Coopers Pilsner - left too long before racking?

[si_g]

Hi, my first beer here. A Cooper's Pilsner, I timed this so I could bottle it before I went on a long break abroad, so it would be drinkable shortly after I got home. Something tricky came up right before I left and I never had the chance to rack it off before leaving.

Now I'm back, a month later, and I wonder if its still ok. First question: what might the effects be of doing this? Flat and pungent? Ruined? Not sure if the process changes once you bottle it. The yeast in these are mixed lager and ale yeasts, if this helps, so I was able to brew it at around 20 degrees, or whatever the instructions said.

Related question: I see everyone moans about their beers looking ugly, but is this an issue? Pic shows things floating about, at the close up it looks like somebody's phlegm in it! Everything smells fine but before I disturbed it it looked more like cobwebs hanging down from the surface.

Or am I just worrying and need to get on and bottle it?

Many thanks!

 

[ronclark]

You could try racking it into a secondary and seeing if that clears it up by getting it away from the sediment for a bit. I'm not sure if that would help. Just tossing out an idea. Hopefully, someone with a bit more experience than me chimes in.

 

[Transamguy77]

How long was it in primary total? It is prob fine I did a pumpkin ale and it sat in primary for 6+ weeks on the pumpkin and turned out delicious. Did you taste it? If it tastes fine just bottle it and let the bottles condition for a few weeks.

 

[si_g]

Probably about the same, 6 weeks or so. Does it not keep changing? I'll check it tonight and go ahead and bottle it if it tastes as good as it smells. Save it for Christmas and get another batch on the razz!

 

[beninan]

That beer should be fine. All my beers sit for around 1 month in primary. Its not uncommon for beers to sit for 2-3 months either.

The stuff on top looks like perfectly normal byproducts from fermentation and floating yeast.

An easy tast test would tell you if it tastes bad, but keep in mind, it will taste slightly different and flat rigt now compared to after it has properly bottle conditioned.

 

[PT Ray]

The fact of it sitting for 4-6 weeks shouldn't be a concern. However, the white matter concerns me. You don't have trub or break material when brewing with prehopped kits, only a slight krausen ring on the bucket should be about it. After 4 weeks it should be pretty clear with maybe a cluster or two of foam that refuses to fall.

Unless Coopers has changed things, the Pilsener kit uses a pure lager strain.