Impact Of Age On Grain

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Tseay

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Folks,

I am interested in the impact of age of grain, specifically diastatic power but any insights would be helpfull. What's the oldest grain you've used ?

Thanks

Chris
 
Folks,

I am interested in the impact of age of grain, specifically diastatic power but any insights would be helpfull. What's the oldest grain you've used ?

Thanks

Chris


No technical reasons here, but my rule is

2 months if cracked
2 years if uncracked

I'm not sure how much the diastatic drops off, it's more a flavour thing. I've never brewed with grain that did not taste fresh, and never would. With fresh tasting grain I've never had an issue with the diastatic power, but I've never done a full brew on 100% old grain.

QldKev
 
Did a bit of an experiment last night. Mashed some approx 2 year old cracked grain for yeast starter. Was expecting 1.040 abut only managed 1.024. Not ideal, but wanted to see what the taste of old grain would be like so I could identify in future. Was surprised that less sugar came out however.
 
Did a bit of an experiment last night. Mashed some approx 2 year old cracked grain for yeast starter. Was expecting 1.040 abut only managed 1.024. Not ideal, but wanted to see what the taste of old grain would be like so I could identify in future. Was surprised that less sugar came out however.

Was it cracked two years ago, or two years old but cracked when you did the experiment?
 
How old is your grain when you buy it?
Ideally grain should be cracked the day you intend to use it, or if you don't have a mill, bought fresh cracked as close to brew day as possible.
Grain does go "slack" over time, place a grain between your teeth and bite, if gives way easily its slack.
If you are confident the grain you buy is fresh then 12-18th months uncracked, in good storage should be OK.
K
 
sadly, cracked for 2 years......... I wasn't expecting much. Found in the back of the cupboard from partial days I believe. Was crystal malt as well.
 
sadly, cracked for 2 years......... I wasn't expecting much. Found in the back of the cupboard from partial days I believe. Was crystal malt as well.

So why did you mash if it's crystal malt? Also, regardless of age, crystal should still give you the same amount of sugar, assuming it hadn't turned rotten.


Cheers Ross
 
Malted (from AHB) recently purchased some grain off of another member in a bulk lot. Over 300kg of grain. In there was some malt from 2004. By all accounts, it smells great, tastes great, but I'm not 100% sure whether he's actually brewed with it yet... Mebbe this weekend??
 
So why did you mash if it's crystal malt? Also, regardless of age, crystal should still give you the same amount of sugar, assuming it hadn't turned rotten.


Cheers Ross

Should have said soaked in a pot on the stove. Just to release the sugars into the water, however was surprised how little came out. I would have expected the same amount of sugar just an off taste perhaps. For some reason this was not the case. Only got half the sugars out.
 
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