Beer forgotten in fermenter... safe?

[VladTheImpaler]

Hello everyone!

I started a primary about...6 months (maybe more) or so ago. Due to my crazy work schedule it has gone vastly overlooked and it's just kinda sat there...

I was thinking if it would be okay for me to still try and bottle the beer? There's no mold or funkiness on top of it and the airlock still has liquid in it and it has remained airtight. I figured if I bottle it the worst thing that could happen is that I might have some funky beer?

But just figured I would turn to you guys for insight. Thank you!

 

[Thorsbrew]

Wow cant believe your airlock still had liquid in it. When i use airlocks i have to refill them like every week to avoid going dry. Which is why i tend to just use blowoff hoses and leave that on the whole time even if im not expecting blowoff.

 

[Transamguy77]

Taste it first, if it tastes good bottle it up and taste it in a few weeks.

 

[elburrogrande]

what kind of beer?

 

[VladTheImpaler]

Taste it first, if it tastes good bottle it up and taste it in a few weeks.

I'll taste it when I get home and see how it is.

what kind of beer?

It was a Session IPA that I also forgot to dry hop. Should I transfer to a secondary and dry hop the crap out of it before bottling?

 

[foam_top]

This question has been coming up a lot recently; forgotten beer and if its safe to drink. I wish I found beer around my house that often.

 

[VladTheImpaler]

Wow cant believe your airlock still had liquid in it. When i use airlocks i have to refill them like every week to avoid going dry. Which is why i tend to just use blowoff hoses and leave that on the whole time even if im not expecting blowoff.

I haven't checked in a few days... but if I get home and there's no more liquid in the airlock what are the odds the beer is infected beyond belief? Assuming we don't know how long it's been exposed.

Then again I guess tasting it will pretty much let me know how bad it really is.

 

[kh54s10]

Look first, if it is scummy looking it could be infected, then taste. Even if infected it could still taste good and will be safe. If it tastes good, then you can decide if you want to dry hop it. That long in primary, I would probably use a secondary for dry hopping.

 

[nasty_rabbit]

Had this happen to me too but for a longer period of time, about a year and the air lock was empty. I wasn't concerned about infection, the system is somewhat closed but will let in air. What I ended up with was the most amazing Malt Vinegar that I have ever tasted. I had some quart swing tops that my wife found at our local grocery store. The caps were kind of iffy and I wasn't going to use them for beer so I bottled up the vinegar. I have given away a few but am really looking forward to this springs fish fry.

 

[kristiismean]

6 months, it will be fine, probably not infected.

but at the same time, your hop profiles may be gone.

so would it be cheaper to get new grain and hops, or to dry hop and hope it's still good, or do 2 rounds of dry hopping to try to force the hop character back in...

(Friend did a topper clone, and life got in the way. about a year. drylock was kept moist, no infection, just does not taste very good, there is no hop profile left... none, and it did not carb up either, so there is something to think about..)

 

[VladTheImpaler]

6 months, it will be fine, probably not infected.

but at the same time, your hop profiles may be gone.

so would it be cheaper to get new grain and hops, or to dry hop and hope it's still good, or do 2 rounds of dry hopping to try to force the hop character back in...

(Friend did a topper clone, and life got in the way. about a year. drylock was kept moist, no infection, just does not taste very good, there is no hop profile left... none, and it did not carb up either, so there is something to think about..)

Speaking of carbing, if it tastes decent and I decide to bottle at some point would it be wise to add some extra yeast at bottling for carbing? I figure the yeast that was left in there might be dead.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Yea, add extra yeast when you bottle....