Old Kit

I have an old Bourban Barrel Porter extract kit, probably 2 years. All sealed and hops in freezer. If I don't trash it I thought about just scaling it down to a 2gal batch so I can operate in the kitchen. Does anybody have experience with using older lme and dme? I have an extra pint of some 2nd gen yeast in the fridge, so the brew would essentialy be free. Thanks?

Yeah, I do. It will probably be fine. You'll need new yeast and new specialty grains. But the lme can last for years. It won't be great. Obviously, fresh ingredients always taste better.

If the yeast is free, just brew it as normal and see what happens. I'm thinking even the hops and specialty grains will be fine as its been in a freezer. Report back on how it turns out.

Might as well try it.

I brewed a 2 year old Cooper's OS lager can as my 2nd brew. Didn't see the date on the can until I got home from the lhbs with hops, DME & all. Brewed it up & got this ale that looked & tasted a lot like the Salvator Doppelbock from Paulaner;

So they can come out quite well, even Gary at Home Brewer TV gave it the full 3 thumbs up against a commercial ale! That was cool, considering it was my 2nd brew ever! so treat it like a slightly darker beer in regard to yeast, hops, etc & it should come out fine. That's my 2c anyway...

I've used some less than fresh LME with good results. As Union pointed out, it may darken some, sweeten some. But a Porter can stand that.

You guys are awesome! Thanks!

Will reply with updates!

Bottled a six pack and kegged the rest. Beer turned out GREAT! Fermented for two months adding Maker's soaked oak cubes the final week. Best porter I've ever had! I did buy some fresh specialty grain and basically did a partial mash with it. I definitely believe that had a lot to do with it's success.

Still have 3 1/2 lbs of that dated lme that I won't think twice about using next time!

Cool! I've done PM's with Cooper's cans myself. Works pretty well that way.

agates2114 said:

Bottled a six pack and kegged the rest. Beer turned out GREAT! Fermented for two months adding Maker's soaked oak cubes the final week. Best porter I've ever had! I did buy some fresh specialty grain and basically did a partial mash with it. I definitely believe that had a lot to do with it's success.

Still have 3 1/2 lbs of that dated lme that I won't think twice about using next time!

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Only comment I have is that you should taste a bit of the ingredients before committing the time/fermenters. If it tastes stale, think hard before spending the time. In general, I'm all for using it if it tastes good.

My experience has been any flavor you don't like in the wort, will be there in the beer. But I've used some older ingredients to good effect.

lazarwolf said:

Yeah, I do. It will probably be fine. You'll need new yeast and new specialty grains. But the lme can last for years. It won't be great. Obviously, fresh ingredients always taste better.

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^This^ -- except for the "it won't be great" part. It may not be, but I brewed a really old kit of honey cream ale someone gave me, and it was one of the best and most popular brews I have ever made. When I say old, I mean the DME was literally a brick I broke up with a hammer. I took my time dissolving the pieces to avoid scorching.

I figured sugar is sugar, as long as the package was in tact and the DME tasted OK. I also used the packet of honey (honey never goes bad). I did replace the hops and yeast with fresh.

As I said, I had nothing to lose but time and a few dollars worth of ingredients. My daughter and I had fun with it (she didn't mind wielding the hammer). Worth the gamble, IMHO. And I have plenty of fermenters available...