Will This Liquid Extract still be good?

My brother in law was a homebrewer. He died 8 years ago. In cleaning out his equipment, his wife just found the following:

Muntons
Malted Ingredients
SUPERLIGHT
15kg net
Production date: 07/02/03
Use by end: 07/02/04
Production Code: XB11702
Product of the UK

This is quite large container, still sealed. Is there any chance that it is still OK to use?

I also have a sealed 5 gallon jug of Dark Maple syrup. The possibilities are endless.

 

I made the mistake of making a beer with LME that was only two years old. It wasn't a good result. My first ever dump. If I were you I'd just toss the old extract. Sorry about your bro in law

 

Ime,as long as they're still completely sealed,they'll be fine. But they will be a bit darker in the end. But they'll taste fine. The ale in my avatar was made with a cooper's OS lager can from 6/09 with some other things added. Gary @ home brewer tv gave it the full 3 thumbs up,so that should say something.

 

Any flavor tells that might indicate how it is?

 

Besides the darker color,it'll most likely have a bit darker,biscuity sweetness to the malt. Some toastiness is possible as well. But to taste it "raw",is harder to tell beyond clean,malty sweetness. dito on flavor if it smells good,eat it!

 

You could always do a mini-batch of 1-gallon and go from there.

Personally I'd only use it for making starters, but at 15kg, that's a LOT of malt to make starters from!

M_C

 

I'm liken' that biscuity sweetness thing. Guess I've got to open that jug.

 

I'd just use it as normal in a batch & see for yourself. As long as it's sealed,it's fine. I like that "biscuity" sweetness too. That's how most describe it. I noticed that it's more like "biscotti" like sweetness. I love me some biscotti too!