Expiry dates

[Brewer Gerard]

When a bag of crushed grain gets to its expiry date are you of the opinion that it should be dumped. What happens to crushed grain over time anyway. Does it just get to a point where it spoils? Does it loose fermentibility over time? Would a bag of grain almost at it's date have a negative effect on brewhouse efficiency?

I suppose i have the same concerns about hops too.

Just wondering is there any knowledge out there on this.

 

[birvine]

Grains that are crushed a long time before being used can use some of their flavour. Hops become bland, too, over time, especially if they are not kept in a cool, dry and dark environment.

Grains are cheap, so I like to get them close to brewing time but if they sit around too long they go to the compost pile.

B