Did I just F myself?

[KCBruinsBrew]

I didn't sanitize the bottle caps, did I just screw my 1st batch ever?


Please say no.

Thanks

KCBB

 

[McKBrew]

More than likely no. The beer is fermented, so more than likely it's going to take something major to affect it. RDWHAHB.

 

[emoutal]

probably not. Relax, don't worry, (leave them alone for 3 weeks), have a homebrew

 

[fat x nub]

Your fine...do not open a single botte for three weeks. If you do, the beer gods will be pissed and ruin your homebrew

 

[Gordie]

Likewise.

You should be fine. The alcohol in the beer helps to prevent critters and the hops add a level of protection too. Most infections happen before or at the beginning of an active fermentation. Fermented beer in the bottle is pretty safe.

Don't stress. RDWHAHB.

 

[schweaty]

Yes, your beer is ruined. Send it to me and I will see that it's properly disposed of.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Only thing I can add is if it starts tasting a little off in 3 to 4 weeks, drink it all as fast as you can.
Or keep some bottles for a year and see what type of bitter beer you made, it just might be the best you have ever tasted.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

You'll be fine. If you think about the big breweries, they just dump the caps in the capping machine without do anything to them. I personally don't sanitize my caps and have never had a problem. As long as you aren't storing your caps in an old sweatsock next to the cat's littebox...

If you don't feel comfortable not sanitizing your caps, I would definitely say use StarSan or whatever sanitizer you use. I have read on cap manufacturer sites that boiling, which is what I used to do BTW, can compromise the seal.

 

[Hokie]

I haven't sanitized my caps for at least the last five batches... nooo problems at all. I stopped sanitzing my caps when I heard about most breweries not doing it either.

 

[fratermus]

I think you will be ok.

I usually let my caps sit in a no-rinse sanitizer like starsan or iodophor while I am bottling. I pluck them out of the bowl and pop them on top of the bottle.

I used to boil them but then I heard reports that this can injure the sealing surface in the cap.

 

[TexLaw]

Nope. You will not grow hair on your palms, you will not go blind, and your beer will be fine.


TL

 

[KCBruinsBrew]

As long as you aren't storing your caps in an old sweatsock next to the cat's littebox...

Oh Snap, how did you know?

KK, I feel better now. Thanks everyone for helping the noob.

 

[illnastyimpreza]

Yes, your beer is ruined. Send it to me and I will see that it's properly disposed of.

hardy har har

I didn't realize most of you DON'T even sterilize your caps. I guess this will save me some time on the next batch...

 

[Evan!]

Yes, your beer is ruined. Send it to me and I will see that it's properly disposed of.

Oh, you son of a BITCH! It's ON!:fro:

 

[mmb]

You'll be fine. If you think about the big breweries, they just dump the caps in the capping machine without do anything to them. I personally don't sanitize my caps and have never had a problem. As long as you aren't storing your caps in an old sweatsock next to the cat's littebox...

If you don't feel comfortable not sanitizing your caps, I would definitely say use StarSan or whatever sanitizer you use. I have read on cap manufacturer sites that boiling, which is what I used to do BTW, can compromise the seal.

The big boys also pasteurize their beer after it is capped, which would kill whatever is on the "dirty" caps.

I didn't realize most of you DON'T even sterilize your caps. I guess this will save me some time on the next batch...

I think most everyone does sanitize the caps one way or the other. If it wasn't a good idea, it wouldn't be recommended in all the brewing lit up to this point.

I wouldn't be too concerned with this batch but I would definitely sanitize the caps in the future, either by boiling them or using StarSan. You've went to all this trouble to make sure everything is clean for your beer up to this point, why stop now?

 

[Yooper]

I think most everyone does sanitize the caps one way or the other. If it wasn't a good idea, it wouldn't be recommended in all the brewing lit up to this point.

Yeah, I would NEVER risk a batch of beer because I was too lazy to stick my caps in a little bowl of sanitizer. It's a lot of time and money tied up in each brew, and it's one of those things that is simple to do and costs nothing. If you're opening a fresh bag of caps, they're probably fine. But I have a lot of caps in a drawer and in a box, and I'd make sure to sanitize them before using. Just like you sanitize the bottles and the bottling wand.

 

[McNasty]

I put all the caps i'm about to use in a plastic strainer and dunk it starsan for a few minutes. Then I just take them out and go to town capping beers.

 

[tranceamerica]

I think you will be ok.

I usually let my caps sit in a no-rinse sanitizer like starsan or iodophor while I am bottling. I pluck them out of the bowl and pop them on top of the bottle.

I used to boil them but then I heard reports that this can injure the sealing surface in the cap.

+1 to this. I used to boil, then realized that it was melting the rubber/plastic.

Now, they just soak in starsan until I"m ready for them.

supposedly, the bottle caps are sanitized when you get them in the little plastic baggie. Of course, my LHBS counts out his own into paper bags, so I can count on them NOT being sanitized.

Really, once your fermentation is done, it's pretty hard to ruin the beer. You can probably not even bother with sanitizing your bottles (although I don't recommend testing this!)