DME to goo - a storage failure!

I reserved some DME from my brew to use for priming. It wasn't much so I kept it in a clean and dry cup with some cling film (saran wrap) wrapped over the top and right around the entire cup, and then stored it in the cupboard along with the flour, sugar and teabags (all fine as normal).
I periodically had a look, and all looked fine, even a week ago, but now (3 weeks on from storing) it looks like this!:

ewww. It still smells nice, and looks somewhat spreadable

Has this happened to any of you reading? I wonder if it is still usable after a 10 minute boil, but If not and I go to my LHBS to by more DME, I'll have to worry about safely storing the rest of the bag for a month or two before any new batches.
I don't think it's particularly humid here (Scotland)!, but next time I'll be sealing it in a mason jar with a silica gel pack

Bet the yeasties will still love it. Boil it for 10 to 15 min and yeast it. Bet you have bubbles in the morning!

Im sure if you boil it, things will be just fine.

RDWHAHB!

I wouldn't want to risk this batch, but if I boil it and it tastes as good as it smells, then I'll add it!
I'm worried if it has the same sugar content though, otherwise the beer might undercarbonate. It's an Imperial Stout though so it's maybe not too critical (and it already tastes amaaazing (first time for me in homebrewing :] )

I can't see how it won't have the same sugar content. It just absorbed some water out of the air so the sugar hasn't gone anywhere. Unless of course it absorbed some wild beasties along with the water. That's what I'd be a little worried about--only a little though.

Also, DME is really hydroscopic compared to more common sugars. If you leave it out here in Houston for more than a few hours it will look like yours did. Even in your environment, I'd store it in vacuum sealed pouches in the refrigerator.

Given that, it's much easier to use corn or table sugar for carbonation, plus DME will leave Kraisen material in your bottles.

I go to Crystal Beach about twice a month, and brew there quite often. Next time I'm down there brewing maybe you could drop by and give me a hand with the project
(I know that damn ferry is a pain tho)
ron

Dme is cheap enough, I'd toss it.

If I convince my SO that we should do a new brew straight after this one then I'll take some DME out of its, but it's unlikely that we'll have the time (Storage of a new bag would be a concern considering the way this one turned out).

Ravenshead said:

I can't see how it won't have the same sugar content. It just absorbed some water out of the air so the sugar hasn't gone anywhere. Unless of course it absorbed some wild beasties along with the water. That's what I'd be a little worried about--only a little though.

Also, DME is really hydroscopic compared to more common sugars. If you leave it out here in Houston for more than a few hours it will look like yours did. Even in your environment, I'd store it in vacuum sealed pouches in the refrigerator.

Given that, it's much easier to use corn or table sugar for carbonation, plus DME will leave Kraisen material in your bottles.

Click to expand...

It's the idea of wild beasties eating some of it that worried me about the sugar content. The volume it occupies is lower (see the rim around the side), but perhaps that is just what happens when it's ..gelled up.. rather than in dry powder form.

I've never thought about that with Krausen and using DME - All i've heard is that it makes for more compact bubbling in the long term. Sounds a bit icky! But i'll have to give it a go at least once.


Edit - It has darkened in colour and no longer smells as sweet as it did.
I am going to avoid the risk and get some more DME, while testing storage methods. I've read up on them through searching older posts on the forum and think I have a good plan for storing DME.

Thank y'all for your help