I am a beginner and am new to the home brewing art. Ive read articles and books to give me some knowledge that a beginner should know. One of the things Ive read over and over is the importance to make sure everything that comes in contact with wort needs to be sterilized or else bacteria can grow and spoil the beer.
Im sad to say that this weekend was my first time brewing and I already made a rookie mistake. I was careful to sterilize all of the equipment and was in the clear until the final moment when I had to close the cover of the fermenting bucket and put in the fermenting lock. I put the cover on first and then pushed the fermenting lock into place. However, when pushing the lock in place the rubber gasket around the hole was pushed through the hole and into the buck. I was hoping I would find it floating on top, but it sunk to the very bottom. Needless to say I had to stick my arm in and fish it out of the bottom. I did clean my hand and arm before reaching in, but Im sure this is not a good idea and bacteria is now in what I was hoping to be great beer.
Has anyone else ever had to do something like this before? Am I wasting my time by letting it ferment over the next month just to find out it will be spoiled?
Im sad to say that this weekend was my first time brewing and I already made a rookie mistake. I was careful to sterilize all of the equipment and was in the clear until the final moment when I had to close the cover of the fermenting bucket and put in the fermenting lock. I put the cover on first and then pushed the fermenting lock into place. However, when pushing the lock in place the rubber gasket around the hole was pushed through the hole and into the buck. I was hoping I would find it floating on top, but it sunk to the very bottom. Needless to say I had to stick my arm in and fish it out of the bottom. I did clean my hand and arm before reaching in, but Im sure this is not a good idea and bacteria is now in what I was hoping to be great beer.
Has anyone else ever had to do something like this before? Am I wasting my time by letting it ferment over the next month just to find out it will be spoiled?