Multiple wort transfers, did I ruin my beer?

[tsatsa]

I brewed my 10th batch 1 week ago and I transfered the wort from my primary fermenter bucket to secondary.

I'm using cheap plastic buckets with the tap on the bottom.

The producer states that the washer has to be outside the bucket and not inside. However I've experienced some leaks if I just use 1 washer. This was the case this time... in fact I noticed some leak from the bottom of the bucket just 1 day after I moved to secondary. So I decided to move my beer a third time in another bucket with 2 washers on the tap, one inside and one outside.

Did I ruined my beer by opening the bucket, transfering the wort again, which means straining it 3 times? I ofc sanitized all my equipment with starsan every time the wort was touching any of my equipment

 

[katfude]

Might get some oxidization off flavors depending on how far into the fermentation you were each time and how much splashing about the beer did during transfer, but it will still be beer.

 

[tsatsa]

Might get some oxidization off flavors depending on how far into the fermentation you were each time and how much splashing about the beer did during transfer, but it will still be beer.

I did 5 days in primary and I was in the 1st day of secondary. No more bubbling (which means nothing). I tried to transfer with an auto-siphon avoiding any splash. 4 more days in secondary, then i'll dry hop for 4-5 days and move to keg. Thanks for the answer

 

[notyal]

One sure way to ruin beer is to let it leak onto the floor. Sounds like you did what you had to do.

 

[Gavin C]

.....transfering the wort again, which means straining it 3 times? ....

Not sure what your doing straining your beer three times. Doesn't sound good. Can't say I've ever strained beer.

Just don't move the beer until it goes in the bottles/kegs and you will eliminate all of these concerns.

 

[Takuie]

Since you had a leak, I think you did the right thing and as long as your cleaning and sanitation procedures are rock solid, you should be fine. I think we have all at one time worried about similar same issue and we all more or less came out fine.

Going forward, always use washers on both inside and outside. Those little rubber guys are invaluable against saving your A$$ against leaks for the little coin they cost. No sense in wasting a $30+ batch of beer for a 65 cent washer right?

 

[kev211]

Ya, I dont know about the whole "Straining of the beer". Seems like a good way to oxidize your beer. Also, you may or may not have seen something about it here on HBT, but you really dont NEED to do secondary unless you are aging or adding fruit or other adjunct. If it were me, I would have just left it in primary until you were ready to bottle/keg.

 

[tsatsa]

Ya, I dont know about the whole "Straining of the beer". Seems like a good way to oxidize your beer. Also, you may or may not have seen something about it here on HBT, but you really dont NEED to do secondary unless you are aging or adding fruit or other adjunct. If it were me, I would have just left it in primary until you were ready to bottle/keg.

I did a typo tbh. I basically stirred my beer 3 times by transfering it from a kettle to another and then another again. I was scared of oxidation like you said. And concerning the skip of secondary, I did it because I'll dry hop and I'd like to get all sediments away at least once. But yeah, I usually skip it

 

[kev211]

I did a typo tbh. I basically stirred my beer 3 times by transfering it from a kettle to another and then another again. I was scared of oxidation like you said. And concerning the skip of secondary, I did it because I'll dry hop and I'd like to get all sediments away at least once. But yeah, I usually skip it

Do you cold crash? If it was going to fall out in secondary, it would fall out in primary. I think your beer will still be fine (albeit maybe a little oxidized) but as long as your sanitization is on you won't need to worry about infection. I think you'll be alright

 

[tsatsa]

Do you cold crash? If it was going to fall out in secondary, it would fall out in primary. I think your beer will still be fine (albeit maybe a little oxidized) but as long as your sanitization is on you won't need to worry about infection. I think you'll be alright

In primary it was fine, I used another kettle (1 have 3 of them). I never cold crashed my beer because I live in an apartment and I dont have enoght space for a freezer. I should try to occupy the fridge for 2-3 days but I need to check if I have enoght space to put a kettle in it.

That's basically the reason I usually do primary and secondary...I'll get most of the sediments out of the kettle during the transfer

My recipe:

All grain

12 lbs Maris Otter

0.5 oz Chinook - Boil 60
1.2 oz Ahtanum - Boil 15
0.5 oz Nelson Sauvin - Boil 15
0.4 oz Simcoe - Boil 10

0.5 oz Chinook - Flameout
0.5 oz Ahtanum - Flameout
0.4 oz Nelson Sauvin - Flameout

0.8 oz Nelson Sauvin - Dry hop
0.4 oz Simcoe - Dry hop
0.4 oz Chinook - Dry hop

What do you think?