Recycled Beer

[Fatgodzilla]

Made a simple ale for a mate based on a Coopers Pale Ale kit. Added another 1.5kg of malts but too little extra hops. Results is a malty 'ok" type of beer but one crying out for more hop additions. Did this in September 07. Got a dozen or so longnecks left which I really don't want to drink.

NOW I'm not going to think about adding drops of isohops (or whatever they are called).

I'm going to make a simple 10+ litre batch heavy in hops and want to add the 13 longnecks of brew to the mix. Need some scientists or brewologists to tell me

1. Ferment the 10 or so lites to completion then add the first brew and then rebottle.

2. Add the longnecks at the beginning (worried though CO2 in brews will suffocate the yeast.)

3. Add half way through the second batch fermentation.

Assuming I go a clean sanitary way, those anyone have any experience doing something like this ? Is there any logical reason I can't think of that makes this a stupid suggestion ?? :icon_cheers:

 

[kevnlis]

Make sure you can get the beer across without oxygenating, otherwise you really have no choice but to add it within the first few hours of the adaptive phase AFAIK.

 

[crozdog]

FGZ,

i wouldn't bother adding the old brew to a new one - to many risks and unknowns for my liking. Besides what are you achieving - a saving of a couple of bucks?

if you want to try & ressurect these brews try some of craftbrewers hop oils - I think they'd be ideal for that.

Beers

crozdog

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I tend to agree with Crozdog.. but if you really want to do it.

Use a bottling bucket - Tip your room temp longnecks into the bottling bucket, be a bit gentle with the first couple - The longnecks will fizz up a bit, losing a fair bit of their C02, and driving a lot of the oxygen out of the bucket - then rack your other beer into the bucket, where you will actually have less oxygenation worries than you normally would because of the C02 from the longnecks - prime and bottle.

You might, I'm not sure really, need a little less priming sugar than usual because the beer would retain at least some of its previous C02.

Thats what I reckon anyway

Thirsty

 

[drsmurto]

If you really cant bear the thought of throwing the under hopped beer away (which is what i would do) then option 1 would seem to be your best bet. You need to very carefully add the bottled beer to a fermenter, no splashing etc. and then rack the new beer onto it.

The extra issue is that you have half carbed beer so working out the priming will be a little tricky.

EDIT - what thirsty said

 

[Fatgodzilla]

If you really cant bear the thought of throwing the under hopped beer away (which is what i would do) then option 1 would seem to be your best bet. You need to very carefully add the bottled beer to a fermenter, no splashing etc. and then rack the new beer onto it.

The extra issue is that you have half carbed beer so working out the priming will be a little tricky.

EDIT - what thirsty said

Yes, that makes sense, adding the fermented wort to the beer. Worth at least one go to see if it can be done successfully - DrSmurto, you're a scientist, you can see why someone must try it !! I'm relying on the CO2 levels in the fermented beer to prevent oxidisation, so take my time and we'll see what happens.

 

[jayse]

Heres a idea, you could always just bottle this batch as is and mix with the other when you pour your beer in your glass.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Heres a idea, you could always just bottle this batch as is and mix with the other when you pour your beer in your glass.

Jayse, old son, you're missing the point. Your answer is sensible, logical and clearly the smart move.

I'm a homebrewer. I want to try something dumb, illogical and potentially wasteful.

Call me the new age Homer.

 

[kevnlis]

I completely understood your need to do it. I have done similar things and always make sure to take the hardest route possible with the highest chance for a stuff up. Yet it almost always seems to come through for me! Isn't brewing great?