Lager - Can I save it?

[skottree]

I started a lager back in the middle of Feb 2012. It was taking a bit longer than expected to finish up fermentation, so I let it be. 1 month turned into 2 which turned in 5. My question is, can I still bottle this beer? Do I need to introduce new yeast? My fear is I will bottle and it will never carbonate.

The yeast used was saflager S-23 lager yeast.

Thoughts? Reactions? Bashings?

Thanks.

 

[AnthonyC]

Is it still in primary sitting on yeast cake?

 

[TyTanium]

5 months lagering is fine.

Fresh yeast definitely recommended.

 

[skottree]

Yes, still in primary. It has not been disturbed other than a gravity check here and there.

Temps have ranged from 55F to 69F during the time frame.

 

[AnthonyC]

5 months on the yeast cake is worrying but I'd pull a sample and taste it. If it tastes alright, then get it off the yeast cake and either bottle or drop the temps and lager some more.

 

[helibrewer]

Unless it's some kind of crazy high gravity lager, bottle it. I would recommend about 3 grams of dry yeast mixed with your bottling sugar solution...throw it in the bottling bucket and rack over it. Store the bottles at about 70F for 2-3 weeks, you'll be fine.

 

[skottree]

Took a sample and the flavor was there. I added the bottling sugar (the gravity was still a little higher than I would have liked so I only added about 4/5ths of the bottling sugar). I also supplemented with some additional yeast. Gave it all a good shake and bottled. We'll see how this one turns out.

 

[duboman]

Took a sample and the flavor was there. I added the bottling sugar (the gravity was still a little higher than I would have liked so I only added about 4/5ths of the bottling sugar). I also supplemented with some additional yeast. Gave it all a good shake and bottled. We'll see how this one turns out.

Hopefully you didn't shake to the point of oxidizing your beer

 

[Curtis2010]

MY bet would be that it is yummy. Long lagering is not a bad thing. I recently left a lager going for about 4 months -- it was fine.

Let us know.

 

[skottree]

will do... gonna crack one open end of this week to taste. all looks well thus far. i noticed the liquid in the bottles was a bit hazy the first few days after bottling... guessing the newly added yeast was doing its thing. they look crystal clear now!