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I added waaaay too much sugar, right?

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Wasn't ale originally brewed without hops?

Yes, they were. Furthermore, this recipe, while not a beer, is in-fact an ale. It is funny how people use the term ale now-days, I guess it is simply to contrast it from a lager. Technically, people are brewing lager-type beer and non-lager-type beer. An ale would be brewed without hops. Wikipedia says people are calling them "real ales" now to differentiate them from their modern misnomer.

MoreYouKnow.jpg


But, yeah. From what you have said, it seems that your drink did not finish fermenting. The sugar content was too high and the viscosity of your liquid likely killed and/or otherwise stalled your yeasts.

I doubt this will be a permanent situation and the yeast, as-well-as other micro-organisms, will likely continue to work slowly at fermenting the sugars present. Ultimately, you could end up with bottle bombs. I would be curious to know if the beer is at all carbonated now. If not or only very slightly, this would imply you have a decent amount of time before it reaches a dangerous level of build-up because the fermentation is happening so slowly. If it is already decently carbonated, I would be more concerned.
 
Yes, they were. Furthermore, this recipe, while not a beer, is in-fact an ale. It is funny how people use the term ale now-days, I guess it is simply to contrast it from a lager. Technically, people are brewing lager-type beer and non-lager-type beer. An ale would be brewed without hops. Wikipedia says people are calling them "real ales" now to differentiate them from their modern misnomer.

MoreYouKnow.jpg

That is not what "real ale" means. Real ale means that it is matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide.
 
That is not what "real ale" means. Real ale means that it is matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide.

I believe what you are referring to is cask beer. I googled "real ale" to see what the net had to say and found an advocacy group.

http://www.camra.org.uk/

They seem to be a very confused lot as they state both that a real ale is brewed using the traditional British method and then go on to say that is uses hops. It then goes even further to say that it is the top-fermenting yeast that makes it a true-to--tradition ale. If I take them at their definition of it being an ale brewed the traditional British way, I would have no choice but to conclude that it would not include hops.

Of-course, language is subject to change. I guess the common usage of "real beer" would be properly defined as a beer that isn't "TOTALLY SOLD OUT AND CORPORATE, MAN! LIKE TOTALLY!". :ban:
 
I believe what you are referring to is cask beer. I googled "real ale" to see what the net had to say and found an advocacy group.

http://www.camra.org.uk/

They seem to be a very confused lot as they state both that a real ale is brewed using the traditional British method and then go on to say that is uses hops. It then goes even further to say that it is the top-fermenting yeast that makes it a true-to--tradition ale. If I take them at their definition of it being an ale brewed the traditional British way, I would have no choice but to conclude that it would not include hops.

Of-course, language is subject to change. I guess the common usage of "real beer" would be properly defined as a beer that isn't "TOTALLY SOLD OUT AND CORPORATE, MAN! LIKE TOTALLY!". :ban:

There's nothing confused about it. They just put "traditional" at a different point on the timeline than you do. There was a time when hops weren't used. There was also a time when hopped ale was served cellar-cool out of casks without the addition of CO2. Before either of those things, beer was made with millet left to rot in the sun. That's the really authentic stuff.
 
There's nothing confused about it. They just put "traditional" at a different point on the timeline than you do. There was a time when hops weren't used. There was also a time when hopped ale was served cellar-cool out of casks without the addition of CO2. Before either of those things, beer was made with millet left to rot in the sun. That's the really authentic stuff.

+1

And as far as common usage - when you see "real ale" around here (and in my post above), people are most likely talking about the CAMRA definition.
 
Back on topic for a moment...

to the OP - is this beverage carbonated? If so, the yeast haven't quite kicked it and you are in danger of bottle bombs. If it is not carbonating, you might be OK.
 
Back on topic for a moment...

to the OP - is this beverage carbonated? If so, the yeast haven't quite kicked it and you are in danger of bottle bombs. If it is not carbonating, you might be OK.

I think more to the point is whether the degree of carbonation is increasing. It could be good, and safe, with carbonation but if the carbonation is increasing then there is danger of bottle bombs.
 
Hate to put a damper on the whole unhopped thing, but the OP said he used Sticky Wicket which is a Mr. Beer HME, hopped malt extract, so he's had hopps all along.
 
Rotten millet, now that's the good stuff.

Anyway, not to be antagonistic but ales was first realized in Europe some several thousand years BC. Hops were illegal in Britain till sometime after 15 or 16 hundred. Tradition is defined as a long established practice passed from generation to generation. In that since using hops is not at all a tradition and was only realized at a very recent time. Further, it would not have been past generationally but rather from books and or study.

But, regardless, I was just giving the guy a hard time to begin with. Of-course it is standard to call a top fermenting beer an ale and bottom a lager. He stated that I was wrong and I simply pointed out that his source of information on the subject was technically flawed for good fun. If the lot of you want to call a beer with hops an ale go for it, I do too.

Back onto the subject of safety though, it would seem wise for the op to finish these beers hastily. He has already stated that they are still very sweet. We are safe to assume that they are not sterile. Given those t
 
Hate to put a damper on the whole unhopped thing, but the OP said he used Sticky Wicket which is a Mr. Beer HME, hopped malt extract, so he's had hopps all along.

The OP stated in the opening post that he used Sticky Wicket UME (un-hopped malt extract). Though I also believe he added some hop tea at some point during or post-fermentation.
 
Sticky Wicket, is a HME, Mr. Beer sells no Sticky Wicket UME.

Their UMEs are named as you would expect, brown, amber, pale...
 
The OP stated in the opening post that he used Sticky Wicket UME (un-hopped malt extract). Though I also believe he added some hop tea at some point during or post-fermentation.

Wow, Azmark is right. Sticky Wicket by Mr. Beer is hopped! It is a beer after all!

As to the people asking if there is already carbonation - yes, plenty. I suppose the future is party cloudy with a chance of bottle bombs.

Also, it is really sweet, but I did put in a pound of lactose sugar, which obviously sweetens it but doesn't ferment further. That being said, the high sugar content could be fatal.

I'm gonna chill another one and report later.
 
And that was the last we ever heard of the poor soul.

Lesson: Don't blow yourself up with beer.
 
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