Am I risking infection?

[Chickpeanut]

Hi guys.

Today I bottled a Woodforde's Wherry, my 4th brew kit after what's been a fun 4 months or so of getting into home brewing. I've thoroughly enjoyed each kit I've done and I genuinely believe each one has been better than the last. I'm looking forward to getting involved in partial extract and eventually going AG.

However today I made a basic boo boo... I did not sanitise my caps. I didn't realise this until after everything was bottled and capped. Can anyone out there relate any experiences they've had with realising they hadn't sanitised something?

What's my chances of getting away with this? Should I simply recap my bottles or has the damage been done?

 

[jonewer]

No point re-capping.

Beer is at its most vulnerable before fermentation is complete. Fermented beer is more robust provided its not aerated.

Chances are you'll be fine :thumb:

 

[alawlor66430]

I wouldn't say there's any point in recapping, but hopefully it'll be ok, we sanitise everything to kill anything that might be lurking, but that's not to say something was lurking,so maybe you'll get away with it, and if you do ruin a brew by not sanitising properly needless to say it'll be last time you make that mistake, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Chickpeanut]

Thanks guys. My gut reaction is just to leave it and hope for the best. I'll be more careful next time.

 

[alanywiseman.]

It will be fine. I rarely remember to do it.

 

[Spanish_brewer]

I had the same experience yesterday when I cap my beer. but I though It should be fine the caps come in a packet and they shouldn't be contaminated. I think you and I will be fine :

 

[taxidiver]

The taste will tell, even if one bottle is infected, doesn't mean they all will be.
:drink:
Geoff

 

[winelight]

The first time I read about someone sanitising caps, I thought it was a joke. Then I read about lots of people doing it and even saw a picture, I realised they were deadly serious. I still don't really believe it, I think you guys are conspiring together to try to trick me into doing it, just for a laugh.

 

[rich27500]

I never do it. I used to, forgot once and haven't bothered since.

 

[bobsbeer]

I do but I would be interested in knowing how the big boys do it, if they do?

 

[mattrickl06]

I have never sanitised caps in 15 x 40 bottles and never spoiled any.

Touch wood obviously

 

[jonewer]

I do but I would be interested in knowing how the big boys do it, if they do?

I just chuck them in the jug of videne that I use for the bottles and fish them out one by one when capping

 

[alawlor66430]

I always chuck them in with all the other equipment when it's sanitising then rinse and put in a bowl of fresh clean water and pick out 1 at a time as I need.

 

[Baz Chaz]

Funny isn't it, I never used to sanitise and never had a problem ....

started sanitising and still don't have a problem, think you'd be unlucky if you got an infection :

 

[winelight]

I don't do it but only because I started brewing ages ago before the age of the internet, and in those days the only advice I had was the instructions, and the instructions on caps don't say anything about sanitisation.

I could have asked the great guy in our excellent LHBS, but I had no reason to ask because it simply never occurred to me.

 

[alawlor66430]

I think the chances of getting infection through the caps are minimal to say the least, but it would be such a shame to lose any beer because of it, especially when you've went to all the lengths to sanitise all the other equipment and bottles and since it takes no effort to chuck your caps in with the other stuff I think you'd be as well, but I suppose not sterilising for years and never having a problem can be a good indicator as go how often it happens.

 

[PD]

I've got a plastic cullender (sp) from Morrisons, I count the caps out I need for bottling and then give then all a good spray with no rinse videne and a shake rattle and roll. I then have them at the side of me as I bottle. All my tops are well washed as are the bottles when the beer is opened and drunk.

 

[SloeBrewer]

I put my crown caps in a jug of boiling water. I was advised not to use StarSan on crown caps, as the acid can attack the metal. For plastic screw-caps, I use StarSan.

 

[Asalpaws]

I've used starsan in metal caps for ages and not had any problems. Also there have been batches when I forgot to sanitize and never had a problem. I visited a commercial brewery where the bottles and caps were steam sanitized.

 

[johnnie]

Before bottling I normally run my bottles through a hot cycle in the dishwasher. Sterilise bottles and caps. One time I sterilised the caps but for some reason didn't do the bottles. Luckily I didn't get an infection! I think you should be fine.