How Long Can You Store in the Fermenter

[flyfishlife]

Newbie question, how long can I keep my beer in the last fermenter after it's done fermenting? I left a carboy filled for around three months now past the fermentation with the airlock (still has water in it). Basically I haven't gotten around to bottling it. Is it fine to bottle it?

 

[Chant124]

Never throw a batch away...bottle it and see how it turns out. Some mistake beers beers turn out to be your best beers.

 

[kh54s10]

If it was a hoppy brew the hop flavor and aroma has probably lessened. But other than that it is probably fine.


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[WayFrae]

By last fermenter, I assume you mean the secondary vessel. 3 months should be just fine in the secondary. Go ahead and bottle it! What style is it?

 

[TopherM]

How long a beer can condition and continue to improve in the fermenter is dependent on the grain bill and the ABV.

What kind of beer do you have here, and what is the ABV?

 

[Hello]

I kept one in a better bottle for 4 months and it was fine. The other half of the same brew (split 10 gallon batch) has been in a better bottle for 5. Nothing is wrong with it other than it's a failed stout that is now a brown. I may dump it just because i have 5 other gallons to drink that isn't my favorite.

 

[Hopper5000]

Yes it should be fine even if you left it in primary. I would throw some more yeast in there before bottling, however, because there might not be a lot of viable yeast left to carb effectively.

 

[flyfishlife]

Problem is I have no idea what it was. We did two simultaneous beers. This one just got forgotten about honestly. I was going to start one today and found it in one of our carboys.

I believe it was started on 1/21/2014. Or at least it was written down from my fiancé as that date. It's in second fermentation. Doesn't look weird in it at all, so I do not believe it's contaminated or anything.

I suppose I will bottle it and just see what happens. If it turns out bad, I'll dump it and use the bottles for this batch I'm starting today.

 

[KepowOb]

Problem is I have no idea what it was. We did two simultaneous beers. This one just got forgotten about honestly. I was going to start one today and found it in one of our carboys.

I believe it was started on 1/21/2014. Or at least it was written down from my fiancé as that date. It's in second fermentation. Doesn't look weird in it at all, so I do not believe it's contaminated or anything.

I suppose I will bottle it and just see what happens. If it turns out bad, I'll dump it and use the bottles for this batch I'm starting today.

I really don't see why it would turn out bad... and depending on the style of the beer, it might benefit from the aging. Let us know how it turns out

 

[TopherM]

You should be able to get a good idea of what the beer tastes like by pulling a quick sample, cooling it in the fridge/freezer to serving temps, and trying it. If it seems even decent, I'd go ahead with bottling it. If it tastes like azzzz, I might consider just dumping it. More aging isn't going to change it that much at this point.

 

[flyfishlife]

It actually tasted very good. I bottled it and we will see how it finishes in a couple weeks. Thanks for the help!

 

[NickTheGreat]

**edit. Good luck! Be sure to keep us in the loop