Resealing DME Bag?

[rodwha]

Has anyone vacuum sealed an opened DME bag?

I recently had an issue with the last of a 1 lb bag solidifying. It was kept in my fermentation chamber, which I’ve done for years without major issues. My current bag is in the freezer, but I don’t have a lot of space and question a clamp on the bag if someone were to carelessly go through that shelf. I wondered about vacuum sealing but am not sure it works like that and won’t suck the extract into the workings and cause an issue down the road.

 

[TheMadKing]

I bought 2 breakfast cereal tupperware containers from Amazon for my DME. Air tight and its stayed nice and powdery.

 

[Immocles]

I don’t vacuum seal them, but I get out as much air as possible by hand and heat seal it shut. It’s worked well and kept it fresh for future brews.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Has anyone vacuum sealed an opened DME bag?

I recently had an issue with the last of a 1 lb bag solidifying. It was kept in my fermentation chamber, which I’ve done for years without major issues. My current bag is in the freezer, but I don’t have a lot of space and question a clamp on the bag if someone were to carelessly go through that shelf. I wondered about vacuum sealing but am not sure it works like that and won’t suck the extract into the workings and cause an issue down the road.

Yes

 

[rodwha]

Thanks! I think I’ll try just heat sealing it with most of the air squeezed out.

 

[rodwha]

I bought 2 breakfast cereal tupperware containers from Amazon for my DME. Air tight and its stayed nice and powdery.

I used to use a ceramic container with the snap down lid with a gasket and those eventually clumped a bit.

Maybe it’s the higher humidity levels in central Texas?

 

[TheMadKing]

I used to use a ceramic container with the snap down lid with a gasket and those eventually clumped a bit.

Maybe it’s the higher humidity levels in central Texas?

I'd be surprised since I live in GA, but possibly

 

[balrog]

Seal all you want, but every use, every time you open, you let humidity in so it adds up.
I buy 3# bags and only use 150-170gm/starter, so I open and close several times over the life of a 3# bag, typically 6-8 months. I just roll it closed IMMEDIATELY after using, kepping it open as little as possible, clip the rolled edge with a binder clip, put the whole thing in a 1gal Ziploc bag, keep it in the basement, ambient 60-70°F, without issue.

Now, getting it to pour nicely into a bowl while weighing 150-170gm, without poofing sticky messy ick all over the counter, that is another story. That stuff's fit only for heffalumps and woozles.

 

[rodwha]

Seal all you want, but every use, every time you open, you let humidity in so it adds up.
I buy 3# bags and only use 150-170gm/starter, so I open and close several times over the life of a 3# bag, typically 6-8 months. I just roll it closed IMMEDIATELY after using, kepping it open as little as possible, clip the rolled edge with a binder clip, put the whole thing in a 1gal Ziploc bag, keep it in the basement, ambient 60-70°F, without issue.

Now, getting it to pour nicely into a bowl while weighing 150-170gm, without poofing sticky messy ick all over the counter, that is another story. That stuff's fit only for heffalumps and woozles.

I use a similar amount (6 oz for a 1.5 qt starter - 1 qt for the beer and 1/2 qt for the jar for keeping).

The mess seems inevitable it would seem. And what a mess if it isn’t wiped up soon afterwards!

 

[juggabrew]

This may be weird, but I keep mine in the original 1lb bag then place in a gallon zip lock bag. I zip it 90% closed and press the air out. Then I take that little opening that’s left and pinch it open and suck the air out through my mouth. I do this for hops as well. As long as I don’t go from “suck to blow” I feel pretty comfortable with this process

 

[TheMadKing]

I use a similar amount (6 oz for a 1.5 qt starter - 1 qt for the beer and 1/2 qt for the jar for keeping).

The mess seems inevitable it would seem. And what a mess if it isn’t wiped up soon afterwards!

There's a nice metric trick for making starters

100g DME per 1 liter of starter

2 liter starter = 200 g DME - works great

 

[kevin58]

Cheap plastic food containers with snap on lids.

 

[Bubbles2]

I buy it 50lbs at a time, sits in a tote from Walmark no problems keep it in my office. If you live in a dank hole you could always go get closet dehumidifiers the sell those at Homedeepthroat or Blowe's

 

[VirginiaHops1]

This may be weird, but I keep mine in the original 1lb bag then place in a gallon zip lock bag. I zip it 90% closed and press the air out. Then I take that little opening that’s left and pinch it open and suck the air out through my mouth. I do this for hops as well. As long as I don’t go from “suck to blow” I feel pretty comfortable with this process

This is how I store my DME(original bag inside big zip lock), and keep it in my ferm chamber. It's been a little over a year and mine is holding up ok, although I can tell it is absorbing a little moisture. Not sure if it would make it 2 years but it should be gone by then.

 

[brewcat]

I buy 3 lb bags. Clip a corner just enough to pour. Then roll it up and close with a clothespin. Store it in a plastic container meant for dry goods. No problems.

 

[bracconiere]

not sure if it's relevant...but when i get a hard tupperware jug of brown sugar, i soak a paper napkin and squeeze it dry, and stick it in the container to get it loose again.....

 

[sDriver]

I don't seal the original bag, but I do use the pint bags for the food sealer and throw them in the freezer until needed. I pre-measure for different starters I think I might use. The DME is so fine it is like sealing soup, some of it comes out the top when vacuuming. I have to clean the sealer thing each time but it is worth it.

 

[Martizee]

As long as I don’t go from “suck to blow” I feel pretty comfortable with this process

Was that a Space Balls reference? Mega Maid!

 

[MaxStout]

I keep a pound or two of DME for starters and store in the fridge in one of those plastic jars you can get for a few bucks at Walmart.

 

[z-bob]

I sometimes buy one pound bags, but usually 3 pounders. And I don't use it very much. I cut the entire top off the bag when I open it. I take out what I need and roll the top down and clip it with a clothespin. I keep the closed bag in my humid basement. It does get hard eventually (obligatory "that's what she said") but not so bad that I can't get what I need next time, some of it will just be chunks. And that's a bag that's been open for a year.

 

[juggabrew]

I keep a pound or two of DME for starters and store in the fridge in one of those plastic jars you can get for a few bucks at Walmart.

View attachment 631986

I might end up using the left over trail mix container I have from Costco. Looks about the same size as that one. I live in Denver so I have no issues with the DME getting clumpy from moisture. It sure dose get dusty though

 

[juggabrew]

This is how I store my DME(original bag inside big zip lock), and keep it in my ferm chamber. It's been a little over a year and mine is holding up ok, although I can tell it is absorbing a little moisture. Not sure if it would make it 2 years but it should be gone by then.

I would assume it’s fine

 

[rodwha]

I don't seal the original bag, but I do use the pint bags for the food sealer and throw them in the freezer until needed. I pre-measure for different starters I think I might use. The DME is so fine it is like sealing soup, some of it comes out the top when vacuuming. I have to clean the sealer thing each time but it is worth it.

Premeasuring for starters sounds like a good idea. It’s almost always for starters (6 oz usually), except for the barleywine I’ll be doing next. If I’m doing a strong beer I can’t the gravity high enough with (I can’t handle more than 12 lbs of grain) I usually use LME.

 

[rodwha]

*Update*

I used my opened DME that I put in the freezer to make 2 starters today and found that the powdery mess you get when you pour was nonexistent. Nice bonus!