Newbie balls up.

[golder247]

Hey everybody,

I am doing some fiery ginger beer and decided to strain out all the gack at the end of the ferment to let it settle and give a clear product when I bottle.

so cleaned and sterilised everything syphoned it all into the nice clean FV. When it was going in I noticed a clear smell difference between the two and then when when it was all done thought bugger it i just disturbed sediment or somesuch, fitted the airlock and put some sterilising fluid into the lock.

Then as I lifted the fv, the change in stress on the fv changed its shape and it sucked in half the fluid from the airlock DOH! I now look at it and it smells and tastes different, more like horse **** than gingery greatness.

Have I buggered the brew? can it be saved? Help oh lordy help!!

 

[Moley]

So you've probably sucked in a teaspoonful of weak sterilising solution at the most?

Forget it, I've ballsed up much worse than that with steriliser and got away with it.

 

[golder247]

Moley,

Thanks, so I know what would I attribute the smell to? I was thinking that with the sediment coming up and being mixed through again then that is what will have made it whiffy. I am guessing that with bottling in a day or two that it should settle and pass back into goodness?

 

[cnelsonplumber]

I have an extensive back catalogue of whoopsies :whistle: including this one. I use boiled water in airlocks now but the TC was fine.

You will learn most by just getting stuck in there and brewing so don't worry. It is my experience that you can get away with quite a bit and still make something that can be enjoyed :

 

[golder247]

I will soon find out, I bottled it today as it had stopped fermenting and it is cloudy still but came out at a pleasantly deadly 7% and the ginger smell had started to come back, it didnt affect the yeast it seemed as there was a big chunk of sediment at the bottom... primed and ready to go, It may be pushing it but thinking of taking it to a party on saturday, see what it is like then.


Reckon it will be ready???

 

[abeyptfc]

I will soon find out, I bottled it today as it had stopped fermenting and it is cloudy still but came out at a pleasantly deadly 7% and the ginger smell had started to come back, it didnt affect the yeast it seemed as there was a big chunk of sediment at the bottom... primed and ready to go, It may be pushing it but thinking of taking it to a party on saturday, see what it is like then.


Reckon it will be ready???

it wont be fully carbed by then as its normally to be kept at room temp for 1-2 weeks then somewhere cold for as long as u can wait. best thing to do is bottle some in plastic bottles so u can test how carbonated it is. gd luck

 

[golder247]

I did wonder just how much I was pushing it.. I did get 3 gallons of rhubarb and raisin wine racked though and looking like it will be a doozy so not all bad

Thanks for your help everyone.