How long is too long, left in primary?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by DukeLazer, Dec 27, 2017.

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  1. DukeLazer

    DukeLazer Initiate (0) Apr 24, 2017 California

    I made a 5 gallon batch of IPA, and left it in the back of the closet to ferment. I got busy and left it for a few months now. Does anyone have an idea if it will still be good? or how to check it?
     
  2. EvenMoreJesus

    EvenMoreJesus Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2017 Pennsylvania

    Is there positive pressure in the airlock?
     
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    How many months is "a few?"

    Taste it.
     
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  4. pat61

    pat61 Initiate (0) Dec 29, 2010 Minnesota

    If it tastes like vegemite, make a sandwich - you will lose the hop character, the beer may oxidize (taste like wet cardboard), and then there is autolysis where after a long period of time the yeast cells burst and start releasing off flavors into the beer (vegemite). Best advice is VikeMan's - taste it.

    I have done this and chances are very good that the beer will not win any awards, it may still be drinkable and it won't kill you. You can always distill it off and make moonshine whiskey.
     
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  5. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    There is no good way of knowing without tasting. Twice in recent memory I have had hoppy pale ales that for one reason or another were forgotten about for about 8 months. One seemed OK. One seemed oxidized and I dumped.
     
  6. SLB1968

    SLB1968 Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2017

    If it sat in primary for that long, it might end up a good fertilizer. I would do a couple of things. First, is it still bubbling, even a little? If it's still producing CO2, there is a decent chance that it is not infected. Rack it to a secondary vessel and then check it out after a couple of days. If it's bad, you'll know it pretty quick. Needless to say, sitting on the primary yeast bed and Trub etc. isn't ideal but I wouldn't give up until you know for sure.
     
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    What makes you think it would be infected if it's not producing CO2? Actually, after "a few" months (let's say three or more), if there's CO2 still being made, that would be a pretty good hint there may be an infection. But anyway, if proper sanitation was followed, infection would be the least of my worries with this beer.

    Why should he rack to secondary?
    Seriously, all he needs to do is taste the beer. That's pretty quick.
     
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  8. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Dryhop it.
     
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  9. prg

    prg Devotee (326) Apr 13, 2016 Indiana

    I have left beer in primary for nearly half a year without issue... at cool (55-60) temps though.

    If it doesn't look, smell, or taste bad... I would get it packaged and drink on.

    If you bottle, you might want to toss some yeast in your bottling bucket with the priming sugar. It is possible that most of the yeast has flocced out and you will not have enough in suspension to carb up the beer.
     
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  10. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    If it were me, I’d taste it, dry hop it for a few days, then throw in a tablespoonful of yeast along with the priming sugar.

    NEVER give up on a beer unless you are SURE there is an infection :slight_smile:
     
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  11. SLB1968

    SLB1968 Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2017

    Good point. The very few batches that I had that were infected were on fire it seemed - the airlock was going nuts vs. that slow bubble that I typically see in a secondary. Also, sometimes, just getting the beer off the trub and all that other crap can make a difference. This is all anecdotal of course. Point taken that an infection will also produce CO2.
     
  12. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Well, yes, but with a "several months old" beer, it should go to packaging, not to a secondary. No reason to just move it to a new container.
     
  13. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    Years ago my brother and I brewed up a batch of beer one Thanksgiving while I was visiting. We kegged it the next June or July when I returned to his house (we live about 2300 miles apart and I guess he wasn't all that motivated in the meantime). The beer was really quite good. Point is, you won't know until you try it. Cheers!
     
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  14. GormBrewhouse

    GormBrewhouse Pooh-Bah (2,111) Jun 24, 2015 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    While I do like using a secondary, in this case, taste it and if it's good DH if you like add some cask conditioning yeast and bottle.
     
  15. mikeeeee

    mikeeeee Aspirant (269) Aug 7, 2016 Tennessee

    Just taste it dude....no other directions needed to further confuse the heck out of you.

    If the airlock was dry you unfortunately probably have Oxidized beer. But as I said just taste it.
     
  16. prg

    prg Devotee (326) Apr 13, 2016 Indiana

    I agree 100% that the beer needs a taste test.

    Don't let a dry airlock scare you too much either, by the time the airlock dried out all the headspace over the beer was full of co2 and will offer a lot of protection.

    OP, taste it and report back!
     
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