TheOriginalDBS
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
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Hi All,
Here's my question: if the airlock/rubber stopper on a carboy has been ajar for two days, but you don't taste any off flavors today, and there are 4 oz of dry hops in the beer, will cold-crashing for the next week (and then kegging) at 40*F inhibit the growth of bacteria that might have gotten in?
Backstory:
Two days ago, I dry-hopped my pale ale (5 gal, 6% ABV) with 4 oz of French Triskel (folks say the aroma is weak, so I went heavy-handed on the dry-hopping). This is now my 17th batch of beer. There was a thick cake of pellet hops on top of the beer when I put it in the kegerator, which was off, but my basement is around 60*F.
When I went downstairs today to do a taste test, I noticed that the airlock/carboy bung had been knocked ajar by the temperature probe. While the bung was covering the mouth of the carboy, it was by no means airtight. I taste tested and detected no off-flavors or aromas. There was also no weird scum on the top of the beer or anything like that.
I put the carboy back into the kegerator and set it to cold-crash for the next week at 40*F. I figure if any bacteria DID get in, then refrigerating my beer will inhibit their growth. It's important to salvage this batch because next weekend is my good friend's going away party, as he will be leaving us in Philly for work in Dallas (we'll be serving from a hand pump--I've no doubt we'll kick this thing that night). Is my theory correct? Do the principles of refrigerating food also apply to "refrgierating" (lagering) beer such that I can avoid contamination?
See attached for an image of the pale ale on Friday. As you can see, there's a thick layer of hops on top of it.
Here's my question: if the airlock/rubber stopper on a carboy has been ajar for two days, but you don't taste any off flavors today, and there are 4 oz of dry hops in the beer, will cold-crashing for the next week (and then kegging) at 40*F inhibit the growth of bacteria that might have gotten in?
Backstory:
Two days ago, I dry-hopped my pale ale (5 gal, 6% ABV) with 4 oz of French Triskel (folks say the aroma is weak, so I went heavy-handed on the dry-hopping). This is now my 17th batch of beer. There was a thick cake of pellet hops on top of the beer when I put it in the kegerator, which was off, but my basement is around 60*F.
When I went downstairs today to do a taste test, I noticed that the airlock/carboy bung had been knocked ajar by the temperature probe. While the bung was covering the mouth of the carboy, it was by no means airtight. I taste tested and detected no off-flavors or aromas. There was also no weird scum on the top of the beer or anything like that.
I put the carboy back into the kegerator and set it to cold-crash for the next week at 40*F. I figure if any bacteria DID get in, then refrigerating my beer will inhibit their growth. It's important to salvage this batch because next weekend is my good friend's going away party, as he will be leaving us in Philly for work in Dallas (we'll be serving from a hand pump--I've no doubt we'll kick this thing that night). Is my theory correct? Do the principles of refrigerating food also apply to "refrgierating" (lagering) beer such that I can avoid contamination?
See attached for an image of the pale ale on Friday. As you can see, there's a thick layer of hops on top of it.