Should I make a really old extract kit...

[kc.rkitek]

So, I'm visiting with my dad the other day...you know, talking about my my obsession...er...hobby and the milk stout I made for St Pat's.

Anyway, he says, "you know I think I have something I'd like you to make me"...he disappears for 10 minutes and returns with a box. It's a Brewer's Best Irish Stout Kit...still sealed up and no date anywhere on the box.

So, I say, "sure, fine...I'll have a look at it later." Anyway, later that night when I get home I open it up to check out the contents. I'm looking all over to find a date, right? Finally, I find it on the package of Muntons ale yeast...here are some pics of the unboxing and contents:

Brewer's Best Irish Ale Kit, "pre-conditioned"

So, should I make it for fun just to see how cr@ppy it tastes? If you can't see the pics, it's circa 1997.

 

[Tdawg]

NO!!! You will be waisting your time and probably a few bucks. I have been given 2 Muntons extract kits on 2 seperate times. I brewed both and they tasted old and funky.

Its does not cost much to get a fresh kit and brew it. You will be much happier and wont be taking up your equipment.

 

[lumpher]

depends on if you get along with dear old dad. if not, make it for him, and say "here you go", as you're snickering, as you'll feed him the worst beer he's ever had. if you get along, throw it in the trash, but a new 1, and surprise him with how well you can make even an "old" kit turn out

 

[kc.rkitek]

depends on if you get along with dear old dad. if not, make it for him, and say "here you go", as you're snickering, as you'll feed him the worst beer he's ever had. if you get along, throw it in the trash, but a new 1, and surprise him with how well you can make even an "old" kit turn out

I like the idea, but I think I'll just make a good stout and tell him that old kit wasn't worth a damn. He just wants good beer; he doesn't care where it comes from...

 

[zman]

I used the LME from a 4 y/o Williams Brewing kit to make a porter and it tasted just fine. I made it last year. I just used the Drak Candi Sugar that came with it in a Rochefort 8 clone on Sunday and everything looks and smells just fine. 1997 is a long time ago but what the hell give it a go and report back

 

[bschoenb]

nope! Listen to Jamil's Podcast show : Brewing Strong: about a month ago on "The Brewing Network" ~ he talks about Extract Kits (and talks them up allot), but the key again was "FRESH".... he made one fresh and one really old..... and talks about the turpentine that the old one makes and how it turns off new brewers. They make an Old Kit beer and then decide that Kit beers don't make good beer.

He also talks about how (although out of Competition), might start entering only kit beers into competition since the quality is great when made right

 

[Revvy]

You know, what can you hurt by doing it? If taste good you made a free beer. If not, dump it out or use it to water the compost. I mean serioulsly. It won't make poison, and it may turn out to be surprising fine.

Toss in some fresh hops, maybe dry hop it. Maybe even spice it or do something experimental with it.

I don't get why so many people don't do crap for fear it doesn't turn out. Especially if it's free. If you go in not expecting it to be much you may be surprised, and if you're worst fears are confirmend, you still aren't out anything.

What do you really have to lose?

 

[ACbrewer]

Nov 97 was the 'use by' date of the yeast, so the kit is probably made no earlier than March 97, possibly as early as Nov 96.

Well I see 'Parts' I'm always happy for another grain or hop bag so + there.

Also I like old hops (for certian belgium beers - yeah I know you don't need them unless you are doing open ferments blah blah I don't care). But for a standard beer, you need new hops.

As for the sugar that is going to keep, taste it, if it doesn't taste funky then it is good, after all, that is what the sugars is supposed to taste like.

the Grain and LME, well I might 'sample' them cause I'm like that. If the can looks good and the grain are vacuum pack, no reason they shouldn't still be edible, but after 13-14 years, how much tasty flavor will be left? Not much I'd guess.

Still if everything seems ok, you could give it a try. Clearly you should bail if at any point something tastes off. I've found flavor in = flavor out. The more 'bad' the in flavor the more out it seems to be.

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

Strangely enough, I brewed a kit from 1997 recently. I made some adjustments, of course. I used fresh hops and fresh yeast, but all the fermentables were right around 13 years old. It actually turned out alright. It's not amazing or anything, but definitely drinkable.

Of course, it was a DME kit, which holds up a lot better than LME, or so I've heard.

 

[Tdawg]

If you want to brew it... what I would do is open the LME and smell it. If it smells and taste yummy than go for it. If it smells old and tastes funky...toss it.

Just my two cents.