Liquid malt extract differences?

If a recipe calls for Northwestern Amber extract, can I use any company's Amber extract as a substitute?

I do substitue brands sometimes, if I can't get ahold of the brand I am looking for, at my LHBS. Often times i just use the LHBS bulk LME. THey do differ a little, and have slightly diffrent ammounts of fermintables. It all depends on how exact you want to be. If you are doing a clone beer, it might make a diffrence in the flavor. I normally don't worry about it, as I often don't do clones, I just go for a style beer, and try to make it my own.

So, to sum it up, they do very in the ammount of fermintables, and will very in flavor just a bit. So the choice to substitue is up to you.

If you are going to a LHBS, you should be able to ask them, a lot of places may have 3-4 diffrent Amber extracts, ask them which one would be closest to the one your recipe calls for.

ayrton said:

If a recipe calls for Northwestern Amber extract, can I use any company's Amber extract as a substitute?

Click to expand...

Assumming this is unhopped extract, really the main difference is the color. You might find one dark LME much darker than another. Usually this information is available on the mfgs website. Sure there will be some differences, but then half the fun is making each brew your own.

It seems like with every kit I buy I always change it in some way. More hops extra DME or something. I just like to try see what happens.

The only reason someone mentions a brand malt is because thet's what they used in the recipe.