imperial stout 2 years in secondary. Time to bottle

Hello everyone, this is my first post here. I have brewed probably 6 batches of beer, but it has been a while. My last batch was imperial stout, which has been in a 5 gallon glass carboy in secondary for about two years with a towel wrapped around it to keep light out. First year in a closet, then I bought a house and it got moved to a basement for it's second year.

Two questions,

1: I have not kept up with the airlock, and it has dried out. If when I do a gravity reading and taste it, it tastes fine, I'm good to go right?

2: Should I pitch some ale yeast into the bottling bucket with the sugar water mix before I siphon into the bottling bucket? Could it still have enough of the original yeast left after two years?

Thanks for any help you guys/gals could offer. I would like to start back into homebrewing, but I don't want to abandon this batch if it could be saved. I figure it will either be nasty and infected, or really good after such a long bulk aging process.

I would like to get a couple batches going to take to a family vaca up in Minn. this summer. My younger bro, has started brewing and is going to be bringing some up there, and I really should be matching him..lol.

1. If it smells and tastes good. You're good to go!!

2. Yes, pitch some yeast in there. After 2 years I doubt the yeast in there would still be viable.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out after so much aging!! You must have the patience of a priest!

Thank you for assuming that I have extreme patience. I could let this assumption ride, but I should probably fess up to the real reason for the aging. I was all about the search for a home to buy, and then all the little repairs and yard work after the purchase, and also my meandering interest in too many hobbies all the time. That being said, I am super excited to see what 2 year old homebrewed stout will taste like! If it turns out to be delicious, and I want to duplicate it, I'm not sure I would have the patience on a second go round..lol.

Also, how much yeast do you think I should pitch in there? Maybe three grams or so? Or just toss in a packet of dry ale yeast?

I think you and your brother should do some blind tastings on vacation with your family. See who is the better brewer. Sounds like a good reason to start brewing more if you're competitive like me.

If "we" do that we are gonna have to brew the same style... amesenite..lol

lockmanslammin said:

If "we" do that we are gonna have to brew the same style... amesenite..lol

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Deal..... Game on

a few grams of yeast will be fine, don't need the whole pack.

Well, I took an FG reading, and a taste... FG is at 1.018, and the beer has a cidery flavor, with an obvious alcohol edge. What do you guys suppose happened? I'm sure bottling and carbonating it isn't going to help a whole lot. I'm not even sure I want to bottle it now actually. Any opinions on what happened here? did it get oxygenated do to the air lock being dry? Or maybe it got jostled around to much when we moved to our new house?

actually, on second thought it kind of tastes like wine, at least it really smells like red wine.

Sounds like a Brett or lacto infection... Sorry bud. :/

Might still be worth bottling...

Well, I guess I will just re-brew the same exact thing... and hopefully WIN this time!

I might bottle 6 of em' just for fun, what makes you think it's worth bottling?

lockmanslammin said:

I might bottle 6 of em' just for fun, what makes you think it's worth bottling?

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What the hell. Bottle a few.

If the airlock was dry and it was freely exchanging air, then it took in both oxygen and any other critters flying around. I wouldn't expect much. If there's a chance fruit flies could have gotten in during those 2 years, I wouldn't be too interested.

Port/red wine/sherry are all indicators of oxidation and is really common in aged beers. It isn't necessarily a defect IMO.

thanks for all the advise and opinions everyone. I still may bottle a 6 pack just for S&Giggles. I just finished brewing the exact same recipe for a second go round. this time without the black pepper added, and with us-05 yeast.Also used all whole fresh hops, including some locally grown Nugget hops. Far easier to filter into the carboy than i recall with hops pellets. i got a nice big blow off hose attached and am hoping to see some activity before i have to go to work at noon tomorrow.

lockmanslammin said:

thanks for all the advise and opinions everyone. I still may bottle a 6 pack just for S&Giggles. I just finished brewing the exact same recipe for a second go round. this time without the black pepper added, and with us-05 yeast.Also used all whole fresh hops, including some locally grown Nugget hops. Far easier to filter into the carboy than i recall with hops pellets. i got a nice big blow off hose attached and am hoping to see some activity before i have to go to work at noon tomorrow.

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What is the recipe?

6.6 lbs Munton old ale liquid extract
3.3 lbs light extract
1/2 lb crushed black patent malt
1/2 lb roasted barley (unmalted)
2 tsp. Gypsum
1 oz columbus hops- boiling
1 oz nugget hops- boiling
1 oz cascade- 1 to 2 minutes at end of boil
Grains added to 1.5 gal cool water, brought to a boil and removed, then extracts, gypsum and boiling hops added. Boiled for an hour. Aroma hops added at end of boil. Immersion cooled, added to fermentor, and topped off with water to 5 gal.
Also treated for cloromines with a 1/4 campden tablet before any of the water was used.
Pitched 2 packets of rehydrated us-05 yeast, and stuck in the blowoff tube.
Its pretty much dead on the recipe in joy of home brewing for armeniam imperial stout. With one hop change and 1 less tsp of gypsum.

I'm excited to taste it