Bulk Malt Extract

Just wondering if it's a good thing to do to buy a 55 lb bag of extra light malt extract from NB.
For a single pound, it's $5.25. For 3 lbs, $11.99 ($4/lb) and for 55 lb $145 ($2.65/lb, excluding the extra shipping which I don't know). This savings really adds up, as DME is the most expensive part of my brewing.
I will always be using specialty grains, so I guess my question is, is the Munton's Extra Light DME versatile in the sense that I can buy a huge bag of it and brew most of my beer with it (I mean a wide spectrum of conceivable beer styles, with the obvious exception of wheat and special styles)? I have no problem storing it or using it, so long as it's good for lots of beer styles.
Hope it's not too n00bish of a question, but my money tree doesn't grow well in my apartment and DME aint cheap.

I have been buying the bags from NB for the last couple years. One bag can be stored in 2 Home Depot buckets.

I just did that exact thing, planning to supplement with wheat dme if necessary. I chose to vacuum seal in smaller packs because I was concerned about the big bag bricking up if it gets too humid...I discuss the results in this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/complete-joys-bulk-homebrewing-342513/

You're right about being able to use light dme in anything with the right grains, I've done everything from a light cream ale to a dark porter.

Rock on! :rockin:
Thanks for the green light guys!
+1 for posting your results, that was very helpful. Sounds like I need to make sure it's super air tight.
How much is the shipping for the bag?

If you have the money to buy 55lbs of DME and youre going to use it, heck yes go for it. Like rifraf though I would break it up into smaller bags to prevent it from clumping but that stuff will store for quite some time. So depending on your brew schedule you could burn through it in a couple months or a year but you should be good either way.

kroach01 said:

Rock on! :rockin:
Thanks for the green light guys!
+1 for posting your results, that was very helpful. Sounds like I need to make sure it's super air tight.
How much is the shipping for the bag?

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I bought mine through my LHBS. He's only been in business a short time and has been a huge help, great resource, and all around awesome person so I'm trying to support him even while I do my best to save money.

Check out the group buy section and get in on a buy if you can....N. Country Malt sells Briess DME 50lb $90, or LME 60lb $75
p. 18 of the catalog
http://www.countrymaltgroup.com/downloads/2012 Champlain Updated 7-12-12.pdf

wilserbrewer said:

Check out the group buy section and get in on a buy if you can....N. Country Malt sells Briess DME 50lb $90, or LME 60lb $75
p. 18 of the catalog
http://www.countrymaltgroup.com/downloads/2012 Champlain Updated 7-12-12.pdf

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Nice!! I will DEFINITELY do this group buy. Do you think Pilsen or the Golden Light is a better choice for the base malt?

>> is the Munton's Extra Light DME versatile in the sense that I can buy a huge bag of it and brew most of my beer with it (

Yes. The darker extracts are made from the same base malt with a few darker grains added.
If you google you can see what is needed to add to Light DME to get other darker DMEs

I use DME for starters and wish it was less expensive, but a 55 pound bag would last me over a decade.



from HBT>>
From Brewmaster's Warehouse:

For Amber LME the simplest conversion is to use some 2-Row and some Caramel 20L to acheve the closest color, gravity, and taste, and for the Extra Light LME it is just 2-Row malt. I have listed below a couple of conversion factors for each, using 3.3 lbs and 1 lb. The 3.3 lb cans are the most common, but I listed a 1 lb conversion just in case.

For 3.3 lbs. of Amber LME - 4 lbs of 2-Row, and 1 lb. of Caramel 20L
For 1 lb. of Amber LME - 1 lb. 4 oz. of 2-Row and 4 oz. of Caramel 20L

For 3.3 lbs. of Extra Light LME - 5 lbs. of 2-Row
For 1 lb of Extra Light LME - 1 lb. 8 oz. of 2-Row

I've found it easier to convert all grain to all-light-DME than converting dark/amber dme recipes to all-light-dme.

For all grain converting, I use however much DME I need to match the OG of the all-grain, and then use all the specialty grains (basically everything but the 2-row) that the all-grain calls for pound for pound.

Thanks SOO much for the help guys!
I'm going to try and get in on the group buy for the 50# bag of Pilsen Light DME (2 degree L) and possibly split a bag of Bavarian Wheat DME if someone is interested.
At $90 for 50 lbs, that cuts the cost to $1.8 per pound of extract -- killer! I was looking at $2.63/pound through NB. This could almost cut my 5-gallon batches total cost in half if I was buying 3-lb bags!

How much shipping gonna be for a 50# bag though?

PaulyWantsABeer said:

How much shipping gonna be for a 50# bag though?

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Group buy shipping is usually around $5 / 50 lb

wilserbrewer said:

Group buy shipping is usually around $5 / 50 lb

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Wow! Great deal