I think I contaminated my beer. Any hope?

[pdog44450]

This isn't a first batch brewer asking if he cleaned his equipment enough, but I do have a problem. I set my fermentor in an ice bath in attempt to chill it to pitch the yeast. I had put tap water, bagged ice cubes, as well as snow from outside in a dirty sink. I then cooled my wart to the proper temp and I picked up my slippery fermentor and UNBELIEVABLY it fell and poured some wort out as well as took in some of the water that was in the sink. I pitched the yeast like normal. I'm devestated I potentially ruined the batch as I see no good ending to this. Just so I don't get my hopes up, is there any possible way it didn't get contaminated? My fermentor actually had less liquid than was in it when I gave it the bath so I don't think it took too much of the water in. I know for a fact it did because I sloshed it around and heard a couple ice cubes inside. Should I move on or is there anything I can do to save it now?

 

[douglasbarbin]

Only one way to find out...

 

[ruger988]

If you really thought you took on water you could've just thrown it back in the kettle and boiled for 10 minutes or so and then re cooled and pitched yeast. Too late at this point though. Hopefully you'll be fine, only one way to find out.

 

[pdog44450]

If you really thought you took on water you could've just thrown it back in the kettle and boiled for 10 minutes or so and then re cooled and pitched yeast. Too late at this point though. Hopefully you'll be fine, only one way to find out.

Wow I really wish I would have thought of that at the time. How long will it take to know if it's good or down the drain worthy?

 

[Grossy]

Wow I really wish I would have thought of that at the time. How long will it take to know if it's good or down the drain worthy?

About 5 seconds after you take your first sip.

 

[Hello]

Or when you take a sample and its growing stuff.

 

[pdog44450]

Or when you take a sample and its growing stuff.

Hah sounds like a good indicator to me! Would that be a week into fermenting? more? A few days?

 

[soccerdad]

Was it yellow snow?

 

[Hello]

Hah sounds like a good indicator to me! Would that be a week into fermenting? more? A few days?

Hard to say. The yeast will work, give it a good 7-10 days and the. Take your sample. If it's growing stuff, you'll know.

 

[pdog44450]

Was it yellow snow?

No, at least I did myself the favor of using some clean snow

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I'm devestated I potentially ruined the batch as I see no good ending to this.

RDWHAHB

Worst case scenario is that you just made the most awesome thing that will ever slip your lips and you can never, ever, never replicate it.

 

[TheMilkMan]

RDWHAHB

Worst case scenario is that you just made the most awesome thing that will ever slip your lips and you can never, ever, never replicate it.

I agree with this dude. Your beer will probably be ok. If not, just try again and chalk it up to trial and error just like any hobby. Relax homie.

 

[pdog44450]

I agree with this dude. Your beer will probably be ok. If not, just try again and chalk it up to trial and error just like any hobby. Relax homie.

I'm relaxed man, it would just suck if I put forth the effort, time, and money just for it to be ruined

 

[pdog44450]

Hard to say. The yeast will work, give it a good 7-10 days and the. Take your sample. If it's growing stuff, you'll know.

Ok, thanks for the advice. I'll just take a peek everyday and if I see anything out of the ordinary I haven't seen before I'll cut my losses and carry on with a new batch. About all I can do at this point I suppose

 

[ruger988]

I'm relaxed man, it would just suck if I put forth the effort, time, and money just for it to be ruined

Yep. Nothing you can do at this point though. Pretend nothing happened and wait it out.. It'll be fine or it won't, out of your control at this point, its in the yeasties' hands.

 

[pdog44450]

Yep. Nothing you can do at this point though. Pretend nothing happened and wait it out.. It'll be fine or it won't, out of your control at this point, its in the yeasties' hands.

Exactly. I'm no biologist but the cold water could have possibly killed some or most of the bacteria in the sink water that the fermentor took in, best case scenario. Hopefully...

 

[BigDog007]

You could just name it "Sinkwater Pale Ale" and call it good. Like everyone else said could be fine, could be bad but either way I know I wouldn't be dumping it anytime soon without giving it a shot.

 

[pdog44450]

You could just name it "Sinkwater Pale Ale" and call it good. Like everyone else said could be fine, could be bad but either way I know I wouldn't be dumping it anytime soon without giving it a shot.

Trust me, if this turns out alright nobody who drinks it but me will know about the sinkwater hahahaha

 

[Hello]

Ok, thanks for the advice. I'll just take a peek everyday and if I see anything out of the ordinary I haven't seen before I'll cut my losses and carry on with a new batch. About all I can do at this point I suppose

If you can peak without actually opening your vessel, then ok. If you have to open your vessel then go back on your experience and leave the beer be for a bit. Opening it and closing it lets in oxygen. You don't want that.

 

[IslandLizard]

Just a thought, if you have another yeast pack, reboil the beer NOW, chill and repitch. You may want to add a little more (aroma) hops at 5' or at flameout to compensate for the 2nd boil.

I'd say it's 50/50. How "dirty" was that sink or water? Like a utility/mop sink?

 

[pdog44450]

Just a thought, if you have another yeast pack, reboil the beer NOW, chill and repitch. You may want to add a little more (aroma) hops at 5' or at flameout to compensate for the 2nd boil.

I'd say it's 50/50. How "dirty" was that sink or water? Like a utility/mop sink?

Unfortunately I have no more brewer's yeast so I can't repitch. As for the water, the water itself was not dirty but the sink was not clean. There was also some like small sticks in there because I had set my bag of ice outside in the snow. The only thing I'm worried about is what was in the snow as well as the stuff in the sink. Like I said in another post, the ice water was sitting in the sink for probably 10 minutes so I hope some of the bacteria was killed off from it being so cold.

 

[pdog44450]

If you can peak without actually opening your vessel, then ok. If you have to open your vessel then go back on your experience and leave the beer be for a bit. Opening it and closing it lets in oxygen. You don't want that.

I have an amber keg and a bright flashlight I use to see what's going on without opening it.

 

[Jim311]

"Old Toothpaste Ale"



With any luck the yeast will out-compete the bad bacteria. Only time will tell. Re-boil next time, and acquire another yeast packet if necessary.