National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => All Grain Brewing => Topic started by: Weiss on February 16, 2013, 12:53:55 AM

Title: Brewing Sugar & Best Before date
Post by: Weiss on February 16, 2013, 12:53:55 AM
Have a 1kg bag of brewing sugar at home that was planning to throw in with a cider kit over the weekend, but noticed earlier that the best before date on it was 10/2012.

Anyone know if it's still good to use?  :)
Title: Re: Brewing Sugar & Best Before date
Post by: Ciderhead on February 16, 2013, 12:57:57 AM
On the sugar or the kit, on either it will be fine
Title: Re: Brewing Sugar & Best Before date
Post by: Weiss on February 16, 2013, 03:09:47 AM
It's on the sugar.

Btw, this is the kit. http://www.homebrewwest.ie/magnum-strawberry-cider-18kg-699-p.asp

How much sugar for a 5% ABV?  :)
Title: Re: Brewing Sugar & Best Before date
Post by: Ciderhead on February 16, 2013, 09:49:34 AM
It will be fine
Follow instructions on your kit
More sugar means more abv
So if you start at 1048 and it ferments out to 1010 then you will get 5 percent
Natural apple juice ferments out to 1 or even 995 which is 6.3
I have experience with cider kits and they finished at 1015 and were fully finished at 4.3
Do your kit then add half your bag, then measure.
Go for 1.050 starting gravity and you will be fine
Keep back som sugar for priming
Title: Re: Brewing Sugar & Best Before date
Post by: Tom on February 18, 2013, 01:14:20 PM
I got a magnum apple cider kit that was well out of date from a charity shop there recently. Brewing sugar, yeast, the lot, all out of date, but it's on anyway!
Title: Re: Brewing Sugar & Best Before date
Post by: Partridge9 on February 18, 2013, 02:46:29 PM
QuoteHave a 1kg bag of brewing sugar at home that was planning to throw in with a cider kit over the weekend, but noticed earlier that the best before date on it was 10/2012.

Anyone know if it's still good to use?  :)

I dont believe brewing sugar changes that much over time - but I wouldnt mind a scientist backing that up ..

Will ?

Normally my brewing sugar (Dextrose) has a two year expiry so it rarely goes off.