Crushed grain shelf life

[dcbrookes]

I have often wondered if crushed grain settles in transit (in a 25Kg sack) giving greater efficiency from the bottom of the sack compared with the top. If it does happen, it would obviously depend on the amount of vibration to which the sack was subjected on its travels. When I was using crushed grain I sometimes thought that the balance of flour to husks was different in different parts of the sack, although not in any quantifiable way. I now have a GF mill and , despite the cost and extra work, would not go back to using crushed grain. The other thing I have noticed is that weighing out crushed grain always seemed to leave a film of dust in the kitchen, whereas using the GF mill does not. So a bonus point for domestic harmony!

 

[Braufather]

I now have a GF mill and , despite the cost and extra work, would not go back to using crushed grain.

That was the mill that I was considering but is a big expense and results in more work for what looks like no real benefit?

I was expecting this thread to have dividing opinions but all the anecdotal evidence so far points to pre crushed thread not only being as good but also having great longevity too.

I’m guessing crushing your own is more about the ceremony of it and enjoying the process.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Strange how the Homebrew choices are binary
Grain - whole vs crushed
Yeast - liquid vs dry
Boil time - 60 vs 30 minutes
Hops - pellet vs leaf
Mash - full volume vs sparge
Fermentation - pressure vs non pressure
UOM - Metric vs US
ETC feel free to add more

 

[Agentgonzo]

I've also just come across grain conditioning, whereby you slightly wet the grain before milling. It apparently makes the husk more pliable and thus you get larger husk debris in the grist, reducing the risk of stuck sparges. I'm going to try this in tomorrow's brew.

Obviously you can't do that with pre crushed grain.


But yes. As far as I can tell, both work fine so it's a personal choice of process

 

[chopps]

Strange how the Homebrew choices are binary
Grain - whole vs crushed
Yeast - liquid vs dry
Boil time - 60 vs 30 minutes
Hops - pellet vs leaf
Mash - full volume vs sparge
Fermentation - pressure vs non pressure
UOM - Metric vs US
ETC feel free to add more

Squeeze the bag don’t squeeze the bag.
Use a basket, use a bag.
Scoop the break, don’t scoop the break
Leave the trub, transfer the trub.
Transfer to secondary, dont transfer to secondary.
Homebrew Forum, Jim’s Brew Kit :)

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Chill vs don’t chill
Cold crash vs don’t
Lager in fermenter vs lager in the bottle

 

[Sadfield]

Flawless vs Drain pour.

 

[Braufather]

I know it has been discussed quite a lot already here and elsewhere but seeing as I’ve a couple a bags now over 3 months old I thought I’d canvass opinion anyway.

Generally opinion seems to be anywhere from you crush no More than two weeks before you brew up to a year and beyond.

ive got 5k Simpson’s pale, 4kg Simpson’s Maris otter, and 1kg English premium carapmalt. All crushed 10th March. They are in sealed bags straight from supplier, that haven’t been opened yet but they are not vacuum packed and have not an insignificant amount of air trapped in.

By the time I get a window they will be 4 months old.

I’d be interested in hearing what experience have people have had!

Just reporting back on the initial thread. The crushed grain was 4 months old, and the brew is now a couple of months old and tastes great. nothing wrong with the malt profile. It’s nice and crisp with zero off flavours.

Its proved to me that crushed grain lasts and therefore there is little point in investing in a home mill, especially considering it won’t be as Good as the mill the retailers use anyway.

so why do I still want to buy one anyway?

 

[Tombo]

Just reporting back on the initial thread. The crushed grain was 4 months old, and the brew is now a couple of months old and tastes great. nothing wrong with the malt profile. It’s nice and crisp with zero off flavours.

Its proved to me that crushed grain lasts and therefore there is little point in investing in a home mill, especially considering it won’t be as Good as the mill the retailers use anyway.

so why do I still want to buy one anyway?

I thought like that about a mill untill one came available at a price I couldn't refuse. It's much more satisfying to crush my own grain now and being in charge from start to finish.

 

[Braufather]

I thought like that about a mill untill one came available at a price I couldn't refuse. It's much more satisfying to crush my own grain now and being in charge from start to finish.

I think thats it. Enjoying the process.

 

[Agentgonzo]

You can also control the crush size to help with recirculation/sparging/efficiency.

But yes, those aren't hugely compelling reasons. But sometimes I can buy grain that is kept over a year.

 

[Clarence]

Just reporting back on the initial thread. The crushed grain was 4 months old, and the brew is now a couple of months old and tastes great. nothing wrong with the malt profile. It’s nice and crisp with zero off flavours.

Its proved to me that crushed grain lasts and therefore there is little point in investing in a home mill, especially considering it won’t be as Good as the mill the retailers use anyway.

so why do I still want to buy one anyway?

You're right. Consider the humble bag of flour that;s been hanging around on a supermarket shelf for months on end and then in a steamy kitchen cupboard for yonks wearing nothing but a paper bag. And after all this, it;s fit to make bread or cakes. A bag of malt doesn't know it's born.

 

[chopps]

Just reporting back on the initial thread. The crushed grain was 4 months old, and the brew is now a couple of months old and tastes great. nothing wrong with the malt profile. It’s nice and crisp with zero off flavours.

Its proved to me that crushed grain lasts and therefore there is little point in investing in a home mill, especially considering it won’t be as Good as the mill the retailers use anyway.

so why do I still want to buy one anyway?

Thats G.A.S and we all have it here. Gear Acquisition Syndrome

 

[An Ankoù]

I've always used precrushed grain and only bought a mill reluctantly as French suppliers don't crush the grain, or, if they do, charge a ridiculous price for doing so. Don't bother with the tinned cast iron Chinese things that look like big coffee grinders, they're a waste of money. You need a roller mill like a grain gorilla at the very least. I'm not sure I can taste any difference between beer made with year-old crushed and beer made with fresh whole, to be honest. I think I'm getting a bit better efficiency by using a finer crush.
I agree with @dcbrookes, that the flour tends to settle at the bottom of the sack giving a really rich final brew.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Its proved to me that crushed grain lasts

It's not a binary thing where it suddenly goes "bad", but the basic chemistry of malt means that staling reactions will happen. It's just a question of how quickly and whether they are above the taste threshold.

I did some basic tests with SMaSHes before my long Covid, where I could taste some kind of staleness in crushed malt that was 12-18 months old when comparing side-by-side against fresh, but you wouldn't notice on its own. Whereas I think I could detect the staleness on its own for grain that was ?2.5 years old. I've not got my notes to hand so don't quote me on those numbers, but they feel about right - and I certainly wouldn't be surprised if some people could taste staleness in a side-by-side comparison of say lagers that used malt 6-9 months old, it's way more obvious if you're testing side by side.