At what point should I not drink it?

[akidd17]

I have a batch that I brewed a few years ago and due to some big life changes I got lazy and left a batch unattended for a couple of years, yes years. It has been sitting undisturbed without and airlock and has developed some growth on top. I'm curious, at what point could I make myself sick by drinking somrthing like this? What are things that I should look for to determine whether I should dump this batchor keep it? Thanks in advance.

 

[roastquake]

Wow, I don't have any advice, but I do want to see the 'growth' do you have a picture?

 

[koozie]

The growth tells you it's a no go. Dump it. All sorts of funk will get in it without an airlock. What is covering it?

 

[akidd17]

Koozie, it's covered by an airlock, but dry. Sorry, I mistakenly wrote that it didnt have one.

 

[beergolf]

Look here/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f127/pellicle-photo-collection-174033/

some cool pics. Some pretty wild growths on some of these.

Taste it and see if you like it.

 

[levtbeas]

I could be wrong, but an airlock with no water won't keep anything out, right? Personally, I'd stay away from that and dump it.

 

[BzurkoBrews]

I remember reading that no known pathogens can live in beer. Once it's all vinegar who knows. Try it.


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[sweetcell]

any chance that this "growth" is a pellicle? if so, that's the bugs protecting themselves from too much oxygen.

don't dump it. taste it. it won't hurt you, beyond maybe giving you a funny tummy because you drank something too acidic. obviously, don't chug a whole pint, start with a little taste. my bet is that the beer will be very acetic, AKA taste like vinegar.

 

[dantheman13]

any chance that this "growth" is a pellicle? if so, that's the bugs protecting themselves from too much oxygen.

don't dump it. taste it. it won't hurt you, beyond maybe giving you a funny tummy because you drank something too acidic. obviously, don't chug a whole pint, start with a little taste. my bet is that the beer will be very acetic, AKA taste like vinegar.

Yeah, definitely try it before dumping it. Keep in mind that if the flavor is too intense, it can be blended with a young sour or a clean beer. I've had lots of weird floatie things in my old sours, none of it seems to have hurt me (funguses and other things that can harm you, as far as I know, cannot grow in alcohol).

 

[microbusbrewery]

any chance that this "growth" is a pellicle? if so, that's the bugs protecting themselves from too much oxygen.

don't dump it. taste it. it won't hurt you, beyond maybe giving you a funny tummy because you drank something too acidic. obviously, don't chug a whole pint, start with a little taste. my bet is that the beer will be very acetic, AKA taste like vinegar.

+1, it's probably a pellicle because the airlock went dry and too much O2 is making its way in. Also +1 on it likely having turned to vinegar. I occasionally find drowned fruit flies in the airlocks of my sours. If the airlock went dry, I can almost guarantee at least one got in there with his acetobacter buddies. Worst case, you probably have 5 gallons of really good malt vinegar on hand. Fish and chips party?

 

[levtbeas]

Funguses and other things that can harm you, as far as I know, cannot grow in alcohol).

Huh...good to know. Even something with a low alcohol level like beer?

 

[40watt]

More important than the alchohol is the low ph.
That acidity is what really protects us from dangerous bacteria or fungi.

 

[signpost]

+1 to the others that said DO NOT DUMP IT.

Definitely taste it (with an open mind) and decide if it is something you could dig. Even if it seems overpowering in tartness and acidity, remember than you can blend it (either when you bottle/keg it, or when you serve it).

Since you didn't purposely introduce 'bugs' to sour the beer, you might have a less complex flavor profile. And that can lead to it seeming more overpowering.

Anyway, one of the most difficult things (for me) in making a sour beer, is being patient enough to wait for the 'bugs' to do their thing. Sounds like that wasn't an issue for you. Hopefully you like sours.

 

[Setesh]

Can you post a picture of the growth? You piqued my curiosity. I'm more curious to hear how it tastes. As mentioned above, I bet it will be pretty acidic.