How bad is it to drink gross lees?

[MonkeyK]

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?

 

[Tess]

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!!

 

[MonkeyK]

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

 

[Tess]

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

 

[Tess]

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!!

 

[MonkeyK]

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.

 

[cedarswamp]

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

 

[Tess]

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!

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

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

 

[Bartman]

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"!