Do you think I ruined my 2nd batch?

[31FIFTY]

Aloha and thanks for taking the time to coach a newb,

I have 2 worries. 1st is bitterness of the wort and 2nd is did I contaminate the wort as I put it in primary?

Bitterness:
The beer is an Oatmeal Stout version that the guys at my local store helped me concoct. My first batch was an English Style Brown Ale and it's great. Even the guys at the shop were impressed for a beginner extract first run. The Brown Ale tasted good at every stage.

There is very little too no scorching on the bottom of my pot. Hops were added at the right times. 3/4oz at 60, 1/2oz at 15, and 1/4oz at 5. I stirred the extract heavily as I poured it in very slowly. A couple of stray grains may have escaped the bag as I had a brain fart and had to take out about a 1/2 pound of barley after bagging it but not even a 1/4 of a hand full. And I had a metal strainer in the pot to catch any potential stray grains so that they would not scorch on the bottom.

So why the bitter wort or will this go away with fermentation?

Contamination:
I am the type to take the directions and then go overboard so as to be extra safe. I even recleaned my bucket with PBW when it probably didn't need it and ended up sanitizing it twice. I'm sure I'll get over this as I gain experience.

In this case though since I did not have my friend with me like I did my first batch, I tried to hold the strainer as I poured the wort in to primary and the wort passed over my bare hands a few times as it was being poured. I heard this was a sin...? Also, I accidently pushed the rubber stopper through so ended up havign to open the lid. Then I forgot to take a sample so I sanitized a glass cup and opened the lid AGAIN to retrieve a sample.

Do you think it is going to end up being contaminated?

Mahalo again for helping out a newb!!!

 

[Kbreitwieser]

Aloha and thanks for taking the time to coach a newb,

I have 2 worries. 1st is bitterness of the wort and 2nd is did I contaminate the wort as I put it in primary?

Bitterness:
The beer is an Oatmeal Stout version that the guys at my local store helped me concoct. My first batch was an English Style Brown Ale and it's great. Even the guys at the shop were impressed for a beginner extract first run. The Brown Ale tasted good at every stage.

There is very little too no scorching on the bottom of my pot. Hops were added at the right times. 3/4oz at 60, 1/2oz at 15, and 1/4oz at 5. I stirred the extract heavily as I poured it in very slowly. A couple of stray grains may have escaped the bag as I had a brain fart and had to take out about a 1/2 pound of barley after bagging it but not even a 1/4 of a hand full. And I had a metal strainer in the pot to catch any potential stray grains so that they would not scorch on the bottom.

So why the bitter wort or will this go away with fermentation?

Contamination:
I am the type to take the directions and then go overboard so as to be extra safe. I even recleaned my bucket with PBW when it probably didn't need it and ended up sanitizing it twice. I'm sure I'll get over this as I gain experience.

In this case though since I did not have my friend with me like I did my first batch, I tried to hold the strainer as I poured the wort in to primary and the wort passed over my bare hands a few times as it was being poured. I heard this was a sin...? Also, I accidently pushed the rubber stopper through so ended up havign to open the lid. Then I forgot to take a sample so I sanitized a glass cup and opened the lid AGAIN to retrieve a sample.

Do you think it is going to end up being contaminated?

Mahalo again for helping out a newb!!!

We're your hands sanitized before u poured wort on them?

 

[31FIFTY]

We're your hands sanitized before u poured wort on them?

Yes I mean I had just poured out the StarSan mixture from the primary fermenter and made sure to pour that over my hands. Then the only thing my hands touched were the handles of the pot and the lid of the bucket...?

Please tell me I 'should' be ok. Haha.

 

[two_one_seven]

1) I wouldn't worry about the bitterness. What kind of hops did you use?

2) Maybe but the yeast will most likely out race the bacteria. You shouldn't touch the wort after it has been boiled. You will have beer soon and it will be fine. What type of yeast are you using?

 

[scoundrel]

First off, I think you will be just fine from the contamination stand point but I am curious of what yeast you used and how much?

 

[31FIFTY]

Wyeast 1318 London Ale III

Hops were Fuggle and Hersbruker.

Thanks again for the feedback. I also did some things that deviated from their standard recipe like some honey malt and I boiled a half of a Banana for the last 5 minutes. When I cook I am always deviating from recipes and normally it works. Hopefully this turns out ok.

 

[BlainD]

No. Your way cool.

1) alot of the bitterness will mellow out during fermentation and conditioning.

2) Probably won't have a problem with infection. It is possible but unlikely. Revy started a post where guys told stories about the messed up stuff they had done and still had great beers. Stuff like forgetting to sanitize the fermenter and such. Your risk is higher yes but still pretty slight.

 

[31FIFTY]

No. Your way cool.

1) alot of the bitterness will mellow out during fermentation and conditioning.

2) Probably won't have a problem with infection. It is possible but unlikely. Revy started a post where guys told stories about the messed up stuff they had done and still had great beers. Stuff like forgetting to sanitize the fermenter and such. Your risk is higher yes but still pretty slight.

Thank you! I was looking for this answer

Revy? I am new to brewing and the forum but what is Revy or who is Revy? I'd love to read more about these batches.

 

[BrewerBear]

I've busted my head open and bled into a saison and it turned out great.

 

[BlainD]

Thank you! I was looking for this answer

Revy? I am new to brewing and the forum but what is Revy or who is Revy? I'd love to read more about these batches.

Oh he's a guy that posts on here that's a touch crazy in the better way you could be a touch crazy. I knows a hell of a lot about home brewing. Has put some really good guides on this forum about bottle and other such things. Just search his name.

 

[BlainD]

I've busted my head open and bled into a saison and it turned out great.

That's why I don't drink while I brew.

 

[BrewerBear]

That's why I don't drink while I brew.

Actually was taking it upstair and didn't take the time to go upstairs and turn a light on, so was in the dark and miscounted steps.

 

[31FIFTY]

I woke up this morning and hear constant bubbling from the closet. So at least that's a good sign that I did some other things right.

I'll search Revy. Anyone every trying making aa Strawberry Ale like Samuel Smith's? I might try to make that next with my wife.

 

[LimerickBrewCo]

I think you should be fine. The truth is bacteria is everywhere all the time, even when you sanitize. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[BlainD]

Actually was taking it upstair and didn't take the time to go upstairs and turn a light on, so was in the dark and miscounted steps.

NICE!

I think you should be fine. The truth is bacteria is everywhere all the time, even when you sanitize. I wouldn't worry about it.

A lot of people don't understand the difference between Cleaning, Sanitizing and Sterilizing. Cleaning is the removal of visible dirt. Sanitizing brings micro-organisms to acceptable levels, but they are still present. Sterilizing kills just about every thing.

 

[lou2row]

You spoke of whole grains escaping and catching them to prevent them scorching. Detail what all you did with the whole grains (when you used them, how long, in what, and what happened with the loose ones).

Also, a suggestion: run with the recipe you have until you get a few brew days under your belt. Once you are confident with your procedure and have read more on rogue ingredients, you will be more ready to try things and process of eliminate when things go wrong. The first few times you made mac and cheese, you probably followed the box. Do a search for "is my batch ruined" threads and see if you find a common element, you will see what I mean.

 

[azbrew]

Why did you throw a half a banana into the boil? For flavor? I never heard of this before.