Will my grains last?

[drummerguy]

I bought some grains this past Thursday in order to brew today, but I have become ill and will probably have to push the brewing until next weekend. The grains are already crushed, and in a brown bag with the top taped down, so I'm wondering if they will be okay if I brew next weekend. I also prepared a yeast starter on Tuesday, which has been in the fridge since Thursday; will it still be usable? Thanks for any information provided.

 

[freisste]

More worried about yeast than grains. Personally, I'd make another tiny starter (think of it as a wake up call) and pitch at high krausen

 

[Aristotelian]

I would think both would be fine.

 

[freisste]

More worried about yeast than grains. Personally, I'd make another tiny starter (think of it as a wake up call) and pitch at high krausen

Just to clarify...

When I say make another small starter, I mean for you to add the first to the second. Certainly do NOT throw away your first starter!

 

[jekeane]

Starter is fine it basically has the viability of a yeast vial manufactured the day you made it. What you can do if you want is decant it on brew day then after you chill your wort pour off a liter into your flask or jar and put it on your stir plate till it krausens 2-3 hours usually then pitch the whole thing into your beer. You could make another small amount of dme starter and do the same but its kind of a waste when your making wort that day.

As for your grains I would consider tossing them in a ziplock or something more airtight. It probably wont make much of a difference but thats what I would do.

 

[brew_darrymore]

I also think you starter will be fine. Just decant and pitch. Keeping it in the fridge for a week or so will not significantly affect its viability.

Grains should be ok as well, two weeks since being crushed is not that long, as long as you kept the bag in a dry spot.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Most sources I've read indicate that crushed grains are probably good for a month or more if stored dry and cool. Whole, uncrushed malts stored properly can last for years.

Cheers!

 

[drummerguy]

Thanks for all the responses! I'm glad to hear the grains will be good to use. This is just another reason I need to buy bulk grains and a mill. I may try to put a little wort in the starter just to get it going before I pitch it.

 

[brew_darrymore]

I may try to put a little wort in the starter just to get it going before I pitch it.

Not a bad idea at all, even if you only spin the starter with some fresh wort for just a few hours to "maximize vitality". Apparently Coors England is using that approach. A very interesting reading is the exbeeriment performed by Ray Found where a starter was on a stir plate for only 4 hours:

http://brulosophy.com/2015/06/29/ye...e-cell-count-vs-vitality-exbeeriment-results/

 

[RM-MN]

Most sources I've read indicate that crushed grains are probably good for a month or more if stored dry and cool. Whole, uncrushed malts stored properly can last for years.

Cheers!

I have a cardboard tube of rolled oats in my cupboard. There is no preservative listed on the label and they sit at room temp and have been there for over a month and are still good and I expect them to be good in 6 more months. Kept dry, even milled grains keep for quite a while.

Yeast keeps its viability for a long time at refrigeration temps. http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2012/12/refrigeration-effects-on-yeast-viability.html

 

[freisste]

Not a bad idea at all, even if you only spin the starter with some fresh wort for just a few hours to "maximize vitality". Apparently Coors England is using that approach. A very interesting reading is the exbeeriment performed by Ray Found where a starter was on a stir plate for only 4 hours:



http://brulosophy.com/2015/06/29/ye...e-cell-count-vs-vitality-exbeeriment-results/

Very interesting indeed. I consider myself to be, as he described, a spur-of-the-moment brewer. Definitely going to try this.