Old sugar, old hops, and old specialty grains

[devaspawn]

So, I took about 3 years off of brewing.

Prior to that I was brewing on a weekly basis. I purchased my ingredients in bulk and had gotten to a point that even a big beer 5 gallon batch wasn't costing me more than $15.

Because of my abrupt departure from brewing (kids, kids, kids) I did not brew through my bulk ingredients.

I brewed two weekends ago. I no longer have a kegerator. I'm going to have to bottle this batch. I've got corn sugar that's about 3 years or so old. I first wanted to confirm that it's age shouldn't have any bearing on it's ability to prime. it's been vacuum sealed.

I also have a full 55 lb bag of base malt, some wheat grain in a home depot bucket with lid, 12 lbs of hops and ~30 lbs of assorted specialty grains. The hops are vacuum sealed but not with gas and both the specialty grains and the hops have been in a freezer.

Any chance any of that stuff is still usable? If so, what's the quickest way to rule out their viability. As an FYI, I don't want to brew anything that uses funky hops.

Thanks for any advice and info. It's great to be back to brewing!

 

[RmikeVT]

So, I took about 3 years off of brewing.

Prior to that I was brewing on a weekly basis. I purchased my ingredients in bulk and had gotten to a point that even a big beer 5 gallon batch wasn't costing me more than $15.

Because of my abrupt departure from brewing (kids, kids, kids) I did not brew through my bulk ingredients.

I brewed two weekends ago. I no longer have a kegerator. I'm going to have to bottle this batch. I've got corn sugar that's about 3 years or so old. I first wanted to confirm that it's age shouldn't have any bearing on it's ability to prime. it's been vacuum sealed.

I also have a full 55 lb bag of base malt, some wheat grain in a home depot bucket with lid, 12 lbs of hops and ~30 lbs of assorted specialty grains. The hops are vacuum sealed but not with gas and both the specialty grains and the hops have been in a freezer.

Any chance any of that stuff is still usable? If so, what's the quickest way to rule out their viability. As an FYI, I don't want to brew anything that uses funky hops.

Thanks for any advice and info. It's great to be back to brewing!

3 yrs seems like a long time for everything except the corn sugar.

Maybe brew up a one or two gallon batch with the ingredients to test them out.

 

[dnslater]

How have the grains and hops been stored? Refrigerated? Temp controlled? I would open the bags and smell everything and see if there are any off smells? Mustiness or mold? Are the grains crushed or uncrushed? I would be hesitant after that long, but if the grains smell/taste ok, it might be worth making a small batch to test it.... for the sake of science. Probably definitely something that is not hop-forward. Guessing the hops might have lost some of their potency after all of this time, so you might need to use extra?

 

[william_shakes_beer]

also, after that amount of time I'd be sure to check for weevils in the grains.

 

[devaspawn]

How have the grains and hops been stored? Refrigerated? Temp controlled? I would open the bags and smell everything and see if there are any off smells? Mustiness or mold? Are the grains crushed or uncrushed? I would be hesitant after that long, but if the grains smell/taste ok, it might be worth making a small batch to test it.... for the sake of science. Probably definitely something that is not hop-forward. Guessing the hops might have lost some of their potency after all of this time, so you might need to use extra?

The base malt was stored in home depot containers with rubber ring lids or in their original bags in a dry basement that never gets above 70 degrees F. The specialty grains were stored in a freezer in plastic bags, some that were vacuum sealed. The hops were sealed by a vacuum sealer and were stored in a freezer. The vacuum sealer was one of those kitchen ones.

 

[devaspawn]

also, after that amount of time I'd be sure to check for weevils in the grains.

What exactly do weevils do? Do they eat the sugars? I can't imagine that mashing weevils hurts the beer.

 

[feinbera]

You could brew a Smashed Weevil Mash SMaSH...

 

[Calder]

It should all be good.

Hops, you stored them well. Find an aging program that will tell you how much acids you have lost. As an estimate, just increase hop amounts by 15%.

55 lb sack of grains. If dry, they should be ok.

Speciality grains. Check, and taste. Seems like you stored them ok, but be wary about freezer burn. If it is present, it will transfer a flavor to the beer. If sealed to keep moisture out, you will be ok.

Sugar ........... well, it is just sugar.


I have 3 year old hops in my freezer. Hell, you can probably buy 3 year old hops as 'fresh'. I also have some grains that are 3 years old, stored dry, and I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

 

[jtratcliff]

Uncrushed grain... good to go as long as it was stored cool and dry, as far as I understand it.

Sugar, no worries.

Hops will be the issue. But will probably be OK... as Calder says, adjust for age and it should be fine. Some of the hops in my freezer are
from a bulk buy of on-sale 2012 crop being cleared out to make room for the 2013 crop.

 

[dkevinb]

Look at it this way - it doesn't cost you anything but a packet of yeast and your time to brew a batch. I'd say it's worth a try.

 

[jtratcliff]

Look at it this way - it doesn't cost you anything but a packet of yeast and your time to brew a batch. I'd say it's worth a try.

+1 to that... Here's your beer name "Procrastination Ale. It'll get brewed Eventually..."

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Weevil larva are present in ALL grains. I learned about them the hard way many years ago, before I started brewing. A member of my family brought home a package of commercial pancake mix that had been in someone's home for several years. Not knowing any better, I miked up a batch. They were gray and didn't rise. At the bottom of the box was the reason. If there are critters at the bottom of trhe grain bag I'd chuck it out.

 

[devaspawn]

Look at it this way - it doesn't cost you anything but a packet of yeast and your time to brew a batch. I'd say it's worth a try.

Ha! Actually, I have about 20 packets of assorted Danstar and Safale dry yeast packets that are just as old that have been sitting in the fridge!

 

[devaspawn]

+1 to that... Here's your beer name "Procrastination Ale. It'll get brewed Eventually..."

So let it be written, so let it be done! You sir, have named my next brew!

 

[devaspawn]

I've got another question:

I know that the age of the hops effects the bittering power, but does it effect the flavoring and aroma power? I used a hop aging calculator and it says to use 5.3 oz of Amirillo hops with 8% alpha acids originally for a recipe that calls for 1 oz at normal strength. It occurred to me that this is a lot of hops for aroma. That's what makes me ask the question.

 

[Calder]

I've got another question:

I know that the age of the hops effects the bittering power, but does it effect the flavoring and aroma power? I used a hop aging calculator and it says to use 5.3 oz of Amirillo hops with 8% alpha acids originally for a recipe that calls for 1 oz at normal strength. It occurred to me that this is a lot of hops for aroma. That's what makes me ask the question.

Recheck the calculator. That sounds way off for hops stored for 36 months, vacuum packed and stored at 0 F.

I think Amarillo has an HSI of 25%. That would mean it will loose approx 40% per year (25% in 6 months) if stored open at 70 F. Seems like you have calculated for open storage at 70 F for 3 years.

 

[devaspawn]

I will definitely recheck it but is the aroma and flavoring effected the same way?

 

[Calder]

I will definitely recheck it but is the aroma and flavoring effected the same way?

A few years vacuum packed in the freezer, they should be OK. it wouldn't do any harm to bump them up a bit.

I generally don't compensate for age with aroma hops, when stored properly. However, when I do a hop forward brew, I tend to use a lot of hops as I get most of my bittering from hops added at 15 minutes or later. I guess, that since I do adjust the AAs for age, I am inceeasing the flavor and aroma hops, since they give me most of my bittering.

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

first beer I ever brewed was with a can of liquid malt that some friends found in the garage of a house they had just moved into.. both ends swelled out....it made beer

 

[krackin]

Before brewing I'd get some extract. You will know after mash if you will need it or not. Other than that, shoot from the hip, fly by the seat of your pants, or what ever it takes. Just do it.