Shelf Life of Extract Kit

[CapnHook]

I live in Costa Rica, where there is only one HBS - I omitted the "L" because it's an hour away - and the kit selection is small and uninteresting. I'm not quite ready for all grain.

I'm ordering a kegging system from Northern Brewer, and thought I'd order a couple of extract kits (specifying dry yeast) along with it. It will get shipped to a freight forwarder who will consolidate it in a container and then literally ship to Costa Rica, so it could be up to 6 weeks before I have the kits.

So, question is: Kits still OK 7 or 8 weeks after ordering from NB?

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[unionrdr]

I'd think that any LME might suffer a bit. But dry stuff, including yeast should be OK.

 

[david_42]

I've made good beer from extract that is over 5 years old. I was at a party last month, at a another homebrewer's home. He had some beer on tap from 8 years old extract, still fine.

 

[CapnHook]

Thanks, unionrdr and david 42. I just bottled the Pliny clone from NB - but it was only a month old when I brewed. I drank the leftovers from bottling, and at room temp and uncarbed, it is delicious! I like NB kits; they seem to be good quality.

David 42 - In Costa Rica now (for 5 years), but formerly from Medford.

 

[McGarnigle]

NB extract won't be in cans, which is good for many reasons, but less good here.

I'm not going to say 7-8 weeks is too long. Maybe you'll have to scrape mold off the top or something. Maybe you can email them and ask.

It won't be refrigerated in transit, will it?

 

[rodwha]

I see that Austin Homebrew Supply offers extract kits in both LME and DME versions. The DME will certainly be fine.

Or you can create recipes using DME and just buy it all individually. I'm not sure how long milled grains will do well enough not refrigerated. A cheap grain mill may not be the best, and may be a bit of work, but it would certainly make the long and warm transit nothing but an annoyance.