15 year old beer kit!

[Brewmiser]

I just found 3 "the Beer Machine" kits in my basement from 15 years ago. I think i'll buy a 3gal carboy & brew them up just for sh!tz & giggles. of course I'll get some new yeast first.
Anyone think these will work?
I guess I'll only really be wasting time if they don't.



1 can of pilsner light, 1 bag of Canadian Red, & 1 bag of Brown ale.

 

[McGarnigle]

Are the cans bulging? That would be a bad sign. But with new yeast, they'll work. I wouldn't expect them to taste good, but the extract should still ferment.

 

[TwoFortySX]

You could always use it to make yeast starters! I would be a little skeptical of using them with hopes of making drinkable beer. I have a feel that the stale LME is going to taste pretty bad.

 

[Brewmiser]

Only one is in a can & it is not bulging at all. the other 2 are in DME in foil bags.

I didn't think about using it for a yeast starter? If the 1st one dosen't turn out I'll use the others for starters. Although if they make crappy beer wont the make crappy starters?

 

[Revvy]

I'd do it for the hellovit but not expect anything good to come from it. It will actually be a good experiment to have someone actually do it and post a taste test. We get threads like this all the time, and all we have is supposition, if you do it you'll be doing a great service to our community here.

 

[IffyG]

The hops (provided there are any) aren't going to have any bittering potential left after 15 years...

 

[DunklesWeissbier]

I'd like to know how it turns out. I have one of those kits lying around someplace too and was wondering if it is still usable.

 

[Brewmiser]

Well, I'm going to brew one up so I will let you know how it turns out. As to the hops it was a hopped extract so there is no hops to go bad. I guess the extract could lose its hop flavor with being so old but none of these were really hoppy beers to start with. I could add a few hops just for good measure.

 

[unionrdr]

Or maybe a collector would buy them? Folks collect all kinds of beer memorabilia.

 

[Brewmiser]

Sure! Antique Malt Extract kit for sale!
I bet I could get a few buck for it on ebay...lol

 

[TwoFortySX]

Sure! Antique Malt Extract kit for sale!
I bet I could get a few buck for it on ebay...lol

How Antique looking are they? I mean 15 years ago was 1996. Do you have any pics?

 

[Brewmiser]

this is the can

 

[Brewmiser]

And the 2 bags

 

[Brewmiser]

So as you can see they don't look too old, So i think the antique road show wont be banging on my door anytime soon...

 

[TwoFortySX]

I dont know. I like that Pilsner Light extract can a lot! It would look great with my collection of bottles. I think you should hold on to that guy.

 

[Brewmiser]

I dont know. I like that Pilsner Light extract can a lot! It would look great with my collection of bottles. I think you should hold on to that guy.

I'm sure we can work out some beer for malt extract exchange if you want it. I'm just going to brew it or toss it. I'm about 1.5 hours north of imperial you can meet me at the bar or the LHBS

 

[TwoFortySX]

I'm sure we can work out some beer for malt extract exchange if you want it. I'm just going to brew it or toss it. I'm about 1.5 hours north of imperial you can meet me at the bar or the LHBS

Im familiar with Meadville. My sister went to Edinboro, a girl I knew worked at a bar in meadville and my mom's friend has a camp near meadville. I would definitely make a deal with ya!

 

[vicratlhead51]

I'd say try brewing the ones you're not bartering away but buy some nice fresh hops for the late hop addition, hopefully that would cover up any funk from the old extracts. Then if it turns out you have some drinkable beer and if it doesn't you only wasted a couple bucks or so.

 

[Brewmiser]

Well I brewed up the Canadian Red today, everything looked fine. I'll post how it turns out when it's ready to drink.

 

[Brewmiser]

I bottled this today & it tasted like beer (i always taste @ bottling time) didn't have any strong off flavors but maybe a little week but I'll try it again once it's carb'd up.

 

[FiddleTilDeath]

thanks for the updates, glad you made beer! whoo!!!

 

[PhelanKA7]

You could always use it to make yeast starters! I would be a little skeptical of using them with hopes of making drinkable beer. I have a feel that the stale LME is going to taste pretty bad.

While I could see DME going stale I always thought that canned LME would hold up for many, many years if not centuries similar to how honey holds up forever as long as it's stored under pressure and not exposed to oxygen. Your guess is as good as mine though.

 

[Brewmiser]

just wanted to let everyone know It's all carbed & half drank & it made a good beer. it wasn't anything that I would call great but it was still better than coors...

& I still have the LME if you still want it 246

 

[scinerd3000]

love the better than coors. How is the hop bitterness considering it sat for 15 years?

 

[Vance71975]

I would mix all 3 together in a 5g batch and add new hops and yeast and just see what happens lol

 

[Brewmiser]

love the better than coors. How is the hop bitterness considering it sat for 15 years?

Well I added 0.5oz of nugget 60min & 0.5 oz cascade @ 15 min & dry hopped 0.5 oz of cascade to the the pre-hopped kit for a little extra & it turned out nice. I'm planning on brewing up the up the other kit when time allows. not sure what it would have tasted like with out the extra but I really didn't add that much.

 

[jamesampm]

the LHBS has a lot of old cans... he has a couple from 1989 and one other on that looked like it was from the 50's or 60's and was called something crazy like "canned drinkable beer malt" or something lol. He says he brews old stuff he finds quite a bit and they are all fine unless the cans are damaged.