Just found a year old first fermentation

I was cleaning our basement, and found a barley wine that I brewed as a first brew of two in a day brew day. SWMBO covered it with boxes, and forgot about it. How screwed is this beer?

Jay8s

jay8s said:

How screwed is this beer?

Jay8s

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There is only one way to find out...

If it doesn't make violently ill when you open it, then it should be spectacular.

If its a barleywine, after a year it should be great

Why would you think there's something wrong with a barleywine that has been sitting for a year? I'm brewing one that's gonna sit for 5...they're supposed to. It's probably amazing.

Was it in the primary fermenter the whole?

Mail it to me, I will let you know.

Gregscsu said:

Was it in the primary fermenter the whole?

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Yeah, that is what is bothering me. Smelled it, and it was really sweet smelling. I plan on moving it to secondary tomorrow.

You will have to drink it to know for sure, but the most common off flavor associated with a really long primary is soap.

John Palmer said:

Soapy
If you leave the beer in the primary fermentor for a relatively long period of time after primary fermentation is over ("long" depends on the style and other fermentation factors), soapy flavors can result from the breakdown of fatty acids in the trub. Soap is, by definition, the salt of a fatty acid; so you are literally tasting soap.

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Unless you intend to let it set even longer, I don't think a secondary is necessary. I would keg it up or pitch some fresh yeast and bottle it up. Its probably very good.

Keep us updated on how this comes out... Sadly, I can admit that I have a primary that has been sitting in my back room for an extended amount of time. I don't have the heart to throw it out, so I'm probably going to try to bottle it and see what happens. =)

If your sanitation was good I don't any reason why it wouldn't be ok, especially with a High ABV style like Barleywine. Pull out a Hydro sample and give her a taste. If it were it were me I would consider a healthy dose of Dry Hops, and let it sit a couple more weeks. Also if you're going to bottle, a little fresh yeast would be in order as well. Maybe 1/2 a pack of S-05. Hope it turns out great

Was the airlock still full and functioning properly?

Curious as to how you could forget about that?

Wiezer said:

Curious as to how you could forget about that?

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Ah, you know, life gets in the way of brewing, and then your gal stacks a bunch of empty bon-bon boxes on top of your beer, and that's how this sort of thing occurs.

I wish it was that simple to forget about. I put it way back in the back to keep it from the sun. She decided to start cleaning, and burried it. I had a busy brew day that day, and alot of work things going on, so life just kinda got in the way. Smells great, and going into secondary tonight with some dry hop. We will see soon.

Would be interested to know if you detect off flavors from autolysis after a full year in primary. Man that's a long time.

Also, I wonder what ever happened to this guy's beer: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/how-long-can-can-beer-stay-primary-fermenter-140284/

He did the same thing you did.

You transferred to secondary and didn't taste it on the way in?

Very interested to see how this turns out.

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ezzieyguywuf said:

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Me too.

Glass primary? Plastic primary? Did you taste autolysis? Og? Gravity at transfer? Anything any details? Were on pins and needles here dude as we all sit and consider doing this ourself? Tell us you at least tasted it when you racked onto the dry hops??

Hard facts/ pics or it didn't happen! Subscribed.

frod1963 said:

hard facts/ pics or it didn't happen! Subscribed.

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+1

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Interesting, it seems you have luck on your side that it's a barleywine that you 'forgot' about. I mean it could be worse, it could have been an IPA sitting there for a year.

You found one of the best brews you can possibly forget about. Interested to see how it turns out

Guess it ain't true???

I will up some pics when I am home. Out of town for the weekend. Things tasted pretty good, though it did have a bit of a bite to it.

Can't wait to hear how it turns out for you... And turns out your in STL I'm only an hour away! I will SO test it for you!