Silly Question

[coramdeo]

So I found a 5 gallon carboy of mine in a closet from 4 years ago that I forgot about during a family death situation. It has a brew of a mead based ginger ale..

Could it still be good? There is nothing growing in it or on top of it as far as I can see.. It was fermented with a champagne yeast and it fermented till the very end of it..

I would hate for it to go to waste...

Any thoughts,

Michael

 

[user 108580]

Taste it.

 

[coramdeo]

So it won't kill me?

I was afraid of some kind of bacteria in the brew after 4 years in the carboy.....

Taste it.

 

[boydster]

It won't kill you. Might be quite tasty, as long as it was protected from oxygen.

 

[coramdeo]

That might be a problem... not sure.. The air lock was in but the air lock has not had water in it for quite some time...

It won't kill you. Might be quite tasty, as long as it was protected from oxygen.

 

[NTXBrauer]

I would pass on it based on the fact it was open to oxygen exposure.

 

[boydster]

In that case, give it a smell test. If it doesn't smell like vinegar or anything else putrid, you should be fine.

If we don't hear back from you in the next couple days, we can assume I was wrong and it turned poisonous Really though, an infection would most likely be either acetobacter (vinegar) or a sour/funky bug like lacto or pedio. Oxidized it might taste like old wet cardboard, but none of those things will kill you.

 

[unionrdr]

If it was indeed exposed to o2,it'd have a pellicle growing on the surface. Acetobacter & it'd smell like wine vinegar or something similar. If it's vinegar,bottle it to use in the kitchen. it's stranfe that I don't read of anyone on here maKing use of it.

 

[drinkdrankpunk]

I would give it I try. Probably wont kill you I would think at worst it may taste funny. The real question here is how big is your damn closet that you lose a 5 gallon carboy for four years?

 

[GASoline71]

Might have a taste of old socks from the closet...

Gary

 

[LoloMT7]

Chanting "Drink it - Drink it - Drink it"

 

[MarcusKillion]

Please inform us if it kills you .
I have read that HB does not last long . But since it is still in the carboy sealed up maybe that makes a difference .

 

[jwelch1103]

I recently had a similar experience. My Mother asked me to make her some sour cherry wine, she provided the cherries and I made the wine. I fermented it in carboys and racked to a secondary carboys after about two weeks, iirc. I used the carboy boxes inverted and placed over the carboys to keep out light although they were in my basement along with of course airlocks. My Mom died suddenly before the wine was ready.
That was in August of 1989. I had been brewing beer when I made this wine and had decided before My Mother dying to go on hiatus from brewing. I have over the last several years been slowly collecting parts and supplies to get back into brewing. Last month I decided to check on this wine before I threw it out since the airlocks had been long, long dried out so I ordered a wine thief. Last week I tested the wine and lo and behold it was quite tasty.
Just two days ago I racked it into empty gallon water jugs. So I would say that it is quite possible that your ale could be drinkable. My experience was with wine while yours is ale but mine sat there for 24 years while yours is a relatively very young four years old
I wouldn't discard it until you taste it!

 

[coramdeo]

That is awesome... This was my Hiatus from brewing as well. It was my grandmother (who raised me as my mother) who passed.. It was extremely hard on me... But I am ready to get back into brewing...

I recently had a similar experience. My Mother asked me to make her some sour cherry wine, she provided the cherries and I made the wine. I fermented it in carboys and racked to a secondary carboys after about two weeks, iirc. I used the carboy boxes inverted and placed over the carboys to keep out light although they were in my basement along with of course airlocks. My Mom died suddenly before the wine was ready.
That was in August of 1989. I had been brewing beer when I made this wine and had decided before My Mother dying to go on hiatus from brewing. I have over the last several years been slowly collecting parts and supplies to get back into brewing. Last month I decided to check on this wine before I threw it out since the airlocks had been long, long dried out so I ordered a wine thief. Last week I tested the wine and lo and behold it was quite tasty.
Just two days ago I racked it into empty gallon water jugs. So I would say that it is quite possible that your ale could be drinkable. My experience was with wine while yours is ale but mine sat there for 24 years while yours is a relatively very young four years old
I wouldn't discard it until you taste it!

 

[coramdeo]

It was wrapped in a towel and buried behind a row of low hanging cloths I haven't worn... LoL

I would give it I try. Probably wont kill you I would think at worst it may taste funny. The real question here is how big is your damn closet that you lose a 5 gallon carboy for four years?

 

[coramdeo]

No socks in closet.... LoL All clean cloths.. Alot of pants I haven't worn for a very long time, dress shirts, tie rack filled with ties, and alot of pull over shirts I can't wear anymore due to extremely bad RA (have to stick with button up shirts these days), that is about it..

Might have a taste of old socks from the closet...

Gary

 

[boydster]

The verdict is in. You have to drink it. Triple stamp, no erasies.

 

[coramdeo]

Ok ok.. I will give it a try in the morning when I am ready to bottle it... I have a bunch of friends over tomorrow.. If all things go well in the morning I will be serving it to my friends including my pastor...

The verdict is in. You have to drink it. Triple stamp, no erasies.

 

[b-boy]

I've heard that if you try it and it kills you you get a lifetime HBT membership for your surviving kin. sounds like a deal to me.

 

[MarcusKillion]

I just noticed that the air lock had no water in it . Oxygen getting in is probably bad and oxidized the beer . I can tell you that I sometimes use a beer bottle to put some in for FG testing when fermenting . One time I covered it with a paper towel and a twist tie . It turned real bad and smelly . I usually use plastic wrap and do not have that problem . Obviously the air getting in

 

[user 108580]

Ok ok.. I will give it a try in the morning when I am ready to bottle it... I have a bunch of friends over tomorrow.. If all things go well in the morning I will be serving it to my friends including my pastor...

Sooooo how was it?

 

[TheSmithsEra]

You should take a picture and post it here when you open it so I can see