wheat and Pilsner DME

Can I use the Briess Pilsner and Bavarian Wheat DMEs for making a lambic, as opposed to using Unmalted Wheat or flaked wheat, and Pilsner malt?
I see one commercial kit that does this and wonder how it tastes compared to all grain. It seems like a convenient way to get started, but I wont do it if it's noticeably worse tasting.

Briess Bavarian Wheat
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/briess-dried-malt-extract-bavarian-wheat-3-lb.html

Briess Pilsner DME (2/3 Wheat)
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/briess-dried-malt-extract-pilsen.html


(If you use Flaked wheat, I assume you need to mash it with at least its weight in malted barley?)

This works, I personally think all grain is better but you can make a very good lambic with extract. Add eight ounces of malodextrin

I took inspiration from this recipe, and did and extract lambic:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f72/lambic-bos-3rd-bos-two-golds-322168/

I used 8 oz. of maltodextrin for 5 gal. instead of 4 oz, and used 50% each of Pilsner and Bavarian LME. I don't have any results, as I only brewed it two weeks ago.

Over the summer, my plan is to brew two more similar beers, using a portion of the yeast cake to ferment them. One will be an all-grain single-infusion mash, and the other will be a turbid mash. In a couple of years I'll decide if the extra work for the more complicated mashing is worth it.

Why add the Maltodextrin? Is it for the Brett and bacteria?

On another thread I read that using extract makes inferior Lambics compared to all grain so now Im not sure if I will use extract.

Any thoughts on using regular 2 row as opposed to Pilsner malt?

The malto is food for the bugs. If I am feeling lazy I have no issue making a lambic from extract. The results are great. I use two bags of wheat since they are already in the right ratio of wheat to pale malt.

ArcLight said:

Why add the Maltodextrin? Is it for the Brett and bacteria?

On another thread I read that using extract makes inferior Lambics compared to all grain so now Im not sure if I will use extract.

Any thoughts on using regular 2 row as opposed to Pilsner malt?

Click to expand...

And there is some guy that makes Gold medal winners with just extract. I guess he didn't read it!


I really don't know. Most of mine are made with grain. I was lazy last time and did an extract batch. It is only 4 months in so I've not had a taste yet. Time will tell for me. If it works out well, I might just use wheat extract for Lambics, it sure makes brew day easier. I'll still mash for Flanders.

I like to pitch dregs along with the funky blends, unless it's Bugfarm. I think Cantillon, 3 Fontenien, RR, etc is more important than any extract vs grain. I think the brewing form really doesn't matter.

Pilsner is fine substituted with two row.

On the other hand, I'm brewing my first traditional lambic using pilsner, rustic raw wheat, and Bugfarm. It's going to be a top notch lambic.

Of course you can, but maybe the better question is why take a shortcut to save a couple hours brewing a beer that you are going to cellar for at least a year?

Is there a noticeable taste difference (improvement) between using 2-row and Pilsner if brewing all-grain (not using DME)?

Why use Pilsner instead of 2-row?