Just bottled an IPA that was in fermentor for 2.5 years

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Kharnynb said:
Eh, that's exactly how the science of brewing advances, by trial and error.
If we just accept all these things like god-given truth, we'll never get better at beer making.
Autolysis is practically impossible under 3 months, especially with hops and alcohol present.
Skunking is a fact, it has been observed and there is a reason beer is mostly sold in uv-safe packaging.
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I really don't think you understood my perspective at all. I'm all for this experiment. I'm not for people labeling autolysis as some sort of myth (especially in the context of a 2.5 year old beer) or dogmatic statements about IPAs "ONLY" being good fresh. Like an above poster I've had old IPAs that were awesome. I won a gold medal and a 2nd best of show in the Amercian Barleywine category with an aged IPA. It wasn't what most people look for in an IPA, but that's why I entered it into a more appropriate category.
 
I'm wondering why you didn't taste it before you bottled it.
Maybe you did taste it? Your posts didn't say so either way.
I'd be surprised if you actually get any carbonation. I'm thinking the yeast has pretty much all died after all that time. Ok, there is a chance that some yeast survived so maybe it will carb up.
 
subbed...too crazy. I have beer in bottles from 2 yrs ago that I can't bring myself to dump but every time I try them, they suck. back in the closet...
 
j1n said:
no, im not nuts. Pretty sure i would know what it tastes like already. It would taste like an ipa but with no hop flavor or aroma. So your left with a very bitter beer......

Yes, i am aware of how the ipa was created.

You do know that we don't dry hop ipas to prevent them from going bad right.... We arent on a boat sailing to india.

Ipas are best fresh.... And as a brewer, you should know this.
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View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1430182223.165771.jpg
 
PrinceOfThePoint said:
I think the point is that your suggestion to "just dump it" after 2.5 years, simply because he called it "IPA", is short-sighted, unscientific, and will teach us nothing
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Im not sure what exactly your going to learn other than there is a reason nobody ages an IPA.

Yes, style of beer does matter when aging. I would never age an IPA and i wouldn't mind dumping it if it were mine. its not hard to make more....
 
moar hops! we needs moar hops!!!

0911001920.jpg
 
is the beer drinkable? who cares! the name alone, after your daughter, is reason enough to bottle it, label it, and give it as a gift when she's old enough. she'd never drink it, but the thought is what counts.

*my dad kept a can of hudepohl lager, from Cincinnati - for about 34 years now. is the color of the Bengal's team helmets. useless swill of course, but i'd like to inherit it when the time comes.
 
madscientist451 said:
I'm wondering why you didn't taste it before you bottled it.
Maybe you did taste it? Your posts didn't say so either way.
I'd be surprised if you actually get any carbonation. I'm thinking the yeast has pretty much all died after all that time. Ok, there is a chance that some yeast survived so maybe it will carb up.
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Tasting beer out of the primary is something I have never done. I've brewed probably ~10 batches.

Regarding autolysis: I didn't want to put any more work into the beer (goign out and buying more hops, dry-hopping etc) so my choices within those parameters were either bottle it or dump it. I knew about autolysis certainly and I expected the batch to reek when I popped the bucket open...but it smelled mellow but good! My understanding (which may be wrong) is that when yeast die, they rupture (autolysis) and a horrible smell results. I'm hoping/praying that the yeast are just dormant somehow. I agree, it is a long shot, but the good smell/lack of a bad smell gives me hope.
 
te-wa said:
is the beer drinkable? who cares! the name alone, after your daughter, is reason enough to bottle it, label it, and give it as a gift when she's old enough. she'd never drink it, but the thought is what counts.

*my dad kept a can of hudepohl lager, from Cincinnati - for about 34 years now. is the color of the Bengal's team helmets. useless swill of course, but i'd like to inherit it when the time comes.
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Labeling it for my daughter: Now there's a good idea! I will have to look into that.

Are you a Bengals fan? Huge fan here, as frustrating as it is. I lived in the Ohio Valley for 22 years, including 11 in Cincinnati. We are a QB away from being an elite team. All that talent squandered by bad Andy Dalton decisions. Frustrating. Who Dey?!?!
 
j1n said:
Im not sure what exactly your going to learn other than there is a reason nobody ages an IPA.

Yes, style of beer does matter when aging. I would never age an IPA and i wouldn't mind dumping it if it were mine. its not hard to make more....
Click to expand...

Unwrap your head from styles and try viewing this as an experiment with nothing to loose but a little free time. If that is offensive to you, then you are missing the spirit of homebrewing and experimentation.
 
ten80 said:
Unwrap your head from styles and try viewing this as an experiment with nothing to loose but a little free time. If that is offensive to you, then you are missing the spirit of homebrewing and experimentation.
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i don't need to unwrap my head. My goal is to produce good tasting beer that i enjoy drinking. This doesn't go along those lines. Also this isn't an experiment, it was an accident.

I just posted my opinion, it seems like you and some others are offended by what i said. Sorry im not as optimistic as everyone else in this thread. you may think im being negative, but to me, im just being realistic. sorry if that offends you.
 
I don't know why there are negative responses here.
It is like finding an old bottle of Billy Beer or New Coke.
Who cares how or why it was found, or whether or not it will win a pedigree award for the ultimately representation of an IPA.
It is an opportunity which no one else here has had - find out what happens to an IPA fermenting for 2 1/2 years. It is cool, regardless of how it turns out.
And if it is still drinkable, we can learn something from the experience.
I say rock on, and let us know how it tastes.
Or better yet, video and youtube opening and trying the first one.
 
Kind of in the same vein...I accidently dry hopped an IPA in a keg for 4 months. It was whole Citra hops and it sat in a purged keg at room temperature the entire time. I tapped it last week and its great, no grassy vegetal flavors. The hops are still in there too
 
People have had lots of questions, so I updated the original post with the best answers I can give.
 
Whatever you do don't pitch your next batch using the entire yeast cake..that's over pitching and can lead to off favors. Oh, and you really should wash that yeast before storing it because residual hot break, trub, and hop matter will ruin the next beer. When you are ready to reuse that yeast PLEASE be sure to use a starter or it will lead to off flavors. And WHATEVER you do make damn sure you cool your wort all the way down to your desired fermentation temperature or it will create off favors

I will look forward to your endless gratitude in approx 2.5 years ...
:D
 
i would honestly do as one person already suggested and pop one cap to see if they're actually carbing up. obviously it's not going to waste your time if they don't, but now that we're all so excited to read about (possibly see?) the results, you should definitely try to take measures to get them carbonated. if you're not wanting to put in the work to uncap, put back in bottling bucket, add priming sugar, then bottle again, at least pop the caps and pour a little dry yeast in each bottle.
i really can't understand the negativity from some of the commenters here. i don't even hear much of an optimistic tone from the majority of the people here. plenty of people that are realists that know it's likely to not taste so good, it's more than likely to not carb up at this point, and yet it's a very natural, human characteristic to be curious. if you're not curious, fine, no need to comment, just walk away...
 
I'm in.
Hoping it turns out just good for you Fanch. It will suck if it's "Almost Heaven" tasting, as I just can't brew another beer to age. :p

I'm already getting impatient doing Barleywines and I'm just beginning a Solera . . . I won't survive!

'da Kid
 
I read the whole thread and had several comments to make.
fanch, I am one of the crowd who says let’s try it out!
I probably woulda made up a new dry hop, then some new yeast, just to make sure it’ll carb.
Snakeridge, “Yeah, I'm pretty impressed there wasn't more wildlife in that bucket.” Yeah, me too.
Madscientist451, I would’ve also tasted it before bottling…
J1n, You’re wrong, “Also, this isn't an experiment, it was an accident.." It IS an experiment, after an accident. What’s the worst that’ll happen, bad beer? That may happen anyway.
 
j1n said:
Im not sure what exactly your going to learn other than there is a reason nobody ages an IPA.

Yes, style of beer does matter when aging. I would never age an IPA and i wouldn't mind dumping it if it were mine. its not hard to make more....
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It might not be hard to make more, but it takes 2.5 yrs to wait for another opportunity like this. :cross:
 
fanch75 said:
Tasting beer out of the primary is something I have never done. I've brewed probably ~10 batches.
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I always take a gravity reading before bottling, and then taste the sample, If there is some kind of off flavor, I want to know about it. If it tastes good I want to know about that as well.
 
i try to taste it at every gravity reading. which for me happens:
1) about day 5 when i crank up the temps.
2) about day 9 when i go to dry hop
3) about day 14 when i cold crash
4) bottling day

some people will say it's a waste of beer from the final project, but i'm in this in order to learn, and it's not like i'm drinking the whole sample every time. i sanitize everything thoroughly with starsan, and then pour half the sample back, drink the other half. by doing all of this tasting, i can also see if any particular step needs a little longer before i move it along.
 
Man, if you're trying to get me to age my beers for 2.5 years in primary, that will really screw with my pipeline! I do hope it's drinkable. I haven't dumped a batch yet, but only 11 batches brewed.
 
Moose_MI said:
Whatever you do don't pitch your next batch using the entire yeast cake..that's over pitching and can lead to off favors. Oh, and you really should wash that yeast before storing it because residual hot break, trub, and hop matter will ruin the next beer. When you are ready to reuse that yeast PLEASE be sure to use a starter or it will lead to off flavors. And WHATEVER you do make damn sure you cool your wort all the way down to your desired fermentation temperature or it will create off favors

I will look forward to your endless gratitude in approx 2.5 years ...
:D
Click to expand...

Okay I think we have a disconnect here. I did not pitch this batch on an old yeast cake and in fact I have never re-used yeast. I brewed the can/DME, added water, cooled it in an ice bath, and pitched the yeast from the packet that came with the Coopers kit.
 
fanch75 said:
Okay I think we have a disconnect here. I did not pitch this batch on an old yeast cake and in fact I have never re-used yeast. I brewed the can/DME, added water, cooled it in an ice bath, and pitched the yeast from the packet that came with the Coopers kit.
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The only disconnect is my sense of humor.....I was being sarcastic... :)
 
Whoops, my bad. I know zero about re-using old yeast so the whole thing you were saying sounded reasonable, ha.
 

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