Age Of Ingredients

[bartron]

Hiya all.

Around the beginning of spring last year I purchased myself a pilsner extract, yeast, hops and LME from my local HB shop. The yeast went in the fridge, the hops in the freezer and the kit and LME into a cupboard in the garage (where I do my brewing).

The intention was to brew the folowing weekend but circumstances changed and I never got around to it. I've heard experiences of brewing with 3yo kits coming out ordinary but these one are relatively young (6 months maybe). I have no idea though what state any of the ingredients would be in. I have a couple of kits that are older (a year maybe)...I just don't have enough bottles or storage space for brewed beer (people keep buying me kits and I can't brew or drink them fast enough :chug: ).

Any idea what a brew might turn out like? I'm going to give it a bash this weekend and fully expect the yeast to be dead but should the other ingredient be fine or am I just making swill? The kit and extra malt have had to endure a nice hot Canberra summer in the garage (in a cupbord though).

Cheers,

Bartron

 

[peas_and_corn]

Hmm... what brand was the kit?

The best way to test if the yeast is dead is to make a starter- if you get activity, then you'll be fine! make your brew and see if the ingredients have been affected by the heat or not

EDIT: clarification

 

[Trent]

Bartron
I am pretty sure they will be fine, I know you should use the freshest ingredients possible, but 6 months is probably the age you can get at some brew shops! The fridge is a good place for the yeast, and I have been reading lately that you shouldnt use a starter for dried yeast, as this causes them to use up their reserves. Maybe just rehydrate it in a little warm water. I think if it turns into yeast slurry on the bottom after 1/2 hour or so it is good, if it still just floats on top, then it is bad (but I could be wrong about that, been a long time since I used dried yeast.
All the best
Trent

 

[Uncle Fester]

As far as my limited knowledge goes, I believe that the malt may darken a little with age. If it is hermatically (sp?) sealed in a can, then it probably will be ok.

You have done the friendly thing for your yeast and hops, and they should have survived. After all, most of the time, they dont get that sort of treatment at the shop.

The can of goo should have a "best before" date on the bottom. That should give you a guide...

M

 

[bartron]

Hi all...thanks for the replies.

The kit was a new one for the shop so it shouldn't be that old. By the sounds of it I should be OK but I guess we'll find out in a month or two if I have anything good.

Cheers,

Bartron

 

[bartron]

Silly thing is I wanted this to be a 'fresh' brew as well....to be done shortly after buying.

Oh well....everything is sealed up so hopefully it is all ok. I'm going to start the yeast tonight and see what happens. I've started dry yeast before and sometimes I get a frothy mess and sometimes a slurry a the bottom....both have gone to make half decent beers though (they are alcoholic at least). This time around I have more than one tub so no more yeast sludge in the bottom of bottles for me if all goes good.

Bartron

 

[bartron]

Hazzah....my yeast still farts......um......I mean...I introduced cold yeast to warm sugerary water and now my wife is wondering about 'that bread smell' in the kitchen again. ;-)

 

[mika]

Well best not to upset her... hurry up and turn it into the malty bubbling airlock smell

 

[bartron]

I've done that twice...I've since been kicked out to the garage (something about pouring in a kit and forgetting to turn off the spigot turned her off)

 

[bartron]

Well it's all done and the fermenter is in the fridge at 12C bubbling away. The yeast I used said 9 - 12C so I'm guessing this is ok. It's slow going but CO2 is being made (about a bubble a minute...took a bit to get going too). Wort temp is around 14 - 16C. Never used cold yeast before (used to bubbles every 10 sec or so for the first few days)

Plan to 2nd ferment a week from pitching (meaning next thursday) then let it sit for a couple of weeks before bulk priming then bottling.

Cheers,

Bartron

 

[bartron]

well..a week after my last post I racked to secondary....and there it sat until today when I finally bottled.

Activitity in the beer gave out after two weeks. I can tell becasue the temp of the wort went from around 11C (where it had sat for the two weeks) to around 8C (where it sat for the remainder of the time).

Good news is...it tastes like beer. How carbonated it will get will be anyones guess but usually when I bottle I take a taste and there is a definate sweetness to it. This stuff I could almost drink now (if it had bubbles).

 

[Foz]

Sounds awsome barton! Keep us informed as to how it turns out!

 

[razz]

So Barton, what were you worried about in the first place ?
As Papazian says "relax, don't worry, have a homebrew !"

 

[bartron]

woried because my last batch is running out

This is the first time I've racked a beer though (horray for free fermenters)...usually I ferment for a week or so then bottle. This one sat in secondary for around 4 weeks (after which there was almost another 2cm of trub). I kept meanig to bottle but never got around to it...as long as it tastes like beer in the end I guess.

Cheers,

Bartron