How long before using second runnings?

[biggrizzly]

I brewed a RIS on Sunday 2/5 and had got about 4 gallons of 1.050 runnings in a bucket. It was late and I decided to boil it and make a lower gravity beer the next day. I got sick and haven't had a chance to do anything with it.

It has been in a sealed plastic bucket in my garage with temps between 37ºf and maybe as high as 50ºf during the day time.

Is this wort still usable for boiling and adding hops?

 

[Brewenstein]

Open it up and give it a smell and / or taste. If you don't sense anything sour, then you are good to go. Even slight sourness could be fine because the boil will kill any bugs. Between that, the dark malts and hops, even that should turn out ok. IIRC, some clones of Guinness have sour malt added to create a "tang" to the flavor. At this point you don't have much to loose except some time and few $$ for propane, hops and yeast.

 

[theowlman16]

Go for it. After boil and cooling, you should be able to taste and know pretty quick. I wish my garage was 37F.

 

[Stillraining]

I make my daughters gluten free/reduced beer out of left over 3rd running's, I held over 3.5 gallons for 4 1/2 days before I boiled it due to no Clarity Ferm in stock at my LHBS, so I had to order online and wait for delivery...no issues what so ever and it was stored at 50 degrees.

 

[IslandLizard]

Boiling will kill most bugs. Cool storage helps after that. If your sanitation was good, it should still be fine. As said before, taste some of it.

In the summer I've had unboiled leftover 3rd runnings sour within 24 hours.

 

[biggrizzly]

Thanks guys, I'm gonna check it out this weekend and brew away if I think its good enough!