Question about storage time on starter wort

If your questioning it at all don't use it. I personally wouldn't because it's so easy to create your own starter.

Two days prior to brew day, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling add 1 cup of dme and boil 5 mins to sterilize. Cool to intended pitching temp, pitch and then maintain temp. 2 days later you'll have more than doubled your cell count and you'll be could to go.

I've done this my last 10 beers or so and Ive had highly active fermentation within the first 10-12 hrs.

 

“My question is, if his sanitation was good how long will these starter worts last in these sealed jars?”

The proper technique for canning food items is sterilization vs. sanitation (e.g., placing the mason jars in boiling water for a set period of time). Did you buddy practice sterilization while canning the wort?

Cheers!

 

FWIW I would make that same decision.

For your consideration:

“How long will canned food keep?

Properly canned food stored in a cool, dry place will retain optimum eating quality for at least 1 year. Canned food stored in a warm place near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, or in indirect sunlight may lose some of its eating quality in a few weeks or months, depending on the temperature. Dampness may corrode cans or metal lids and cause leakage so the food will spoil.”

http://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_canning.html#5

Cheers!

 

Yeah I just don't see the point of making up that much starter wort, it takes only a couple of minutes to do it really. Ok depending on your cooling method that might take a while, but it's not active time, throw it in the fridge or freezer... It's a solution to a problem I've never had.

 

Go by taste. Pour the wort into a flask and taste the last little bit. If there's something in there you'd certainly taste it after 2 years. Nothing in there is going to hurt you. Sanitize the outside of the lid, crack it open and go for it.

 

Important proviso: nothing in there is going to hurt you, provided that your friend in fact sterilized the wort. I thought someone had mentioned in this thread that botulism is a threat in these situations, but I guess I misremembered. Obviously it's not an issue if the wort has been sterilized, but speaking for myself, I would trust some but not all of my friends on something like that. As others have mentioned, if there is any doubt, just dump the stuff, the risk/reward here very much favors making new starter wort.

[Edited to add: State health authorities find home canning to be a frustratingly hard thing to get people to do right. A long time ago, there would from time to time be a case of botulism from an industrially manufactured product. This is a plot point in The Orphan Master's Son and in the short story "Mister Squishy" by David Foster Wallace. But Orphan Master's Son is set in North Korea, and "Mister Squishy" involves intentional sabotage. The thing is that there are very simple procedures that, if you follow them, entirely eliminate the possibility of botulism. Long ago, the authorities in the U.S. compelled manufacturers to adopt safe practices, and so botulism from commercially canned food is basically unheard of. In fact, the canning plant near where my mom grew up would can people's home-grown vegetables for free, as a safety measure. But despite the procedures being pretty mechanical and well-understood, and fool-proof if applied correctly, home canners don't always follow them, and some really scary consequences sometimes come up.

So long story short, this is an area of life where you really want to be following the rules with absolute precision. Beer itself is safe because of its alcohol and its low pH (even non-sour beer is acidic enough to avoid botulism). But unfermented wort is not safe, and so you've got to be very careful.]

 

Next time freeze the wort for long term storage and boil prior to use.
In this instance, boil the wort, cool and use. Draw a sample and taste it before you use.
Cheers.

 

Maybe none of us are really safe:
http://letmegooglethat.com/?q=can+botulism+survive+boiling

It seems like the status quo is saying that you should boil your wort just before pitching. Certainly nothing wrong with that, since we all dedicate ~ 4 hour to a semi-serious brewday anywho.

Cheers.

 

@TooHopTooHandle
There might be a greater risk of botulism, or something that we may not pinpoint after 2 years sitting on the shelf. We can't guarantee your safety here. Use some judgment in sight, smell, taste, and otherwise precaution when dealing with 2 year old wort--Same as you would with other canned goods. Keep us posted so we can keep tabs on you in the coming weeks. God speed, friend!

 

The OP mentioned that the wort was pressure sealed in mason jars, which is the correct way to do it if you follow the recommended procedures. It's the fact that we don't know whether that was done that is giving us pause. Here's a link on how to do it right. For me, it's easier to make starters with DME when needed.

 

for the record - I've done pressure canned wort and used it after 2 years in storage.

As to why - it makes it a lot easier to get over the inertial hump of everything if I canjust grab a jar, sanitize it and a growler, pop it open and pitch the yeast inthe growler with the wort.