Forgot to put the bubbler on

[StonyRice]

Hey all, new guy here.

A buddy and I just finished our first batch of beer on Saturday afternoon at about 3pm. One thing that we forgot to do was to put the mushroom cap on the air lock. I had forgotten it in the bucket of sanitizer and realized it about midnight on Sunday. I ran and pulled it out of the bucket and put it onto the airlock.

I am going to assume that there was probably 21 hours where the airlock was not completely sealed. The bung and the airlock were in but not the mushroom cap.

It is in a closet and there is really no air movement around it whatsoever.

Will this batch be in trouble or should we be alright?

 

[kh54s10]

It is probably OK. Once fermentation started the production of co2 would keep the flow of gas coming out of the fermenter preventing any contaminates from getting in.

 

[Jim311]

Some people ferment with no lid on their fermenter at all so you're going to be fine.

 

[flars]

Don't worry. The cap is just to keep flies and other crawly stuff out of the airlock.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

I once lost my cap and put foil on it and poked holes with a tooth pick. You will be fine.

 

[kh54s10]

I wonder if the OP is talking about the inner cap of a 3 piece airlock. If so the open end is pointing straight up. I still think there is not much concern.

 

[RM-MN]

I think Sierra Nevada forgot the cap on their bubbler too. [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClXKMhcFr0[/ame]

Now stop worrying.

 

[Jim311]

That's a cool video. Krausen straight up pouring over the top!

 

[ncbrewer]

I agree it should be fine. Once in a while gnats can get in, but the chance of this happening during that short time would be really low.

 

[StonyRice]

I wonder if the OP is talking about the inner cap of a 3 piece airlock. If so the open end is pointing straight up. I still think there is not much concern.

Yup. It is the inside mushroom cap that you set on top of the tube. Not the main cap with holes in it

Thanks for your help on this everybody.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Either way, its fine.

 

[daksin]

+1 to "you're good!" Cap it up and move on with your life!