Break Glass In Case of Emergency

We all know (or should know) the prophylactic measures to prevent infection. Sanitize everything, don't splash, don't add water after pitching, etc. But what about after you know a mistake has made but before any sign of infection? Are there any immediate emergency steps that can be taken to lower the risk of infection if, say , you're not sure you remembered to sanitize that wine thief, you just watched a fruit fly dive into your wort, or you just discovered that you didn't fully snap down the ale pale lid several hours after you last had it open? (Asking for a friend about that pale lid priblem)

 

If the wort is boiling, you should be good. Same with snapping down the lid. Not going to cause a problem.

 

I don't think so. If you made a mistake you have to ride it out. But as stated above, you should be okay. I have seen some pretty nasty fruit fly infections though. I haven't made a GREAT batch of beer in a while...I have okay/drinkable beer, but I know it's got some bacteria... Today is a new start for me. I threw away all of my plastic fermenters, siphons and keg lines. Bought all new just to be safe.

If you think you have an infected batch, replace your plastic. It's been hell for me and I have wasted a lot of money on batches and been nothing but disappointed. Plastic is cheap. Hopefully this batch I am brewing as we speak is infection free.

 

I guess I should have been more specific in my "hypo". What if said emergencies arose, say 7-10 days into your primary?

 

You might be okay considering there would already be alcohol. Did all of said emergencies occur for you? haha. Only thing to do is ride it out.

 

There is really no need to seal the fermenter at all. As long as it is covered no contaminates will get in.

The worry here is not infection, but oxidation. And unless it has been weeks after fermentation ended there is really no concern about oxidation either.

RDWHAHB.

 

Not reactive, but proactive- you need strong, healthy fermentations. Oxygenation, healthy yeast pitch. If you sanitize as best you can, and pitch healthy yeast into oxygenated wort, that's all proactive stuff to avoid infection.

But even then, things happen...

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. So the consensus is, there is no "Z-pack", Day-After Pill, or magic pixie dust in the event of a misstep. Follow best practices to create favorable conditions that minimize risk of infection, and if you stub your toe along the way, have faith in your system and pray to the beer gods.

 

RDWHAHB!

My last batch I bumped the lid on the fermenter and got it into the stream of wort coming from the boil kettle. Now the top of that id had several fruit flies doing their thing on it and they ended in the fermenting bucket. I fished them out. Added my starter like normal and the beer is fine! A few bugs get into EVERY batch of beer we make. The key is having enough yeast to overcome the nasties and not let them colonize. Might I have a problem in a couple months? Sure but this will be drank and gone in 3 weeks so no worries! This is my "house ale" that is my go to everyday beer so it never sits around long.

Reason the lid got bumped is I set it on the bucket to mostly cover it while I fill them to try and keep out the bugs. I brew in the garage with the door cracked open so I always have a batch of critters flying around me while brewing.