Leaving in the Fermenter

[JBTREP]

G'day All,

Um I've been stuffing around the house lately and have forgotten about my two brews in the fermenters, they have been in there for about 12 days or so, will it still be okay to bottle?

I've gotta get my hands on some more carbonations drops but if I can't how much raw sugar should I use? I'm bottling into 750ml glass long necks.

Also I've gotta clean the bottles out with the normal sanitizer, can I just rinse them afew times after and not have to wait to dry? Shouldnt pose any health threat?

Cheers

[Kevnlis]

As long as you are not in far north QLD or some other very warm place the beer will be fine. Even there a couple weeks should be no problem...

[JBTREP]

GREAT!

I'm in Sydney, so it shouldnt be a problem!

It wont go mouldy?

[warra48]

You'll have no problems at all, and it won't go mouldy.

I regularly leave all my brews in the fermenter for two weeks, sometimes longer, without any problems at all.

And I've left them for two months or so after racking and lagering/cold conditioning.

[squirt in the turns]

And I've left them for two months or so after racking and lagering/cold conditioning.

Hey Warra, you cold condition in secondary for 2 months? Is the yeast still capable of carbonating after that long? Or, I suppose, it doesn't matter if you keg and use CO2?

[Kevnlis]

And I've left them for two months or so after racking and lagering/cold conditioning.

Hey Warra, you cold condition in secondary for 2 months? Is the yeast still capable of carbonating after that long? Or, I suppose, it doesn't matter if you keg and use CO2?

The yeast are still viable, they just go to sleep. It will take a bit longer to carbonate the bottles, but this is your only real draw back.

[warra48]

Yes, what Kevin said is correct.
They do carb up, but take longer.

You could always save some yeast from the slurry, and reinnoculate the batch with a small amount when bulk priming, although I haven't tried that personally.

[JBTREP]

Cheers guys for all the replies....very VERY helpful.

You put my fears to rest, I didnt want the batches to goto waste!

[robNZ]

i'm in a similar position, i've finished fermenting a lager, turned the heat off (live down the south of nz... cold), but
i haven't been able to bottle for like 4 days, will this be an issue? should i have kept the heater going, til i was ready to
bottle?

[warra48]

i'm in a similar position, i've finished fermenting a lager, turned the heat off (live down the south of nz... cold), but
i haven't been able to bottle for like 4 days, will this be an issue? should i have kept the heater going, til i was ready to
bottle?

You'll be just fine.

The beer will have a protective blanket of CO2, so oxygen can't get at it, even where you live, in Southland or Otago or wherever.

[billybushcook]

i've finished fermenting a lager, turned the heat off ?

Brewing Lagers, ......With a Heater?????.....Glad I don't live there with you Rob!!!

Cheers, Mick.

[Thyraeus]

It can get mighty cold 'down south' 12 degs might be possble in summer!