Storage of milled grain

[ajcarp]

What is the max. amount of time, one can let milled grain sit, before using it?

Not having a mill myself, I have always had my grain milled at the store when I bought it. I usually use it with in a couple of days, but occasionally, it has been a week or more before I actually found the time for a brew day. It is usually stored in tied plastic bags.

As I was buying grain the other day, I was asked when I was planning to use it. When told that it would be at least 4 days, I was told that milled grain really should be used within two days.

What say the experts here? For those of you without a mill, how long will you let milled grain sit? Have you noticed any effects of longer storage?

[mr x]

Oh, I think it probably lasts much longer than that if you keep it cool, dry, and sealed up as tight as you can get it to keep oxygen out.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

doesn't nash get his bags of malt pre-milled? like X said, it can last quite a while as long as you keep moisture out, keeping out oxygen and sunlight probably can't hurt

[Graham.C]

Before I got my mill, I used to get it premilled as well. One time a whole wack of stuff came up in a row and I ended up postponing my brew day for over a month. The grain was tied up in bags and I kept it dry. It smelled and tasted fine, so I brewed with it anyways and the beer turned out great. It was a stout so maybe some subtle character was missing but the roast masked it and I thought it was one of my better early beers.

That's my only experience with old grain.

[NASH]

2 days is a great time frame if you plan to pour it onto a window sill for storage

Both H&T and RB have no mills, nor does Rogues along with many other small breweries with space constraints. Up until about the mid 2000's the maltster recommended using it up within 6 months, now they recommend using it within 3 months, it comes in plain old malt bags lined with a plastic barrier bag. You're good for a few months my friend!

[berley]

Yeah, I've heard some extremely-short timeframes recommended before, but 2 days sounds way out there. Grain doesn't absorb moisture THAT fast!

If it's stored dry and cool, you'll be fine for months and months, as long as it still smells and tastes good to you.

[ajcarp]

Thanks for the advice folks.

Since I don't have a home brew supply store here in town, I was trying one in Victoria while I was there on a trip. They have been around for awhile, and the guy seemed fairly competent, but it was just something I had not heard before and was a bit skeptical.

Back to an hour drive to Vernon for HopDawgs for my supplies for me, still shorter than Andy's drive.

Cheers,

John

[akr71]

Thanks for the advice folks.

Since I don't have a home brew supply store here in town, I was trying one in Victoria while I was there on a trip. They have been around for awhile, and the guy seemed fairly competent, but it was just something I had not heard before and was a bit skeptical.

Back to an hour drive to Vernon for HopDawgs for my supplies for me, still shorter than Andy's drive.

Cheers,

John

Yep, except it seems a drop in the bucket compared to the folks in Cape Breton. Plus I have a pretty good inventory and a couple other brewers in the area now.