Aeration of the Wort Question

[polamalu43]

I have a seven gallon bucket as a primary fermenter. When taking hydrometer readings from the wort, I have to open up the fermenter by taking off the lid because I do not have a spigot on the bottom.

When taking a reading after all of the krausen has subsided, will opening up my beer oxygenate the wort too much and cause off-flavors (i.e. wet cardboard taste) in my beer? I opened it up once to take a reading and once more to rack it. Both times were after the krausen subsided.

I also posted a question earlier about not having a proper airlock seal because of a defective grommet that had been pushed through the lid and falled into the wort. Does this mean that my wort, while it was fermenting, was also being exposed to oxygen and thus being imbued with off-flavors (i.e. wet cardboard taste)?

Thanks for your responses in advance. I brewed almost two weeks ago, and it's been bottled for almost a week. I will try my first one on Wednesday--2.5 weeks after brewing, 1.5 weeks after bottling. The beer is a weizen made from a kit.

 

[Joker]

Everything is fine RDWHAHB.

 

[Revvy]

No don't worry...we all have to open our buckets to take grav readings...If it casued off flavors that practice would have been stopped long ago...

You've joined the ranks of the grommet droppers...same with the first answer, your brew is fine...

Don't forget there is CO2 forming a cushion over your beer from oxygen...the purpose of an airlock is simply to relieve the pressure so you don't blow off the lid...if you have a seal leak...it just means it's getting out not through the airlock...but it is getting out.

Relax!

 

[ohiobrewtus]

YOU DID WHAT?!?! OMG!








No, really - your beer will be fine.

Opening the lid on your fermentation bucket for a couple of minutes to take a gravity reading will have no impact on your beer at all.

 

[HP_Lovecraft]

I would think that taking the top off for a reading is far better then using the spigot. Using the spigot would suck back some spoiled backwash, which might lead to infection.

My primary has a spigot, but I never use it. I'm tempted to plug it with something easier to sanitize.

nick