Exposure to air post-fermentation

[oujens]

Question for the board. I currently have a Kolsch sitting in my primary bucket for 4 weeks. I discovered during fermentation that the lid on my bucket no longer kept a seal so I had to open the lid and verify fermentation was proceeding as it should. At 2 weeks I checked the gravity and confirmed fermentation was complete, then put the lid back on and turned the temp down to 40 degrees for a good lagering period (note it is still in primary bucket) where it have rested now for 2 weeks. I recently came across some threads about "too much headspace" which have spooked me a bit. As it stands today, my beer has sat in the primary (6.5 gallon bucket, 5.5 gallons of beer) with exposure to air. Am I at risk for oxidation? Wondering if I should go ahead and bottle this week, let it carbonate 3 weeks, then continue to lager an additional 2-3 weeks, or should I just forget about it?

For me, this is the first time that I have done a long lagering/conditioning phase so I never worried about a secondary. Usually its 3 weeks in primary then bottle, and I normally do not worry about an FG reading on my ales until bottling since I have never experienced issues with a bad fermentation. This time around it was different since its a Kolsch and my lid wasn't air tight. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[ThunderpantsBrewing]

Your beer is perfectly fine. Yeast produce C02, which is heavier than oxygen, so even though you introduced oxygen to the fermenter, that C02 should protect your beer some.

http://www.anchorbrewing.com/blog/anchor-terminology-coolship/

Look at the headspace on these fermenters, and remember that Anchor makes some of the best beer in the world.

 

[Yooper]

Yes, aging a beer in a bucket can create some problems. Not just oxidation, but also infection due to oxygen allowing microbes to go. Active fermentation is just fine in a non-sealed bucket, but once fermentation ends the beer should be protected from oxygen and especially if the bucket is opened from time to time.

The beer should be bottled when finished and clear, or moved to a carboy for lagering.

 

[Yooper]

Look at the headspace on these fermenters, and remember that Anchor makes some of the best beer in the world.

Absolutely! But they don't leave the beer like that for 4+ weeks................

 

[ThunderpantsBrewing]

True, it was definitely the extreme example. But as usual, I'm going to pimp my favorite bucket:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=24116&catid=626

Put beer in, blanket with CO2, seal it up, place in lagering chamber.

P.S. I hate carboys

 

[jahdub]

Your beer is perfectly fine. Yeast produce C02, which is heavier than oxygen, so even though you introduced oxygen to the fermenter, that C02 should protect your beer some.

http://www.anchorbrewing.com/blog/anchor-terminology-coolship/

Look at the headspace on these fermenters, and remember that Anchor makes some of the best beer in the world.

I wonder why all the CO2 in the atmosphere doesn't sink to the surface of the earth and suffocate us.

 

[ThunderpantsBrewing]

I wonder why all the CO2 in the atmosphere doesn't sink to the surface of the earth and suffocate us.

http://colinb-sciencebuzz.blogspot.com/2010/01/if-co2-is-so-heavy-why-doesnt-it-sink.html

 

[oujens]

Thanks for the feedback! I will look into transferring to bottle or carboy this weekend.

Thanks

 

[jahdub]

http://colinb-sciencebuzz.blogspot.com/2010/01/if-co2-is-so-heavy-why-doesnt-it-sink.html

I was being facetious. The same principal applies to an open fermenter post-fermentation, right?

 

[ThunderpantsBrewing]

I was being facetious. The same principal applies to an open fermenter post-fermentation, right?

Are you trying to say I'm wrong, but are taking the longest route to do so? Bear in mind, your tone of voice isn't translated through text.

 

[jahdub]

Are you trying to say I'm wrong, but are taking the longest route to do so? Bear in mind, your tone of voice isn't translated through text.

You're right about the gases mixing. It'll mix in the top of an open carboy post-fermentation, too. Sorry if I'm coming off as a dick, I thought my intentions would be obvious / funny. Especially since I was thinking about the article you linked when I made my first post.