Advantages to buying LME in bulk?

badun · 09-12-2008, 04:47 PM

My oldest kid gets his driver's license today which means less money in my pocket each month (insurance, gas, new car for me

). I'm an extract brewer and it's generally cheaper for me to buy kits from AHS or Northern than to buy the ingredients outright from my LHBS. That said, I want him to stay in business. To balance my need to spend less money and also patronize his business, I was wondering if it's feasible to buy liquid malt extract in bulk. It's certainly cheaper that way, but I have no idea what the shelf life would be. Any idea how long an opened, bulk container (40 lbs) would stay fresh and how to store it?

homebrewer_99 · 09-12-2008, 04:55 PM

If you're going to go bulk then I would recommend DME. It'll last over 1 year and won't darken in the process.

BeerPressure · 09-12-2008, 06:49 PM

It would be kind of a pain to measure out liquid malt extract when it comes time to brew.

Ol' Grog · 09-12-2008, 07:56 PM

Getting the LME would be a messy undertaking and you'd probably end up wasting some of it. With shipping as high as it is, I don't think you'd save that much over time to warrant the initial huge investment. DME would be a far easier route.

badun · 09-12-2008, 08:37 PM

My LHBS does sell LME in bulk, but it's sounding pretty impractical at this point.

Maybe I can talk them into selling it by the pound.

**wilserbrewer** · 09-12-2008, 09:20 PM

I've purchased LME in bulk and had good experiences. The 33 lb headpack containers of Munton Fison pours out no problem. I would refrigerate the unused portion. I would take the jug out of the fridge a day prior to brewing. I also pruchased 60 lb pails and was able to ladle the LME out in qt. containers. Sometimes I would pour an once of vodka on top of the stored LME to thwart of the nasties. I have also heard of people freezing LME but never have done it.

I never had any issues keeping LME fresh and usable for a few months.

camiller · 09-12-2008, 09:22 PM

If you really wanted to buy LME in bulk your best bet would be to measure it out in convenient sized ziploc bags or plastic containers and freeze it. If your typical batch calls for 8 Lbs of LME then measure out 5 packages of 8 Lbs each and your good. If you brew a bunch of wildly different things then measure out 40 packages of 1 Lb each or some mix of sizes like 10 singles and 6 fives.

But as has been mentioned, DME is far easier to store.

badun · 09-13-2008, 08:25 PM

Let me ask this then: Generically speaking, are there tangible differences between LME and DME in terms of taste and body in a beer?

homebrewer_99 · 09-13-2008, 09:24 PM

DME tastes better, is lighter in color, and easier to measure.

Jaeger48 · 09-13-2008, 11:17 PM

DME is easier to store, more stable, and travels better so it'll stay fresher in more extreme conditions.

I hate having to stir and stir big clumps of DME floaties in the boil which makes it more difficult when doing late extract additions when there's a wort chiller in the boil pot.