Is all grain kit still good?

[Trobocco]

I found an all grain kit in my barn. All the ingredients are there. It's about 1.5 yrs old. The barn is not climate controlled. I noticed no rot or mold. The grain was milled when I purchased it. Kit is big honkin stout. Is it still good to use? I don't want to go through a whole brew day to have it come out crap.

 

[JonM]

Is it sealed up? If so, give the grain a taste. If it tastes fresh, it's okay.

1.5 years is a long time, though. I'd be pretty surprised if it was any good.

 

[augiedoggy]

Its a stout...It will taste fine if you brew it...They are very forgiving as long as it stays dry grain lasts a long time

 

[Transamguy77]

If it's that old the grain is probably oxidized. I just read a brad smith article where he talks about how he brewed an old kit and it didn't turn out well due to oxidized grain. Brew at your own risk.

 

[augiedoggy]

Well I had 2 all grain milled kits that sat for almost a year and I noticed no issues or off flavors.. They were sealed on plastic bags though and the hops were in the freezer. being that stout is a bitter beer I really doubt you will be able to tell.

 

[kinison_fan]

brew it. If it doesn't come out right, dump it.
You already sunk the cost of the materials, all you'd be losing now is the time to brew.

 

[RM-MN]

Sniff
Taste
Dump or brew depending on the outcome of the two tests.

 

[Calder]

Brew it and then come back and tell all these folks who are telling you it is a waste of time because XXXXXXXX said so that they are wrong.

If it were me, I'd probably add a couple of lbs of fresh 2-row to ensure there is enough diastatic power to convert everything. But that would be just as a insurance. If grains are dry, I'd have no issues using them.

 

[Germanbrewgal]

Brew it up! As long as it was kept cool and dry, give the grain a taste, waste not want not chances are it's still good