Airlock on Fermenter

[MPLSBrew33]

My Brother and I are in the process of making our first beer (an Irish Stout) and we forgot one critical thing when we put it in the first fermenter 5 days ago.. an airlock. I don't know how both of us missed this step but we did. We have the lid on the bucket but the small hole in the top of the lid is open. I am assuming this is a serious mistake and our beer is probably something that needs to be tossed...but any suggestions/words of advice on what to do or a way to save it would be much appreciated!! Thanks!!

-The Rookie

 

[BoxofRain]

Put an airlock on and hope for the best.

 

[BAOKBrewer]

More than likely everything is okay if your bucket is being kept in a clean area that doesn't have a lot of particulate matter in the air.

If you pitched the yeast and they started working within the first 24 hours, enough CO2 is probably being released to make a cushion between the wort and the outside.

I would put the airlock in now.

 

[WAdamC]

Do not toss it! There's a good chance that the escaping co2 kept anything bad out, and it will be fine.

"The first rule around here is not to dump a batch unless it tastes like Satan's anus."
-Nurmey

 

[WAdamC]

More than likely everything is okay if your bucket is being kept in a clean area that doesn't have a lot of particulate matter in the air.

If you pitched the yeast and they started working within the first 24 hours, enough CO2 is probably being released to make a cushion between the wort and the outside.

I would put the airlock in now.

Looks like I need to learn to type faster.

 

[MPLSBrew33]

Sounds good! I will get one on tonight when I get home from work.. thanks for all the quick replies too!! you guys are a big help!!

 

[IceFisherChris]

I would not be surprised at all if you beer was totally fine. Do not dump it out until you have TASTED it and you just can't drink it. The biggest mistake is to assume that you screwed up. There are a lot of stories where people think they screwed up and just threw away what they had done, without even trying it.

 

[Special Hops]

It will be fine.

 

[MPLSBrew33]

Should I wait another 7 days from tonight to transfer it to the glass carboy or transfer it Sunday like originally planned?

 

[IceFisherChris]

You'll get a lot of mixed opinions on that question. Either one would work, but is it essential? Do you need your fermentation bucket? Do you want to age for 2 months or more? Why do you want to transfer the beer?
I don't do "secondary fermentation". I left my Baltic porter in my primary bucket for 2 months and it tastes great. Unless there is something I'm missing, I wouldn't waste my time doing a secondary fermentation. It wastes beer when transferring too..