Dme Vs Lme

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I like DME because it's easier to measure and get that "last drop" of it out of its container. Also, you need less for the same gravity.

However, I'm a slave to the dollar so when I used to brew extract I would use LME ;)
 
You rarely know how fresh lme is, and, it's hard to measure. You work too hard at your brew to risk stale beer from stale ingredients. Go DME.
 
Dry stores better (less prone to spoilage), measures easier, is lighter. Color does not change with age. I have DME that's been stored dry and tight for 10 years which is as good as new.

Liquid may be cheaper, but is not always cheaper - remember that 1.25 lbs of LME = 1 lb DME when comparing. Prone to darkening with age, mold and other spoilage. Adds an element of risk to mail order (the potential to leak in shipment). Adds weight to mail order if your mail order site charges other than flat fee for shipment.

Some people have great preference for one over the other in adding to the boil pot - both are something of a pain, both are not that big of a deal if you turn off gas, or remove pot from electric element, and stir throughly before returning to heat.
 
My local supply store sells cans of LME and also bulk from 30 gallon drums. It goes for $2.50 a pound in bulk where the DME (usually LD Carlson Breiss or Muntons) goes for about $5.00 per pound. I still use LME for stouts and hefes (when clarity isn't a big concern) but use DME late addition for most other styles. The extra cost is worth it to me for the ease of use, and the color is generally closer (lighter) to what I am shooting for also. DME doesn't seem to darken as much as LME in a late addition.
 
My LHBS has LME at $2.49/lb, but DME at $5.75/lb. Obviously, I use LME pretty much exclusively. Of course, my brews always end up about 480205309 SRM darker than they should be, but I was doing ~2 gal boils for 5gal batches. Should be picking up a 30qt turkey fryer this weekend, so being able to do a 5gal boil + late addition should solve that problem I hope.
 
According to "Designing Great Beers" which has a large section talking about Extract.

The author prefers DME "because it's easier to measure and get that "last drop" of it out of its container".

However - he says that LME actually tastes better.

He says

DME allows accurate measurement, ease of handling and convenient storage of partially used containers.

HOWEVER

USE LME for high-volume brewing and when the flavor quality of syrup is clearly better then that of DME

Also - select a limited number of extracts so that you can rely on the results achieved from your brews.

Personally - I use LME but augment with DME when my measurement for LME is short. I use LME from a known source that has been good to me and I know freshness.
 
My LHBS has LME at $2.49/lb, but DME at $5.75/lb.

There are times when one should be fully aware of what the going price at mail-order is, and choose not to support excessive local prices for products. I got my last large bag (55lb) with a LHBS that ordered it in as a full bag for non-outrageous price - OTOH I just bought some online at 3.50 lb (for 3lbs at a whack), and have even seen a hair cheaper than that (without going to full bag quantities) since.

Grinder - your quote actually says "when the flavor quality ... is clearly better", not "the flavor is better". There's something of a huge difference there, which we mostly address by using PM and steeping to augment DME. ie, using a particular brand of amber syrup might mean you don't need to use crystal malt along with your DME, when the profile of the syrup in question matches the style of your beer better - or at least that's how it reads to me.
 
I was taking part of what he says in the text and part of his final points of the section of the book.

His actual words in the text are "Having expressed a strong preference for dry malts, . . . . . I found that the syrup products generally had a slightly better flavor. When using large amounts of extract, you might choose a better-tasting syrup for the majority and employ DME for fine tuning.

THEN 0 the Summary of Extract Brewing (which includes Specialty grains) he says

"USE LME for high-volume brewing and when the flavor quality of syrup is clearly better then that of DME "

I think you are reading that slightly wrong (or I am) - to ME the "when the flavor" is poorly worded.
 
dme...Even though I all grain I still use dme for starters and priming. It's easy to store and measure.
 
My LHBS has LME at $2.49/lb, but DME at $5.75/lb. Obviously, I use LME pretty much exclusively. Of course, my brews always end up about 480205309 SRM darker than they should be, but I was doing ~2 gal boils for 5gal batches. Should be picking up a 30qt turkey fryer this weekend, so being able to do a 5gal boil + late addition should solve that problem I hope.

The problem is you are buying single bags. :mad: You should buy bulk.

I get a 55# box of DME from midwestsupplies.com for $140. Shipping is under $20 (w/o shipping about $2.54/lb, w/shipping about $2.90/lb).

At $5.75/lb you are paying almost double of what I pay. :mad:

Also if learn to wash your yeast you'll save even more. ;)
 

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