2 year old Grain?

[jay29]

Found some uncrushed 2 year old grain after a regretful hiatus from home brewing.

Use it or toss it?

 

[GCPHomebrew]

Use it

 

[GCPHomebrew]

I have never had an issue with crushed grain I wouldn't worry about uncrushed

 

[kh54s10]

Taste some, if it was stored well it should not taste stale or moldy. If it tastes good use it. If it tastes too stale or moldy, toss it.

A lot of my grain is over a year old at any given time. No issues so far.

 

[thatjonguy]

I have some base malt that went from bag to 5 gallon pails with gasket lids in September 2013. Just moved it around in my basement the other day.

Decided to open on pail and take a look. Smells malty and tasted fine. Grain actually sits around for long periods of time exposed to worse conditions than most of us keep our grain.

I can probably drive 10 miles in any direction tomorrow and find it piled up in a field from last year. Of course they put it in a giant plastic tube but it is still out there.

 

[Cyclman]

It's all about the humidity. If it's dry, you're all good. Water destroys grain over time.

 

[Pataka]

The beauty of all grain is that you can find out whether it's any good quite early in the process, without expending any other valuable ingredients. As others have said, tasting, smelling and looking at it will help you identify any mold or other contaminants. But if nothing is there, crushing won't cost you (assuming you have a grain mill) and mashing will only cost you energy. Afterward, you can check the gravity to see that you have extracted the fermentables, and in the event you have to toss it, you haven't wasted anything else.

 

[JonM]

How much are we talking about here? If it's a 50lb sack, I'd be really reluctant to toss it, but if it's a pound or two - It's bird food.

 

[Slow_Day]

FWIW, this is what AHA has to say in a recent article.

When improperly stored, malt will experience degradation of flavor and aroma. However, under the appropriate circumstances brewing malt can be saved for quite a while.

Ideally, malted grains will be stored uncrushed, in a cool environment (below 90°F) with little to no moisture. Moisture has the most impact on malt when stored for extended periods, so use a container that is air tight and place in a low-humidity location.

Vacuum sealing is a great option. Under these favorable conditions, malt can be stable for up to 18 months, though the sooner you use it the better. If your grains are crushed, store as you would whole malt, but expect degradation to occur after about six months of storage under ideal conditions.

Another good rule of thumb is the darker the roast, the longer the shelf life. Learn more about malt in our Let’s Brew section.

They list Briess in their Sources for the article.

 

[masonsjax]

If it doesn't taste fresh, make wort for starters.

 

[VladOfTrub]

Feed the birds with it.