shelf life of grain

[OldHooky]

I am considering buying a 55# sack of grain. What is the shelf life of the grain? Would I be safe holding it for 2-3 months? Is a rubbermaid tub w/lid a suitable storage container?

[brewmonkey]

You will be perfectly fine for that length of time provided it is not pre-milled and then stored. Grain should be used with 24 hours of milling.

[Tweek]

Though it should be used within 24 hours, I must admit that I have used it weeks after it was milled and it still made decent beer. I have even heard of people using it months after.

[OldHooky]

I typically mill as I wait for the water to heat up for the mash. Thanks for the info. I thought about buying grain by the big bag to bring the cost down a little.

[Kansas Brew]

So when I buy three All Grain Kits ( Already ground) at a time to get free shipping and one stays on the shelf for a month what am I losing, Flavor, OG or off flavors.

[brewmonkey]

Once the grain is crushed it starts to absrob moisture which will throw off several things but the big one is efficiency IIRC as well as it can start to MOLD! Ewwwwwwwww...........!

[fretlessman71]

So, when I buy a kit that already has crushed grain, should I be concerned? Should I store the grain in the fridge or freezer?

[S.F.B.]

Keep it in as dry a place as you can.

I have kept milled grain for a week in the pantry with no problems.

[Beerconnoisseur]

Originally posted by brewmonkey
Once the grain is crushed it starts to absrob moisture which will throw off several things but the big one is efficiency IIRC as well as it can start to MOLD! Ewwwwwwwww...........!

Hey bm:

What's the PPG for penicillin? If I inocculate it in a lambic, will anyone notice? :p

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by S.F.B.
Keep it in as dry a place as you can.

I have kept milled grain for a week in the pantry with no problems.

Here's another question: When I get these kits with the pre-milled (is that right? Milling is just crushing it a little bit, right) grain, isn't that grain already getting stale? What gives?

[S.F.B.]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
Here's another question: When I get these kits with the pre-milled (is that right? Milling is just crushing it a little bit, right) grain, isn't that grain already getting stale? What gives?

Well, yes. It has also taken a long ride in a truck through who knows what kind of weather extremes. The degree of stale really depends on these factors and how quick it gets to you. I don't think you have too much to worry about. I hear a lot of good things from folks on the boards who mail order their kits. They all seem to be getting good results. This whole issue is solved if you have a local hbs to buy from.

Aren't you moving to CO.? If so, no worries. There are plenty of places to purchase brew supplies and ingredients there.

[fretlessman71]

Well... :o I DO get mine from a LHBS here in Nashville, believe it or not. I'm just too lazy to pick a recipe and buy seperate ingredients... not to mention I don't know how to properly mash my grain. I'll have to read that book a little closer. Do I need any special equipment, or can I just use a rolling pin or something? I've got one of THOSE...

[OldHooky]

Most Local HBS have a mill you can use if you don't want to buy one. I found a decent mill (Marga) for just under $50.

[SLOSHomebrewers]

One 55# sac of base malt lasts me about 6 batches. I brew pretty often, so I figure a sac every 2-3 months or so. I also buy speciality malts in 10# batches.

I store my grain in ziploc bags inside rubbermaid bins. Don't store your smoked malt in the same bin as your crystal malt!

The longest I ever stored some grain was some black malt I had for a year. No problem, it's practically charcoal anyway.

No problems so far!
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[OldHooky]

Where do you get specialty grains in 10# quantities?

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by SLOSHomebrewers
One 55# sac of base malt lasts me about 6 batches. I brew pretty often, so I figure a sac every 2-3 months or so. I also buy speciality malts in 10# batches.

I store my grain in ziploc bags inside rubbermaid bins. Don't store your smoked malt in the same bin as your crystal malt!

The longest I ever stored some grain was some black malt I had for a year. No problem, it's practically charcoal anyway.

No problems so far!

Just gotta know, SLOSH.... where'd you get your name? We had San Luis Obispo State Homebrewers' Club picked out, but it's just a guess....

[SLOSHomebrewers]

I am lucky enough to have a local homebrew shop that carries bulk grain like that.

My name does come from San Luis Obispo. It is actually for my old website the San Luis Obispo Society of homebrewers, sloshbrew.com. Who is we? Am I being stalked?

sloshbrew.com never really got off the ground, I am trying again at brewcommune.com...

All this info really belongs in another thread, but you guys asked...
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[fretlessman71]

"We" was my wife and I. One of her favorite performers went to school at Cal State SLO.

It's not off topic if someone asks you... no worries!