how long will 25kg grain last ?

[alfie09]

really considering buying 25 kg grain but i have been told it wont last long and must be used in weeks and not months what is the real story?

i will probally use 25kg in about 5-6months will it keep that long in the bag it comes in?

i wont have anywere to store this e.g like in a box or bin it will be kept indoors in the bag it comes in tightly closed?

my local micro say grain "hangs" if left to long they use it in quick turn arounds and dont get problems they said but they can see problems arising with the amount of time i want to keep it

p+p and also bus fares (depending were i get my stuff from local micro or internet order) are getting beyond the joke now for every brew i will be saving about £14 every 2-3months if i buy in bulk

[brewzer]

If you store it well it can last upto 9 months or even longer

[steve_flack]

Crushed grain has a shorter shelf life than uncrushed grain and ideally it should be used as soon as possible after crushing. On the other hand, there's plenty of home brewers that buy sacks of crushed grain and use them up over a period of several months with no real problems. It will keep a lot better in a cool dry place - away from where mice can get at it is a good idea too.

[alfie09]

how would i store it well then i cant wait to buy a bag no more saying got to pop out for bits it will all be here in one place ?

cheers for speedy response you got any bags of malt left looking for something different to marris otter to?

[brewzer]

As steve flack says in a cool dry place is best away from pests
I have most grains in and can get most except specialty grains what are you wanting to brew?

[steve_flack]

I buy most of my bulk malt uncrushed and crush it just before I use it. I keep most grains I use in stock.

[flything]

Obviously the best thing is to buy uncrushed but crushers are not cheap. I currently keep all my grains crushed, in sealed bags. I keep speciality grains inside 1 gal plastic buckets (white opaque ones) and I put a sachet of silca gel in each to absorb any moisture. So far I've had pretty good results even with grain that is 12 months old, but I haven't done any side by side comparison and ideally I do want to move to crushing my own.

I tend to get through a 25kg sack in four months and keep that inside a bag inside a clean dustbin, again with a sachet of silca gel.

[Trunky]

[boingy]

Even crushed it will keep for ages if you keep it dry and fairly cool. I keep mine in a black plastic dustbin in the garage (still in the sack). Roll the sack down tight after each use and place a weight on it to keep it closed then shut the dustbin lid properly. 5-6 months should be no problem.

[WishboneBrewery]

I have my Malts in Blue Plastic drums and various other sealed things in the garage, I'm sure they will all be fine for at least 12 months, though they won't last that long

[Capper20]

My blue plastic bin never got the garlic smell out of it, is it safe to use for this or should I get a smell free one?

[boingy]

It's certainly safe and I would have thought that only a tiny amount of garlic smell will transfer to the grain. Not sure it would be detectable in the finished beer.

Have you tried an overnight soak with a bicarbonate of soda solution? That tends to work wonders on many smells.

[Manx Guy]

It's certainly safe and I would have thought that only a tiny amount of garlic smell will transfer to the grain. Not sure it would be detectable in the finished beer.

Have you tried an overnight soak with a bicarbonate of soda solution? That tends to work wonders on many smells.

How strong should the Bicard solution be?

I tried this on a plastic jerry can and the plastic smell is still there....
I think I used a 1part Sodium Bic to 25 water.... Or thereabouts

Cheers

Guy.

[RajBoab]

Silly question maybe but if you buy 25kg of crushed malt and store it does any settling take place e.g. does a significant amount of flour and starchy bits work their way to the bottom thus making the stuff at the top of the sack less starchy?

[Dennis King]

never had any problem, been using sacks for years