When do crushed grains and yeast starters expire?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by JUNCK, Mar 20, 2013.

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  1. JUNCK

    JUNCK Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2011 Washington

    I was already to brew Saturday... I had my hops weighed, equipment was cleaned, yeast starter was on the stir plate, minerals were weighed out for the water, grains were crushed, full propane tank everything was going to be perfect. And then... My fiance went into labor Saturday morning and we had our first baby Sunday!

    So before going to the hospital I took the yeast starter and sanitized some foil and put it over the foam stopper and put it in my 50 degree chest freezer. How long will this yeast starter last? Should I just spend $8 on new yeast and make a new starter? Also, how long will my crushed grains stay fresh at 56 degrees? It might be a week or two before I can brew again.

    Thanks so much can't wait to brew this beer I was looking so forward to it.
     
    #1 JUNCK, Mar 20, 2013
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  2. broodog

    broodog Zealot (693) Jul 18, 2009 Illinois

    Hate to break it to you, in a week or two, all you're going to want to do is sleep. Oh, and congrats!!
     
    #2 broodog, Mar 20, 2013
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  3. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I've use crushed base malts 6 months after crushing and thought it was fine. Crushed roasted and crystal probably longer. Briess Malting's spec sheets kind of suggests that malt should be good for at least 6 months regardless of whether it was crushed or not. Probably, they will do well beyond this.

    Your starter should also be usable in 2 weeks. Decant and add more starter wort to get it going.
     
    #3 pweis909, Mar 20, 2013
  4. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Agree that the starter should still be in pretty good shape. I wouldn't even add more starter wort (unless I wanted to increase cell count). The yeast will get going just fine when pitched into the beer wort.
     
    #4 VikeMan, Mar 20, 2013
  5. joebad

    joebad Initiate (0) Dec 30, 2010 New Jersey

    #5 joebad, Mar 29, 2013
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  6. cracker

    cracker Pundit (893) May 2, 2004 Pennsylvania

    Reminds me of when I brewed 10 days or so before our first son was born. I guess I was lucky with her not going into labor that very day! Looking back (or forward) I don't think I'd brew once she's within 2-3 weeks of her due date.
     
    #6 cracker, Mar 29, 2013
  7. JUNCK

    JUNCK Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2011 Washington

    Got the green light to brew Tuesday!! :slight_smile: Oh and thanks on the congrats.
     
    #7 JUNCK, Mar 30, 2013
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  8. kbuzz

    kbuzz Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2011 North Carolina

    yeah dude...you're not brewing for another month or two at least.
     
    #8 kbuzz, Mar 30, 2013
  9. JUNCK

    JUNCK Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2011 Washington

    Baby was born on the 17th and Tuesday is the 2nd, so that makes it 16 days which is 2 weeks and 2 days. I must be doing something right. :wink:
     
    #9 JUNCK, Mar 30, 2013
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  10. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,313) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah

    I've found a part bag of crushed pale malt that I'd had so long that I'd forgotten about it! It had been kept cool and dry and smelt/tasted fine.I used it as the base malt in a dark beer as the base malt is less important in these and the result was fine.Must have been between a year and two years old.
     
    #10 marquis, Mar 30, 2013
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