Did I just ruin 3 lbs of LME?

[photobru]

Hi all, so I had a 6 lb jug of LME, but only needed 3 lbs for the brew I'm doing so I poured the other 3 lbs into a clean, but unsanitized glass jar to limit oxygen exposure. As I was doing this it occurred to me that something might decide to start growing in my LME. Is this a concern or not really since I will be boiling it when I use it? Pretty worried I just wasted it…

 

[stpug]

Not a concern. LME is too thick/viscous and sugary to be beneficial to bugs.... but if you water it down then you're in trouble.

Edit: Although it may be able to grow mold on the surface if much air is present.

 

[GenIke]

you could keep it in the fridge

 

[photobru]

Ok cool, yeah I filled the jar pretty much to the rim and I always refrigerate my LME, so I guess I should be ok. That's a relief, thanks.

 

[Owly055]

Stick it in the microwave, and heat it up nice and hot...... then cap it and store it......... As one poster pointed out, it WILL grow mold on the surface.

H.W.

 

[GreatEastern]

Could botulism survive in malt? It is anearobic I think and while boiling would kill the botulism itself, the toxin can remain.

 

[SC_Ed]

You're going to boil it right?

 

[stpug]

Could botulism survive in malt? It is anearobic I think and while boiling would kill the botulism itself, the toxin can remain.

No. Botulism cannot grow and create the toxin (spores) in concentrated syrups with such a low water activity value. The same is true for honey, which is riddled with the botulism bacteria. No concern at all.

 

[flars]

I have a partial jug of LME in the frig. I topped it with about an eighth inch of Starsan solution. LME is to viscous for the Starsan solution to mix in without agitation.

 

[stpug]

I have a partial jug of LME in the frig. I topped it with about an eighth inch of Starsan solution. LME is to viscous for the Starsan solution to mix in without agitation.

The nice thing about this method is that you can simply pour out the starsan prior to using the LME because the starsan remains so separated and liquidy. Vodka would work equally as well. Good idea flars!

 

[JonM]

Stick it in the microwave, and heat it up nice and hot...... then cap it and store it......... As one poster pointed out, it WILL grow mold on the surface.

H.W.

Be very careful if you try this - a steam bubble can form below the surface and cause hot LME to blurp out the top. I saw that happen with with microwaved caramel and some pretty serious burns to the hands of the kid who took the caramel out of the microwave.

 

[Owly055]

Be very careful if you try this - a steam bubble can form below the surface and cause hot LME to blurp out the top. I saw that happen with with microwaved caramel and some pretty serious burns to the hands of the kid who took the caramel out of the microwave.

......good point.......... It's always best to allow something like this that is heated in the microwave to cool before removing it....... Anything that is hot AND sticky has a real potential to cause serious burns.


H.W.

 

[F_R_O_G]

i have an open bag of DME on the shelf closed with a piece of tape. no need to do all these extra steps and burn the extract or mix cleaning chemicals with it. think of it as honey, you can leave it out for years and put it on your pancakes just fine. plus your gonna boil it... most people are not worried enough about keeping there stuff clean. but your getting on the OCD side.