7 Months in the Fermenter

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jennieD

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I brewed a porter back in the summer...like 7 months ago. It was in the fermentation bucket in my basement for a few months, and now it's been sitting in a cool, dark corner of my new apartment for the last few months. Bottling is a timely venture, and I want to save this batch if possible but I'm not sure if I should even bother. I know 7 months is waaay long for the beer to be sitting on the yeast, butI don't think it smells funky or anything. Should I bother bottling?
 
Does it smell like rotten meat in a 4 month old nappy? If not, bottle and see what happens.

If you don't hurl when you take a sniff, you'll be set. Seriously.
 
You'll need to add some fresh yeast though. In all likelihood the yeasties you've got are dead.
 
You'll need to add some fresh yeast though. In all likelihood the yeasties you've got are dead.


Not dead...dormant. After 7 months, the majority of the yeast would have gone dormant and settled out so that carbonation may take longer than usual. (carbonation is generated by the yeast that remain suspended in the beer at bottling time and metabolizing the added priming sugar to produce CO2).

If the yeast are dead, then their cell membranes would be comprised and you would have autolysis and that rotten meat smell others mentioned. And if you've spent any time on this board, the common consensus it that autolysis is a myth.
 
I'm mostly worried about carbonation...does anyone else think I need to add more yeast to facilitate carbonation?
 
after 7 months? probably a good idea. I doubt you'd get any bottle bombs because it's only going to eat the priming sugar - all the other sugar is gone.
If it were me, I'd sprinkle in a packet of dry yeast, stir gently, add my priming sugar and bottle. Worst case is a little extra sediment in the bottle.

And in 4-6 weeks, you need to taste and report back. If it's awesome, we may all need the recipe to your "7-Month Porter"
 
I'm mostly worried about carbonation...does anyone else think I need to add more yeast to facilitate carbonation?

Not really. It will take some more time to carb up with the dormant yeast, but since it's 7m in the making, whats another two or three? :D
 
Not dead...dormant. After 7 months, the majority of the yeast would have gone dormant and settled out so that carbonation may take longer than usual. (carbonation is generated by the yeast that remain suspended in the beer at bottling time and metabolizing the added priming sugar to produce CO2).

If the yeast are dead, then their cell membranes would be comprised and you would have autolysis and that rotten meat smell others mentioned. And if you've spent any time on this board, the common consensus it that autolysis is a myth.

If you've spent any time on the board, you'd know that your chances of getting good carbonation from yeast that have been sitting on the bottom of a carboy for 7 months under normal bottling conditions are slimmer than if you add yeast. Possible, yes, but way sub-optimal. And even if autolysis is a "myth", it doesn't mean the yeast sitting on the bottom of a carboy are happy, healthy yeast just waiting to ferment out the priming sugar. If not dead, they likely are in a coma. You could wake them, but probably not by the usual bottling process.

The OP posted this in the Beginner's forum. The safest answer to ensure good carbonation when bottling this old of a batch is to add yeast.
 
If you've spent any time on the board, you'd know that your chances of getting good carbonation from yeast that have been sitting on the bottom of a carboy for 7 months under normal bottling conditions are slimmer than if you add yeast. Possible, yes, but way sub-optimal. And even if autolysis is a "myth", it doesn't mean the yeast sitting on the bottom of a carboy are happy, healthy yeast just waiting to ferment out the priming sugar. If not dead, they likely are a coma. You could wake them, but probably not by the usual bottling process.

The OP posted this in the Beginner's forum. The safest answer to ensure good carbonation when bottling this old of a batch is to add yeast.

who sh*t in your wheaties?

My point was there is a difference between dead and dormant and they are not interchangeable. Since this is a beginner's forum (as you so prissily pointed out), its important to point out the distinction because many beginners think/have read that autolysis is an issue in homebrewing and rush to pull their beer off of the yeast, often times before its ready.

I agree that the smartest thing would be to re-pitch some yeast for bottling, but it's not because the yeast are unhealthy/dying...its because the majority have flocculated to the bottom of the fermenter and won't end up in the bottle for carbonation. Sure there are some dead/dying yeast in that pancake, but there is more than enough healthy yeast that are simply dormant (yeast do have mechanism to do this and it is normal). However, the OP would want to somehow get that yeast back into solution at bottling time (e.g. syphon up some of the pancake during racking). As you said, its just easier to re-pitch.
 
who sh*t in your wheaties?

Hey, I was just using your line ("And if you've spent any time on this board . . . ").

I think we're saying the same thing, and fundamentally agreeing on autolysis and on pitching more yeast. So, sorry if I offended.
 
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