# Dry Malt Extract Gone Hard



## EK (30/7/13)

I was planning on doing a Ginger Pale Ale experimental with a tin of Ginger beer and a kilo of Light DME that I had purchased a year or two ago and never used.

As I check that I still had it, I found that it was no longer the powder, but a solid condensed brick of malt extract.

Has anyone used malt that has gone hard like this?
Is it OK to use even though it is solid and old?
Should I just turf it?

I could always just buy another kilo of DME,..but if this is OK, why not use it?

:icon_cheers:
-EK


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## brad81 (30/7/13)

Just like caramel huh 

Yeah, I used mine about 4 months ago for a Vienna lager. Beer has turned out lovely.

I did dissolve it in a bit of water on the nuke/stove before adding it before the end of the boil.

Like you said, it's experimental, so experiment B)


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## timmi9191 (30/7/13)

Agree, disolve it in boiling water.. Should be fine.


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## DU99 (30/7/13)

Its only dried out,i had some wheat malt worked fine.


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## EK (30/7/13)

Thanks Guys, Much appreciated.
I will give it a whirl!

:icon_cheers:
EK


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## bum (30/7/13)

DU99 said:


> Its only dried out,i had some wheat malt worked fine.


Drier than dry? It has more likely actually taken on moisture. Moisture can promote spoilage generally but it is probably fine. I've used stuff like that in the past to no noticeable detriment. But extract is cheap enough, replace it if you've got high hopes for the experiment. The thing about experiments is that to learn anything useful you need controlled circumstances.


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## Dengue (30/7/13)

I found the beer it produces is alot darker as it ages..... however very useful for making yeast starters, dont bin it!


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## Tiny_Tim (30/7/13)

I used some solidified dry extract a few weeks ago for an 'experimental' batch. It took a long time to dissolve, so def don't put it straight into the kettle, as you could risk burnt caramel on the bottom.


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## EK (30/7/13)

bum said:


> Drier than dry? It has more likely actually taken on moisture. Moisture can promote spoilage generally but it is probably fine. I've used stuff like that in the past to no noticeable detriment. But extract is cheap enough, replace it if you've got high hopes for the experiment. The thing about experiments is that to learn anything useful you need controlled circumstances.


"dry" is sometimes a relative term, eg: "dry" timber has a moisture content of less than 15%...not exactly dry. I figure that there is some moisture in Dry Malt Extract even if it is a only a little. Though, it may have taken some humidity through the plastic (which are sometimes marginally porous) Either way, it's a hard lump of malt.




Tiny_Tim said:


> I used some solidified dry extract a few weeks ago for an 'experimental' batch. It took a long time to dissolve, so def don't put it straight into the kettle, as you could risk burnt caramel on the bottom.


Thanks Tim, I was thinking of breaking it up somehow first...probably with a meat mallet if necessary...but break it down and melt it in pieces.



Also, I have half a block of panella (south american sugar) that I will throw into the mix, should be good.

:icon_cheers:
EK


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## quiet1_au (28/5/14)

I've got a kilo brick of malt extract too - so will have to get started on the dissolving as it sound like it might take a while. I like DME but it's a lot messier to handle than the liquid stuff - the powder clumps and sticks to everything as soon as it hits any moisture (eg. steam from your kit brew in the fermenter)... :-\


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## Forever Wort (28/5/14)

quiet1_au said:


> I like DME but it's a lot messier to handle than the liquid stuff - the powder clumps and sticks to everything as soon as it hits any moisture (eg. steam from your kit brew in the fermenter)... :-\


I agree. I much prefer liquid extract. It is just that little bit easier to handle, and as I've said before, Briess LME comes in great plastic jars you can reuse for many other things.


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## wynnum1 (28/5/14)

Used some that sucked up moisture and had off taste when brewed how would it go in cooking or a malted milk drink.


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## EK (28/5/14)

I have only just realised that I never responded to say that this worked just fine in the end.

When I went to use it I just smashed it in the bag with a meat mallet to break it up. It dissolved reasonably easily...easier than the panella did.

The beer turned out fine from what I recall.

:icon_cheers:
EK


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