6 months in Primary - Pale Ale

[goforevercrazywithit]

I left a pale ale in primary for 6 months. Is it even worth bottling or is it just going to taste awful?

 

[Spintab]

You can't just dump it. Whether it's good or bad, you're only going to truly learn a lesson if you follow all the way through and drink it.

Out of curiosity, why so long? Did you have it in a relatively cool place the whole time or just kinda stashed in a closet?

 

[Pappers_]

Give it a try! If it was undisturbed, it should be fine, with a small risk of oxidation. Bottle if up and report back!

 

[BradleyBrew]

I bet its wonderful. I really dont think you can primary too long. Maybe a year plus would start to get excessive. I would probably dry hop it and add some fresh yeast if bottling.

 

[iambeer]

I bet it's trash. Let us know how the taste test goes!

 

[goforevercrazywithit]

I went off to school for a few months and never had time when I was home to bottle it. Home for holidays and finally getting around to it. I actually have a brown ale in the exact same situation too. They've been sitting in a closet undisturbed at about 55-70 degrees F. I'll bottle the pale ale tomorrow and the brown as soon as I find enough bottles.

 

[Calder]

If the airlock didn't go dry I would say the beer is fine. If the airlock went dry for any length of time, you have the potential for acetobacteria to have gotten in there and started to create vinegar.

Yes you should taste it, it may be fine beer. Nothing that will harm you can survive in beer, so you are OK to taste. If you have an acetobacteria infection you will know it very quickly.

 

[RainyDay]

Jeez, try it! Dont ask us how it will taste; we're not there! Dry hop the pale to get some hop profile that you likely lost.