First IPA... Need advice!

[THESULLI]

Hey guys. It has been like a year and a half since my last post. I have not done another batch since then. Mainly do to a job change and not really having any free time at all. I recently had a chance to make a new batch last week so that is exactly what I did!

I tried dry hopping for the very first time and was told that I can put the hops in a bag and drop them in the fermenter after I pitch the yeast. So I gave that a shot. The hops I used were full leaf hops so they just floated there on the top which means the Krausen rose above it and then settled back down onto it... So all of the yeast on it started to rot and smells like death. So I went in and grabbed the bag to throw it out but a huge chunk of the rotting yeast fell back into the fermenter!

So my question is this. I know you can't get sick from homebrew but I don't think that takes 4 or 5 day old rotting yeast into account. Bacteria wise I know I am fine because the alcohol in the beer effectively sterilizes everything. My concern is the toxins that the bacteria create as they are rotting which is now in my beer. Examples of this would be botulism. I may be freaking out over nothing. And yes I am a total germaphobe in case you were wondering haha!

Do you guys think it will be safe to drink knowing that an entire handful of decaying and rotting yeast is in there now?

Regardless of whether or not it is safe, I learned a lot during this batch that I will correct in future batches. Thanks Guys!

 

[VABeerSnob]

If you are afraid of it, dump it. Nobody in this forum will advise you to drink something that may harm you.

 

[ancientmariner52]

I agree with VABeerSnob. If it smells good, taste it. If it tastes good, drink it. Sounds like your batch has seriously failed the first test.

 

[THESULLI]

I guess I will give it a couple of days. If it starts to smell better, I will give it a taste. I would hate to have my first 2 batches both be terrible... My first one just tasted like brown water. It was supposed to be a stout. Haha!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I'd let it ride... Yeast are pretty durable organisims, afterall, they can inhabit just about anything including us. The bad smell may have been stress. The next time you dry hop, you might put a sanitized glass shot glass will in the bag to sink it. I hope it is drinkable, but as stated above if you have doubts regarding the safety there is always next time.

 

[THESULLI]

The shot glass is a good idea. I figured the bag would sink once the hops starting taking on water but I guess not. I will try that shot glass method next time.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

If you want to, you can dry hop directly. I lose just a couple of ounces since I cold crash for 24 hours before I bottle. If I have a lot of dry hops, a few flakes make it into the bottle, but after a week or so in the fridge the flakes sink down and stick in the yeast at the bottom of the bottle, so they never make it into my glass. Also the spring in my bottling wand tend to pick up most of the hop debris that would get in there, so after about two bottles the hops that collect in the spring grab any additional ones that try and make it through.

 

[parrothead64]

Next time wait until the Krausen has dropped and fermentation is close to being done before dry hopping. If you use pellets you can just toss them in without a bag, they are going to spread out anyway. Whole hops in a bag is fine, as long as you sink it as mentioned.

 

[THESULLI]

Yeah I am realizing that this could have all been avoided if I had waited to dry hops. The shot glass idea is cool to though. I will give that a try next time too.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Yeah I am realizing that this could have all been avoided if I had waited to dry hops. The shot glass idea is cool to though. I will give that a try next time too.

I use one or two large stainless steel nuts, cleaned and sanitized.