Did I ruin my first batch

[Blahma]

So I just started my first batch of beer and today was the two week mark and I got everything sanitized to move from the primary to the secondary. The siphon started out great but then I realized the hose was to short and I had to transfer the last gallon off beer through a funnel. Is this going to hurt the end product given the extra oxygen exposure?

 

[TasunkaWitko]

My guess is that it will be just fine. You might have a little extra trub on the bottom, but I would say that can be taken care of when it I time to bottle, so no worries.


The saying around here is "Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Home Brew (RDWHAHB)," but since this is your first batch, crack open something from New Belgium or Sam Adams (or perhaps Uber or Harvest Moon) instead!

 

[cannman]

IMHO I think the topic of oxygenation is REAL but blown out of proportion. HOWEVER, what you did might be one of the highest cases for actual oxygenation.

I would be more concern about the funnel. Did you sanitize it in any way before transfer?

The best data I have for you is that after the initial splash, your beer will progressively be less oxygenated.

BTW, what beginner book told you to secondary your first batch? I need to write them a nasty letter....

For what it's worth, if you survive the sanitation issue, your first batch of beer, no matter how bad it is, if drinkable, will make you feel like a million bucks... CHASE THAT HIGH! BREW ON!

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

My first brew was a disaster process wise. It came out better than my second brew where my processes began to gel, but I made other errors/mistakes. So I think if your biggest concern on your brew day is using a funnel then you are in pretty good shape.

 

[McGarnigle]

I would be more concern about the funnel. Did you sanitize it in any way before transfer?

He was transferring beer, not wort, so the alcohol gave him a decent amount of protection. Unless the funnel were outright filthy, I think he'll be okay here.

 

[Blahma]

Thanks everyone, yes I did have a a sanitized funnel. I was starting to get nervous, but I agree as long as my first batch is drinkable I will be in good shape The only reason I did the secondary was because my beer kit came with the extra carboy.

Thanks again for all the feedback. I will let you know how it turns out in a few weeks.

 

[schatzke]

Hope everything works out. BTW Rimrock Brewers Guild's next meeting is Tuesday May 17th @ 7 pm. This month we are meeting at Uberbrew. You can also find the group on Facebook. Hope to see you at a club meeting!

 

[GHBWNY]

The only reason I did the secondary was because my beer kit came with the extra carboy.

A "secondary" should be understood from the beginning of your brewing experience to indicate a "second fermentation". Arbitrarily doing a "secondary" just to do it is a mistake many of us made when starting out. We thought we HAD to do it because we had the equipment or the instructions indicated it was necessary, or because "everybody was doing it" and it was the cool thing to do. In most cases, it is not necessary to move the beer from one vessel to another UNLESS you are doing an actual second fermentation, such as adding fruit, where another fermentation is initiated.

Moving the beer to a second vessel can cause more of a liability (as per your experience) than it is worth. I used to move my beer to a second vessel after primary fermentation was complete for the sole purpose of clearing the beer. Yeah, I had super-clear beer, but it is negligible as to whether the second vessel had any more effect on it than leaving it in the first vessel would have.

I believe you will find most of the seasoned brewers on this site will, on principle alone, leave their beer in the primary ferm vessel until packaging.

 

[Blahma]

Thanks for the feedback GHBWNY. I am sure I have lots to learn and it will be awhile before I am a seasoned brewer. Glad I have resources like this forum to learn from.

 

[Dynachrome]

I might suggest adding a litle fermentable sugar to it to use up the extra entrained oxygen.

Extra unused oxygen will probably give you a cardboard flavor. I'v transferred beer like that myself.

siphoning is better.

 

[Dynachrome]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=306389

I have made rootbeer a couple times. It's my understanding that the amount of yeast and the air space are critical. To much yeast at bottling will make bottle bombs. Less yeast, and they will not explode.

The link above has a difference of opinion.

You might place your bottles in a rubbermade container till they are a few weeks old. It's easier to clean up any possible mess.

 

[GHBWNY]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=306389To much yeast at bottling will make bottle bombs. Less yeast, and they will not explode.

Actually, it is not the amount of yeast present at bottling that creates over-carbonation, but the amount of [priming] sugar you add for the yeast to feed on. This is why it is critical to use a good priming sugar calculator to determine the recommended amount to use for that particular style of beer so you don't make bottle bombs.

You see, once the yeast have consumed all of the available sugar in the wort during fermentation, they become inactive. When you add priming sugar at bottling, they become active again and consume that sugar and create CO2. But it doesn't matter whether there was an ounce or a pound of yeast in your beer, the carbonation created is proportionate to the amount of sugar (not yeast) available.

 

[ncbrewer]

Actually, it is not the amount of yeast present at bottling that creates over-carbonation, but the amount of [priming] sugar you add for the yeast to feed on.

And I would add that if you bottle before fermentation is complete, as can happen if you don't confirm that gravity is stable, there will be some fermentables left that can also cause over-carbonation.

 

[GHBWNY]

And I would add that if you bottle before fermentation is complete, as can happen if you don't confirm that gravity is stable, there will be some fermentables left that can also cause over-carbonation.

Bombs away!