Frugal vs. Cheap

[Bassman]

I have some old ingredients that have been sitting in my cupboard for a year or two. The DME has become hard but I broke some up for my American Amber last week it smelled fine. I have some Northwestern pale LME, never opened. I have various unground crystal type grains. Everything smells good and no signs of bugs near the grain.

Use it or lose it? I say use it if it smells or tastes ok. The LME may produce a darker beer than expected but I don't care. Part of my reason to brew is to drink decent beer and get the cost down. So why should I throw out ingredients that will make a good brew?

[RickBeer]

Assume you meant HME, not LME?

Brew on!

[braukasper]

I would use but add some fresh grain

[swenocha]

I used a hardened brick of DME that I found in the back of my pantry in my last brew. I broke it up with a rubber mallet in a ziplock and proceeded. It was only 15% of my bill, so I didn't figure any staleness would cause a problem (based on tastes of the resulting beer, it didn't).

[Bassman]

I meant LME, Northwestern Liquid Malt Extract. It's 3.3 lbs. in a sealed plastic bag. I also have some HME, but not too old.

[DaYooper]

I am assuming by the ingredients you are making an extract batch, so the steeping grains would be a minimal portion of the cost. I see no problems using the L/DME, but for the low cost and potential of a still drinkable failure I would get new grain especially since you dont mention hops or yeast so would most likely be ordering that anyway.

[Brewbirds]

I would say go ahead IF there are enough of those ingredients to make a batch by themselves; I would not buy/add new items.

The point is that if the ingredients might leave a stale flavor you don't want to waste perfectly good grains etc. plus you will get an idea of what stale ingredients taste like.

Consider it like brewing a test batch just to see how it comes out then you haven't trashed the stuff but you also haven't chased good money after old.

[Bassman]

Thanks all.

I have some hops. All pellets that I bought vacuum sealed, unopened, and in the freezer the whole time. I used an ounce of cascade last week and it smelled wonderful. The yeast is Safale London that has been in the fridge the whole time.

I think I may get some fresh grain before the next batch that uses them. I think the hops are fine. The LME has been in a vacuum sealed bag so I think they are fine.

[Chuck N]

Yeah, I'd go ahead and use them. If nothing else it it could be at least a learning experience.

As far as being frugal or cheap. I find that that is a matter of perception; While I perceive myself to be frugal, LOML perceives me as being cheap.

Which one of us is right?

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That is correct, sir.

[DaYooper]

I have some hops. All pellets that I bought vacuum sealed, unopened, and in the freezer the whole time. I used an ounce of cascade last week and it smelled wonderful. The yeast is Safale London that has been in the fridge the whole time.

With hops the issue is usually alpha. If I have hops that get long in the tooth I will simply use them as flavor and aroma where the bitterness isnt as much of a factor and possibly up the bitter addition slightly to take that into account. I still have some 2012's that I am using up but they were tested recently so I use the lower alpha's and augment the bittering addition to get the IBUs I am shooting for.