# How bad is it to drink gross lees?



## MonkeyK (Sep 30, 2013)

After primary fermentation on a batch of plum wine, I poured the top of the remaining gross lees into a wine bottle to help separate off any remaining wine. I had already decanted most of this, but was holding out for a little more.
This morning, I discovered that my mother-in-law drank about half a bottle (750ml) worth of the gross lees last night (She has dementia, with a side condition of an uncanny ability to find any non-sealed bottles of alcohol in the house). Does anyone know if this is dangerous?


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## Tess (Sep 30, 2013)

Drinking dead yeast? I would think its taste like Sh**t!! Other then the taste I dont think its harmful but then again hot dogs cause cancer!!


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## MonkeyK (Sep 30, 2013)

She said that it was yummy but that she had a bit of a stomach ache this morning.


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## Tess (Sep 30, 2013)

Sorry Monkey, I can imagine your concern. Us beginners have drank more then we care to admit Im sure. She is gonna be fine its nothing to rush her to the hospital for


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## Tess (Sep 30, 2013)

MonkeyK said:


> She said that it was yummy but that she had a bit of a stomach ache this morning.



Ahhhh, God bless her heart. Im sure she will be fine just make sure she cant get to anymore!! Lock it up!!


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## MonkeyK (Sep 30, 2013)

Thanks for the reassurance. I've been under the assumption that she is OK, but it's been gnawing at me. Plans are underway to move my operations to a secured room.


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## cedarswamp (Sep 30, 2013)

I taste my active fermentations without concern, not exactly the same as gross lees, but the yeast have never caused any problems.


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## Tess (Sep 30, 2013)

MonkeyK said:


> Thanks for the reassurance. I've been under the assumption that she is OK, but it's been gnawing at me. Plans are underway to move my operations to a secured room.



There ya go!! Lord knows? We may find out later is as caustic as hell but for now just make sure she cant get to it anymore. Put a lock on your wine room!! Poor thing!! She thought it was yummy Hmm?? God Bless her!


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## WVMountaineerJack (Oct 1, 2013)

You guys are talking about yeast like its a chemical, she just got a big shot of an active - not dead - probiotic. If they find something to ferment on the way down, sounds like they did, the aftermath will be obvious throughout the whole house and you may have to open the windows. I hope you have sealed off the real potential threats like cleaners etc? WVMJ


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## Bartman (Oct 1, 2013)

Well, probably some active probiotic (not sure what defines some yeast/bacteria as "pro"-biotic), but maybe mostly dead. At least by the time I rack it, it would be mostly spent and dead - it's unclear how long it had been since primary fermentation was complete. Also, not clear if Bentonite was added up front too - that seems to be a large portion of my gross lees from kit wines, at least, although this was a plum wine. I'm betting there was a lot of plum pulp that settled out, so I would imagine it was mostly pulp and dome dead yeast, so not all bad. Between the fiber, alcohol, and live cultures, she might be onto the next "miracle tonic"!


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