Goodwill Homebrew Kit Find!

[BigJoeBrew]

Found these at Goodwill and couldn’t leave them there. I have been AG for awhile now, but do extract when I see deals online. How old do you think these might be? They have malt extract cans but can’t seem to find a best by date. Also, any good tricks to break up this DME?

 

[mongoose33]

I think your best strategy to deal with this find is to donate it back to Goodwill.

I personally wouldn't waste my time using ingredients that were suspect...even if they were free.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

The yeast is probably your best bet for a BB date - what does it look like? Often the BB date is quite hard to read, it's on the edge.

 

[TechFanMD]

I’d just go for it. You’re not out much if they aren’t good. You might be surprised. The Irish Stout seems to have a better chance of being ok but who knows.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Open trashcan. Insert contents. Close trashcan.

 

[Calder]

My guess is August 2008.

Often date codes are embedded in the codes on the packs. If anything on the extract pack is a date, then it is probably the 3408 (34th week of 2008)

 

[BigJoeBrew]

I found a date. Looks like 2014 on the yeast packet. I am planning to brew these up on Friday and see what I get.

@mongoose33 - Most likely you are right, but makes for a good experiment.

@MapleGroveAleworks - LOL. I understand.

 

[BigJoeBrew]

 

[Br3w4u]

Cool find! Even if the beer doesn’t turn out it’s still cool. I would just use the extract for yeast starters myself.

 

[Zuljin]

Brew it! Rehydrate that yeast beforehand and have a fresh pack ready just in case.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Oooh, flash, you've got the "retail" Munton packaging rather than the white-label one. I happen to have a pack of that kicking around and it looks like they have 3-year best-befores nowadays but may have been 2 years back then, so I guess the yeast was packed in either October 2011 or October 2012. It's still available, or is a close relative of S-33 and Windsor if you can't find Munton's but are worried about viability and feel the need to be "authentic". 7-8 year dry yeast ought to be OK, if past its best.

I sympathise with the suggestion to just view it as a source of starter material - but heck, just brew it!

 

[BigJoeBrew]

Brewed them both up today. Everything went well except the solidified DME took quite awhile to dissolve. Both yeasts are pitched. Fingers crossed both kick off.