A slight panic... VWP usage

[EG_Wanna_Be]

Hi there! I put together my first brew from a kit last night, but in doing some reading on here today, I think I have really screwed up.

In watching a friend of mine do an all-grain brew last week, he sanitized everythign within an inch of its life, though I didn't think about what he was using. He didn't rinse anything, and said that it wasn't an issue because of the way he mixed it.

Now come my pickle... When I sanitized my FV and tools last night, I used VWP, and didn't rinse. I emptied everything, but I didn't rinse, and judging by the chlorinated smell on my hands, I think I have made a right *&!$ of this!

Can anyone confirm matter of factly if I have just potentially poisoned myself, or killed the yeast, or in any way have spoiled the batch?

I feel like a bit of a knob, but I am praying that I didn't just waste £25 on the kit.

Looking forward to some feedback.

Cheers!

Evan

 

[RobWalker]

I've suffered from this. It really sucks to lose a brew to it. My VWP (when rarely used) is rinsed with hot water 5 times...

Let it go, taste it after fermentation. if you get a bad chemical taste, it's probably ruined. if not, you're fine.

don't be disheartened at the worst - you can still put another kit on for comparitive pennies. :

 

[PD]

You will probably be ok. Even if you have killed all the yeast ( doubtful ) you can add some more in a few days.
Is it a kit brew you are making ?

Give it a few days in the warmth and see if the yeast kicks in and fermentation starts...

 

[fbsf]

Health-wise, you'll be fine. The worst you'll end up with is either dead yeast (in which case pitch some more after a couple of days) or a TCP-type taste to the beer from the chlorine/chloramine compounds.

If it's the latter and it's too bad to drink, leave it open to the flies, make some vinegar and use it for cleaning and descaling around the house!

Up until recently I've used thin bleach for sanitising, and it's always taken a good two or three rinses to get the bleachy smell down to an acceptable level, and doing this my beer has always come out ok.

I have now invested in a bottle of Videne (£10 for 500ml from my local tesco pharmacy - they had to order it in, but it was there next-day) which means I can spray, drain and get going.

 

[EG_Wanna_Be]

Brilliant!

Thanks for the feedback! The airlock is bubbling away, so it looks like the yeast is surviving - lucky me!

I will continue through with the motions, if nothing else, simply to get used to the process. If it is drinkable, bonus! It's funny, I haven't been this excited about something in quite some time, and I can't wait to start smelling it.

Are there other types of santizer like the Videne that fbsf mentioned that offers decent sanitization, and doesn't smell like a pee-proof kiddie pool?

Thanks guys!

 

[Russ146]

When all else fails READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

"Rinse thoroughly in clean cold water!

Its not rocket science

 

[Eric_S]

When all else fails READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

"Rinse thoroughly in clean cold water!

Its not rocket science

We all make mistakes sometimes! As long as we learn from them.

 

[fbsf]

Indeed, and TBH, it's doesn't say "rinse thoroughly at least twice, maybe even three times"!

Videne is one, Starsan is another. You'll still need to make sure everything is scrupulously clean with these two first, as they are only sanitisers not cleaners, but once that's done, a quick spray on, leave for a minute and drain.

 

[RobWalker]

I've never had an issue with sodium metabisulphate. People rave on about it not technically being a sanitizer but when it's letting off gas that gives you a bad chest and can be used to prevent infection in wine and cider themselves, all for about £1.50 for a year's supply, I can't see the harm.

Videne, starsan as fbsf say are great investments, and really take the worry off brewdays :thumb:

 

[ScottM]

Thinking a little bit out of the box here...

If a couple of campden tablets were dropped into the brew, clearly stunning the yeast, would this take away the chlorine taste as it does with tap water? Just thinking that rather than treat the water, the beer could be treated and then topped up with some fresh yeast in a day or 2 once the campden had fully subsided?

 

[EG_Wanna_Be]

When all else fails READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

"Rinse thoroughly in clean cold water!

Its not rocket science

Wow, cheers for the insight smart guy. I am really glad you took the time to contribute to this thread! I hope we get to see your bottled perfection on the shelves some day soon!

To everyone else, thank you so much for your input! I have yet to read about Campden tablets... I take it they work on the pH balance or something?

 

[Russ146]

When all else fails READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

"Rinse thoroughly in clean cold water!

Its not rocket science

Wow, cheers for the insight smart guy. I am really glad you took the time to contribute to this thread! I hope we get to see your bottled perfection on the shelves some day soon!

To everyone else, thank you so much for your input! I have yet to read about Campden tablets... I take it they work on the pH balance or something?

sorry, didnt mean to sound quite as straight as that :thumb:

I do wonder why we men have a tendency to try everything before reading the manual. I read any instructions from cover to cover before starting anything, i find it saves an awful lot of time and effort.

 

[EG_Wanna_Be]

When all else fails READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

"Rinse thoroughly in clean cold water!

Its not rocket science

Wow, cheers for the insight smart guy. I am really glad you took the time to contribute to this thread! I hope we get to see your bottled perfection on the shelves some day soon!

To everyone else, thank you so much for your input! I have yet to read about Campden tablets... I take it they work on the pH balance or something?

sorry, didnt mean to sound quite as straight as that :thumb:

I do wonder why we men have a tendency to try everything before reading the manual. I read any instructions from cover to cover before starting anything, i find it saves an awful lot of time and effort.

Thanks Russ, and apologies for the callous response!

I suppose I was so excited that I read the five single sentences on the kit, and just read the mixing ratio on the VWP - dafty... I hold my hands up!

It was naive to think that all sanitizers would be the same... with so much variation in other ingredients, it is obvious that there must be different types of cleaners.

It's interesting, I work in IT, and never practice the age-old tactics of 'RTFM' - though in new endeavours, perhaps I should.

Well, at least I get to see it doing its thing, even if it tastes like ****, I can salvage the experience. :)

 

[EG_Wanna_Be]

Just a quick update to say that after a week in Primary, my beer is tasting fine! No signs of VWP or chlorine. YAY!

Thanks for offering up opinions! It helped put my nerves at ease! :)

 

[RobWalker]

Wickid! Glad to hear it :)

 

[carl_saint]

I did exactly the same with my first kit brew. Was so excited that I didn't read the rinse instructions! Turned out to be a very good brew indeed and got me right into brewing!