I think I messed up my first brew - what do you think?

[nickhead]

Hello everyone. My name is Nick and I am new to this forum (and home brewing in general).

Firstly, let me say that I love beer and am excited to create such a wonderful thing in my own home.

Last Friday I purchased everything I'd need to brew my first batch. Naturally, alcohol was consumed during the brewing process. This may not have been the wisest decision (hence my mistakes), but it certainly made things more interesting.

Background info: This beer was not from a kit - I had some grains and hops and all that cool stuff (it seems more challenging or involved or satisfying this way)

At least 2 clear mistakes were made during my first brew session. I'd like to know of potential repercussions...

Mistake #1: When I put the airlock thingy in the lid of the primary fermenter the O ring popped out and fell into the bottom of the bucket. I then idiotically reached into the bucket of wort to pull out the O ring. I pondered disinfecting my arm first, but the glaring negative warnings against skin contact on the packaging convinced me otherwise. Yes, I probably should have washed my arm in soap and hot water, but I didn't. It sounds like I may have contaminated my beer from what research I've done thus far. Doh.

Mistake #2: This one was dumb - but I didn't realize the omission until I watched some tutorials on YouTube. I didn't fill the airlock with water! I am at work right now, and just figured out my mistake. As soon as I go home I will fill it up with water, but do you think the damage has already been done? Doh.

What kind of problems do you think my mistakes may lead to? Should I dump this batch and try another or should I give it a chance?

I think I'm going to just roll with it and bottle it up after the secondary fermentation stage is complete (I'm getting another setup so I can do multiple batches at once - so might as well take my chances w/ the first batch).

Thanks in advance for your replies. Glad I found this forum - there's some super helpful info oozing out of these threads.

-Nick

 

[Bytor1100]

Relax, I bet it will come out just fine.

 

[DeathBrewer]

just learn from your mistakes and don't do it next time. chances are good it will turn out fine.

 

[Kai]

The only, only time you should dump a brew is if you've finished it, bottled and aged it, tried it and nearly vomited, aged it for twice that long again, tried it again and nearly vomited again. It's damn hard to ruin beer. I've managed once.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Chances are....this batch will be the best you'll ever make in your LIFE! From now on, you'll be sticking your whole arm in the carboy to try to reproduce the recipe. RDWHAHB...

 

[nickhead]

wow - thanks for the info. That is SO helpful.

 

[Loup]

I noticed when I was reading up on how to brew beer before my first batch, the emphasis on sanitizing made it almost seem like you're preparing to perform open heart surgery. The truth is, you are going to end up with unwanted bacteria in your wort no matter how hard you try. The real goal is to minimize the unwanted bacteria and to get your yeast to overpower it.

Sticking your arm in without sanitizing it wasn't the best thing to do, but there is still a good chance your beer will turn out fine. If the yeast is working hard enough, there doesn't really need to be any water in your airlock (but you should still do it to be on the safe side. The water should have sanitizer in it or you could use something like vodka instead,) there will be so much CO2 being pushed out that something else coming in is unlikely.

Let your beer finish fermenting, bottle it, try it.

 

[Revvy]

You're beer is fine....People have put body parts in their beer and it still came out...And you aren't a real homebrewer until you've put a grommet in the bucket once.

Kai's right about not dumping a beer....Here's my story.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=73254

 

[Saccharomyces]

You left out the "ship it to ______" option.

 

[Choguy03]

Your arm will probably not infect the beer, and with the byproduct CO2 made during fermentation most likely nothing will get into the beer. Just put some sanitizer or cheap vodka into the airlock and you will be just fine. Promise.

 

[nickhead]

Hey Choguy - thanks for the info. Why vodka or sanitizer instead of water in the airlock?

 

[nickhead]

Revvy - your story about not dumping beer is awesome. SO very helpful. Thanks everyone.

 

[Saccharomyces]

I like to use StarSan in the airlock because it blows cool looking bubbles.

For Apfelwein I use Vodka like EdWort does.. after fermentation you can toss down the shot, it tastes like apple vodka!

- Eric

 

[DeathBrewer]

lol, eww...apple vodka...that sounds kinda gross...

i'm gonna have to try that

 

[farmbrewernw]

Rhino fart vodka yumm

 

[nickhead]

hmm - in a intended act of kindness, my friend brought over a bottle of apple flavored vodka for our 4th of July party. Of course, we haven't opened the thing. Can I use this in my airlock or no?

I'm wondering why it needs to be a sanitizer / vodka vs. plain old water?

 

[DeathBrewer]

in case it drips down inside. you don't want dirty water in your fermenter

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

Unless you were helping to artificially inseminate cows, your arm likely wasn't dirty enough to contaminate the wort. That is assuming you are somewhat better at hygiene than my sister-in-law's husband.

 

[mawa]

Oooops, chose the wrong option! definatley don't dump it....I'm a noob and have made several mistakes while brewing (specially when I'm drunk) and all my beers have been drinkable!

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

Technically mawa, you choice is still good. You never dump it until you have waited to see what happens. Even if after bottling it doesn't taste good a wait is still in order. Time does wonders.

I've even heard of people racking from beneath the contamination to save a batch.

 

[beerthirty]

Rhino fart vodka yumm

+1 -yumm...

but go for the beer.

 

[BigKahuna]

I picked Option #2...Just to prove a point. NEVER EVER EVER Dump beer. See Kai and Revvy's posts.
I don't care if your cat fell into your brew kettle...DO NOT DUMP BEER!

 

[Revvy]

Unless you were helping to artificially inseminate cows, your arm likely wasn't dirty enough to contaminate the wort. That is assuming you are somewhat better at hygiene than my sister-in-law's husband.

So your sister in law's husband artificially inseminates cows???

There are a few jobs that I would never contemplate and would rather sleep in a cardboard box that do....that might be one of them...

My ex girlfriend has a Llama farm...she use to have to help the boy Llama's "find the right hole," if you know what I mean, yeah, again, there are just some jobs that I would gladly pass on...

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

No. The sister-in-law's husband has poor hygiene. He would be far to lazy to inseminate a cow. That would be work.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

 

[Revvy]

You know....I got freaking blamed for this pic last week???? Because I wrote a thread about not dumping your beer....and someone saw this pic...they accused me of doing it....

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I like it....between my cop/stop sign, and this we have the whole spectrum of brewing issues graphically covered.

 

[GunnerMan]

I don't care if your cat fell into your brew kettle...DO NOT DUMP BEER!

That put me on the floor laughing.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

To the OP - I hope this thread reminds you that beer is very forgiving unlike a girlfriend/wife.

First - Have used water / bleach water / idophor water / etc for decades. All the air does is provide a buffer from outside air to the wort, the only time water would be bad is if you get infested with ant/bugs and a major temperature change that causes a blow back - water sucked back in. I have used water for decades and never had a problem, even with ants attacking the air lock because the smell something really good inside.
If you stuck your arm inside, and then waited to pitch the yeast a week later you might have an issue. The large amount of yeast will be able to overcome most other nasties and still produce good beer, if it starts to taste bad after a month invite a bunch of friends over, start off with a few shots and drink all the beer. Trust me, they will not notice.

 

[Choguy03]

Who said dump the brew???

 

[Revvy]

Who said dump the brew???

The OP, it is one of his poll answers.....

What is scary to contemplate is all the gallons of dumped beer that new brewers thought was ruined for various reasons...

How many were dumped because the airlock never bubbled and they equate bubbling with fermentaion rather than a hydrometer?

How many were dumped for gaskets or arms in the fermenter without letting the beer finish out?

How many were dumped for an "off flavor" because they tasted it only a couple days after they bottled it and it was green?

How many were dumped because they opened the bottle and it wasn't carbed (becasue they didn't wait long enough?)

How many were dumped because they made a simple mistake and thought then that they caused one of the boogeymen of brewing...HSA, etc....

How many were dumped because they thought that wort and beer was so fragile that the mere long look by the brewer would cause it fall into nastiness like a soufle after the oven door got slammed.

Think about all the first time posters who come in here because of one of the afore mentioned issues, who asked before dumping...but think of all those new brewers out there who don't have a resources we have here...or like many of them, have discovered this place AFTER they dumped a batch....

My soul cries for all the yeasties who gave their lives to brewing ignorance....the acres of precious hops wasted....all the gallons of alchohol lost to the toilet and the drain....The Horror...THE HORROR!!!

 

[CBBaron]

So your sister in law's husband artificially inseminates cows???
There are a few jobs that I would never contemplate and would rather sleep in a cardboard box that do....that might be one of them...

Its not nearly as bad as you might think. I'd much rather do that than pickup garbage for a job. At least with AI you know what you are dealing with. Who knows what sorts of toxic or bio hazard you will find in a garbage can.

My dad did this as a occupation for nearly 20 years. The only reason he changed careers is that he worked on commission and the number of farms in the area was decreasing, meaning he had declining income with increasing cost (3 kids in college).

Craig

 

[Revvy]

My dad did this as a occupation for nearly 20 years. The only reason he changed careers is that he worked on commission and the number of farms in the area was decreasing, meaning he had declining income with increasing cost (3 kids in college).

Craig

WOW....That's fascinating...how the heck did he ever get into that line of work?? I never thought that would be a job that was paid on commission...was he paid for the number of inseminations he did or the number that was successful?

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Nickhead. I'm a noob myself, but I learned a valuable lesson recently. And from my own experience I can tell you that you HAVE commited a cardinal sin. Forget the arm in the bucket (been there, done that) Forget the empty airlock (Not been there, but may do one day) The one cardinal in you made, and trust me, you will know better next time, is ignoring the rule DON'T PANIC! Buy yourself a copy of the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and read the front cover every day. Panicking is what makes you put your arm in the bucket and all kinds of silly stuff. You lways have plenty of time to consider your actions with beer.

Panicking is the disease. The arm in the beer is the symptom. Eradicate the disease and the symptoms will never emerge.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I've put my hands in brew before and like others have said, it will turn out just fine.

RDWHAHB!

 

[noisy123]

Nickhead. I'm a noob myself, but I learned a valuable lesson recently. And from my own experience I can tell you that you HAVE commited a cardinal sin. Forget the arm in the bucket (been there, done that) Forget the empty airlock (Not been there, but may do one day) The one cardinal in you made, and trust me, you will know better next time, is ignoring the rule DON'T PANIC! Buy yourself a copy of the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and read the front cover every day. Panicking is what makes you put your arm in the bucket and all kinds of silly stuff. You lways have plenty of time to consider your actions with beer.

Panicking is the disease. The arm in the beer is the symptom. Eradicate the disease and the symptoms will never emerge.

This is fantastic advice. Honestly its one of the main reasons I brew. I am transitioning to experimental work from theoretical and I hope to use the extra stress coupled with repeating "Don't Panic!" from brewing situations to keep me from blowing things up at work.

 

[Choguy03]

This is fantastic advice. Honestly its one of the main reasons I brew. I am transitioning to experimental work from theoretical and I hope to use the extra stress coupled with repeating "Don't Panic!" from brewing situations to keep me from blowing things up at work.

Remind me to stay away from Madison when you are at work.

 

[nickhead]

Interesting. I guess panic and stress defeat the purpose of home brewing in the first place (except, of course, the purpose of yielding delicious beer). 'RDWHAHB' is a great philosophy I'd like to adopt.

Realize (as Revvy pointed out) that you guys have saved me time, frustration, and $$$ already, and I've only been a member for 24 hours (already addicted).

I went home last night and filled my empty airlock w/ good tequila. My options were apple vodka (gross), awesome tequila, or absinthe (and i guess water?). I chose tequila. Is this OK do you think?

The airlock started bubbling almost immediately.

Once again - thank you for the priceless resource.

ps. CBBaron - 'Here we go Steelers...!'

 

[DeathBrewer]

that's just fine. you'll be able to see it bubble better than vodka

 

[Choguy03]

I hope you took a shot of that delicious tequila too.

 

[Special Hops]

DO NOT DUMP!

I had to reach in the bottom of my wort one time because I too dropped something in there. Sparyed my arm with star-san and reached right down to the bottom of the frementor. Nothing else I could do.

Turned out to be my best batch I have made.