save a batch of homebrew? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

shadrock · 12-10-2003, 06:46 PM

Last year I started a batch of homebrew in november intending for it to be a holiday batch ready for christmas. I followed the recipe in the Papazian Homebrew book for Holiday Brew but I think I went overboard with the honey and ended up making more of a mead. I used a strong belgian ale strain of yeast and the carboy just kept bubbling. Literally for months. I pretty much forgot about the batch since I hadn't brewed since then. I never got around to tossing it. I opened the top the other day and it smelled fine. So what do you homebrew gurus think? Is it possible to revive this batch? Carbonate? Safe to drink as long as it deasn't smell funny or taste nasty?

Paeder · 12-10-2003, 07:47 PM

if its brown, drink it down. if its black, put it back.

Paeder · 12-10-2003, 07:48 PM

except for guiness, drink that down too.

clavus · 12-13-2003, 09:28 PM

If it tastes good, keg it and carbonate it. Don't own a keg? Borrow one, carbonate, then bottle.

I don't think you will have any luck carbonating it naturally.

Taste it before you go putting a lot of effort into it. Belgian yeasts can give you some strange, strange flavors.

shadrock · 09-02-2004, 02:21 PM

I never reported back on this. I ended up bottling it and it actually turned out pretty good...OK so it was a taste only the guy who brewed it could appreciate. It was like mixing honey mead with beer. Not bad, just not good. But it packed one hell of a punch!

spindles · 09-02-2004, 03:04 PM

the guy at the local home brew shop said "always taste before you bottle - if it is off, throw it out and save yourself the trouble of bottling"

Having said that we have bottled and drank some pretty awful stuff when we were starting out

Tophat665 · 09-02-2004, 03:17 PM

Shadrock, sounds like you accidentally made a braggot. Not too shabby!

12-10-2003, 06:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
shadrock Crazy	save a batch of homebrew? Last year I started a batch of homebrew in november intending for it to be a holiday batch ready for christmas. I followed the recipe in the Papazian Homebrew book for Holiday Brew but I think I went overboard with the honey and ended up making more of a mead. I used a strong belgian ale strain of yeast and the carboy just kept bubbling. Literally for months. I pretty much forgot about the batch since I hadn't brewed since then. I never got around to tossing it. I opened the top the other day and it smelled fine. So what do you homebrew gurus think? Is it possible to revive this batch? Carbonate? Safe to drink as long as it deasn't smell funny or taste nasty?

12-10-2003, 07:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Paeder Upright Location: Hell???	if its brown, drink it down. if its black, put it back. __________________ "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."----Henry David Thoreau

12-10-2003, 07:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
Paeder Upright Location: Hell???	except for guiness, drink that down too. __________________ "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."----Henry David Thoreau

12-13-2003, 09:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
clavus pow! Location: NorCal	If it tastes good, keg it and carbonate it. Don't own a keg? Borrow one, carbonate, then bottle. I don't think you will have any luck carbonating it naturally. Taste it before you go putting a lot of effort into it. Belgian yeasts can give you some strange, strange flavors. __________________ Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free.

09-02-2004, 03:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
spindles Mine is an evil laugh Location: Sydney, Australia	the guy at the local home brew shop said "always taste before you bottle - if it is off, throw it out and save yourself the trouble of bottling" Having said that we have bottled and drank some pretty awful stuff when we were starting out __________________ who hid my keyboard's PANIC button?

09-02-2004, 02:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
shadrock Crazy	I never reported back on this. I ended up bottling it and it actually turned out pretty good...OK so it was a taste only the guy who brewed it could appreciate. It was like mixing honey mead with beer. Not bad, just not good. But it packed one hell of a punch!

09-02-2004, 03:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tophat665 Minion of the scaléd ones Location: Northeast Jesusland	Shadrock, sounds like you accidentally made a braggot. Not too shabby! __________________ Light a man a fire, and he will be warm while it burns. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.