how long are crushed grains good for.

[aekdbbop]

I bought a pumpkin ale extract kit 2 weeks ago, and have yet to brew it. The grains are cracked. Are the specialty grains still good to go still?

Also, the recipe doesnt say to bake the pumpkin, but i am thinking i should any way. How long at what temp should i do that?

 

[PseudoChef]

The free Nut Brown Ale kit that I acquired had crushed grains. It had been in the refrigerator for 6 months and I still used it. Perfectly drinkable end-product.

I, too, would bake the pumpkin as a little Maillard reaction will add some better caramelized flavours, which I think would be preferred for this style.

 

[aekdbbop]

ok, i have the recipe here that came with the kit.

It reads:

Add 1 can of pumpkin or prepare fresh pumpkin by cutting the pumpkin flesh into 1 inch cubes and baking it at 350f for 5-10 min., add to nylon boiling bag and steep for 5-10 min.

Has anyone done it this way, and should i bake the canned pumpkin??? This is the first (and last) kit i have gotten from midwest, not the best instructions if you ask me.

thanks all..

 

[BierMuncher]

I think the canned pumpkin does not need to be baked. Plan on a lot of pumpkin trub and kick up your volumes accordingly.

I ordered precrushed grains on bulk and would take up to a month to work my way through them. Keep em dry and cool.

 

[aekdbbop]

so you are saying put it in the fermenter instead of "steeping" it?

 

[Steiner]

When I made a pumpkin ale, I put it directly into the fermenter. Got a ton of trub on the bottom. I've also heard some of the canned stuff (which I used) might seep through a steeping bag. The same if you use a hop bag in the fermenter. But I'm not sure how others have done it. Also, it'll be different if you use baked fresh pumpkin.

 

[PseudoChef]

Yuri bakes his with good, reproducible results.

 

[DeathBrewer]

everything i've read says you should bake it...i think the carmelization is an important part of the process to get flavour out of it

 

[aekdbbop]

yeah same here.. just is weird that midwest would have put that on their instructions... thinking about calling them, but i dont know what good that would do.

 

[MrShake]

I'm not sure what the confusion is on the pumpkin.. the instructions say to bake fresh pumpkin or use canned (which is pre cooked). Whats the problem?

 

[TexLaw]

You bake the pumpkin to break the starches down to sugars. Since the canned pumpkin is already cooked, you don't need to cook it again. However, if you want to bake it to try and get some of that carmelization, go for it.


TL