Chucking critters into an older ale

[SGFBeerBuzz]

Made a berry blonde ale in 2010 that has been in the keg ever since. I tasted it the other day, and it's a little tart but still tasty.

So, I decided to play. I picked up a Wyeast Lambic blend and popped the top off the keg and dumped it in.

I don't really have a question other than this: as long as I sample from the bottom (using the dip tube) is there any reason to avoid sampling it periodically? I don't want to bust the pellicle, as I want to minimize acetobacter production, but I want the lacto and Brett to have free reign to do what they do.

 

[broadbill]

you have a session beers sitting around from 2010? You know the whole idea behind this homebrew thing is to drink the stuff you make, right?

I don't have any idea what is going to happen, I just posted to shame you.

 

[SGFBeerBuzz]

I'm not shamed. It was stores with my clean kegs. I actually forgot it was there until a couple of months ago.

It's a 6% ABV blonde, so it's not a session beer, and it's a bit tart for session drinking, anyway. It will make a nice sour ale, though.

Honestly, I would have drank it in 2010 if I had had a kegerator at the time. It was brewed for a specific party and served at that party, but then I didn't have another occasion like that since. I typically bottle all of my beers except for specific events.

Soon, though, I will build my draft fridge. Then, all bets are off.

 

[ghpeel]

If your pipeline is so full that you didn't even notice that keg for a year, then you deserve a big CONGRATS!, not a shaming! I'm not so good at pipeline management myself

So, the Lambic Blend is going to take about a year to really do it's thing. Are you OK with typing up the keg another year? I'd take samples periodically in order to introduce a little, but if you want to minimize the sourness the you are fine. For what its worth, I think you need to feed those bugs some more dextrins if that beer is already pretty dry, so maybe add a half pound or so of malto dextrin.

 

[jtakacs]

not sure how much will be left to eat... granted the brett will take it's try at regular sacc unfermentables, but i don't see lacto or pedio having much, or any, influence. you probably could have pitched brett alone and gotten the same effect.

that being said - this could be the newest craze. a two-year old secondary fermentation. post results por favor.

 

[spearko520]

is your diptube short of the bottom, or right at it? my kegs sample slurry... plus with the limited 02 and headspace and infiltration into the keg- i don't think i would worry about a pellicle- it may be a long time before you get one.

 

[SGFBeerBuzz]

I think I may chuck some malto dextrin in. I have about a half-pound hanging out anyway. I may wait a month or two and see what happens first.

Obviously, this keg has been tied up for 2 years, so what's another year? I have 8 kegs, and I've never had them all filled at once. My record is 6 so far.

The dip tube is right at the bottom, but I don't know a better way to take samples.