Major Upset this weekend brewing!

So my fourth batch of homebrew, 2d all grain, may not turn out well. It's a brown ale from a Midwest kit. Everything was going great, and I went to start the water on my wort chiller. Apparently, there was a kink in the hose (I use a garden hose to get the run off from the chiller out of the garage). That kink caused the water pressure to build up, and it blew the hose clamp off the copper chiller. So, plain tap water went all over, I'm guessing about a cup or so landed in the cooling wort. I cut it off as quick as I could, and finished the batch. The yeast seams active in the fermenter, so I am going to let it finish and bottle it. What do you think, am I screwed?
Thanks,
Eric

 

Most likely fine. Don't sweat it.

 

I'll say it: "RDWHAHB"

My hose clamps on the cold water inlet to my immersion chiller always take some noodling to get them to stop leaking. Not ideal, but prolly OK. Live and learn.

 

Relax, don't worry, most importantly have a homebrew! You are fine. I did that too!

 

If worst comes to worst, just call it a belgian brown ale.

 

Thanks, guys. I'll try to post when I drink this an let you know if it came out ok.

 

Well, cracked open the first one of these to see how it was coming along. Bad news, it was a gusher. I got about 3-4 swallows of beer out of the whole bottle. Still had what I think was yeast floating in it. I haven't opened anymore, so I don't know if that was one bad bottle, or if the whole lot is ruined. I checked the gravity before bottling, and it was on the high end of the range, but still in range. I didn't check for three days, so who knows, I may have rushed it. Is there any fix to this? THis is my fourth batch, second all grain. Sure sucks learning lessons the hard way!

 

Sounds like you bottled too early. I've never been in that situation, so I'm not positive, but you may have to dump them/drink within the next couple days to avoid bottle bombs. How did what you did drink taste?

 

I would open 2-3 more to narrow it down to either 1.poor mixing of bottling sugar or 2. fermentation was not finished.
If its #2 i would open everyone and let them gush out and recap if possible. You could have a bunch of bottle bombs on your hands! Be careful!!

 

Probably rushed it to bottle versus being infected. Chill them down in salted ice water, make sure they are nice and cold, crack the lids, and recap them...About the only thing I can think of....

 

It would be nearly impossible to go from brew day to opening a bottle carbed beer in 3 weeks.

 

How long has it been in the bottle? How long did you chill the bottle for before you opened it?

 

I'm at about 12 days in the bottle. I wasn't thinking they were ready, I just wanted to get a sneak peek at how the were coming along. I chilled that bottle in the fridge for about 30min or so. I'm going to check a few more this weekend. If I crack them open, and a good bit gushes out, is it worth recapping? I'm starting to think this batch is lost. By the way, what I was able to taste of it, it seemed to taste alright.
Thanks,
Eric

 

You already cracked one open?!? What day did you bottle this? Carbonation takes at least a couple of weeks. Usually 3, sometimes LONGER. It's been 3 weeks since you brewed, so did how long did you ferment? Confused...

 

"Cracked one open" was a figure of speech. This was a big river brown ale from Midwest. 2 weeks fermenting, two weeks in the bottle- just like the instructions say.

 

I think you bottled before fermentation was done I leave my brews in primary at least 3 to 4 weeks before I secondary if I dry hop or bottle at 4 weeks if I don't don't sweat it just in cap them all and re cap them it'll release the pressure.

 

What was your final gravity, and how long did it hold at that gravity?

 

I'd also suspect the beer wasn't carbed all the way, and you didn't have it cold enough..

On top of that, probably bottled it WAY too soon.

Attempt to chill them ultra cold, slightly crack the seal on the caps, and re cap them.

 

30 min is way to short to chill the bottle. I leave mine in the frridge at least 24 hrs before I open them.

 

The thing is tho, I just popped the top on a room temp beer and no gushing, beer is carbed fine, bubbles streaming to top in glass. Chilling only helps keep co2 in solution, and co2 will dissolve into room temp beers under pressure, it just takes longer. Gushers will gush, the OP has too much co2 dissolved into liquid, prob from not waiting until FG was reached.

 

In fact, this beer has never been been refrigerated, and no problem with carbing.

 

I was at 1.016, temp corrected to 1.015. My big mistake, is not checking it more than once. I didn't have issues with previous brews, so I guess I just got lucky the first few times. Bottom line, I am pretty positive fermentation wasn't done. The real question now, is any of this salvageable?

 

I've done this before, it was definitely drinkable, but lots of yeast left in the bottles and was a little off, I tried to rush the fermentation by keeping temps up. I drank half the batch and my friends drank the other half not knowing it was a failed attempt to rush the batch. They came back looking for more so it was definitely drinkable lol

 

The question nobody has asked is "how did the beer left in the bottle taste?" If it tasted bad, there could be an infection, if it tasted fine, then it was probably bottled too soon.

If there is an infection, it could have come from a number of places, not necessarily the cup of water from the hose.

 

I asked that question, post #7.

 

I have opened gushers placed in a big plastic bowl with a tupperware tub over the lid to catch any spray and let the gush go into the bowl, then I pour it back into the bottle and recap it, or pour the beer into a glass and drink it. Not the best of solutions, but at least I've saved some beer that way.

 

Then you are astute and I had a senior moment!