I ordered some all grain kits during the holidays 2014 and because unforseen circumstances I still have one kit of crushed grain that I haven't used. They have been kept in the plastic bag that they were shipped in at room temp, mid 70's since then. Should I spend the time brewing this up or would I be wasting my time? Are the grains still good at this point? Let me know the forums thoughts. Thanks!
How old is too old for crushed grains?
- Thread starter dkeller12
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AndytheBeave
Well-Known Member
They could be stale but before you chuck them out, taste them. If they taste alright and don't have a stale texture to them, then brew it up. You don't really have anything to lose except your time on brew day. At the very least, it will be a learning experience. IMHO, experience is never time wasted.
ColoHox
Compulsive Hand Washer
You should taste a handful of the grain. If it is flat and stale, compost it. If there is some flavor remaining, you can certainly make beer out of the grain, but keep realistic expectations about the quality of the batch. Maybe compare the taste to some fresh grains.
As long as it didn't get wet and/or moldy, even milled grain can last a good long while.
As long as it didn't get wet and/or moldy, even milled grain can last a good long while.
I would go ahead and make the kit if I were you. Like Andy said, taste a few kernels and see if they have a stale taste. You could also throw in a couple pounds of fresh base grain to cover up the staleness a bit.
You will be fine. I once brewed a couple kits that were two years old. They were not as good as they should have been, but they were beer. I would say brew it up.
Good Luck,
Cody
Good Luck,
Cody
I had looked up information on this very same question for myself several months because I had purchased quite a bit of crushed grain which I've yet to use.
From what I gathered as long as it's stored properly - sealed, cool and dry - it can last quite a while. Possibly 6 months to a year. Some suggested testing the grain by chewing on a bit to make sure it is still crunching and tastes fresh.
That said I'd certainly love to hear from more experienced brewers on this.
From what I gathered as long as it's stored properly - sealed, cool and dry - it can last quite a while. Possibly 6 months to a year. Some suggested testing the grain by chewing on a bit to make sure it is still crunching and tastes fresh.
That said I'd certainly love to hear from more experienced brewers on this.
Owly055
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You are after the starch.......... to convert to maltose. Starch doesn't go away. The grain may not be as flavorful as you would like, but the only thing I would be concerned with is a rancid flavor......... Taste some and make sure it isn't rancid, though that is unlikely at this point.
The flavor contribution from the grain itself may not be as much as you would like if it's stale........ Make a beer with a lot of late addition hops...... The beer will still be malty, even if some subtly of the grain flavors are lost.........The hops will more than make up for that.
Adjust your hops to make a "hop centric" beer if you are in doubt.........
H.W.
The flavor contribution from the grain itself may not be as much as you would like if it's stale........ Make a beer with a lot of late addition hops...... The beer will still be malty, even if some subtly of the grain flavors are lost.........The hops will more than make up for that.
Adjust your hops to make a "hop centric" beer if you are in doubt.........
H.W.
ForRealBeer
Well-Known Member
I brewed some two year old two-row a couple months ago and it did just fine. The finished beer tastes fine, it has good head retention and no one who's tasted it knows the difference. The only difference between your situation and mine is that I keep my grains in sealed containers and I grind my own grains right before I brew.
So I agree with the rest of the fellows and think that a quick taste will tell you all you need to know. More than likely, it will be good, just not quite as fresh as grains you got yesterday. If it's rancid or sour, toss it. If it tastes like malt, then give it what it's been waiting for: some warm water to set the enymes free.
So I agree with the rest of the fellows and think that a quick taste will tell you all you need to know. More than likely, it will be good, just not quite as fresh as grains you got yesterday. If it's rancid or sour, toss it. If it tastes like malt, then give it what it's been waiting for: some warm water to set the enymes free.
catdaddy66
Well-Known Member
The worst you could end up with is beer...
