Expired Extract Kits

[Dave77]

Just wondering, do cans of extract go bad? I ask because a local homebrew store is going out of business and has a bunch of Cooper's Can kits deeply discounted. If I pick up a few of these can kits for $10-$15, even if they're expired, is it worth it? I'm thinking they might be good for some cheap summer beer stock for my 'less discerning' beer drinking friends. LOL

On a related note, are these can kits any good in general? (I've been brewing partial-extract kits from Brewer's Best and now all-grain, but have never done a can kit).

 

[mac_1103]

Never used a Cooper's kit. LME can go bad, or at least go less good. DME not so much, or at least not as fast.

 

[BeerHolic]

Why back in the days of old when I did extract, the cans did have a best before date, but never used one past it's date.
However I have had issues with dry yeast that went well past it's best before date i.e six months.

 

[IslandLizard]

LME is best when fresh, stored cool, and in oxygen barrier packaging.
6 months old, having been stored at room temps in a typical store/warehouse environment could be pushing the limits of their freshness.

I'm not familiar with Cooper's Can kits, never used them or any other "canned" LME.

Now DME, as long as it's stored dry and cool, can last many, many years without staling. You could stock up on those, at the right price.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Just wondering, do cans of extract go bad?

[...]

If I pick up a few of these can kits for $10-$15, even if they're expired, is it worth it?

They will go bad over time.

Is it worth it? "Beer will be made". Will it be drinkable beer?

If you are familiar with the "LME quality color test" (compare the color of an OG 50 wort to the color in the manufacturer's product information), you can get a feel for the quality of the beer just before the boil starts.

On a related note, are these can kits any good in general?

Once again, heat and oxygen are the spoilers. If the cans have been stored cool and have little or no head space (for oxygen), they may be ok.

 

[hotbeer]

If they can be bought for less than what a kit within it's use by date is then if nothing else you'll get some more experience and skill with your handling and procedures.

And you might get a beer that's very drinkable. But maybe not quite what it was suppose to be and one that you may not reliably be able to replicate.

 

[mac_1103]

Another thought... if you're getting them for 10 or 15 bucks and they contain a combination of DME and LME, then you might be able to put together some nice DME-only brews and just toss the LME if it doesn't seem trustworthy.

edit - after a little googling I take it back; these seem to be pre-mixed "just add water" type kits; so personally I would not buy them if they're expired; if I got that wrong I will happily take back taking it back.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

LME is best when fresh, stored cool, and in oxygen barrier packaging.

Any idea what the impact on shipping and handling (hot summer trucks / warehouses) might have on very well packaged LME?

 

[IslandLizard]

Any idea what the impact on shipping and handling (hot summer trucks / warehouses) might have on very well packaged LME?

Yeah... nothing good there either.

I expect them to be typical kit-and-kilo containers with pre-hopped extracts. Add sugar or "beer enhancer," and water.
They won't even produce good beer, even when they are as fresh as can be (e.g., filled and bought yesterday).

 

[Broken Crow]

I had bought a couple cans of Coopers back when I began brewing beer..made one and while it was better than most of the mainstream stuff, I wanted to do the whole process and I forgot about the other can....for about 10 years. I know the Coopers are 'pre-hopped' but I figured after all that time, I'd want to add at least some fresh hops (Oh, and I used DME and not the table sugar that the kit advised). It stank the whole house up....I mean really disgusting smelling, but what the heck..it was an experiment. It came out near black, but went well with the Fuggles and EKG's I added...definitely drinkable and even kinda good. I would not do that again becuase of the smell mostly, but also because I can throw together a better tasting beer any time I like. Given that you're still newish though, it may be an ideal way for you practice your technique...of course it may not, depends on what you want and how you want to get there. I can only say in my opinion that the Coopers kits, when done properly, taste better than most of the crap in the beer store. I've got a friend who brews only the slightly-expired coopers kits that she gets at a discount and makes in her kitchen with minimal fuss and gear and it always tastes good.

 

[Dave77]

Thanks for all the comments. For $15, I might give it a try, realizing it may or may not be that good. But, cheap is good! LOL, and as mentioned, will give more practise in brewing.

 

[Broken Crow]

Thanks for all the comments. For $15, I might give it a try, realizing it may or may not be that good.

Given that, I feel compelled throw in my "as a fellow Canuck" opinion; Since you're in Toronto and can readily get Mill Street, Muskoka, Steam Whistle (and probably Neustadt Springs Brewery | Natural Premium Ales & Beers ) as well as a host of others, it won't be as 'good' as those, but it's still good enough to make you never buy mainstream BMC garbage again when the 'better' Coopers costs less and takes only a little effort and patience. Grab some and use them to hone your skills.

 

[fluketamer]

DONT KNOCK HOPPED MALT EXTRACT. COOPERS MAKES FINE BEER WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. THEY ARE GREATT KITS TO ADD TO. THEY ARE VERY EASY. and a great way to get people into brewing.

one of my favorite beers i make is a can of coopers lager with added MD, carapils, briess dme +/_ flaked maize, corn sugar or booster, llalemand lager yeast and zamba hops.



perfect malty lager with a fruity hop finnish



its actually hard for me to repeat this without the coopers can. it comes out delicious.

canned kits make fine beer after all its just hopped wort thats been concentrated in order to rehydrate for fermentation. millions of aaussie brewers swear by coopers kits. they been homebrewing for a long time. it is very important to add fermentables to the kit. they wont come with enough gravity points in them to make beer without added fermentables. i beleive theres another thread on here re the enhancer they reccomend. in short i beleive the lagers generally require enhancer 2 for completion. enhancer 2 is 250 mg of md 250 mg of corn surgar and 500 mg dme or somehting like that it might be 250 /500/250 dont remeber if you want drier add less malt and more sugar if malty more malt and less sugar just remember to add hops if increasing malt. also when on sale they are usually around 20$ PER CAN WHICH EQUALS CHEAP BEER LASTLY SOME OF THE LAGERS ACTUALLY COME WITH REAL LAGER YEAST WHICH ALSO SAVES $

 

[fluketamer]

ps id buy the kits if they were near me

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I can only say in my opinion that the Coopers kits, when done properly, taste better than most of the crap in the beer store. I've got a friend who brews only the slightly-expired coopers kits that she gets at a discount and makes in her kitchen with minimal fuss and gear and it always tastes good. [emphasis added]

So there may be more to the "LME narrative" than 'dusty cans bad'.