LME Brands

D-Ring · 03-26-2009, 01:41 AM

A lot of recipes call for this brand of LME or that brand. I was wondering if anybody finds that there are major differences in the tastes between different brands? Certainly, there are minor differences and subtleties. I am curious because the prices at the LHBS have major differences.

SumnerH · 03-26-2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGDrng

A lot of recipes call for this brand of LME or that brand. I was wondering if anybody finds that there are major differences in the tastes between different brands? Certainly, there are minor differences and subtleties. I am curious because the prices at the LHBS have major differences.

Fresher is better. The major difference is that they might vary a little in how many gravity points they contribute (so you'd have to tweak the amounts slightly) or with a wheat extract you'll find differences in the amount of wheat the have (ranging from 50% to 65%).

I usually use DME instead, just scale to hit the same gravity.

SteveM · 03-26-2009, 12:42 PM

I know a lot of folks like it but I just don't care for the taste of beers that I've made using Briess. I like Cooper's and Munton's.

D-Ring · 03-26-2009, 11:39 PM

1. So I understand that you can taste a notable difference between brands?

2. Have you ever made the same recipe on two seperate occasions using two different brands of extract?

3. Were they noticably different, or were they more or less the same?

4. I am making an ESB that calls for Briess, but I can't get it here. Is it worth spending the extra $ on Coopers or should I just buy the cheaper Northwestern Malt?

WOW that's a lot of questions!
Thanks

D-Ring · 03-26-2009, 11:43 PM

Do you scale it by using the number of points per gallon? I don't have my notes in front of me , but isn't it something 36 pts per lb. vs. 25 pts per pound?

Also, do you notice a taste difference between brands of DME?

SumnerH · 03-27-2009, 12:10 AM

Scale it to hit the same OG (which, yeah, should be ppg). The ppg is going to vary slightly between brands of LMEs and between brands of DMEs.

Unlike the previous poster, I've had good luck with Breiss (both DME and LME). Laaglander is one that I haven't had good luck with; it never really fermented out, and left me with an overly sweet tasting beer.

SteveM · 03-29-2009, 03:21 PM

It's a matter of personal taste. I have no doubt that Briess makes a product that works for lots of folks. Nothing wrong with it, just doesn't taste as good to me (though this does not mean I won't ever use it - it's just not my first choice). Try different things and decide for yourself.

gsak · 03-29-2009, 04:32 PM

I made an award-winning Old Ale using a mix of Briess Amber and Briess Dark.

Bob · 03-29-2009, 07:49 PM

Different extracts do behave differently. They've all got different ingredients, for a start. They've been mashed differently. They've been concentrated to different levels. It takes either an afternoon of internet research or lots of pre-internet experience to figure out what's what.

For example's sake, here are some things I know off the top of my head - Muntons extracts ferment quite dry and thin. Briess extracts have a proportion of Crystal malt in them, no matter how pale the label says it is, and generally ferments with a fuller body. Alexander's is 100% US 2-row Klages pale malt and is very neutral, leaving little impact on the beer.

Cheers,

Bob

yermej · 03-30-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NQ3X

Briess extracts have a proportion of Crystal malt in them, no matter how pale the label says it is, and generally ferments with a fuller body.

The Briess site doesn't list Crystal/Caramel in their Pilsen Light, Golden Light, or Bavarian Wheat extracts though the first two do have Carapils which could explain the fuller body.