Two years in a secondary fermenter

[max384]

yeah wtf!! why would you find it and then rather than pull it out, take off the air lock and give it a wiff / taste you come here to the internet to ask.... do you look on your computer vs window to see if its sunny out side? how - why would you wate untill monday to check it??? if the air lock is dry it is vinegar period. now get your ass in there and check it will take 10 second... here i will even give you the steps. 1. get glass 2. remove air lock and pour in to glass 3. replace air lock 4. smell - taste 5. magicly know in 10seconds what we cant know, is it still good?

I'm still very much a beginner at brewing beer. I decided to come here and ask if it is even okay to consider bottling a beer that has been sitting in the fermenter for so long before blindly tasting it. If I hadn't come here to ask, I would have dumped it because I wasn't sure if it was even safe to consider tasting it. Because I came here and asked, I now know it is okay to give it a taste.

I'm waiting to taste it until I have time to bottle it, in the off-chance that it's even worth taking the time to bottle. After two years, I'm sure another week won't do any further harm.

Why all the condescending sarcasm? Ain't nobody got time for that!

 

[ghpeel]

Forgive the tone on this thread, but for non-beginner brewers, we would never even think about posting a thread online without (a) smelling it, (b) drawing a sample and tasting it, or (c) drinking a 12 pack and seeing if we die :cross:

One of the coolest things about beer, is that its virtually impossible to get sick on it. If you have anything that is (or even WAS) beer, then by its very nature, its too acidic and alcoholic for any known human pathogen to propagate. The only bug I can think of that MIGHT be found in beer is botulism, but for that, you would need a contaminated, oxygen FREE environment (like a home-canned of beer that's swollen up) before fermentation begins.

So again, for us, your comment about waiting a few days is kind of equivalent to someone posting in a baking thread saying "my cake just came out of the oven and looks a little funny, should I taste it?" Don't be scared homie! Smell it, if it doesn't smell like feces (literally) then give it a taste and post back! You have our attention. This situation is very cool and doesn't often come up.

 

[45_70sharps]

I'm still very much a beginner at brewing beer. I decided to come here and ask if it is even okay to consider bottling a beer that has been sitting in the fermenter for so long before blindly tasting it. If I hadn't come here to ask, I would have dumped it because I wasn't sure if it was even safe to consider tasting it. Because I came here and asked, I now know it is okay to give it a taste.

I'm waiting to taste it until I have time to bottle it, in the off-chance that it's even worth taking the time to bottle. After two years, I'm sure another week won't do any further harm.

Why all the condescending sarcasm? Ain't nobody got time for that!

Well I'm now about 20 times more confident that you will actually check the beer out. After it being forgotten for two years, I didn't figure you would even get around to checking out the replies. The fact that you did gives me a pretty good indication that you will do something.
I doubt the beer will be any good, but worth checking out.

One of the coolest things about beer, is that its virtually impossible to get sick on it.

Man, you aren't trying hard enough! Lots of people get sick from drinking beer every day.
Up your dosage by about a half rack. Don't drink any water and make sure to have some bacon and eggs early the next morning.

 

[ajlee]

Man, you aren't trying hard enough! Lots of people get sick from drinking beer every day.
Up your dosage by about a half rack. Don't drink any water and make sure to have some bacon and eggs early the next morning.

lol

 

[iamstrong123]

Forgive the tone on this thread, but for non-beginner brewers, we would never even think about posting a thread online without (a) smelling it, (b) drawing a sample and tasting it, or (c) drinking a 12 pack and seeing if we die :cross:

One of the coolest things about beer, is that its virtually impossible to get sick on it. If you have anything that is (or even WAS) beer, then by its very nature, its too acidic and alcoholic for any known human pathogen to propagate. The only bug I can think of that MIGHT be found in beer is botulism, but for that, you would need a contaminated, oxygen FREE environment (like a home-canned of beer that's swollen up) before fermentation begins.

So again, for us, your comment about waiting a few days is kind of equivalent to someone posting in a baking thread saying "my cake just came out of the oven and looks a little funny, should I taste it?" Don't be scared homie! Smell it, if it doesn't smell like feces (literally) then give it a taste and post back! You have our attention. This situation is very cool and doesn't often come up.

A Nick Diaz fan and a homebrewer? You are a true gentleman.

 

[SFGiantsFan925]

Wait, so 4 pages later and he still hasn't even smelled the dang beer?? WTH??

The least you can do is take off the airlock, smell it, and let us know. If it smells terrible, then beer is bad. If it smells like beer, then go ahead and bottle it and see what happens.

 

[ashplub]

Looks like the headspace is not too bad so that's good. I am of the opinion that he should have the sanitizer ready and the bottles out to sanitized before he takes a taste. No need in exposing it to more O2 and then not bottling for a few days...but for goodness sake taste it and (hopefully) bottle it!

 

[ghpeel]

A Nick Diaz fan and a homebrewer? You are a true gentleman.

When my starters won't start, I just mean-mug them 209-style until they act right. WHERE YOU AT, YEAST?!?

 

[max384]

Blech!!!!

That may have been the worst tasting 'drink' that's ever made it past my lips! It didn't smell terrible (but also didn't smell good), but it had kind of a vinegary taste (and smell once I got it closer) with just a hint of dirty *******.


Looks like I won't be bottling this stuff!

 

[max384]

Since letting my brew sit for a long period obviously isn't a problem for me, I'm tossing around the idea of making some mead. I've wanted to make some for a long time, but never followed through.


The problem is that I have no idea what mead even tastes like. I stopped by the local liquor store to buy a bottle and the only thing they carried was 'meade,' which after reading the label I found out was just white wine with spices added to recreate real mead flavor.

For those of you who have tasted mead, how would you describe the flavor?

 

[Dynachrome]

I'm waiting to taste it until I have time to bottle it, in the off-chance that it's even worth taking the time to bottle.

That made sense to me.

 

[whitehause]

Since letting my brew sit for a long period obviously isn't a problem for me, I'm tossing around the idea of making some mead. I've wanted to make some for a long time, but never followed through.


The problem is that I have no idea what mead even tastes like. I stopped by the local liquor store to buy a bottle and the only thing they carried was 'meade,' which after reading the label I found out was just white wine with spices added to recreate real mead flavor.

For those of you who have tasted mead, how would you describe the flavor?

Some Mead is pretty good, but it's an "acquired" taste in the same way sour beers are an acquired taste. Not to say they taste anything alike, it's just one of those things you either like or you don't.

I'd definitely try and find some to taste so you know if you like it. It's really hard to discribe.

 

[Hogarthe]

the flavor of mead can vary widely, from very sweet to very dry. also the flavor can be different depending on the honey used, the yeast used, etc. It's hard to describe what it tastes like when different ones tastes different. I'd suggest finding a liquor store with a better selection, and trying one or 2.

 

[ILoveBeer2]

Have the OP taken the time to do the sniff test on this batch? I am on the edge of my seat.

 

[CatHead]

it had kind of a vinegary taste with just a hint of dirty *******.

I am now looking for an excuse to use this description. How do you think it would go if the next time SWMBO asks how something she cooked tastes.

 

[day_trippr]

I am now looking for an excuse to use this description. How do you think it would go if the next time SWMBO asks how something she cooked tastes.

Ummm.....How does "CatBeHead" sound?

Cheers!

 

[max384]

As an update, last week I decided to make two gallons of mead. They're bubbling away right now.

I also bought a 60 qt kettle so I can do all-grain finally. I put together a mash tun a couple years ago before I went on my homebrewing hiatus. So, the larger kettle was all that was keeping me from doing an all-grain brew. I'm stopping by my local homebrew shop to get the ingredients I need tomorrow morning, and hopefully I'll have it in the primary that night. This time I won't forget about it for two years though!

 

[45_70sharps]

Glad to see you hitting it again.

Barleywine. That is the perfect brew for you.
Now all we need is some sort of automated airlock that keeps topped off.

Maybe one of those animal water dishes with a float that controls the water flow so it stays full. You could use that and a blowoff tube and be set for a two year fermentation.

 

[max384]

Well, I've got another update. Since cleaning out my office and finding the secondary with the old dunkelweisen in secondary, I've re-caught the homebrewing bug! I've got two gallons of mead bubbling away, my first AG in primary, and I'll be bottling a sweet hard cider today or tomorrow (depending upon gravity readings).

Now, the actual update though is that when going through my bottles I came across two cases of beer I brewed about 2-2.5 years ago. They were both extract kits; one was an amber bock and the other was labeled something along the lines of American light or maybe American light ale. When I tried them soon after bottling, the amber bock was terrible tasting and the light ale was okay at best.

I decided to crack a bottle of each open and give it a try. I didn't have high hopes and figured the 2+ year old brews wouldn't be too drinkable, especially since they didn't taste good when I first brewed them. Low and behold, they were excellent! I first tasted the amber bock. It was well carbonated and very smooth. The light ale was also very smooth and well carbonated. The amber bock tasted way too yeasty for my tastes back when I first brewed it, but that overly yeasty taste was completely gone. I tried them at room temperature too. I can't wait to see how they taste once they've spent some time in the fridge!

 

[tcory77]

This entire thread made my day. We covered so much ground. "Yo, I got a 2 year old beer i forgot about......has this dude tasted the beer yet........geez, taste the beer already.......vinegar with a slight hint of butt.......he now brews mead and just completed his first AG batch".

I feel like we have all grown today, group hug anyone?!!!!!!

 

[roymullins]

how do you forget about beer in a carboy? I can see tossing the dirty equip in the garage or even forgetting about some bottled beer but I cannot fathom forgetting about 5 gallons a brew in a carboy!

 

[ryno1ryno]

how do you forget about beer in a carboy? I can see tossing the dirty equip in the garage or even forgetting about some bottled beer but I cannot fathom forgetting about 5 gallons a brew in a carboy!

Exactly.

I don't think most people think he is lying... but that same group of people sure can't believe a word he says either.

 

[max384]

Medical school fellas. It's been sucking the life out of me. I'm filling my head with so much information that it's been pushing other stuff out!

 

[ryno1ryno]

Medical school fellas. It's been sucking the life out of me. I'm filling my head with so much information that it's been pushing other stuff out!

How does one pass medical school btw? Is it just a cram session building level upon level? I am talking more of the testing part vs the residency stuff.

To me... the greatest barrier is the barrier of entry. Getting accepted, meeting the pre-reqs and of course the cost. Other than that, its just cramming for crazy tests.

How does one study for the various tests from entry, then from craddle to grave?

I would like to lay the ground work for my kids to prepare them for med school.

 

[max384]

How does one pass medical school btw? Is it just a cram session building level upon level? I am talking more of the testing part vs the residency stuff.

To me... the greatest barrier is the barrier of entry. Getting accepted, meeting the pre-reqs and of course the cost. Other than that, its just cramming for crazy tests.

How does one study for the various tests from entry, then from craddle to grave?

I would like to lay the ground work for my kids to prepare them for med school.

I don't know. I'll tell you once I do! Seriously though, cram sessions just don't work for medical school... Well some of the serious brainiacs can manage to get through med school cramming, but most of us need to study daily (well, most every day anyhow). Besides, cramming can work for exams, but not very well for long-term retention, which is what is needed.

Getting into med school sucks. The process is long and frustrating... But it's doable with some dedication and hard work. Once I was in and actually doing school work I realized how easy the application process was compared to actually attending school. School is also EXPENSIVE. I have three words for that: Loans, loans, loans... At least that's how most of us get through.

Don't prepare your kids for med school. Let them prepare themselves if it is something they want to do. The last thing you want to do is to try and force someone into something their heart isn't really into. However, the formula for getting into med school is pretty easy: Good grades, good MCAT score, and lots of volunteer, shadowing, and research. Easy peasy (yeah right).

 

[45_70sharps]

This entire thread made my day. We covered so much ground. "Yo, I got a 2 year old beer i forgot about......has this dude tasted the beer yet........geez, taste the beer already.......vinegar with a slight hint of butt.......he now brews mead and just completed his first AG batch".

I feel like we have all grown today, group hug anyone?!!!!!!

I think I'll skip the hug and just say that it's very cool that things came full circle and he's not only brewing again, but stepped it up.

I can see how medical school would get in the way of the hobby, now lets see how long until life outside of school gets in the way. I can only imagine that after school there are several demanding years ahead of you before you can be settled into a "normal" schedule.

 

[bleme]

So how's that mead coming along? ;-)

 

[max384]

So how's that mead coming along? ;-)

It was completely undrinkable. I substituted powdered cloves for whole cloves, and it completely overpowered the mead. I gag even thinking about drinking this stuff. I actually popped open another bottle just last month to see if letting it sit longer would mellow it out... But it was just as bad. Oh well.

But I'm back on the wagon. I've been all-grain brewing for over a year now and just got into kegging as well.

 

[Faub007]

Came looking for an epic story about 2 year old forgotten beer. Thank you hbt. Totally delivered.

 

[Brewtah]

Take a gravity reading...only way to be sure that its done fermenting.

Thanks for making me laugh:fro: