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Author Topic: Finding suprises in the garage (what to do with an old brew)  (Read 1667 times)

Offline Me

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Last April or so (right around finals for me) my friend and I brewed an HG dopplebock. We forgot about it due to finals, drinking after finals, and getting employed after drinking after finals. It was uncovered last week, the airlock still had water and the beer had fermented (a good layer of sediment). We transfered it to a carboy to make room for another beer. My question is : Now what? Will bottling it with a bit of priming sugar rekindle the yeast? Is Aeration needed? Pitch More yeast?
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Offline micsager

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Re: Finding suprises in the garage (what to do with an old brew)
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2010, 11:29:04 am »
Last April or so (right around finals for me) my friend and I brewed an HG dopplebock. We forgot about it due to finals, drinking after finals, and getting employed after drinking after finals. It was uncovered last week, the airlock still had water and the beer had fermented (a good layer of sediment). We transfered it to a carboy to make room for another beer. My question is : Now what? Will bottling it with a bit of priming sugar rekindle the yeast? Is Aeration needed? Pitch More yeast?

I have no clue, but I would pitch half a pck of dry yeast with your priming sugar......

Offline Hokerer

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Re: Finding suprises in the garage (what to do with an old brew)
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2010, 11:30:20 am »
Last April or so (right around finals for me) my friend and I brewed an HG dopplebock. We forgot about it due to finals, drinking after finals, and getting employed after drinking after finals. It was uncovered last week, the airlock still had water and the beer had fermented (a good layer of sediment). We transfered it to a carboy to make room for another beer. My question is : Now what? Will bottling it with a bit of priming sugar rekindle the yeast? Is Aeration needed? Pitch More yeast?

Priming sugar, yes.  Aeration, no.  More yeast, yes.
Joe

Offline beerocd

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Re: Finding suprises in the garage (what to do with an old brew)
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2010, 11:36:20 am »
Krausen it!
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Offline dbeechum

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Re: Finding suprises in the garage (what to do with an old brew)
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2010, 11:37:10 am »
I think you'd be surprised at the amount of yeast left, but yeah pitching yeast is always a good bet.

Also, I have to say - finding lost carboys is fun. I once found a carboy full of 9 year old date mead that got lost in a closet.
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Offline beersk

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Re: Finding suprises in the garage (what to do with an old brew)
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2010, 11:51:46 am »
I think you'd be surprised at the amount of yeast left, but yeah pitching yeast is always a good bet.

Also, I have to say - finding lost carboys is fun. I once found a carboy full of 9 year old date mead that got lost in a closet.
Wow really?  I don't know how one forgets about something like that.  I usually can't stop thinking about it and waiting for it to be ready to drink.

On the original topic, finding that beer in a garage that isn't climate controlled, I'd be worried about how the beer even turned out...
Jesse

Offline euge

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Re: Finding suprises in the garage (what to do with an old brew)
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2010, 12:42:53 pm »
Well it was in April, so probably it isn't of the Head McCrackin variety. If it's started to autolyze then you'll know it.

I wouldn't even bother with the extra yeast. Siphoning will pull enough up.
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