7 year old infected can kit

[skeeordye11]

So I got a can kit from one of the LHBS a couple of months back. It was free because it expired in 2002 and had a serious sign of botchulism with a protruding top and bottom. I went up to my usual LHBS yesterday and hung out with a couple of relatively new brewers and passed on some of my wisom to them. Well, I didn't have the $ for ingredients, but I had the itch so I decided to brew up this old can kit and see what happened. It was a smoked brown ale kit (3.75#) and I decided to add 1# of table sugar. (I didn't want to invest too much in this batch in the event it doesn't turn out drinkable.) I did however pitch some fresh muntons yeast since I didn't trust the stuff that came with the kit. I have very low expectations for this batch, but at the very least I got to brew something! As of this morning, we had fermentation, so we'll see what happens!

 

[Nurmey]

Yum! Botulism beer. I have to question your good judgment at this time.

 

[skeeordye11]

I agree with the quote under your handle as "I love making beer" as well. This was the driving force behind this brewing adventure. But you have given me inspiration on a name now. #22 Smoked Botulism Brown Ale. Who wants to do a swap???

 

[farmbrewernw]

Your not serious are you??

 

[vtbeerman]

You can't get botulism from liquid malt in a can. I used 10 year old John Bull Light LME and it came out fine. It was really black. I made a "Black IPA" with it.

Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Brew Wizard - Can botulism spores grow in concentrated extract with its high sugar content?

 

[StoutFan]

Well, we shall see what develops. If it's any good, I'm in for a trade.

 

[IowaHarry]

If any unwelcome organisms were present the boil would kill them, but not necessarily the toxins they have made, if any.

Let your brother-in-law try the first one.

 

[TXCrash]

I really hope he's kidding...

The danger of botulisim is the toxins that are produced while still in the can/ jar/ whatever...

 

[giligson]

The sugar content of LME (and thus the low available water [aw]) makes growth of most bacteria impossible - including clostridim botulinum.