Expert: Ed Westemeier - 7/21/2006

Question
Hello,

we made some beer in late March of this year.  I had made this particular recipe in the past, but this time the storage location was different.  it was cooler in my friends basement than mine.  the beer basically bubbled in the fermenter for about 2 months.  the problem is that we have not been able to bottle it yet.  Is this beer now bad?  Is it possible to keep the beer that long in the fermenter?  Should we bother bottloing it?

Thanks,

Lisette  

Answer
Without knowing any more specific information, I would say there is a 99% chance you have nothing to worry about.
Just go ahead and bottle it, but there is one small adjustment you might need to make. Apparently, your fermentation was finished over a month ago, after going slowly for two months. My guess is that this is because you either underpitched (used less yeast than desirable) or didn't aerate the wort enough when you pitched the yeast. In either case, this could give you off-flavors, but you won't know for sure until you taste it.
What I recommend is that when you bottle the beer, add a little fresh yeast, since your original yeast may be shot by now. Use the normal amount of priming sugar, but add some fresh yeast (a packet of dry yeast is fine), mix well, and bottle normally.