Should I use a 1 year old extract kit ?

[kappclark]

While looking for a bottle brush, I discovered a winter warmer extract kit from Midwest, which I bought last August (but forgot about, like a FOOL!)

It has been in the kit box, and stored in a cool dark place...I have fresh yeast.

Do I bother trying ? Will the steeping grains be any good ?

(The OG on this is abt 1070)

 

[BigJay13]

Do it. You already have the ingredients and the yeast, the only thing you will lose if the batch is crap is the time it took to brew it and the ability to brew a different batch instead. I don't know for sure, but I don't think that extract will degrade if it was in a cool dark place.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Yah - Do it.

I had a kit that was 5+ years old. It was a pils that turned out dark. It was good just really dark for a pils.

At one year I doubt that would do too much. I think most kits are old than you think.

 

[Beerrific]

Is it LME? If so, I wouldn't do it. I had a kit that was less than year old, LME, made it it was the darkest hefeweizen you have ever seen and it had extract twang out the ass. The steeping grains might be OK, the hops probably not good.

I mean, I guess there is no loss you could use it to propagate yeast for a future batch, but IMO I don't want to make a beer that I am [fairly] sure will come out less than the best I could make. If you do it, don't put it a head of any other beer that you were planning.

 

[david_42]

Since it's a winter warmer, the tendency of LME to darken isn't an issue. The steeping grains are probably stale and the hops will have lost 20-40% of their bittering ability. Get new grain & yeast and do it. You can throw the bittering hops in before the extract to improve utilization.

 

[LouT]

If the grains weren't crushed, and if the cool dark place was low moisture, you might even get away with using them, too...
Assuming you took the original yeast that came w/kit, along w/hops, and put them in fridge right when you received the package - probably used them up already, anyway, just forgot about the extract, steeping grains, and recipe in the box..

 

[DAAB]

Old LME doesn't make good beer, the grains wont be at their peak and the yeast viability will be questionable.

I'd use the extract to make starters and ditch the rest.

 

[kappclark]

The yeast I have already used .. I have a fresh package of nottingham.

I am getting both sides, and, given my standards, I might just go for it, knowing that the results will be mixed.

What I have not heard is "absolutely, no way that kit is any good" .. but clearly sub-par...

Nice idea that the LME would still be good for generating starters ...

how much LME is needed for a starter ? I have plenty (smile)

 

[DAAB]

100g (DME): 1L or 125g (LME): 1L

(some people claim better growth rate using less though)