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rothgar

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Oct 20, 2007
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Location
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Hi folks,

I'm new to the group but not new to homebrew. However, I have a batch of dark beer that I was going to bottle tomorrow.

The catch: it's been in the second stage for two years! :eek:

Will this work? Can there still be love after so much time? Are there any support groups for this sort of thing that can offer suggestions?

-Eric
 
Well, I'm not sure if you have any viable yeast left to carbonate the beer. I might be wrong on that, I'm sure the others will be along shortly to confirm.

But if you were to keg it and force carbonate, well that's a whole different story. Providing that it stayed in a favorable conditions the whole time it could be really good.

What kind of dark beer is it? What is your ABV?
 
Well, I'd taste it. If it tastes good, I'd bottle it!

I would rehydrate a quarter packet or so of dry yeast (maybe even a half a package) and add that to my bottling bucket along with the cooled priming solution and stir that well before racking the beer into it. It might give you a little more sediment in the bottle, but it would ensure carbonation.
 
Definately taste it to see before you bother bottling it. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't taste good, though.

Now the important question... why in the hell did you leave a beer in the secondary for 2 years?!?! Readers want to know!
 
It's a Honey Porter. The ABV should be about 6.06.

BTW, it tastes like heaven. Over the past two years I checked the airlock periodically and filled as needed. I live in San Francisco and the climate is fairly stable so it's almost always between 55 and 70 degrees in the daytime.

As for why it took so long to bottle?: I'm in a career move that has distracted me of late and I simply didn't get around to bottling. Go figure.

Now I'm trying to decide if I want to wait another day to rehydrate my beer. Since my brew-shop doesn't open until noon and I have to be at work at two, I won't be able to add yeast until tomorrow. I opened the second stage to taste and measure specific gravity so I may go ahead and bottle this morning and treat it as a grand experiment.

I'll keep everyone posted.
 
I don't think it will be much of an experiment. After 2 years, the yeast should not be viable enough to carbonate the beer. I would wait another day (compared to 2 years...that's no time at all!) and add some yeast so you won't have flat beer.
 
Brewing Clamper said:
Wow, and I thought conditioning my porter for 2 months was tough!! What LHBS do you use in the city?

I use San Francisco Brewcraft on Clement at 17th.

Oh, and I didn't condition it for two years intentionally. :eek:

The beer is already bottled and sitting patiently on my kitchen counter. We'll see how it all turns out.
 
rothgar said:
I use San Francisco Brewcraft on Clement at 17th.

Oh, and I didn't condition it for two years intentionally. :eek:

The beer is already bottled and sitting patiently on my kitchen counter. We'll see how it all turns out.

I really hope you waited until you could add the new dry yeast... otherwise your "tastes like heaven" beer is more than likely going to be flat... or take another 2 years to carbonate b/c as these fellas have said, there is probably only 2 viable yeast cells running around doing there thing. If that many...

I suppose you could always uncap and add some yeast if it doesn't work, but I would just have waited until you could add it to the entire batch...

Let us know how it turns out!
 
If you are wondering about alcohol toxicity with a fresh packet of yeast, (the alc killing the fresh yeast) - you might try a Champange yeast EC-1118 for example. I do not think it will alter the flavor - but it is a very hardy yeast, and should not die from been added to the brew - perhaps you might also make a starter with yeast and some sugar, bump up the % with a small addition of sugar to give the yeast something to think about - then prime as you would usually.

Or keg it and force carb.

Kilroy
 
So what happened? I saw a product to carbonate a 12 oz bottle the other day. It was a bag of CO2 drops (like pop rock cough drops) that you could use if your bottles don't carbonate. It's more expensive than priming with sugar or DME (maybe 4 or 5 bucks for 48 of them) but it's better than tossing all that beer.
 
I opened the second stage to taste and measure specific gravity

After two years, I wouldn't worry about checking the gravity. It is probably done.
 
mrk305 said:
I opened the second stage to taste and measure specific gravity

After two years, I wouldn't worry about checking the gravity. It is probably done.


This really, really made me laugh.
 
I popped one open Wednesday night. It made a quiet *phzzzzz*. I poured it all at once into a cold mug and a fine head developed. Not like Guiness of course, but enough to satisfy. I think I have a righteous porter on my hands. :ban:

I'll have one tomorrow and post a picture.
 
Better late than never. Here's a picture of my long gone Two Year Christmas Brew. It was yummy!

christmasbrew.jpg
 
I realize this thread is a blast from the past but ...
I am very impressed by the survivability of yeast. There was enough viable yeast left in the beer 2 years later to wake up and carbonate it !!!!!:eek:
I don't think I will ever question whether I need to add yeast before bottling again.

Craig
 
I have a beer that's been in the secondary for 8 months (I think it's Northern Brewer's Phat Tire clone, but I honestly can't remember). It's at my buddy's apartment, so I haven't been able to keep an eye on it. Time got to be a major issue for both of us, and it was hard to find a time when both of us could bottle. We finally touched base (because I wanted to pick up the equipment to do some solo brewing), and I found out that the brew is still in the fermenter. I had actually just assumed that he dumped it . . .

I'm gonna go over there and check it out. I can't remember the gravity or anything (unfortunately I left my notebook and brew bible over there). I'm guessing that the airlock is now dry, so there's a good chance that it's infected. I don't want to dump it, however, without giving it a shot. What all should I check for?

Thanks; I'll keep everyone posted.
 
I don't think it will be much of an experiment. After 2 years, the yeast should not be viable enough to carbonate the beer. I would wait another day (compared to 2 years...that's no time at all!) and add some yeast so you won't have flat beer.

You were so wrong, iamjonsharp.
:D
 
Holy shat! That's gotta be one interesting beer. Let it carb up and drink it slow. I doubt you'll ever intentionally be able to make another one like that. I don't think there's a brewer on here that has that kind of patience. Patience makes the brewer, and there's some good brewers on here.

I'm also VERY impressed with our friend the Yeastie Beastie for once again reminding us that he is truely man's best friend. What friend do you know that would wait around for 2 years for you to come back and feed him! :mug:
 
You just aren't about the timeliness are you?

LOL. I was thinking the same thing. He keeps a beer TWO YEARS in a fermenter, bottles it, and then waits another year before reporting back. And he still has only 6 posts.

Maybe he's living in some alternate universe where times moves at a completely different pace.
 
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