How Long Can You Store Uncrushed Grain

[The_Professor]

assuming they been malted, will they still grow?

No, they will not grow if the grain is malted. I assumed unmalted since you said grains.

I was only asking, I said assuming b/c I don't think the OP actually specified malted or not. I assumed grain(s) was the correct term for un-crushed malted grain. Crushed I'd have called it grist. What should I have called it? (always up for learning new things)

Just saying grain was okay, but "grain" is ambiguous. It could be raw, malted, hulled, unhulled, etc. I assumed unmalted and posted the "freezing seeds thing", but should have commented on malted somehow as well. For already malted grain that was stored frozen for a long period I think I would go by smell and taste. Thaw a handful, see if the malt smells okay, and if it does taste a grain or two. If it passes that test the next one would be see if it converts properly with a mash. It still may not be quite right (as in like fresh malt) in a finished beer. Depends a bit on if this is base malt or specialty malt as well.

[Gymrat]

I'd be careful, it might make you go cray cray! Fungus on grain (rye) is called Ergot which can cause hallucinations, convulsions and gangrene. It has been linked to The plague of Holy Fire, the Bubonic Plague and some people speculate it had a hand in the mass hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch Trials.

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/wo ... LECT12.HTM

I wouldn't think mold would grow if they are stored in a dry controlled environment, like in my spare bedroom.

[jimjohson]

I'd be careful, it might make you go cray cray! Fungus on grain (rye) is called Ergot which can cause hallucinations, convulsions and gangrene. It has been linked to The plague of Holy Fire, the Bubonic Plague and some people speculate it had a hand in the mass hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch Trials.

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/wo ... LECT12.HTM

I wouldn't think mold would grow if they are stored in a dry controlled environment, like in my spare bedroom.

Actually the whole fungus thing was what was preying on my mind. Even though I can't conceive of away for it to grow in a freezer. There are, however, several libraries worth of books just filled with stuff I don't know about fungi. So I figured I'd just throw it out there and see if anybody else thought it might happen. Apparently we're just 2 worry warts Ibastard.

[Ibasterd]

I was throwing that out there mostly for a laugh. It would never occur to me to actually use grain that old. Maybe throw a pinch in the mash to say you've made 30 year old ale. But beyond that, not sure why.