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Chances of Oxidized Beer

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by hillunwdockens, Jul 13, 2015.

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  1. hillunwdockens

    hillunwdockens Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2015

    Earlier this evening, I moved my IPA from primary to secondary. I put the bubbler on and left the house to run an errand. I forgot to put the carboy in the basement. After getting home two hours later I realized my mistake and went to do so. As I was walking down the hall, my dog ran between my legs and tripped me. I dropped the carboy. Luckily, it didn't break but it did roll. Other words, the beer was shaken up. There were two hours from finishing the racking to the event. I'm hoping by that point the CO2 had built up but I'm unsure. I'm rather new to the whole home brewing. What are the chances the beer is now oxidized? I feel that it is rather high but I'm holding out for hope.
     
    #1 hillunwdockens, Jul 13, 2015
  2. CurtFromHershey

    CurtFromHershey Initiate (0) Oct 4, 2012 Minnesota

    Well any splashing certainly won't help the beer, but whether or not it will be fine is tough to predict. In the future, you can avoid the chance all together by leaving your IPA in primary the entire time.
     
    #2 CurtFromHershey, Jul 13, 2015
  3. southdenverhoo

    southdenverhoo Maven (1,375) Aug 13, 2004 Colorado

    Drink it fast.

    Oxidation is the current example of one of those home brewing obsessions that pop up from time to time and make Papazian's admonishment to RDWHAHB timeless...(IMHO, YMMV, feel free to obsess away)
     
    #3 southdenverhoo, Jul 13, 2015
  4. mrjimcat

    mrjimcat Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2002 New York

    Shoot that dog!!
    Just kidding, it will probably be just fine.
     
    #4 mrjimcat, Jul 13, 2015
  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,363) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I would be willing to bet that as long as you conduced a careful transfer from the primary to the secondary you will be OK.

    As was posted by @CurtFromHershey, your really should not conduct a transfer to a secondary for future batches. There is no need for a secondary and the transfer is a source of exposure to air (oxygen) and therefore a potential source for oxidation (and potential infection if sanitation was less than optimum).

    Cheers!
     
    #5 JackHorzempa, Jul 13, 2015
  6. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,238) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    You said "luckily it didn't break." Are you using a glass carboy? If so consider using straps like a brew hauler or using a milk crate to carry your carboy. When I use my 5 gallon glass fermenter, I use a milk crate.
     
    #6 pweis909, Jul 13, 2015
  7. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,533) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Was fermentation complete in the primary, and/or were you transferring to a secondary and adding something fermentable at the same time? If so, the yeast could use some oxygen created by the mishap when busy fermenting in the secondary. Either way, I think your beer will be okay, assuming it is a beer that you were not intending to age.
     
    #7 PapaGoose03, Jul 13, 2015
    HerbMeowing likes this.
  8. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,283) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    The staling effects of oxidation don't manifest instantaneously; IOW ... don't sit around waiting to RDWHAHB.
     
    #8 HerbMeowing, Jul 14, 2015
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