Milling grain and storage

[exc503]

How long would it be estimated that pre-milled grain (at home, not LHBS, on my mill) could be stored without any ill effects?

I am looking to brew soon, but limited on time, I can save some time by milling the grain one day, and vac sealing it, to then only have to open and mash.

I remember from before my home milling days, there being some unwanted effects of having milled grain sit too long.

 

[IslandLizard]

Milled grain can be stored for a few months, possibly years. Bag it, squeeze the air out and store dry and cool. No need for vac sealing.

But... why aren't you milling your own anymore? I'd hate LHBS grist after milling my own.

 

[exc503]

I am milling, I apologize if my post was confusing, I am just trying to pre-mill to save time on brew day/night/afternoon/lunch hour.

I was hoping to brew before I go away on vacation, but to do so I would have to make the day as short as humanly possible.

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't see the time savings. I weigh grain and mill it while the strike water is heating. I usually have to wait for that. I also weigh hops and stuff during that time, prep the cooler mash tun, get my pump and chiller ready, etc.

You could weigh the grain a few days or weeks before, but you're then committed to that grist mixture.

 

[exc503]

Saves on setup and breakdown time. It not a lot of time, but I don't brew where my equipment is stored, so its one less piece of equipment to pull out and put away that day. Its really just one piece of the puzzle, I know that doing this seem like much on its own, but I have other things i can do to save time day of.

I wouldn't do it until I was set on my grist, which I am pretty settled on, for this particular batch it was the yeast that i was more concerned about.

 

[IslandLizard]

I'm 100% sure your milled grist will be fine waiting for a few weeks in a plastic bag, cool and dry. I've used milled grist that was over 2 years old. I did add 50% fresh in case the diastatic power had decreased. I noticed NO difference in speed of mashing, or flavor.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Experimental Brewing just did an episode on this exact thing. Milled malt didn't have any noticeable difference in mash or flavor at 1 or even 2 months versus freshly milled malt.

 

[Sadu]

Yep. I also mill a day or 2 prior to brewday. I feel it is one less thing as I am often time pressured on brewday. I also pre-weigh the hop additions and vac seal those for another little timesaver. Premeasure the water and salts the night before. Make sure the fermentor is clean, the swamp cooler is ready with the temp controller set. Full spray bottle of stars an and clean hydrometer, thermometer, spoons, jugs etc set out on the table, recipe printed out. Its just little things but anything to make brewday more stress free is worth doing.

 

[disconap]

I have a large Petco Vittles Vault filled with pre-milled 2-row from more than 18 months ago. It was stored in a dark corner of my basement and I forgot about it. I just found it today and pulled it out; smells fine, and it looks pretty normal to me. It WAS mostly full, and the vittles vaults are as close to air tight as you can get on the cheap, consumer level, and it was stored in a basement that tends to stick between 50-60F all year, so YMMV, but I think it's fine. I plan to do a small test mash this weekend to see, since it is quite a bit of grain and all...

I also have some milled, malted crystal rye from the same era down there in a smaller vittles vault. I am less optimistic about that batch, but may give that a go too.

Point is I wouldn't worry TOO much about age (maybe don't wait as long as I did though), proper storage is key.