Very old kit. Brew it or toss it?

Northern Brewer General
1

I found, in my attic, an extract kit I had when I moved a long time ago. To give you a reference point the date on the yeast packet is September 1999.

It’s a Brewers Best kit German Altbier Style with two cans of extract. One of the extract cans; “Ambre” is bloated…I don’t know if it might be because the extract is bad inside or the heat/cold cycles of the attic over time have caused that.

I am tempted to brew it just to see what happens, but do you think with grains and extract this old that I am wasting my time?

Obviously I need new yeast and I may reuse a yeast cake from some caribou slobber that I am getting ready to keg.

Thoughts? Brew it or toss it?

Thanks,
Big D

2

Toss it. It’s my understanding liquid extract doesn’t hold for more than a year max

3

Bloated cans of anything should definitely be thrown away. It’s a sign of biological activity going on inside, and who knows what it could be. Could be wild yeast, could be botulism spores, could be something else. You don’t want to take the chance.

When I was a kid, a co-worker of mine at a sub shop opened a bloated industrial-size can of tuna fish. She was showered with an explosion of rancid fish. The whole store smelled like death for a week.

4

Use just one can that is not bloated and use it to make a big lager yeast cake. Pitch the finish beer and use the yeast cake for something tasty.

Or do the same with an ale yeast and use the cake to make something high gravity.

5

Tossed…actually even the second can was a little bloated. After I committed to tossing it I cut open the hops to smell it…OMG… it was horrible. Good call.

Thanks.

:cheers: