No! Airlock Water In My Brew When Bottling

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DrewCarey82

"Baron Hardmans" Chief brewer.
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Guys I have a s, shaped airlock and when I was bottling I forget to take it out and some went in the wort.......

Probably about 25mils max I reckon.

Have I ruined a perfectedly good beer?

Its already bottled but just want to know what to expect.

Many thanks in advance.

:beer:
 
DrewCarey82 said:
Have I ruined a perfectedly good beer?

[post="78620"][/post]​

Highly unlikely unless there was mould growing in one of the S bends. Try a little vodka in the airlock next time instead of water, you won't have any concerns at all then.
 
Duff said:
Highly unlikely unless there was mould growing in one of the S bends. Try a little vodka in the airlock next time instead of water, you won't have any concerns at all then.
[post="78621"][/post]​

Better yet, use an iodine solution (Iodophor) and drink the vodka :lol:
You'll just have to wait and see/taste if it's infected when it comes time to drink it. Chances are it'll be ok so don't throw it out just yet.
 
Duff said:
DrewCarey82 said:
Have I ruined a perfectedly good beer?

[post="78620"][/post]​

Highly unlikely unless there was mould growing in one of the S bends. Try a little vodka in the airlock next time instead of water, you won't have any concerns at all then.
[post="78621"][/post]​
Now there's an idea, must give that a go myself as I've worried about this issue a little lately, although my S bend has been very clean on each occaision and I always use boiled water in it. Are other shaped airlocks any better or worse?
 
The whole time the airlock is in service, it has CO2 bubbling thru it. Doesn't that make some type of acid (or am I remembering year 8 chemistry badly)?

I don't think you'd get an infection from the airlock water unless you're really unlucky.
 
Carbonic acid, PoMo, but I'd doubt it's acidic enough to kill anything.

More importantly though I think it's unlikely for the airlock water to have contaminated the brew. I think every brewer has had that water suck back into their fermenter at one point or another.
 
Drew

As suggested prior, I use a little iodophor solution in my airlock. After a few days the "brown" color fades and it loses it's "sanitising effect" (sorry - chemically challenged :p ) but with CO2 running through it, I would suggest most nasties would be taken care of.
Don't sweat - it will be fine. :)
(unless off course you have killed a chinaman in a previous life or walked under a ladder or ...doesn't matter ;) )

Cheers
 
Use a two part airlock. Often called senior airlock.

They cost the same as the standard s shape, they can be pulled apart to clean them thoroughly and the fluid doesn't enter the fermenter if there is negative pressure.

Also, they are a bit quieter than the s shape, which is good news if you have a symphony of fermenters working in the house late at night.
 
May just have to do that champ cause I live in a two bedder unit and its just opposite and have to say some nights annoys the fark out of me, whats one likely to set me back @ a homebrew shop?
 
Tiger, time for you to go visit your local homebrew shop and check them out.
 
Can we say

" killed a chinaman "

although I know what you mean



:eek:
 
I wouldn't worry too much about this. I am yet to brew a beer that hasn't ended up with some airlock water in it. Just relax and have a beer!
 
ryanator said:
I wouldn't worry too much about this. I am yet to brew a beer that hasn't ended up with some airlock water in it. Just relax and have a beer!
[post="78762"][/post]​
me too...I have a nasty habit of lifting the fermenter with the airlock in place......sucks the sanitiser solution straight onto the freshly pitched wort....curse myself every time....must remember to lift the blasted things without the airlock fitted! :angry:

bottom line is: it doesn't adversely affect the beer...I am sure if you put enuff in, then it would be a different story
 

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