First attempt fail?

[addz]

Hi all

attempted to make my first lager brew. Did everything right until I attempted to move the bucket to store away.

The weight of the liquid must have bowed the bottom of the bucket creating a vacuum. Yes you can see what's going to happen.... half of my sterilizer solution got sucked into the wort.

Have I ruined this batch? Is it unsafe to complete the fermentation and drink? (I'm guessing yes to both)

Weakish mix of VWP solution.

Airlock still installed with the 50% remaining fluid.

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi all

attempted to make my first lager brew. Did everything right until I attempted to move the bucket to store away.

The weight of the liquid must have bowed the bottom of the bucket creating a vacuum. Yes you can see what's going to happen.... half of my sterilizer solution got sucked into the wort.

Have I ruined this batch? Is it unsafe to complete the fermentation and drink? (I'm guessing yes to both)

Weakish mix of VWP solution.

Airlock still installed with the 50% remaining fluid.

I think VWP is chlorine based so it could be fatal. On the other hand, a weak mix and a lot of dilution might make it undetectable. I'd go ahead and hope for the best. If it keeps fermenting well you might be alright.
If it starts tasting like TCP then it's a goner.

 

[Clint]

If it was starsan or chemsan I'd say crack on! Not sure about VWP...is it chlorine based,the one that smells like swimming pools?

 

[addz]

If it was starsan or chemsan I'd say crack on! Not sure about VWP...is it chlorine based,the one that smells like swimming pools?

Cheers both - Yep that's the one.

I filled the air lock up to half way, and only 50% of that is gone.

Lesson learned however!

 

[Appleton Brews]

I would dump it, it’s not worth any risk.

 

[Appleton Brews]

Cheers both - Yep that's the one.

I filled the air lock up to half way, and only 50% of that is gone.

Lesson learned however!

Just put tap water in the air lock no need for steriliser.

 

[An Ankoù]

I would dump it, it’s not worth any risk.

I disagree, @Appleton Brews . A couple of CCs of chlorine-based cleaner diluted in, say, 20 litres isn't going to harm anybody. I've swallowed more swimming pool water* than that. It's unlikely to stop the ferment. I don't know how the chemistry works with combining with the hop phenols to give a TCP flavour, which has a very low taste threshold. It either will or it wont, if it does it'll be undrinkabe but harmless.

*Eeeek! We all know what swimming pool water is made of!

 

[Rodcx500z]

I would brew it and hope for a good outcome, i never put the lid on until i have it were it will be fermented then it's yeast in lid on and as above water only in the airlock

 

[Rodcx500z]

*Eeeek! We all know what swimming pool water is made of

Carlsberg

 

[Caramel Ox]

Thinking back the same thing happened to my first brew but it was probably only water. I don’t think it’s likely a problem if you can’t taste it.

 

[An Ankoù]

Carlsberg

Spot on. Chlorinated Carlsberg can only be an improvement and a welcome change from lager and lime.
I'm going to try creosote in my next one.

 

[addz]

Well there's 23L of water to dilute it. I guess I will risk it on my first attempt in hope its going to fail. If it works out I'll be happy. I'll order another regardless of the result.

Lesson learned though - not to install the airlock until after I've placed it in storage!

 

[An Ankoù]

Lesson learned though - not to install the airlock until after I've placed it in storage!

After 50+ years I still do it. Usually lifting the lid or running off a sample through the tap. I've never had one go off through that, but now I keep a bottle of 40% alcohol (vodka, but here it's industrial ethanol for adding to fruits for making things like rumtopf) just for the airlocks and, in the summer, tie a small lunch/freezer bag round the airlock to keep out the fruit flies.