Airlock Blew Off Tuesday? Discovered Thursday.

[slombacker]

I know there are a lot of threads about airlocks blowing off... but they are usually discovered pretty quickly.

I brewed the northern brewer belgian tripel all grain this past sunday and pitched the wyeast trappist yeast around 8PM (no starter, straight from smack pack).

I checked it last at 4PM Monday (nearly 24 hours after pitching) and there was just about an inch of krausen. I figured I was fine (stupidly) and left the airlock.

I flew back home tonight and discovered a blown off airlock (and a big mess).

I ferment in a fridge kept at 68-70 degrees. There were 2 nats flying around in there... so its by no means sanitary.

Should I dump the batch or play it out and see how it tastes in a few weeks?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[scoundrel]

I know there are a lot of threads about airlocks blowing off... but they are usually discovered pretty quickly.

I brewed the northern brewer belgian tripel all grain this past sunday and pitched the wyeast trappist yeast around 8PM (no starter, straight from smack pack).

I checked it last at 4PM Monday (nearly 24 hours after pitching) and there was just about an inch of krausen. I figured I was fine (stupidly) and left the airlock.

I flew back home tonight and discovered a blown off airlock (and a big mess).

I ferment in a fridge kept at 68-70 degrees. There were 2 nats flying around in there... so its by no means sanitary.


Should I dump the batch or play it out and see how it tastes in a few weeks?

Thanks for any advice!

Hopefully the Krausen saved it and probably did. I'd play it out. I suspect the "nats" were fruit flies. The good news is that if they did contaminate it you'll know. Fruit flies turn beer into vinegar. Nasty undrinkable vinegar. Let it finish fermentation then taste it. If it taste's ok, it will probably be fine.