Unsanitized... Infection?

[SDbrewerJake]

First Batch of homebrew went well… After Pitching the yeast I was worried in the sense that living in San Diego the weather would be too warm for fermentation… So I cleaned out a trash can (pretty much new just had some grass from the lawn being mowed) I placed my Bucket in a trash bag and placed it in the can and put some water around it to keep it at a cool 72 degrees… After 3 days of no problems my brother called and said there was water in the bag… Which means it got into the spigot. I am worried about this batch being infected after bottling. Can someone calm my nerves or break it to me straight. Thanks.

 

[woozy]

Absurdly minimum. Spray the spigot with SanStar before you bottle. But to do even that is ... well, good practice actually ... but paranoid to think that not doing so is significantly dangerous.

 

[LovesIPA]

The spigot is closed, right?

 

[SDbrewerJake]

Thanks woozy. And yes the spigot is closed. I know I'm green but that would be.... Well... Retarded. But yes.

 

[woozy]

No, it's healthy worry and getting used to a new hobby. Sanitation is important so you *should* get into the habit of thinking about these things. And it should be second nature to think "i can't just put this spoon down on the counter now."

But you need to counter them with realism. I think of it as a numbers game. Every unsanitized item has a low probability of infecting the beer. Do enough unsanitized things over time and the odds of an infection get pretty high. But just a mistake here or there? Don't loose sleep over it.

 

[Weizer]

What part of SD do you live in? My garage is staying around 68 which is do able for all of my ales. Come summer time, I'm making a ferm chamber though. Everyone else is right, don't worry about it.

 

[SDbrewerJake]

@ woozy.. Yeah I'm sure time will calm my paranoia. Especially when I crack open my first bottle and taste success.
@weizer... I'm in lakeside but my batch is at my moms in spring valley. I brewed last week when it was like 95 outside. Didn't expect the rain and cool temps or else I would have let it be. San Diego has all the best beer!!!

 

[JeepDiver]

No, it's healthy worry and getting used to a new hobby. Sanitation is important so you *should* get into the habit of thinking about these things. And it should be second nature to think "i can't just put this spoon down on the counter now."

But you need to counter them with realism. I think of it as a numbers game. Every unsanitized item has a low probability of infecting the beer. Do enough unsanitized things over time and the odds of an infection get pretty high. But just a mistake here or there? Don't loose sleep over it.

From reading the OP, sounds like he used a used garbage can. I would probably worry some about that. Maybe not a lot, but putting beer in a used garbage can, even if it looked clean, is not a great idea.

 

[Clonefan94]

You'll be fine, but others have said, it's not necessarily bad to worry. Eventually it will become second nature, like me, then you'll worry that you forgot to sanitize something, even though you did, because it's just so much part of the routine.

 

[SDbrewerJake]

@jeep. It had grass from the lawn being mowed. Sure it wasn't new... But no garbage touched it. Either way I'll let you know in about 3 weeks how it turns out.

 

[woozy]

From reading the OP, sounds like he used a used garbage can. I would probably worry some about that. Maybe not a lot, but putting beer in a used garbage can, even if it looked clean, is not a great idea.

He's not putting the *beer* in a garbage can. He's putting a fermenter that contains the beer in the garbage can. And somehow I assumed he was using a plastic garbage bag but that was just an assumption.

Okay, dirty water (and by the way sanitation does not equal clean; always remember that) near and maybe in the spigot. Well, the spigot is closed so dirty water doesn't get into beer. Okay. But the spigot and the outside aperature has dirty water in it. Okay.... So, sanitize the spigot by spraying starSan... and flush the first mililiter out. and... you're good to go.

Deep breath...

Thousands of people run across these exact problems and few ever have infections or problems. Deep breaths and faith that some-one some-where has a solution to just this... what could it be?....

 

[SDbrewerJake]

Woozy for President

 

[doby]

You'll be fine, but others have said, it's not necessarily bad to worry. Eventually it will become second nature, like me, then you'll worry that you forgot to sanitize something, even though you did, because it's just so much part of the routine.

A few batches back I bottled one day and at the same time I racked from primary to the secondary carboy that I just bottled, I know I cleaned the carboy but for the life of me I could not remember if I sanitized it and in fact I'm pretty sure I didn't, guess I got away with one the beer turned out fine.

Moral of the story,,,,,,, , slow down to minimize mistakes and don't worry to much when you make one

 

[LovesIPA]

I'm sure that I forgot to sanitize a fermenter once. Beer came out fine.

 

[SDbrewerJake]

No infection... And super delicious. Drank 4 last night. Got super $#! ++y. That is 4 bombers. Must... Drink... Water....

 

[agcorry00]

Nice work- the head is impressive!

 

[SDbrewerJake]

Nice work- the head is impressive!

Thanks man. Super caramel flavor with a little bit of hop in the background. Didn't think I was going to rack so I used mesh bags for the hops and they were too tight. Hence the crazy caramel. After basically trying everything I could to infect this batch... I feel comfortable with brewing beer.