Newbie errors - brew ruined?

[Brysonberg]

Right, so I've made what I now realise are a couple of howlers with my very first brew.

Firstly, I'm using a fermentation vessel with a tap. When assembling I tightened it pretty hard, but when I filled the vessel, it started to leak out around the tap. The only way I was able to get it stopped was to actually put my arm into the brew to tighten the internal nut. Now before everyone passes out, I am from a medical background and so was able to give my arm a proper surgical scrub before touching the brew, but I was very aware that the brew could be totally ruined.

Secondly, having never used the equipment before, when faced with a bit of kit that I had no clue what to do with, I basically just ignored it. I have now worked out (6 days in) that it is the airlock. So my brew has been basically open to air (now I did cover it to try to keep out most airborne particles) for 6 days.

Now, in the knowledge that the brew now seems to be at a consistent final gravity, and while not exactly bursting with rich flavours, doesn't taste contaminated and seems, dare I say it, vaguely drinkable, my question is this:

Should I even bother bottling this or should I just go back to the drawing board?

 

[LovesIPA]

Definitely bottle it as planned. If you make a mistake during bottling, it would be better if you learned on this batch so you can apply what you learned to the next batch. Worst case, you'll end up with a beer that isn't good and you will be able to improve on your process next time.

Leaving it open to the air isn't good, but if it was adequately covered you might be in the clear.

 

[Air_Force_FE]

Brewing great beer is all about repetition and learning from your mistakes. Drink it fast and cold. Or bottle it up and give it away.


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[ncbrewer]

Beer/wort is very vulnerable to bacteria right after boiling and cooling, but with a really good scrub you might be ok. Definitely bottle it - just make sure gravity is stable for 2 - 3 days first. As far as the airlock, I don't seal my fermenter for the first few days - I just put about a 1 pound weight on the lid to keep fruit flies out. This is in case of a really high kraeusen. From my experience, and what I've read, sealing the fermenter for the first few days is optional.

 

[BreezyBrew]

I've put my hand in the fermentor before... the beer was fine. As for the air getting to it, there may have been a "blanket" of CO2 from the fermenting beer. This somewhat protects it from contamination and oxidation. Sierra Nevada ferments Bigfoot in an open fermentor. I agree with the "bottle as planned" route, you can't ever get enough practice.

It's really difficult to say what it will taste like until it's cold and carbed. My beers taste so much better that way.

 

[CUrchin]

+1, Bottle as planned. You really don't have anything to lose other than a couple hours and a few dozen bottle caps. Worst case would be bottle bombs if it is infected or it tastes horrible. Best case, you have a good brew and a good story. Cheers.

 

[rskelhorn]

When I tasted the first batch of brew I made I would have also used the term vaguely drinkable prior to carbonation.

Reminds me of my first time actually. I was very careful to sanitize everything, and ended up dropping a fork off the counter into the full brew bucket. Was arm deep in it before I even considered that my arm was not sanitized lol.

Beer was fine, and I'm sure yours will be too.

 

[jpsmithny]

Don't worry about it. It will be fine.

Something to consider is that it has been rumored that Guinness actually had rats that fell into the fermentation tanks. It was not until they emptied to clean them that they discovered this.

 

[m1batt1]

Never pour out beer without giving it a chance to make you a believer first! Like said before you have nothing to lose at this point besides caps and a little time. Since you kept it covered I doubt you should be concerned about the lack of airlock. The majority of that time the positive pressure from CO2 production in the vessel should have prevented anything from getting in there.

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[Brysonberg]

Thanks, I appreciate the input. If it turns out even slightly drinkable at least I can look back on my youthful innocence in a few years with a wry grin! Will go ahead and bottle and let you know how it turns out.

Cheers.

 

[cluckk]

It finished, it tastes ok. It's beer. Enjoy and feel good about it. Many of us have stuck worse than an arm in the fermenter--no, I don't mean that. Also, open fermentation is ancient, common and still practiced by some commercial breweries.

 

[farmskis]

+1 on bottling it. It will most likely be ok.
On another note... When cleaning your fermenter make sure to clean the valve very good. That thing may hold bacteria and could be a problem down the road for contaminating future batches. Probably would not happen for at least a few batches and it will occur just when you think you have all this brew stuff figured out because all the previous batches have turned out great.
Enjoy this first brew!!!

 

[Brysonberg]

Curiously, my specific gravity today is higher than yesterday (1.017 from 1.015). All that has changed is I've put the airlock on. Anyone have any thoughts as to why this might be?

 

[MrHadack]

Curiously, my specific gravity today is higher than yesterday (1.017 from 1.015). All that has changed is I've put the airlock on. Anyone have any thoughts as to why this might be?

Error in your reading or a temperature change of the wort. Gravity readings will vary according to temperature.

 

[ncbrewer]

Curiously, my specific gravity today is higher than yesterday (1.017 from 1.015). All that has changed is I've put the airlock on. Anyone have any thoughts as to why this might be?

Dissolved CO2 can affect the reading. Check out this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/does-co2-affect-gravity-286783/