Recipe called for crushed barley, but my kit came with non-crushed barley

After reading through the ingredient list of my first homebrew (EPA from Northern Brewer-Extract) i noticed that it called for Crushed barley.

The barley that came with the kit was not crushed (at lease from what I could tell) I looked up a picture online of crushed barley and what I had looked nothing like it.

Is it typical to receive uncrushed barely? Did NB mean for me to use the barley as is?

What we did was took the grains out of the bag and hit them with a hammer insed of a towel in an attempt to crush as much as possible. It worked fairly well.

Any insight? Should we have used them as is?

Normally kits come crushed, but I have seen some sites that give you the option of having them whole. Perhaps this just got mixed up?

Sorry, i meant to post this in the Beginners forum. But anyway. I live close to St. Paul so I am able to buy direct form the Northern Brewer store. I guess I will just ask them next time I buy a kit. It seems as though there may have been a mix up. Especially seeing that I asked for an easy beginner brew to start with and they recommended the EPA. I wouldnt imagine that you would need a mill just starting off.

The barley needs to be crushed. If its a small amount just use a plastic bag and a rolling pin.

I just got my chinook IPA kit from them and the specialty grain was not crushed as well. Not a big deal to me, I just crushed it myself, but it sounds like you should ask them next time you order. You don't need a mill. It just makes it easier. I used the bottom of a pan and a chopping board and crushed away.
I know that's more work then you may want to do but it will work.

springer said:

The barley needs to be crushed. If its a small amount just use a plastic bag and a rolling pin.

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If you don't have a rolling pin, a champagne, wine or even a beer bottle will work in a pinch.

Great, Thanks for all the good Ideas. I dont have a rolling pin but I have many wine bottles laying around....the hammer was kind of fun though!

Put it int a paper bag and run over it a few times with your car. I haven't tried this, but i'd give it a shot if my mill broke. I have use the rolling pin and that was quite a job.