Just inherited a 5 gal carboy with beer in it what should I do?

I know the first thing anyone is going to say is bottle/keg it but here is the back story. I helped a friend brew a scotch ale and she never bottled it and now is moving to a smaller place so she gave me her brew stuff for now. It was brewed on 03-Jan-2009 it had 2# DME and 6# LME 1oz Williamette at 60min and 1oz williamette at 30min than added Wyeast 1028 yeast and has been sitting in a carboy ever since with an airlock on it. It also had specialty grains but those are not listed on the brew log copy I have. It looks fine but do I risk drinking a contam/autoalysis(sp?) beer? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks again.

edit: I forgot to mention we both live in milwaukee so we have had pretty temperate time for the ale to settle if that makes a difference.

Does it smell okay? Autolysis is pretty easy to detect.

it smells fine to me.

bottle it/ keg it and if it looks good drink it. dumping it would be a waste.

Yup, bottle it. Or if you're still concerned that its a waste, sample some first.

Anybody know if his yeast will still be up for bottle carbing at this point?

danielinva said:

Does it smell okay? Autolysis is pretty easy to detect.

Click to expand...

Yeah but for the most part autolysys isn't really an issue for us...many leave our beers for a month...and a couple people have left beer on the yeast for 6 months with no issues....

so if it doesn't smell like poopy diapers you should be ok..

I would consider adding a bit more yeast at botttling time, since the yeast are pretty tired...this will also have a benefit of if there are any other off flavors, the yeasts may help clean it up....

any yeast ok? b/c i don't rally want to go to the lhbs just to get some yeast? and how much do you recommend? I have some dry bread yeast if worst comes to worst for bottling day tomorrow. And yeah it will be 6 months on Wednesday if I were to wait.

jmilton1987 said:

any yeast ok? b/c i don't rally want to go to the lhbs just to get some yeast? and how much do you recommend? I have some dry bread yeast if worst comes to worst for bottling day tomorrow. And yeah it will be 6 months on Wednesday if I were to wait.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't use bread yeast...but any neutral ale yeast would do, or in a pinch champagne yeast.

I've never done it before, but I did some googling...and on another site it recomended only 1/4-1/2 tsp for a 5 gallon batch.

jmilton1987 said:

any yeast ok? b/c i don't rally want to go to the lhbs just to get some yeast? and how much do you recommend? I have some dry bread yeast if worst comes to worst for bottling day tomorrow. And yeah it will be 6 months on Wednesday if I were to wait.

Click to expand...

Don't use bread yeast! That is less attenuative than ale yeast, and wouldn't get you any benefit at all- just potentially some yeasty flavors. I'd use 1/4 to 1/2 package of some dry nottingham yeast, added to the priming solution after it's cooled. Stir it well, and pour it into the bottling bucket then rack the beer into it.

I know you don't want to make a special trip just for yeast, but you're gaining a whole carboy of beer just for the prize of a package of yeast!

I always keep extra dry yeast in the fridge, so while you're there, pick up three packages for later on.

I just kegged a beer that had been in the primary for nine months. No autolysis, but it tastes a bit of stale bread.

ok then it is decided I will go for a long bike ride to the lhbs. I guess you are right i did gain 48 unlabeled bottles a mash paddle a bottling bucket/primary and assorted others for a good bike ride and like $3 for a few packs of yeast