Using older grain

[Galena]

I have quite a bit of grain of various types been sat in airtight containers for around 12 months. Would you brew with it or bin it?

 

[foxy]

I have quite a bit of grain of various types been sat in airtight containers for around 12 months. Would you brew with it or bin it?

Give it to the pigeons.

 

[MashBag]

I have quite a bit of grain of various types been sat in airtight containers for around 12 months. Would you brew with it or bin it?

It will be fine.

 

[An Ankoù]

I have quite a bit of grain of various types been sat in airtight containers for around 12 months. Would you brew with it or bin it?

Brew with it. Even milled grain is good for a couple of years or more if stored properly. Whole grain a tad longer.

Just consider it to be maturing your beer in advance of brewing it!

 

[MashBag]

I think foxy is growing his pigeons for pies

 

[Galena]

2 for brew, 1 for bin, perhaps I should have created a poll
It is all milled as it happens.
OK going on the above ratio I'll plan to brew with it unless the ratio swings the other way in the next few days

 

[Agentgonzo]

Brew with it.
If it turns that it made bad beer (spoiler alert: it won't), then you've learned from the experience.

Try to ignore the forum trolls.

 

[Mayor of Simpleton]

Taste it - if it tastes alright then brew with it. If it doesn't then bin it

 

[Galena]

4:1

 

[An Ankoù]

By the time the poll is finished your malt will have gone off!

 

[Rodcx500z]

I would brew with it

 

[MashBag]

Brew with it. Second vote makes 7:1

 

[MashBag]

Hi. My name is Gemma I am a hacker. Brew with it
8:1

 

[marshbrewer]

When I get sacks of crushed malt from crisp, the use by dates are fairly long. I've made beers with grains past this date before with absolutely no ill effects taste wise, perhaps a little drop in efficiency with base malts. Taste it. If it tastes OK, I'd use it.

 

[foxy]

I look at it this way, you have had it for 12 months, the LHB unknown how long, when it was malted. Unless you have the date it was bagged by the maltster you are flying blind. For a few dollars worth of grain which 'could' be past its use-by date which you are going to spend several hours transforming into beer, and it will be beer, but is the uncertainty that it would not be as fine a beer as it could be with fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients do make a difference. Things can't be so bad in the UK that one can't afford a few dollars to replace old grain?

 

[jambop]

I have quite a bit of grain of various types been sat in airtight containers for around 12 months. Would you brew with it or bin it?

Ifit has been stored in cool and dry conditions it will be absolutely fine.

 

[jambop]

I look at it this way, you have had it for 12 months, the LHB unknown how long, when it was malted. Unless you have the date it was bagged by the maltster you are flying blind. For a few dollars worth of grain which 'could' be past its use-by date which you are going to spend several hours transforming into beer, and it will be beer, but is the uncertainty that it would not be as fine a beer as it could be with fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients do make a difference. Things can't be so bad in the UK that one can't afford a few dollars to replace old grain?

Well it depends on the type of grain I suppose. If it is a base grain then my guess is that it will not have been on the shelf in the HBS long. What is fresh? Well the bag of pale malt I bought the last time was good for two years and they will have factored in a safety margin. Each to their own but I would say malt under 3 years old is good to brew with and expect a good quality beer as a result.

 

[MashBag]

My name is dave, I am Gemma's brother. I vote use it.

EleventyBillion : one

 

[jof]

Brew it.
Can't let viable malt go to waste, think of the environment

 

[Galena]

I look at it this way, you have had it for 12 months, the LHB unknown how long, when it was malted. Unless you have the date it was bagged by the maltster you are flying blind. For a few dollars worth of grain which 'could' be past its use-by date which you are going to spend several hours transforming into beer, and it will be beer, but is the uncertainty that it would not be as fine a beer as it could be with fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients do make a difference. Things can't be so bad in the UK that one can't afford a few dollars to replace old grain?

You are correct that I would not wish to waste a day making a beer that is not up to scratch, but it's not about the cost more about the wastage.