Poured wort into unsanitized bucket

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Barbiasz72, Aug 26, 2013.

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  1. Barbiasz72

    Barbiasz72 Initiate (0) Aug 26, 2013 Florida

    I had a sanitized bucket and another bucket that I sometimes use if I have multiple batches going. I accidentally poured my wort into the bucket that wasnt sanitized. I quickly realized what I had done and immediately poured it into the sanitized bucket. Is there any chance that this will still turn out good? Or is there anything I could do to possibly save it?

    (The unsanitized bucket had been cleaned and put in a closet for 2 weeks and I rinsed it out with water about 5 minutes before I poured into it.)

    Thanks for the help!!
     
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    There's a good chance that it will be okay.

    Have you pitched the yeast yet? If not, you could pasteurize the wort. Otherwise, don't lose much sleep over it.
     
  3. JohnSnowNW

    JohnSnowNW Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2013 Minnesota

    You'll just have to let it go and see. Best thing you can do is to have a fast start to your ferm...so the yeast keeps whatever you may have picked up at bay.

    Drink the beer relatively quickly when it's done.

    Anyway, you'll probably be fine.
     
  4. epk

    epk Pundit (849) Jun 10, 2008 New Jersey

    You should be asking if there is any chance it will be bad. My guess is that chance is low. I'd say the odds are in your favor. Let it ride. In fact, you should always let them ride.
     
  5. NiceFly

    NiceFly Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Tajikistan

    Tell us about your yeast pitching rates, OG and that sort of stuff.
     
  6. mugs1789

    mugs1789 Zealot (611) Dec 6, 2005 Maryland

    Add me to the "You'll be fine" camp. Pitching a strong and healthy starter will help.
     
  7. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    It's actually pretty difficult to inoculate wort with a spoilage organism that can out compete any reasonable pitch of brewing yeast. What you have to worry about is if this beer will sit around for a long time after packaging. If you bottle/keg it, keep it at fridge temps after it's carbonated, and drink through the batch relatively quickly, the chance of any meaningful spoilage is pretty slim.
     
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  8. AlCaponeJunior

    AlCaponeJunior Grand Pooh-Bah (3,452) May 21, 2010 Texas
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I'll offer the dissenting opinion here. I think you should be super paranoid. Da gubmint is watching you, and now they know all about that little secret that's in your closet. They're just waiting for the perfect time to move in on you. I'd keep the blinds closed from now on, but keep peeking out of one corner every five minutes or so. Better yet, install about 17 security cameras all around your house, with monitors in every room. Wear a disguise when you buy the cameras tho, and always pay cash, never use a credit card. Da gubmint can trace them too easily, and like I already mentioned, they are watching you. They have agents everywhere, and everyone is in on the vast, vast conspiracy, which of course is simply so big corporations can make more profit. :astonished:
     
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  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    As many have posted, pitching healthy yeast (yeast in healthy condition and of sufficient quantity) will likely ‘out power’ any microorganisms that may be present in the unsanitized bucket.

    What was your pitch? If using a liquid yeast, did you make a starter? If using dry yeast, did you re-hydrate?

    Cheers!
     
  10. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I'll dissent, a little.

    In the short term, I think your beer will be fine. If you pitch a healthy quantity of yeast cells, they will outcompete the ambient levels of microbe in your bucket for the available sugars and oxygen and nutrients in your wort. As they reduce sugar levels, lower the pH, and increase the alcohol, the beer will increasingly become less hospitable other microorganisms. Unfortunately, some infectious agents will persist, so I recommend you drink your beer fast rather than lay it down for storage. Force carbonating in a keg under cold cooler conditions should help slow things down. If bottle conditioning, I recommend putting bottles in cold storage once they are carbonated. These persistent microbes may be able to break down more complex carbohydrates like starches and dextrins that brewers yeasts generally do not eat. They will be slow in their metabolism, due to their small numbers and the environment, but in the long run, these microbes may "steal" some of the body and good flavor from your beer. In the process, they may overcarbonate the beer in bottles (if you are a bottler), leading to gushers that deliver about 2/3 of the beer to the kitchen floor, leaving you to try to extract liquid beer from the foamy mess in your glass.
     
  11. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    It might be an interesting exercise for the OP to store the majority of the beer cold (presuming he bottles) but leave a few bottles at room temperature as ‘test bottles”?

    Whatcha think?

    Cheers!
     
    pweis909 likes this.
  12. drgarage

    drgarage Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2008 California

    I think the solution here is to get a rock out of your garden and drop it into the wort.
     
  13. jae

    jae Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2010 Washington

    Ferment it hard, drink it fast.
     
    epk and pweis909 like this.
  14. Barbiasz72

    Barbiasz72 Initiate (0) Aug 26, 2013 Florida

    Thanks for all the help!
     
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