Probably shouldn't use this DME, right?

[JoppaFarms]

I got a bunch of ingredients in a Craigslist buy that are "old". I'm considering them essentially free and gonna brew something that I don't care if I have to dump. May be hard to dissolve this, but I may try. What do you think? Haha

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I say go for it. DME stores well. I used hard clumps in the past, they do take a little bit longer to dissolve, but they will. If nothing else, save it and use it for yeast starters.

 

[JoppaFarms]

Yea, I got roughly 11 lbs 2-row, 2.5 lbs brown, about 2 lbs of what looks like chocolate or black patent, 3 old packages of Nottingham yeast (2 expired, one expires in July), 1 oz Amarillo, 2 oz Sterling, 2 oz Willamette. I'm thinking about doing a 3 gallon barleywine with all this (skipping most of the dark malts, except to color a bit). I've also got some 1056 that I'll probably use instead of the expired Nottingham. I have the patience for yeast starters, but not for 5 steps of a starter to get enough viable yeast...

 

[stoneBriar]

I wouldn't make a beer out of it, but I'd make starters. I crash and decant my starters though to avoid flavor contributions.

 

[arbiadya]

Go for it ! Depending on their storage conditions, moisture etc. they might have formed clumps. Uve got nothing to loose.

I'm considering them essentially free and gonna brew something that I don't care if I have to dump.

 

[MindenMan]

It may be perfectly fine, I have used "clumpy" DME before, and had no problems.

 

[iaefebs]

You can use a rolling pin to break up the clumps. Untwist the end to make the bag bigger and reseal just the very end. Flatten the bag as much as possible and use a rolling pin or similar item.