Lid taken off and put back on, batch lost?

[Delorean1981]

I know there are stickies and I've read through quite a few of them. But my father mistakingly took 'take the towel off' for 'take the top off' and well did so. He said he placed it back on but didn't snap it back on.

As I'm at work, I have no idea what he has actually done but the clean freak that I am, I'm sure his hands weren't dipped in Star-San before all this so should I rush home when I'm off and wipe down the lot and secure the lid?

First batch and I really don't want to have it messed up already.

 

[BendBrewer]

No. I'll bet everything is fine. He could have dropped a Cheeto in it and you wouldn't have anything to worry about. And besides, worrying is against the rules.

 

[jbrookeiv]

Yup, chill out. I routinely open my lid to put in dry hops, never had an issue.

 

[BrewThruYou]

I think you'll be fine.

On my first batch, I knocked the rubber grommet into the wort just after pitching the yeast and closing the lid. Didn't have a spare and LHBS was far. Used an unsanitized spoon and unsanitized strainer to try to fish it out...both didn't work. In a panic, I ended up sticking my arm up to the elbow into it to grab the grommet. Turned out fine.

 

[FensterBos]

I agree with BendBrewer, I wouldn't be too concerned about oxidation or contamination. How long since you pitched the yeast?

 

[mixedbrewer]

Just snap the lid back on when you get home. If you are using an air-lock, make sure you remove it first. Otherwise you might suck the water from the airlock right down into the beer while pressing on the lid.

 

[h22lude]

You have to remove the lid to take gravity readings. I usually take them anywhere from every 3rd day to every day. Opening the lid is ok. Just snap it back on when you get home.

 

[carp24000]

I think you'll be fine.

On my first batch, I knocked the rubber grommet into the wort just after pitching the yeast and closing the lid. Didn't have a spare and LHBS was far. Used an unsanitized spoon and unsanitized strainer to try to fish it out...both didn't work. In a panic, I ended up sticking my arm up to the elbow into it to grab the grommet. Turned out fine.

HAHAHA I did the SAME EXACT THING!

 

[Delorean1981]

@FensterBos I pitched last friday. Bubbling in the airlock stopped 2 days later so I guess I was a little worried the fermentation wasn't strong enough for any CO2 to keep the air at bay, but reading other comments makes sense.

I may as well take a SG reading, and a homebrew

 

[Homercidal]

Dam that sucks. Well, nothing to do about it now but to finish it up and send it to me for proper disposal! PM me for an address...

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

My grandson pulled an airlock out and dropped in a cheezit.. we found it a few hours later when he brought his mamaw the air lock. beer was fine...we called it CHEDDAR BLOND lol!!!

 

[Delorean1981]

My grandson pulled an airlock out and dropped in a cheezit.. we found it a few hours later when he brought his mamaw the air lock. beer was fine...we called it CHEDDAR BLOND lol!!!

Haha, hilarious. I appreciate all the comments, putting a mad scientists heart to rest.

 

[krumb]

Haha, hilarious. I appreciate all the comments, putting a mad scientists heart to rest.

Mad scientist! I like it. I, too, am in Arlington...and just starting.

Good luck...and

 

[Delorean1981]

Anytime you care to swap a bottle or two Krumb, just hollar. Would love to see what others are doing in their laboratories

 

[krumb]

Anytime you care to swap a bottle or two Krumb, just hollar. Would love to see what others are doing in their laboratories

Would like that. I'll let you know as soon as my current brew is ready to go...5 weeks, maybe...

 

[chandler71]

I think you'll be fine.

On my first batch, I knocked the rubber grommet into the wort just after pitching the yeast and closing the lid. Didn't have a spare and LHBS was far. Used an unsanitized spoon and unsanitized strainer to try to fish it out...both didn't work. In a panic, I ended up sticking my arm up to the elbow into it to grab the grommet. Turned out fine.

I did the same thing as well.

 

[theck]

Open mine every so often to get a gravity reading... never had an issue.

 

[dstranger99]

I once ejaculated into mine, and it still turned out fine..........

 

[GASoline71]

It'll be fine.

But it does always amaze me how many cats take the tops off their fermenters a jillion times during fermentation to "check" on things.

I never take the lid off a beer in the fermenter until it's been in there a minimum of 14 days. Then check the FG. 99% of the beers I brew are done by then.

I am no longer fascinated by the fermentation process, and am also not a worrier. I make beer... that's it. If I wanted to watch a fermentation I would use see through carboys.

Gary

 

[dkeller12]

dstranger99 - That was a lot more information than a lot of us needed. Not exactly sure how that would happen, but thanks for sharing...I think.

 

[NivekD]

Note to self...do not trade with dstranger99.

 

[TheSmithsEra]

I once ejaculated into mine, and it still turned out fine..........

ahh a real I.P.A.

 

[Fishin-Jay]

It took me a while to learn this, but your beer is not a delicate little flower. Although infections are more likely to happen if you don't maintain sanitary conditions, that's a pretty far cry from "they are going to happen." Most of us have accidentally made all kinds of sanitary mistakes and never had an infection. Plus, once the yeast is working in the wort it's pretty hard for anything else to accidentally take hold and infect your beer. The yeast are greedy and don't like to share, plus the alcohol tends to stave off most of the basic bugs that might fall in.

You're going to love your first batch, not because it will be an amazing beer (you'll make improvements), but because you made it!

 

[shawnstr71]

Lmfao!!!

 

[gilstein21]

the lid on one of my fermenting buckets never even snapped on, and none of those batches were ever harmed.

 

[thisisbeer]

Look up "Steam Beer" it was pumped to the top of a building in a shallow open top vat after the boil to allow the cool California air to chill the beer before fermentation. Then was fermented using Lager yeast. If you pitch a healthy amount of yeast it will be tough for anything else to take over. Not saying it can't or wont happen, but beer is not near as delicate as you may think.

 

[Lars11]

I almost created a new post asking what I should do off the rubber grommet came off into the pre-beer. Then I saw all your comments. Long story short, I fished in there with my arm.

 

[TheSmithsEra]

I almost created a new post asking what I should do off the rubber grommet came off into the pre-beer. Then I saw all your comments. Long story short, I fished in there with my arm.

whoa. what about just leaving it in there?

 

[theck]

Look up "Steam Beer" it was pumped to the top of a building in a shallow open top vat after the boil to allow the cool California air to chill the beer before fermentation. Then was fermented using Lager yeast. If you pitch a healthy amount of yeast it will be tough for anything else to take over. Not saying it can't or wont happen, but beer is not near as delicate as you may think.

The anchor steam brewery open fermentation is pretty impressive. If you get the chance go on a paycheck Friday at 5ish for the tour, they keep the sample bar open much longer.

 

[3PegBrew]

Some people actually brew without having the lid snapped on, believe it or not. You are A.O.K

 

[3PegBrew]

The anchor steam brewery open fermentation is pretty impressive. If you get the chance go on a paycheck Friday at 5ish for the tour, they keep the sample bar open much longer.

Oh Steam Beer! Good stuff.

 

[Larzean]

At least I wasn't the only one to force the grommet into the wort on my first brew. In a panic my arm went fully in to fish it out & I thought the beer would turn it bad but it was fine! If I had a spare I would've left it in there...