Guess What I Found?

What went wrong? Was this supposed to happen? Should I throw it out? What do I do now?

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BillyBock
Imperial Stout
Imperial Stout
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Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2000 11:37 am
Location: Ohio

Guess What I Found?

Post by BillyBock »

Well, Friday I brewed up a Scotch Ale. While the boil was going, I drained the conical of my Spiced Winter Lager into kegs. During the cleaning of the conical, I found one of my hose clamps at the bottom of the dump valve under the yeast bed--it was there for a month. Doh! Must've fallen in during cleaning.

It's one of the Ideal brand worm-drive clamps. I thought it was all stainless steel. But it appears only the band was stainless. However, the worm-gear screw blackened. According to their web site, the worm-gear screw is zinc-plated carbon steel.

Any thoughts from the collective on keeping or pitching this batch? My first thought is to not worry--the clamp wouldn't have been in contact with the actual beer very long. It had more contact time with the yeast bed at the bottom of the conical once they started flocculating and filling the cone. By the way, that WL830 German Lager yeast makes a firm sediment!

v/r
Bill
sphbeer
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Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2003 9:15 pm

time will tell

Post by sphbeer »

If you are tight for equipment or space, I would abort, otherwise time will tell. Let us know.
Dr Strangebrew
Pale Ale
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Joined: Tue May 13, 2003 7:01 pm
Location: Lincoln, NE, US

I hate to admit it but...

Post by Dr Strangebrew »

On occasion I have dropped objects into the fermenter without knowing if they were sanitary. Everything turned out okay. I would recommend to wait and see how the beer turns out. Unless you need the space or equipment, why throw something away if you aren't positive if its ruined? Good luck.

Nate
fitz
Strong Ale
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Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Never

Post by fitz »

Never throw out untested beer.
Hell, you may find that the chemical change in the clamp made your winter warmer taste even better. You may get us all throwing clamps into our fermenters. try it and see.
Azorean Brewer
Strong Ale
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KEEP IT ...

Post by Azorean Brewer »

Billy,

I have said it here before, during the prohibition my best friends grandmother brewed in a loosely covered open crock on the back screened-in porch and people say it was the best beer around LOL ... you can image what found it's way into the fermenter, my motto never throw out beer unless YOU KNOW 100% that it is bad, chances are it could be the best batch you ever made and will rack your brain trying to figure out what you did to get it that way...

SAPPY FEW Year
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