Something floating in my beer!

[fbones24]

I am hoping this is one of those "relax" posts. I am in the process of brewing my second beer. It is two weeks in primary and I just took my first hydro reading and everything looks good. Tasted it and it actually tasted amazing.

However, after putting the airlock back on, I noticed a small black particle floating on the top. I have no clue what it is or how it got in there. I am using a better bottle so I have no way of fishing it out.

My question is, how much of a risk of infection is this? I assume that since the beer has fermented the alcohol will fight some bacteria, but I'm nervous. It tasted great and I don't want it ruined.

 

[twohands]

... I am using a better bottle so I have no way of fishing it out.

If you can't fish it out, then worrying about it is pointless. The alcohol will give you some measure of protection.

RDWHAH

 

[GRHunter]

If you can't fish it out, then worrying about it is pointless.

Sounds like good advice. I'm sure we all consume worse stuff every time we eat a hot dog. If the beer turns out bad you can toss it out and blame the back spec. If it turns out great, then you'll be driving yourself crazy trying to figure out what the unknown special ingredient was.

 

[TRainH2o]

You might get it out with a properly sanitized turkey baster. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[fbones24]

Ha! The black spec is my "secret ingredient." I guess you are right. Nothing I can do at this point but keep my fingers crossed. Hopefully the little black mystery object was sanitized b/c I was careful to sanitize everything before opening and after closing.

 

[twohands]

If it makes you feel better...I recently DID have an infected beer. Best guess was lacto from my two year old's fondness for sauerkraut and peeking in the fermentor....

It's kegged and is drinking fine.

 

[TRainH2o]

Hey, I found a honey bee in my first brew. We were brewing outside last Fall. The brew pot had a spigot it clogged and we couldn't get the wort to flow out the spigot into the chiller. In the end it was either dump the whole brew pot's contents into the primary or waste about 1 1/2 gallons of wort. The bee apparent;y flew into the wort during the boil.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the brew bucket and saw the bee floating there. The beer turned out fine. No infection. The bee.......didn't survive the process.

 

[fbones24]

Thankfully, no animals were harmed in the making of my beer!

 

[PhelanKA7]

I've had black bits in my beer before too. It's from malt or sugar that sat at the bottom of the kettle during the boil too long. Eventually it should settle to the bottom of your fermenter, and you'll be fine.

 

[wendelgee2]

probably an alien egg.
I'd freak out if I were you.