Racking disaster?

[freeloopdub]

So I'm currently midway through racking for the first time.

When I started transferring into the secondary, I had a whole heap of bubbles running through the racking tube. This continued for quite some time, until I eventually set the tap right so the bubbling was minimised.

I'm worried that the pretty vicious oxygenation happening in the tube is going to be detrimental to my beer.

Am I right? Someone reassure me that I haven't ruined my beer!

[freeloopdub]

An update - IT'S STILL HAPPENING!!

If I have the tap on a setting where bubbling is minimalised, the rate of transfer is so slow that it'll take all day. Every time I open the tap a little more, a continuous stream of small bubbles goes flying through the tube. It's killing me!!

[Aussie Claret]

Quick tip,
Pinch the racking tube to restrict the beer flow, this allows the beer to back up the racking tube and fill it, then release the pinch. The entire tube will fill with beer immediately (within a few seconds anyway), transfer should only take a couple of minutes maximum.

As you are aware it's not good to oxygenate the beer after or during fermentation, as this can lead to funny off tasting or cardboard tasting beer.
Chances are you probably haven't done too much damage BUT oxygenating the beer will have a detrimental effect if you have oxygenated it then the life span will be reduced, therefore don't let this beer mature for an extended period.
Cheers
AC

[freeloopdub]

Thanks Aussie.

I tried pinching, but the tube was too rigid for me to pinch it completely closed.

I finally realised that after a few seconds of having the tap on full, the bubbles cleared up.

The bubbling only really affected about the first five litres that went into the secondary - is this enough to affect the whole brew?

[MHD]

how far through the ferm was it, might have only been co2

[Aussie Claret]

freeloopdub,
I always get a little bit of bubbling at the start also, just try to minimise this and you will be sweet. The more practice the better you will get at it, when I find it difficult to pinch the tube (happens when I rack cold fermenting beer such as lager that stiffens the tube) I bend it to restrict the flow, worked ok for me thus far.

Don't worry about the air bubbles at this point, I'm sure it will be fine; taste will tell over time. You'll be right though.
AC

[Shaun]

Soak the raking tube in hot water before starting to rack this will insure it is soft when you start and can squeeze it even with cold beer.

[Cheeno]

Don't worry FLD the same thing happened to me on my first rack. While I'm sure it didn't do the beer any good I haven't noticed any of the falvours mentioned above. Could just be me though. The beer is about 2 and bit months old now I'll have to crack one and have taste.