Is my first batch messed up?

[drewmon]

I just bought my first kit and started an ale recipe I got at my local home brew supply store. I boiled the wart according to the recipe, and when temperature stabilized in the specified range 68-73, I added the yeast and was sealing the plastic fermenting bucket with the air lock, when the rubber grommet pushed through into the batch. I had to open up the bucket and fish out the grommet which didn't work, so I sanitized my arm and got the thing out. Then sealed it up for fermenting.

Is the batch ruined from having the bucket open to air or from putting my arm in it? Anyone had problems at this point after adding the yeast. Is this 'no harm no foul' or should I scrap this batch?

 

[histo320]

I had this happen a few years ago. Good move by sanitizing your arm before fishing it out. I found that adding some moisture to the grommet helps the airlock move through the grommet.

Relax your beer is fine.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Sure, there's an outside chance that it could become infected, but more likely it will be fine. Let it go and don't worry about it.

 

[Braufessor]

Well, you are not the first person to do that....... what did you sanitize your arm with?

Open to the air is no big deal. Sticking your arm in is not great, but others have reported doing the same thing as you and being ok. At this point, just finish everything out as planned and see how things turn out. Could end up just fine.

 

[drewmon]

I sanitized my arm with the Star San / water mixture that I was using for all of my equipment. It's supposed to work in 60 seconds so I waited that long before putting my arm in the bucket.

Thanks all for the feedback. I'll ride it out and see how it turns out.

 

[Braufessor]

I sanitized my arm with the Star San / water mixture

Good....... I was hoping you were not going to say you had dunked it in a bucket of bleach water The Star San was the best thing you could have dunked it in before putting your hand in the beer.

 

[jrgtr42]

Best bet of all would have been to leave the grommet down in there and retrieve it when things are finished (most buckets' lids will let the airlock sit in there fairly snugly)
but with lack of that you should be OK. It's not ideal, of course, but at least you sanitized your arm before dunking it.