Will my beer be ok?

[whitekb]

Just brewed my first batch of beer, and I feel I might have done a couple things that would ruin the beer. First of all, I clumsily broke my thermometer during the process. So after boiling the wort and bringing it to a cool, I was not able to read the temperature when I added the yeast. While the water was not hot, it was slightly warm and most likely warmer than 74 degrees, which is what the recipe called for. Secondly, the next day, I removed the lid from the plastic fermenting bucket to take a hydrometer reading of the beer, and a friend later told me I shouldn't do this but should instead keep a sample outside the bucket to read daily. Would removing this lid briefly the following day do anything to disturb the fermenting process?

I have an air lock with water in it to help me read the fermenting. While it has not been "bubbling" per say, there have been still bubbles sitting in the water and not moving.

Someone tell me, is there any hope for this first batch of beer?

 

[android]

i'm sure it'll be just fine. i know it's easy to think about it a lot, but just let the beer do its work. opening the lid is no big deal at all... pitching too hot can be detrimental, but it doesn't sound like you pitched at 100 deg or anything.

 

[dgooden]

Your beer is most likely going to be fine. The only real concern is how warm it really was when you pitched the yeast - but again, it's probably going to be fine.

Taking a sample from the fermenter is how most people do it, so thats OK, just be sanitary.

Don't worry about the "bubbles" so much. You should see some activity within a few days. If not, check with your hydrometer. Your airlock is not a good indicator of fermentation.

EDIT : Check out this thread : Fermentation can take 24 to 72 hrs to show visible signs.

Some good information there.

 

[BeerNoob]

Give the yeast a day or two longer and I'm sure activity will start. If your primary felt room temp or slightly warmer before you pitched it will be fine.

Make sure you're sanitizing the equipment you use to take a hydrometer reading before you put it in your primary. You probably don't need to take a reading for the first 3 or 4 days at least anyway. The more you open the primary and take readings and mess with it the higher your chances of introducing something nasty to your beer.

It's hard to leave your first brew alone, I know, but patience is a virtue!