BeerBorg

Ok. Note to self: don't take the lid off! If my brew sprouts hair, I'll know I got some beard yeast in it. Hopefully it will be fine. Thanks again guys!

It will be fine. We take the lids off of our fermenters all the time to dry hop. And WELOME

Gymrat wrote:It will be fine. We take the lids off of our fermenters all the time to dry hop. And WELOME

I agree probably fine but...

Dry hopping is after primary fermentation is complete or mostly complete, so you have alcohol and PH levels that are "bad" for the worst kind of bugs (stuff that makes your beer taste rancid). But until then - early in the fermentation - your not as well protected. Just wanted to point that out.

Unless you are me and live in my house. The Brett C doesn't care what the abv or ph is, just if there is something to eat. So if I took off the lid this time of year to dry hop, I could easily get a low grade Brett infection. I should say I have, not could.

So in my house this time of year, if I am brewing a hoppy beer, it's all hopstand with the lid on the pot pre-fermenter/pre chilling. All part of life with airborne Brett. It's fun.

Oh and a tip from my distant past - don't eat yogurt before you dry hop. Just sayin...

Easy Trotter wrote:Thanks Bluejaye. I have taken the lid off a couple times to see if the yeast is active - can't see through the fermenter very well because it's dark. How is that going to affect the batch?

Well, if you didn't mouth breath all over it, most likely it won't affect it at all. But everytime you opened it there was a risk of a stray contaminant to get in, such as a wild yeast, bacteria, etc. If that happened, oh, you'll know, the beer will taste "off." What off means depends on what got in, but sour is common. Just taste a small sample before you bottle it.

Nothing you can do about now anyway, so just relax and let it ride. Odds are on your side that it's fine.

Good responses, and a good conversation about a couple of other aspects of brewing.

I just wanted to comment and point out that, as the responses demonstrate, there's no one "right way" to brew beer (although there are a lot of definitely wrong ways). A lot of the technique you develop will be based on your own individual personality and conditions. Me, whenever I use dry yeast, I rehydrate it. No real reason, I just like to do it that way. Others just sprinkle the yeast on top. My way is the right way for me, and their way is the right way for them. We both get beer out of it.

As long as you're properly washing and sanitizing everything, and you're mindful of temperature during the process, you'll be fine. Pretty much everything else falls into the category of "Brewer's Choice."

On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd have to say the making absolutely as sure as you possibly can that the wort temperature is 68F before your ever even think about anything else, has to be an A.

Learn to Follow The Yeast

• 1) Never ever, ever use yeast shipped during extreme temperatures

• B) Never ever, ever pitch yeast into wort that's at a temperature outside that strains recommended temperature range

• 4) Buy your yeast from a reputable source that keeps their supply fresh and stores it properly from the time it arrives to the time it leaves their shelves

• W) I can go on all night....Buy locally from your Local Home Brew Shop, get to know the owners and folks that work there. Once they get to know you they'll be reminding you to take your yeast home in a cooler or packing it with an ice pack

Way back in 2009 when I first started brewing with Mr. Beer kits I wish someone had drilled this into my head, but we all know I had enough holes in it already. Good luck to you Easy Trotter and may the road rise up to meet your feet and your glass never spill a single drop of beer.