Help!!!

[fretlessman71]

I don't know if people just aren't seeing it, so I'm starting a new thread. I THINK I SCREWED UP, AND I DON'T HAVE A HOMEBREW TO RELAX WITH, SO I'M WORRYING!

I forgot to sanitize my bucket.

I DID wash it first, though.

Should I be concerned? Should I do something now before it's too late?

[Tweek]

well if you already used it then it is too late. You may get lucky though so no use in trippin out about it. Let it finish and see what you get.

[wortchillergoal]

Most public water systems have a fair amount chlorine in the water. So if you washed and rinsed well, you have a shot of your beer coming out fine.

[fretlessman71]

Yeah... I didn't realize I had forgotten until the yeast was in. Anybody have stories of doing the same thing with a good result?

[wortchillergoal]

Well, I have a story of compromised sanitation. I wqas getting ready to bottle a raspberry ale. After I had transfered it into my bottling bucket I noticed it was leaking through the spigot seal. It was coming out rapidly. I reached my bare arms in to tighten the spigot nut and washer to stop the leak. I was in over my elbows. The beer came out fine. I forgot to santize something else one time getting ready to bottle a barley wine. I can't remember what, but it came out fine also. I was not as concerned that time because of the alcohol content.

[paul84043]

Tweek is right, as usual...

It's in god's hands now.....

Wortchiller, your beer was basically finished which decreases the infection potential dramatically....

Even an infected beer is not a bad beer. It's just not brewed to style.

Lambics are infected intentionally. No big deal. Your beer will still turn out to be beer no matter what.

If it's not taking on a strong tart, sour smell, then it's probably okay.

I don't think I have forgotten to sanitize anything, I'm pretty anal about it. It's pretty much the golden rule.

Don't stress. You can drink it either way.

Just get another one going ASAP....you're going to regret it if you don't....

[b3s]

well, i've never forgotten to sanitize my fermenters. back when i used buckets, i used the bucket to sanitize everything else.

i have forgotten to sanitize other key elements to the brewing process (airlocks, stoppers, and once my auto-siphon).

personally, while you risk infection, i don't think it's anything to sweat over. it might be tart from wild yeasts, but other than that? no biggie. as long as it's bubbling fine, your beer should be fine.

[fretlessman71]

Can I use the spigot to try a little of the beer anytime I want to? Just to, you know, see if it's getting sour or something? Is there a certain point I ought to wait until before I try to do this?

[b3s]

could you? yeah (and i reccomend tasting beer at rackings just to get a feel for what's going on)...but you'll probably get a lot of trub in the glass.

[YamahaXS]

you can do that fretless, but like b3s said, you will get a bunch of trub and it will be difficult to KNOW anything from that taste. Plan on letting the beer go as you normally would. bottle and drink ASAP.

[toneyc]

Fret not, Fretlessman, for I have done this a number of times without ruining a batch of beer. I don't recommend doing it on a regular basis, though. But like Tweek said, no use getting overly excited about it now, there's only two things you can do. You can either pour it out now or let it go. If you pour it out, you have no beer. If you let it go, there's a good chance you'll have beer, and probably good beer at that!

:)
Toney.