Just wondering how long malts last once you open the bag? How about if you crush a whole bag and have extra left over? Just wondering if one typically purchases an abundance and stores it, or does it lose flavor over time?
How long do malts last? crushed vs whole
- Thread starter Keqwow
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Waynep005
Well-Known Member
If you want to store grain you should get it unmilled. That will last for a lon g time if kept in an airtight container. Milled grains will go bad fairly quickly.
For what it's worth, the maltster at Briess gave an interview to Brew Strong in which he said that crushed grains don't go stale much faster than whole grains.
It's all about proper storage. I'd take two year old grain stored at proper moistures and temperatures over two month old grain stored improperly.
It's all about proper storage. I'd take two year old grain stored at proper moistures and temperatures over two month old grain stored improperly.
More like a year or more. There are plenty of people who buy grain only once a year, and certainly the grain is often being stored that long or longer both before and after being malted.
brewingmeister
Well-Known Member
Keep in mind grains are only harvested once a year.
That is good to know. I was just wondering basically if one has to buy 10 lb bags each time, or if you can buy in bulk, like a 50 lb grain bag and have it last long enough to brew over several months. This is good to know. Thanks guys!
jetmac said:
Overall, I suppose, though I wouldn't buy really old malt unless I was fairly sure of how it had been handled.
The "year or more" is meant to be a very general statement. Malt degrades over time, but only very slowly if kept in the right conditions. I would take three year old malt stored well over two month old malt stored poorly any day. In my experience, properly stored year-old malt is indistinguishable from much fresher malt even in side-by-side tests.
If your maltster, distributor, and LHBS is keeping the malt well, that's fine. Otherwise, I'd want to get it early so I could store it properly myself.
Malted grains can be stored for years with little loss in usefulness. At the least, keep it dry, airtight and dark. Something to be weary of if you are considering using stored malt is mold. If there is any hint at all of mold, be it by sight or smell or simple suspicion, toss it out. Ergot is nothing to mess with.
