Using older grain

[An Ankoù]

I doubt very much any home brewer will keep the grain at the temperature (5-15C) and conditions they recommend.

That temperature range, both maltsters say, is to reduce the chance of insect infestation. Nothing to do with freshness. Home brewers don't "warehouse" sacks of malt, they tend to keep it in sealed containers where insects fear to tread. It's much easier for home brewers to control humidity, which is what really affects freshness.
Your links:
Simpsons say whole malt is good for a year and crushed is good for 6 months (why exactly half? Why not 7 or 5 months?). Crisp say their whole malt is good for two years. All a bit arbitrary, innit!

 

[MashBag]

I doubt very much any home brewer will keep the grain at the temperature (5-15C) and conditions they recommend.

"Any" what a sweeping generalisation.

I certainly do. And I would suggest quite a few of us in the uk do. Such an easy temp range to hit.

 

[An Ankoù]

This comes in various sizes. The 60 litre version will take a full sack unopened. Ie the whole sack goes in, the Grain isn't emptied into the barrel. I keep all my sacks in these and I've got a couple of 30 litres for smaller quantities.
Really small quantities like crystal malts are kept in the heavy duty polythene bags they arrive in and stored in picnic cooler boxes. Just because they're a handy size and relatively well sealed. Nothing to do with insulation.

What do others use?

 

[MashBag]

I have a couple of those, good for flour and sugar too. I also use some small tubs that hold 4kg exactly.. Preweigh and avoid settling the day it arrives.

But what do us plebs know, not following arbitrary bbe dates, swigging ransid ale

 

[foxy]

That temperature range, both maltsters say, is to reduce the chance of insect infestation. Nothing to do with freshness. Home brewers don't "warehouse" sacks of malt, they tend to keep it in sealed containers where insects fear to tread. It's much easier for home brewers to control humidity, which is what really affects freshness.
Your links:
Simpsons say whole malt is good for a year and crushed is good for 6 months (why exactly half? Why not 7 or 5 months?). Crisp say their whole malt is good for two years. All a bit arbitrary, innit!

Kept how they recommend, simple. Home brewers do not keep grain as recommended.

 

[Mash Monster]

View attachment 101794This comes in various sizes. The 60 litre version will take a full sack unopened. Ie the whole sack goes in, the Grain isn't emptied into the barrel. I keep all my sacks in these and I've got a couple of 30 litres for smaller quantities.
Really small quantities like crystal malts are kept in the heavy duty polythene bags they arrive in and stored in picnic cooler boxes. Just because they're a handy size and relatively well sealed. Nothing to do with insulation.

What do others use?

I do exactly the same.
BTW my current 25kg of Crisp Extra Pale Malt has a 12 month BBF date

 

[An Ankoù]

Kept how they recommend, simple. Home brewers do not keep grain as recommended.

Bottom line is most home brewers exceed the recommendations of the maltsters. It's easy to do so since we deal in relatively small quantities.
So to go back to the OP, @Galena 's year-old malt is just about coming into its prime (if he has kept it as he claims, and his caution reassures me that he has). I wouldn't have any hesitation brewing with @Galena 's malt even if it were twice as old.

As a matter of interest. I stored some malts, dark roasted and crystal malts, for two summers in an uninsulated loft while I was moving to France I imagine the temperature up there got into the 40s C for extended periods of time and there was a drop in freshness,especially with the crystal malts, when I came to brew with them. Some of those malts though were getting on for five years after their crush date and were quickly written off and replaced.

 

[foxy]

I do exactly the same.
BTW my current 25kg of Crisp Extra Pale Malt has a 12 month BBF date

They all have a BBF 12 months if the correct conditions for storing malt are maintained, whole grain will last up to a year from their production date, while pre-crushed will keep for six months.

Bottom line is most home brewers exceed the recommendations of the maltsters. It's easy to do so since we deal in relatively small quantities.
So to go back to the OP, @Galena 's year-old malt is just about coming into its prime (if he has kept it as he claims, and his caution reassures me that he has). I wouldn't have any hesitation brewing with @Galena 's malt even if it were twice as old.

As a matter of interest. I stored some malts, dark roasted and crystal malts, for two summers in an uninsulated loft while I was moving to France I imagine the temperature up there got into the 40s C for extended periods of time and there was a drop in freshness,especially with the crystal malts, when I came to brew with them. Some of those malts though were getting on for five years after their crush date and were quickly written off and replaced.

As I have said I have offered my opinion of what I do and why. I don't have a problem if anyone used a bag of 8,000 year old Sumerian malt to make beer.
For the record all the grain Galena stored was crushed, if he wants to use it thats fine, I am just saying I wouldn't.

 

[Agentgonzo]

What do others use?

I have a large metal cargo chest that a friend dumpster-dove for me. Can hold about two full 25kg sacks of grain. I just roll the top of the open bag to stop grain spilling out and drop it in with the others. Smaller amounts grain are come in plastic bags that I just roll up and clip shut.

The metal chest is just too keep rodents/insects out as this is stored in an external cupboard and I've lost a bag before by a mouse getting. External cupboard is adjacent to the house, so it's relatively cool in summer, but moderately warm in winter, so as Mashbag points out, it's easy to keep in the Goldilocks zone of temperature.

If you're really concerned about freshness of malt that's many years old, just taste it. I tend to nibble on a few kernels of malt when brewing just to see the difference in taste of the different malts. You'll quite easily detect if it tastes stale before brewing with it. I've had malt over two years old (end of a sack) and it tasted identical to the fresh sack I got to complete the brew. But mostly malt I buy is consumed within a year.

 

[Galena]

So to go back to the OP, @Galena 's year-old malt is just about coming into its prime (if he has kept it as he claims, and his caution reassures me that he has). I wouldn't have any hesitation brewing with @Galena 's malt even if it were twice as old.

It is indeed, the MO is kept in a 60 litre barrel as above whilst the lesser quantity malts are kept in sealed top storage buckets. They are all crushed though.

 

[Mash Monster]

They all have a BBF 12 months if the correct conditions for storing malt are maintained, whole grain will last up to a year from their production date, while pre-crushed will keep for six months.

As I have said I have offered my opinion of what I do and why. I don't have a problem if anyone used a bag of 8,000 year old Sumerian malt to make beer.
For the record all the grain Galena stored was crushed, if he wants to use it thats fine, I am just saying I wouldn't.

They all have a BBF 12 months if the correct conditions for storing malt are maintained, whole grain will last up to a year from their production date, while pre-crushed will keep for six months.

As I have said I have offered my opinion of what I do and why. I don't have a problem if anyone used a bag of 8,000 year old Sumerian malt to make beer.
For the record all the grain Galena stored was crushed, if he wants to use it thats fine, I am just saying I wouldn't.

FWIW
Here is the label of my current sack of CRUSHED malt work it out for yourself

 

[An Ankoù]

Here's how I keep my malt. This garage/workshop has a heavily insulated roof and the temperature doesn't move much or very quickly.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Here's how I keep my malt. This garage/workshop has a heavily insulated roof and the temperature doesn't move much or very quickly.

Wowsers! That's nicely organised. I would go and take a photo of mine for comparison, but...err..., I can't find my phone. Has nothing to do with the fact that my brew cupboard is a tip <whistles>

 

[MashBag]

Oops time to go, this thread has taken a nasty turn....
<Creeping away quietly whistling a similar tune>

 

[foxy]

FWIW
Here is the label of my current sack of CRUSHED malt work it out for yourselfView attachment 101798

Easy to work out, the bags of crushed malts are for breweries where the whole bag will be used in one go.
For home brewers, if you only use small amounts of a certain crushed malt we recommend purchasing just what you need from our UK homebrew wholesalers The Malt Miller or Geterbrewed, to ensure a fresh crush.
However, as with all foodstuffs, Best Before Dates are only a guide, and the storage conditions of malt will ultimately dictate how long it will keep.

Here's how I keep my malt. This garage/workshop has a heavily insulated roof and the temperature doesn't move much or very quickly.

And here is why it shouldn't be put in airtight containers.

It is important to keep the air flowing around the sacks. Blocking the airflow can potentially lead to moisture and temperature build-up which, again, is the perfect environment for insects.

• Make sure to seal any opened malt sacks that are going back into storage and use them up as quickly as possible, ideally within three months.

 

[MashBag]

Aha more fervent twaddle.

 

[An Ankoù]

Easy to work out, the bags of crushed malts are for breweries where the whole bag will be used in one go.
For home brewers, if you only use small amounts of a certain crushed malt we recommend purchasing just what you need from our UK homebrew wholesalers The Malt Miller or Geterbrewed, to ensure a fresh crush.
However, as with all foodstuffs, Best Before Dates are only a guide, and the storage conditions of malt will ultimately dictate how long it will keep.

And here is why it shouldn't be put in airtight containers.

It is important to keep the air flowing around the sacks. Blocking the airflow can potentially lead to moisture and temperature build-up which, again, is the perfect environment for insects.

• Make sure to seal any opened malt sacks that are going back into storage and use them up as quickly as possible, ideally within three months.

Excellent. @foxy has decreed that the whole sack must be used in one go even though we're then told that any sack going back into storage should be sealed first.
Yes, sealed, to prevent the free circulation of air around the Malt!
So, @foxy, time to put your money where your mouth is and tell us: How do you store your malt?
If you brew at all, that is. And I'm far from certain about that, given the focus of your posts.
Come on then. Explain to us how you keep your malt sealed and dry while ensuring the free circulation of air or do you buy it in just for a single recipe. You'll then need to explain how your HBS storesthe Malt you buy.

I think we're all expecting a revelation here, which will revolutionise our beer quality. How apt, so close to Bastille Day.
Come on then @foxy, spit it out, old chap.

 

[An Ankoù]

Aha more fervent twaddle.

Shame on you @MashBag. Oh ye of little faith! May you be known henceforth as "Doubting @MashBag"!
Just as the venerable @foxy who dwells in the rarified heights atop Mount Kosciuszko is about to reveal to us the secrets of celestial malt storage.
While we're waiting, what do we know about the mysterious foxy?

Unlikely he has the time to do or learn anything about beer or brewing as fully occupied bestowing nuggets of wisdom upon we lesser mortals
Logic does not really matter when it comes to presenting conflicting evidence for his arguments as we are even less observant and analytical than himself
Knows little about beers other than Foster's and VB and would like us all to take it as a matter of blind faith that English beer is not only surpassed by the Amber Nectar, but is also in terminal decline due to craft brewers not having room for a grain mill.

Aren't we blessed ! Whatever next?

 

[foxy]

Excellent. @foxy has decreed that the whole sack must be used in one go even though we're then told that any sack going back into storage should be sealed first.
Yes, sealed, to prevent the free circulation of air around the Malt!
So, @foxy, time to put your money where your mouth is and tell us: How do you store your malt?
If you brew at all, that is. And I'm far from certain about that, given the focus of your posts.
Come on then. Explain to us how you keep your malt sealed and dry while ensuring the free circulation of air or do you buy it in just for a single recipe. You'll then need to explain how your HBS storesthe Malt you buy.

I think we're all expecting a revelation here, which will revolutionise our beer quality. How apt, so close to Bastille Day.
Come on then @foxy, spit it out, old chap.

Start from here, https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/what-did-you-brew-today.64550/page-327
Scroll through to June 24th You will see a record of most of my brews. I have used 2 sacks of base malt in approximately 6 weeks. Hardly enough time to go stale, I procure my malts as I need I may do one more brew before I move to warmer climes for a month.
As you can see all my fermenters are empty bar one which is cold crashing.
Amazing how because someone does something different it becomes an issue with others. As I have said I don't give any consideration to how others want to store their grain.

 

[An Ankoù]

Start from here, https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/what-did-you-brew-today.64550/page-327
Scroll through to June 24th You will see a record of most of my brews. I have used 2 sacks of base malt in approximately 6 weeks. Hardly enough time to go stale, I procure my malts as I need I may do one more brew before I move to warmer climes for a month.
As you can see all my fermenters are empty bar one which is cold crashing.
Amazing how because someone does something different it becomes an issue with others. As I have said I don't give any consideration to how others want to store their grain.
View attachment 101852

A splendid array of fermenters, @foxy, and in pristine condition. Most impressive. I wish I had opted for something similar instead of the SS as I like to brew short and then to up to target gravity, which is difficult when you can't clearly see the beer level.
So. Are you going to tell us, or are you not, how you store your malts so that the air circulates and keeps the Malt fresh. A fine output if you're getting through 2 sacks a week, but how do you store the speciality malts and adjuncts?
I'm particularly interested to know how you're going to store your stock during the month you're away or will you have used everything up.