Two batches that have been sitting in a fermenter for 8 months.

As the title says, I have two batches of brew, one a classic red ale and the other an apple porter experiment, that have been sitting in their fermenters for about 8 months now.

The red ale is in a glass carboy and developed a light dusting of white 'mold' on the top... this was due to my wife pulling off the airlock accidentally a few months back, and the porter is sitting in a ale pail... it's airlock has not been compromised.

I've been distracted with work, my kid, moving, and all sorts of crap for this past month, so I haven't had a chance to get them bottled, and I'm wondering if after these 8 months, they'd be worth bottling at all?

If so, should I add another dose of yeast along with the priming sugar?

Any advise is appreciated.

yeah, it's ruined, send it to Evan! for proper disposal

but seriously. Not too sure about the one with the mold... taste it then decide. might as well bottle the porter and see what happens. i'll let the other more experienced people help with the repitching though.

You won't know a thing until you smell and taste both batches. I'd carefully rack to a bottling bucket and have a taste. If it tastes and smells fine, go ahead and bottle. You'll probably suck up some of the yeast when you rack (it's hard to avoid it all) but adding a bit of fresh yeast wouldn't hurt. Personally, I doubt it would be necessary.

The mold on your red ale is probably nothing to worry about, just rack from under it. Now I don't like the idea of leaving the porter in an ale pail for that long, but it may be fine. But don't dump either without sampling them, you may be surprised.

Were they in thier primaries for 8 months, or you racked em to a secondary?

Man, you guys are quick.

Just pulled a sample from both. The porter is likely going to be marked up as an experimental loss. Has a really weird and STRONG flavor.. bananas and fingernail polish remover.

The red ale, however, tastes pretty delicious. Last time I tasted this one, it was very watered down and barely flavored. Now it's carrying some flavors that I wouldn't quite describe as robust but are very much more noticeable.

The porter was sitting in a primary and the red had been racked to the carboy for secondary fermentation.

persinger said:

bananas and fingernail polish remover.

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Esters and Acetone... What temp did you ferment at?

dcott said:

Esters and Acetone... What temp did you ferment at?

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Was sitting in the closet of an centrally air-conditioned apartment. I believe I had the thermostat set at around 70 at the time.