My Bottle Capper Broke! How Screwed Am I?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Twisted_Halo, Mar 4, 2014.

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  1. Twisted_Halo

    Twisted_Halo Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2014 Pennsylvania

    So, when I started my bottling process earlier this evening it had been 20 days since the my wort started fermenting. The Gravity had been staying at a constant of 1.013 for the last five days, so I decided it was time. I did all of my proper sanitation, made my priming solution, added it to my bottling bucket, and then siphoned the wort from my primary into my bottling bucket. I set the lid from the primary on top of the bottling bucket, without sealing it, and let it set for about 40 minutes to settle while I got everything in place. I then filled 4 bottles, capped 2 of them, and then on the 3rd, SNAP!, the damn bottle capper broke, its completely unusable.
    I quickly sealed the bottling bucket with the lid from the primary. I did have to stick my arm into the wort (with a sanitized, elbow length brewers glove) to tighten the nut for the spigot because it loosened when I turned the spigot into a position that would let it sit on the floor without touching. I won't be able to get a new capper until at least noon EST tomorrow when my local brew store opens. Is it a problem that I added the priming sugars and they are sitting in the wort without being bottled? Does anyone see any other problems that might arise from what I described above?
    Man am I going to pissed if all I get from this first batch is 2 beers. arg!! lol

    Thanks for any help guys!
     
    #1 Twisted_Halo, Mar 4, 2014
  2. reverseapachemaster

    reverseapachemaster Zealot (722) Sep 21, 2012 Texas

    Did you take a final gravity reading?
     
    #2 reverseapachemaster, Mar 4, 2014
  3. Twisted_Halo

    Twisted_Halo Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2014 Pennsylvania

    Yes, I took a reading from the primary just before transferring into the bottling bucket. The same 1.013 it had been hovering at for the last few days.
     
    #3 Twisted_Halo, Mar 4, 2014
  4. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    Your biggest problem is the layer of air on top of the beer in the bottling bucket. Without compressed CO2 I can't think of anything to do about that. The amount of fermentation by noon tomorrow will be minor, even less if you keep the beer cool. So you're pretty much locked into waiting/capping/hoping . . .
     
    #4 PortLargo, Mar 4, 2014
  5. Marshall_ofmcap

    Marshall_ofmcap Initiate (0) Jul 17, 2013 Colorado

    i would make a small amount of starter, the same OG as your recipe and put that in there, just enough to force the O2 out of the head space, wait for that to ferment and re-prime and bottle with a new capper.
     
    #5 Marshall_ofmcap, Mar 4, 2014
  6. WelshBrewer

    WelshBrewer Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2013 Oregon

    I think you will be fine, I would not fret it and just wait until tomorrow when you can bottle, you put sugar to start the fermenting process to bottle I think this will push a fine blanket of CO2 on it and if not, again I don't think there is anything to worry about, remember "Relax and have a Home brew"
    Cheers
     
    #6 WelshBrewer, Mar 4, 2014
    Twisted_Halo likes this.
  7. Twisted_Halo

    Twisted_Halo Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2014 Pennsylvania

    I hope you are right. I'll find out in a few weeks I guess.
     
    #7 Twisted_Halo, Mar 4, 2014
  8. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    I think you should finish bottling and just leave the caps on top of the bottles. It's basically the same condition that your bottles will be in if you were to crank the caps down. Just get to it sometime tomorrow and you'll be fine.
     
    #8 inchrisin, Mar 4, 2014
    MarriedAtGI and PortLargo like this.
  9. WelshBrewer

    WelshBrewer Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2013 Oregon

    I like this better than my quote, great Idea!!
     
    #9 WelshBrewer, Mar 4, 2014
  10. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Aww, shucks. :slight_smile:
     
    #10 inchrisin, Mar 4, 2014
  11. Twisted_Halo

    Twisted_Halo Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2014 Pennsylvania

    Well, I went out and bought a new capper and finished the job. The wort was sitting in the bottling bucket with an airlocked lid on it for a max of 18 hours. I guess we'll see how the beer turns out when I open one in about 3-4 weeks. I'll let you guys know how it turns out. Thanks for the help fellas!
     
    #11 Twisted_Halo, Mar 4, 2014
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