Possible Infection vs Boiling Again?

[Knightshade]

Which “would” have been a better choice?

Brewing yesterday (Stargazer BBB recipe), my IC brought temps down from boiling to 140 quicker than I expected and I “missed” the 158 Whirlpool hop window. I had already pre-measured the hops into a bag, but had neglected to sanitize that bag in any fashion. To be honest, I had forgotten to do so, so I expect I may have made this mistake regardless. Maybe if I hadn’t freaked out about the chill happening so quickly, I might have paused and realized I hadn’t sanitized the bag yet.

At any rate, I toss the bag in and as I watch it bounce against the IC and then fall in...crap. Did I just introduce an infection??? I unplug the water pump and over the next agonizing 30 seconds or so I ask myself.

Do I just continue on and hope for the best...or do I bring this thing back to a boil to make sure there isn’t an infection?

I let the hops steep for the full 10 minutes per the recipe, take out the IC and the WP (3oz) and Boil (1oz) hop bags and bring to a boil. Throw the IC back in for 10 minutes to sanitize, then proceed as usual.

So did I screw up the beer? Hindsight, what choice was the correct one? Right now, reintroducing the hop spider seems like a pretty compelling idea.

 

[TheBluePhantom]

It will be more bitter, have less aroma. on the other hand, it won't be a sour.....

It will still be a beer. don't panic. Ferment it out, you can always dry hop later.

I once had a blow off tube do a major suck back when i moved the carboy, I swear it took in a fruit fly. I took a deep breath, then decided to pitch potassium metabisulphate. It prevented the infection, but the yeast stopped cold. I left it a week, and the yeast recovered. Beer was pretty good.

 

[Knightshade]

Was thinking it might end up a little more bitter, which I guess I can deal with. There are two scheduled dry hops. 3oz at day 2 and another at day 4, with removal at day 7.

 

[TheBluePhantom]

Stick with the schedule, you don't know how much you have changed it, so how would you know how much to correct it? Time is on your side, taste when it is done, correct if needed. It might already be a good beer, just not exactly what you expected. If it turns out great call it a Bob Ross beer, one of life's "happy little accidents"

 

[Knightshade]

Stick with the schedule, you don't know how much you have changed it, so how would you know how much to correct it? Time is on your side, taste when it is done, correct if needed. It might already be a good beer, just not exactly what you expected. If it turns out great call it a Bob Ross beer, one of life's "happy little accidents"

Yeah...I like that. Feeling the Bob Ross vibe for sure. I’m getting ready to prep my hop bags in a little bit. Sucker is bubbling like crazy atm.

 

[dwhite60]

Roll with it. Unlikely to have gotten an infection.

Let's us know how this turns out!