Chocolate stout = three years in bucket. What should I do with it?

[Dionustra]

So here's a funny one. I brewed a high gravity chocolate stout (can't remember the recipe at this point), which I put in a corner, where it sat undisturbed for three years. I should add that I did take it outside today with the intention of pouring it out, where it sat in 90 degree heat for 10-15 minutes, but the stuff inside smelled so good when I removed the lid that I replaced the lid and brought it back in. What say you knowledgeable brewers about what I should do with it now: pour it out or bottle for drinking?

 

[atcsat]

3 years? Wow!!! Sorry I don't have an answer but just gotta hear what happens.

 

[chuckthebutcher]

Well I would taste it first...

 

[Bellybuster]

If you have the ability to force carb, id carb up a small sample and taste it. Why Not?
if it smells like ass it probably is ass, if it doesn't it aint

 

[beerkench]

Throw in some brett!


Sent from hell
using Home Brew

 

[Resonator]

Take a sample and see how it looks and tastes.

 

[joshesmusica]

the last one of these types ended up being very disappointing...

but here's for hoping!

taste it. if it tastes pretty good, keg it. if you're bottling it, you'll want to add more yeast. if it doesn't taste good, then just dump it. maybe even taste it a couple of days apart, because i've heard of people thinking that something actually tasted alright when they were excited about something crazy happening with their beer. then when they came back to it a couple days later and the emotions were down a little more, and they were a little more objective, they decided it was bad enough to dump.

 

[Malticulous]

I'd taste it then dump it.

 

[Jaybird]

Taste Taste Taste..... Then if it tasted good take a gravity sample. Check your notes form that brew days and go from there. Report back when you have, well......Tasted it....

Never give up!

Cheers
Jay

 

[drainbamage]

Food for thought.

I will add though...hops are going to be the first thing that fades with age. A malty beer like a stout would be more able to stand up to age than a hoppy one, but 3 years is a long time.

 

[Snowden]

Sounds like a fun adventure! Give that bad boy a shot!

 

[CJ-3]

For starters I say bottle and carb it up.

That being said.....
3 years? Did you keep the airlock full or are you banking on the carbon dioxide formed during fermentation to have lasted as a type of protection against airborne bacteria?

I am hoping it turns out well for you and please keep us posted.

 

[Brew_G]

Take a gravity sample today and again in three days. If it's steady, then fermentation is done and you're ready to bottle/keg.

 

[drainbamage]

Take a gravity sample today and again in three days. If it's steady, then fermentation is done and you're ready to bottle/keg.

Time to transfer to secondary?

 

[brew_ny]

Time to transfer to secondary?

then maybe bottle or keg ?

 

[spittybug]

All jokes aside, the "cost" of taking it to drinkable is negligible. Try it!

More importantly, let us all know how it tastes!

 

[Owly055]

If you have the ability to force carb, id carb up a small sample and taste it. Why Not?
if it smells like ass it probably is ass, if it doesn't it aint

Could be "taint".........

 

[drainbamage]

All jokes aside, the "cost" of taking it to drinkable is negligible. Try it!

More importantly, let us all know how it tastes!

Yes, by all means drink it. Best case scenario is that you have some decent beer you forgot you had.

Worst case is you're out 5 gallons (I'm assuming?) of beer that you weren't really missing anyway, but maybe you can learn something out of it.

 

[Brew_G]

Time to transfer to secondary?

Good point. Definitely need to get that into secondary to make sure it drops clear.

 

[Resonator]

Take a gravity sample today and again in three days. If it's steady, then fermentation is done and you're ready to bottle/keg.

I think it's done after 3 years haha

 

[NickTheGreat]

I think it's done after 3 years haha

 

[NickTheGreat]

If I were the OP, I'd smell it, taste it, and see what I thought.

Then bottle/keg it up. What do you have to lose besides a few hours of your time?

 

[Psylocide]

These threads wouldn't exist if the person would just taste the stuff.

I'm fairly curious about all aspects of brewing, if - for some ungodly known reason - I let something sit for 3 years, you'd better believe the first thing I would do is take a gravity sample and taste it.

Then I would post one of the following threads:

Beer sat for 3 years, tastes great!

or

I just dumped a 3 year old beer that tasted like ass water.

 

[NickTheGreat]

dupe, sorry

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Take a couple gravity readings and make sure it's done.

 

[djonesax]

Homebrewer's are great. This is the only place where someone can say "Hey, I have this stuff that's been in my corner for 3 years, what should I do with it?" Drink it of course!

I would taste it, I had two in primary for 8 months, though I kept the airlocks wet. It had some unintended flavors but, I kegged and drank most of it until I need the keg space for a new brew.

David

 

[barnaclebob]

OP should of course taste it but lets be honest. After 3 years this stuff is probably oxidized and tastes like crappy beer.

 

[drainbamage]

OP hasn't checked back in. I don't think he made it.

 

[benzesp]

Explosive diarrhea ensues

 

[MindenMan]

Damn OP, taste that ****. Or, not.

 

[slym2none]

Take a gravity sample today and again in three days. If it's steady, then fermentation is done and you're ready to bottle/keg.

The definition of droll, ladies & gentlemen.

 

[normonster]

You drink that ****!!!! DRINK IT! No carb, no hydro test...just drink!

 

[N4teTheGreat]

I really need to know what the outcome here is. I've got a stout fermenting now, maybe I should leave it in the bucket a bit longer.

-- Nathan

 

[actech]

So here's a funny one.

What you got us all following this thread you abandoned ?
I like beer!! I like this new hobby, brewing beer!!! Unless in a coma, no way I could leave a bucket of beer for 3 years.:cross:

 

[bionara]

Maybe we need another 3 years for a response.

 

[beernutz]

Apparently OP posts at the same frequency he checks his fermenters.

 

[joshesmusica]

I love all of the predictable comments on threads like these

 

[Gnomebrewer]

WAIT!

Don't taste that beer. Every drop is worth a fortune.

Sell it to the craftbeer wanker hipsters that don't care what beer tastes like, the more expensive it is, the better it must taste. You'll make a killing.

 

[Brew_G]

The definition of droll, ladies & gentlemen.

 

[Psylocide]

This thread is destined to end up the same as the old-ass IPA thread.

2 months later:

"Sorry guys, forgot to check back... I tasted it, it sucked. I dumped it out. Thanks for the help."