Long Lost (Full) Fermenter.....

Would you bottle it?

OK, I made a chocolate stout, a long long time ago. Initial fermentation was under ideal conditions. It is still in the PRIMARY, yes on the yeast cake. We are talking after wow 8 months???

So, dump it or keep it? I will say my answer may change if I get into it and see any nasties, that would make up my mind right there, but it it looks good, rack it to a bottle bucket with some new S-04 and bottle? Even worth a shot?

What is the longest you ever sat on something before bottle?

I've done an old English ale that sat in a fermenter 10 months mostly in a secondary but I keep reading on here how worthless a secondary is. I would pull a sample and taste it. A taste won't kill you, hell I doubt a small taste would make you sick. The down side to all of this is, from your story, it sounds like the air lock was empty for a good portion so nasties could be possible.

a stout? its going to be better than good. try it!

True, I didnt even think about the airlock.

Dhruv6911 said:

a stout? its going to be better than good. try it!

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A chocolate stout, with an assload of cocoa in the boil.

nanofreak said:

Would you bottle it?

We are talking after wow 8 months???

What is the longest you ever sat on something before bottle?

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Ok. I don't feel like such a forgetful person now. I have a pumpkin ale that I brewed around thanksgiving. I just forgot about it. It's been sitting in my fermentation freezer at 38F since the the first part of Dec. I'm so gonna keg it and see what happens.

Diver165 said:

Ok. I don't feel like such a forgetful person now.

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I didn't really forget. I just wasnt brewing or doing any of my homebrew stuff for a while. There wasn't a better way to word or title this thread though. Stuff happened, and I just had other things to deal with than homebrew for a bit.

nanofreak said:

I didn't really forget. I just wasnt brewing or doing any of my homebrew stuff for a while. There wasn't a better way to word or title this thread though. Stuff happened, and I just had other things to deal with than homebrew for a bit.

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This is not all that uncommon, from what I've read here. I'd definitely try it. Beer is pretty hardy, and I'd wager a dollar or two that it's gonna be tasty! I hope you'll let us know the outcome!

Eight months is not that long! It's probably better than it was at two months.

i wish i sat on my last chocolate creme stout for that long..

post pics and taste it!!

I'd bottle it, all you have to lose at this point is a few hours time.

I beat it will be good beer. I agree with scottdrake, it's probably better now than it was at 2 months.

HA! There is water in the airlock still. Perhaps because it is mostly sanitizer? Maybe that doesnt evap as quick as water?

In any case, I am going to bottle.

The only real concern here is that it sat on the cake for so long. Even with a dry airlock, the likelihood of getting an infection is pretty low assuming the fermenter was left undisturbed the whole time. Bacteria cant fly up into the airlock all by themselves. As long as no fruit flies or anything got in there it's probably good. And an 8 month old chocolate stout sound fantastic! If it tastes good, it is good.

You might want to add some fresh yeast at bottling time...But man, why would you even hesitate to bottle it?

You may have just made the best stout ever. The thing I don't get is how you can turn your back on a primary full of the bubbly goodness! Im constantly running to the fermenter room to watch the bubbles and sniff the air lock.

Mmmmmm! Re-yeast and bottle, I'd be willing to bet it's fantastic!

+1 on bottling that up with some fresh yeast!