Once you pop...

[thakoolaidkid]

So I started brewing my first batch on Sunday afternoon. I had to swap out the airlock for a blow off from Monday to today (Thurs). The bubbling had slowed down so I went to replace the airlock a little while ago.

As I was pressing in the new airlock the rubber gasket around the hole popped through, luckily it hung onto the stem of the airlock. The only way to make an airtight fit was to retrieve the gasket. So I decided to pop the lid.

My genius mind also thought this would be a good time to stick my (sanitized) turkey baster in to get a sample for a gravity reading. Stupidly I blew a little bit of air into the wort.

So I'm wondering if I have done any damage to my wort and/or the fermentation process by directly adding a few bubbles of air as well as having it exposed for a little less than 5 minutes. Does anyone have experience with this?

On the positive side of things the wort smelled beautiful. It smelled of a nice brown ale and was slightly sweet smelling as well. I took a few seconds to take a picture; its my first brew so I'm excited. I am most likely going to take the beer from the primary this Sunday, which would be 7 days after starting. I am still trying to decide whether to move to a secondary or to go straight to bottles.

 

[ifishsum]

Relax, a few bubbles aren't going to hurt anything.

I would wait 10 days minimum to rack to secondary, and if you're going to skip it and go straight to bottles you're gonna want to leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks total. I know it's tempting to rush it, especially being your first batch but your patience will be rewarded with better beer.

What was your gravity reading, BTW?

 

[thakoolaidkid]

Relax, a few bubbles aren't going to hurt anything.

I would wait 10 days minimum to rack to secondary, and if you're going to skip it and go straight to bottles you're gonna want to leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks total. I know it's tempting to rush it, especially being your first batch but your patience will be rewarded with better beer.

What was your gravity reading, BTW?

Unfortunately I didn't get enough liquid out to get an accurate reading. In hindsight I shouldn't have rushed the lid closure. I think I will crack it open again tomorrow to pull out some liquid.

 

[DutchK9]

If it was me, I wouldn't mess with it for at least 7-10 days before taking a gravity reading. Even then, it would only be to transfer to a secondary which I let sit for another two weeks.

The hardest part in the beginning is leaving it alone for the yeast to work.

If you are not using a secondary, let it sit for at least 3-4 weeks and then bottle after taking a gravity reading.

Then let it sit in the bottles for a good month before drinking. It will take better than drinking after two weeks.

 

[ifishsum]

I agree with DutchK9, there's not much reason the check the gravity until you're ready to do something with it. I usually secondary, so once 10 days have passed and I'm ready to rack it I'll check it with the hydrometer and rack it (assuming it's finished). I know it can be a tough wait with the first brew.

The good thing about using a secondary is that it frees up your primary fermenter so you can start a second batch right away. This makes it easier to be patient, as well as helps fill up your beer pipeline.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

I agree with DutchK9, there's not much reason the check the gravity until you're ready to do something with it. I usually secondary, so once 10 days have passed and I'm ready to rack it I'll check it with the hydrometer and rack it (assuming it's finished). I know it can be a tough wait with the first brew.

The good thing about using a secondary is that it frees up your primary fermenter so you can start a second batch right away. This makes it easier to be patient, as well as helps fill up your beer pipeline.

My kit has the primary bucket with airlock and a secondary bucket with spigot. To be a good secondary does it need to be in a container with an airlock or do you seal it up for x amount of weeks?

 

[Nurmey]

You do not want to seal up for any amount of time. There is lots of CO2 in there which will object violently when confined. If you don't have a bucket with an airlock hole, leave it where it is for a few weeks.

 

[Orfy]

You can just place the lid on loose if you have no other option.

 

[thakoolaidkid]

Ok, so either lid on loose or an airlock if I choose to put it in a secondary or keep in the primary. Thanks!