an undrilled stopper. Always use an air lock. Check the airlock regulary to keep it filled with sanitizer.

I realize it was a mistake.

But do you think the beer will be infected?

 

[kh54s10]

There was probably enough of a co2 layer to keep or at least lessen the risk of oxidation. The alcohol in the beer will lessen the chance of infection.

I don't think anyone can say with confidence that you will or will not have oxidized or infected the beer.

Unfortunately you will be the first to know.

I would at least taste test frequently, or age it less than you had originally planned.

 

[flars]

There was probably enough of a co2 layer to keep or at least lessen the risk of oxidation. The alcohol in the beer will lessen the chance of infection.

I don't think anyone can say with confidence that you will or will not have oxidized or infected the beer.

Unfortunately you will be the first to know.

I would at least taste test frequently, or age it less than you had originally planned.

You can also watch the surface of the beer for the signs of a pellicle beginning to form.

 

[Gameface]

Is the beer in an area with a lot of turbulent air? If not then I'd say the chance of infection is probably low.

All this layer of CO2 stuff...I'm no expert but O2 works (diffuses) it's way pretty much everywhere over time, even in relatively well sealed environments. How much that could potentially harm your beer I don't know.

 

[flars]

Know someone with a keg set up? Perhaps they could refill the head space with CO2 for you.