Author Topic: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?  (Read 11628 times)

Longwaytogo

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Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« on: February 26, 2015, 11:15:59 AM »
I know there are a decent amount of home brewers on these forums so thought I would float a question. I received a "Mr. Beer kit" years ago for X Mas from my in-laws and discovered I still have 2 kits cleaning basement out. The problem is the can says "best by May 2012". The first 2 kits I did were OK but nothing great which is probably why I never got around to making the others. But I did shell out the money for like 8 swing top 24 oz growler type things back when I got it.

So question is will they still work? This is not a real home brew like many people on here do. It's just a can of Hopped Malt stuff and a bag of "booster" (that's currently hard as a rock)

I don't mind if it does not taste great (not planning on serving it to guests or anything) just want to be sure it will not be dangerous and actually have some alcohol content. Would be nice to get 2 gallons of beer for April and May to help my food/drink budget!

damize

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2015, 11:57:42 AM »
Yeast dies, no? That would be my only concern.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2015, 12:07:17 PM »
It won't be dangerous, but it also probably won't be tasty.

Cromacster

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2015, 12:12:59 PM »
If you want to make it, I would look for new yeast.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2015, 04:12:40 PM »
The yeast might struggle to reactivate, but it should be OK otherwise. May be worth grabbing some fresh yeast from a homebrew shop (or even harvesting the sediment at the bottom of a beer bottle if you're really badass).

Longwaytogo

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2015, 04:26:24 PM »
Thanks everyone! May try it anyway just for the hell of it.

Would active dry yeast work, or I need brewers yeast?

I have a jar of red star in the fridge.

Riff

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2015, 04:41:58 PM »
Do NOT use the red star!

Go to a homebrew store and grab a couple of packets of dry yeast from them.

bmcewan

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2015, 07:08:10 PM »
The yeast has died, and the hops will be pretty stale. The malt extract will be OK. If you have liquid malt extract, make sure to heat it up in a pan of water before you use it to ensure it will flow out of the can easily.

Buy some yeast (it's cheap - $3-5) and make sure to get the exact kind, or ask for a substitute at a homebrew shop. The yeast has a tremendous impact on the taste and character of the beer. If you've ever had a hefeweizen before, that banana smell and taste is entirely from the yeast. If you want to try the yeast out, you can proof it before you brew- heat up some malt extract on water to about 90-100 degrees, pitch in the yeast, and wait 5 minutes. If it bubbles, it's alive. If nothing happens, it's dead. This is the same process you use with bread yeast when you want to see if it is still alive.

Hops are added in two (sometimes more) steps, an early bittering step and a late aroma step. You can use stale hops for bittering, but I would buy fresh hops for the aroma step, if your recipe uses it.

I have oversimplified the process, but this advice will get you headed in the right direction. Good luck! Homebrewing is a lot of fun with a great community.

Riff

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Re: Expired Mr. Beer kit ?
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2015, 08:06:39 PM »
I don't think Mr. Beer kits have any hop additions, and probably not even a boil.  The LME is pre-hopped, like a Cooper's kit.