Beer thats been aging for 3+ months

Hoppylikerabbits · 10-05-2011, 02:20 AM

I have a Russian imperial oatmeal stout that has been aging for 3+ months, and I'm about to bottle it tomorrow. I assuming that the yeast is out of suspension now and sitting on the bottom. What should I do to bottle it as I do want a slight bit of carbonation and not "flat"beer. I will be using DME as the priming agent in this beer. Any thoughts and input to ensure I have carbonated beer? I don't have the same yeast available to pitch up for carbonation.

InfiniteThought · 10-05-2011, 02:41 AM

Thats a really long time to leave beer sitting on a yeast cake, if that yeast started dying your gonna have a few odd flavors. You would probably still have some yeast in solution and would still carbonate but it will take longer. The other option is to put the beer in a corny keg and force carbonate but I am guessing you don't have one. what is the OG and FG of the beer? if its a strong beer it will be harder to get yeast to wake back up to prime the bottles.

**motobrewer** · 10-05-2011, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfiniteThought

Thats a really long time to leave beer sitting on a yeast cake, if that yeast started dying your gonna have a few odd flavors. You would probably still have some yeast in solution and would still carbonate but it will take longer. The other option is to put the beer in a corny keg and force carbonate but I am guessing you don't have one. what is the OG and FG of the beer? if its a strong beer it will be harder to get yeast to wake back up to prime the bottles.

meh. i brewed a RIS last december, primaried for 1.5 months and it was in the secondary up until a week or so ago. its fantastic.

i added 1/2 packet of rehydrated us05 to the bucket. but mine was sitting a lot longer than 3 months. I'd say prime as normal, if you're really worried about it add a bit of yeast. definitely not a full packet tho.

InfiniteThought · 10-05-2011, 02:56 AM

If that works, sweet! I have never really had luck adding yeast to things after they fermented. Thanks moto.

**passedpawn** · 10-05-2011, 02:58 AM

Add a bit of dry yeast (i.e., 1/4 packet) to the bottling bucket. Any yeast will do, esp. with a dark beer, but probably best to use one that flocculates well like S-04.

I've bottled beers after 6 months without any additional yeast. But with a dark beer there isn't a good reason to take a chance - just add the yeast.

Hoppylikerabbits · 10-05-2011, 03:31 AM

I do have a keg setup, but this beer is one I'm wanting to bottle and send to family and friends. This went from primary to secondary. It's got maybe a 1/4 inch of a cake of yeast that it's settling on. I'll try bottling as normal then. Well with a little dry yeast that I have. OG of the beer was at 1.111 and FG should be around 1.022. I'll defiantly find out when I bottle tomorrow. When I do I'll repost the FG. I used WLP002 for my yeast in this brew. One of my own recipes.

InfiniteThought · 10-05-2011, 07:48 PM

I missed some how that you had put it into secondary, really should have thought about that. Makes my first post kinda dumb about the dead yeast ruining things. Hope the beer is tasty!

SwampassJ · 10-05-2011, 09:44 PM

Just a heads up. Don't be surprised if it takes a while longer to carbonate due to the higher amount of alcohol in the beer. It might only take 2-3 weeks or it might take a few months to fully carb. I think revvy had one of his beers take a few months to become fully carbed. What the hell is he and his encylopedia post?