What is the half life of brewing ingredients

I used to brew a lot and have been across the country from all my brewing supplies and did not have the time or equipment.

I am now back in the same state as my equipment and just started a batch of some nut brown ale from a freshly purchased kit. Amongst my brewing equipment was some ingredients for brewing as well. All the ingredients must be 7-10 years old. Should I use any of it?

Here is a list of ingredients

DME sealed in plastic
Syrup extract in jugs
Specialty grains -some in sealed bags some not
Maltose
Finings
A bag of cracked grains to be used in my first attempt at an all grain batch.

Right away I think throwing away the cracked grains. If I am going to make the effort to try an all grain then I do not want to risk it not coming out right anyways. How about the other materials. Are any of the others worth using?

One at a time...

DME sealed in plastic...most likely still good.
Syrup extract in jugs...never good to begin with...
Specialty grains -some in sealed bags some not...feed the birds...
Maltose...probably still useable
Finings...keep.
A bag of cracked grains ...feed the birds.

Agree with homebrewer 99. Good advice!!

Dr Malt

Okay how about the liquid yeast that has been sitting in my storage room for 10 years, should it be still good?

All right I know better than that, but what is wrong with the LME? The recipe I just bought from my local shop uses LME, should I give it to my parrot as well. After eating the 20lbs of Malt you told me to feed him he is going to be pretty sick of malt, and I don't think that washing it down with LME will help.

I didn't know you had a bird...I meant the ones in the park/back yard...

I've used expired yeast, but never that old. I wouldn't even think about it.

If the LME is new then use it. If it's more than 6 months old dump it.

yeah, LME doesn't store very well. lol, don't think your parrot will appreciate it, tho. find a bear or something to enjoy it.

DeathBrewer said:

yeah, LME doesn't store very well. lol, don't think your parrot will appreciate it, tho. find a bear or something to enjoy it.

Click to expand...

Good advice, but what's he going to do when the bear comes back for seconds...???

lol, run! or throw some grains at him and the parrot will attack!

I was just kidding about the yeast. When in doubt I buy more/fresh yeast. It is too cheap to risk the costs of the other ingredients and my time.

It took me years to get my parrot off a seed diet, I would risk offering him some, maybe he will like it and track down all my grains in the future once he gets a taste. Will the birds in the yard really eat the grain though as I have a big yard with lots of birds?

Attracting bears here is kind of a touchy subject.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/18/national/main2944148.shtml?source=mostpop_story

Please elaborate on the LME though. Is it generally inferior to DME, or just does not age well?

The birds in my yard come up on the deck looking for grains...almost like bears, I guess...

IMO, LME starts off darker than you want your brew to be. It's OK to learn on, but if you get disappointed easily it may turn you off to brewing.

DME is much better and keeps for years. I buy my DME in bulk, 55 lb boxes. Sometimes I buy 2-3 at a time.

Depending on your tastes and desire to make light colored brews I always recommend making the Extra Light DME the base malt for all your brews.