Do you really need to ask this question? The answer is you risk ruining your wine by introducing it to bacteria which in effect will cause an infection.
Would you want to risk it. Sanitation from what I read is the most important step.
The risk depends on how well it was cleaned after the last use, how it was stored, etc. But there's ALWAYS a risk if you don't sanitize.
The only upside is that you're making wine, not beer. The higher ABV and lower nutrient content both help keep the risk of infections from such mistakes relatively lower compared to beer, which has more nutrients, more unfermented long-chain sugars, and in most cases, less alcohol...
So cross your fingers and hope for the best, it's all you can do! And don't do it again.
I think there are too many variables to guess the amount of risk. I would just keep a close eye and nose on it. If something looks or smells like its going wrong, maybe someone on here can help with some usefull information how to save it. Being a beginner myself, i made a check list i use so i dont miss anything. I am a bit surprised by some of the replies you got, being that this is a beginners area. With the exception of engineJoe, that was helpful..
on a similar note, how long does contact take with K-meta sanitizer in a spray bottle. I've been spraying it and letting it sit for only a minute or two. Ok, I;ll search for that one.
I was told about 3 min. contact for k-meta to work..Thats what I do. I mix up some in a small bucket and soak my bungs, airlocks , spoons and all...Then a quick rinse in clean water before using..I also wash my hands with antibactirial soap before handling stuff too.
True, dont wash the k-meta off as you are re-introducing bacteria. I think 2-3 minutes is enough and you should be letting it drip dry. For a measuring scoop, I spray, let sit and then wipe dry with a paper towel.
Iodophor is a iodine based sanitizer that is no rinse.
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