raw ingredient shelf life

[Chrichards82]

I started working at a new brewery that has been having a very difficult time securing a brewery permit. Unfortunately raw ingredients mainly hops and malts were purchased over a year ago. The malts have been kept relatively cool, dry and away from any pests and the hops, although not refrigerated, have remained in their vacuum sealed bags never above room temperature.

Should I scrap them completely? Or could I blend them with fresh malts and hops for now? Does anyone have any thoughts on the issue of shelf life?

Many thanks!

[dick murton]

The pale malts will have gone slack by now, i.e. the moisture is highly likely to have gone up, and the enzyme activity died away dramatically. Although the starch will still be there, you would have to rely on enzymes from fresh malt. However, I would be concerened about what other flavours might have developed / come out as a result of the long storage. So I would be tempted to ditch it, rather than risk spoiling a new batch. How about trying a homebrew sized batch of say 75 % new and 25 % old and seeing what that is like, compared to a 100% new malt batch?

I have used hops that were years old, and not kept in cold store and they produced flavours very different to fresh hops. Certainly they would not be any use for aroma hopping. You should be able to use them up at low blend backs with fresh hops, but using them only as kettle hops. However, you might well find even at say 10%, they might produce beer with a somewhat different flavour to fresh hops only. Again, perhaps you use them up in "one offs" rather than your mainstream beers, then no-one will notice the difference, say a year on when you repeat it as a sesonal.

Again, to some extent it depends on the amount you have in stock, and the ambient temperature. I expect you would get away with old hops more easily in Alaska for example than in Florida.

[Chrichards82]

I appreciate the suggestion. I think doing a test batch is definitely in order. If the yield way off then I think I'll have my answer. No point in adding more of the same malt if the efficiency isn't there. Cheers!

[Chrichards82]

Thanks Jaltwies,

I'll have a look at our inventory for our alpha acid as I don't know them off the top of my head. 70% less in AA is quite a difference. Is this what I can expect even though they are still in their vacuum sealed bags?

Chris