Out of date kits

[widdersbel]

Evening all, I've not been round these parts for a while since life has got in the way of brewing but I've been thinking about getting back into it over the summer.

I've got two kits that have been sitting on a shelf in the kitchen since I was last active - a Coopers Stout and a Coopers English Bitter. They both have a best before date of 2015. But I don't want to bin them, so I'll give them a go - nothing ventured, and all that.

I will be buying some new yeast - I chucked the yeast that came with them some time ago. Any recommendations for a good yeast to use?

Also any recommendations for measures I can take to ensure I get the best results? I'm assuming some of the flavours may have faded over time so maybe some extra malts and hops?

I figure that the worst that can happen is I'll end up with an undrinkable batch, but if that happens, I'll just have an excuse to make a fresh kit!

[scotsloon]

I wouldn't worry too much about deterioration of the kits, as long as they have been stored in dry cool conditions then there should be no problem with them, Nottingham is always a good bet to use.

[keith1664]

You've nothing to lose other than some time and 2 packets of yeast.
I'd use S-04 in the stout.

[widdersbel]

Cheers, guys. Nothing to lose is my way of thinking. Thanks for the yeast recommendations too. Will see if they have those in the homebrew shop (they usually have a good selection so quite likely).

[scotsloon]

Get one of each and try them in the different brews.

[Fil]

dont waste too much on enhancements for the kits, LME can go off if it gets heated up in direct sunlight, i used a tin which was over 12 months out of date recently and it had been sat on a shelf catching some direct sunlight in the PM. what ws suposed to be a light LME turned my brew into a Brown Beer akin Newcaste brown and didnt ferment out as low as i would have liked leaving a lot of cloudy suspension in the beer too and it wasnt to nice a taste with a treacle aftertaste

[widdersbel]

Get one of each and try them in the different brews.

Just checked the shop's website and they stock both, so that's what I'll do.

i used a tin which was over 12 months out of date recently and it had been sat on a shelf catching some direct sunlight in the PM.

This is my concern with my kits, which have been sitting on top of a cupboard in a corner of the kitchen. Possibly catching some sun, but also not a particularly cool spot. Oh well, we'll see...

[vacant]

i used a tin which was over 12 months out of date recently and it had been sat on a shelf catching some direct sunlight in the PM. what ws suposed to be a light LME turned my brew into a Brown Beer akin Newcaste brown and didnt ferment out as low as i would have liked leaving a lot of cloudy suspension in the beer too and it wasnt to nice a taste with a treacle aftertaste

I had better luck with a Cooper's tin that was almost five years beyond its expiry date. I substituted it for some of the grain bill in an AG and all was fine. The kit had been stored in kinder conditions I guess.

[Jim]

Agree with the above; I've used a tin malt extract that was a few years out of date and it was fine. It was stored in the garage though, which is quite cool and dark.

Yeast goes off quickest, so you're doing the right thing replacing it.

[widdersbel]

Picked up the yeast from the brew shop yesterday and just dug the kit out of the shed to give it a good clean prior to knocking up the kits this weekend.

Tucked away with various bits and bobs in a fermenting bucket, I found a bag of DME with a best before date of Jan 16. Use it or bin it? It would have been well protected from sunlight and moisture, but it does get quite warm in there on hot days.