DME Vs LME

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-DME stays fresher longer, as long as you hav ein cool humidity free environment. LME can get moldy and will lose freshness over time. Depending upon where you buy LME it may not be the freshest already.
-DME (unless you buy in bulk) is more expensive then LME
- LME seems to have more "flavors" readily available. Munich, Amber, Dark, Wheat, etc. Sometimes this can help you achieve characteristics in extract that you would otherwise need to do partial mash to get.
-DME takes some patience to mix in.
 
1lb DME = .8lb LME. You need more LME to get the same amount of DME.

LME usually ends up darker than DME

I found I've needed to heat Cans of LME to get them to pour easily

Can easily save 1 & 1/4 cups from ingredient list, in a zip lock bag, to carbonate bottles

I've found LME to be a pain and only use dry. (I also only use the light color, and color/flavor with steeping or mashing specialty malts)
 
starrfish said:
1lb DME = .8lb LME. You need more LME to get the same amount of DME.

LME usually ends up darker than DME

I found I've needed to heat Cans of LME to get them to pour easily

Can easily save 1 & 1/4 cups from ingredient list, in a zip lock bag, to carbonate bottles

I've found LME to be a pain and only use dry. (I also only use the light color, and color/flavor with steeping or mashing specialty malts)
Click to expand...

I agree with everything here. I've gotten to the point where I only use Pilsen DME (same brand every time, for consistency) and build my grain bill to fit that with specialty grains/partial mashes. Deathbrewer's stovetop partial mash instructions are great; it's not really any harder than using specialty grains once you learn temperature control.

DME is much easier to work with for me, and I've gotten much lighter-colored beers with it. Mostly, though, it's more consistent (LME varies dramatically with not much age) so makes recipe formulation more accurate.
 
SumnerH said:
I agree with everything here. I've gotten to the point where I only use Pilsen DME (same brand every time, for consistency) and build my grain bill to fit that with specialty grains/partial mashes. Deathbrewer's stovetop partial mash instructions are great; it's not really any harder than using specialty grains once you learn temperature control.

DME is much easier to work with for me, and I've gotten much lighter-colored beers with it. Mostly, though, it's more consistent (LME varies dramatically with not much age) so makes recipe formulation more accurate.
Click to expand...


I use Munton & Fision light DME (or extra light for really light beers). Been using that brand for years with very consistent results. doing a SMASH this week using M&F extract and 2-row with Simcoe Hops

I've also gone to a late addition of the DME.
just wish they had a marris otter DME! that would be awesome!
 
starrfish said:
I use Munton & Fision light DME (or extra light for really light beers). Been using that brand for years with very consistent results. doing a SMASH this week using M&F extract and 2-row with Simcoe Hops

I've also gone to a late addition of the DME.
just wish they had a marris otter DME! that would be awesome!
Click to expand...

I'm in the US so I settled on Breiss pilsen DME for everything. I don't switch to light; I always go with the lightest DME and layer grains on top of that.

For instance, my British IPA is a couple of pounds of Marris Otter, 1/2 pound of Belgian biscuit, and 7 pounds of pilsen DME.

And yeah, late-addition in every beer (1/3 or so of the DME up front, the rest at the end).
 
Been extract brewing for 3 years now, and switched to strickly DME. I found it easier to use for the reasons stated above.
 
Why do sites like breworganic pitch LME if DME seems to be better for most users?

I used LME and had bad results. My best results are with DME so fast, but I have not tried a late LME addition. I would say that LME is a little easier to deal with in pouring and mixing versus the clumping of DME.

At 60# for LME vs 50# for DME, LME is 15$ cheaper. LME also comes with a food grade bucket which probably has a value of at least $5.
 
I found both to work fine. The key to using LME is to get it really fresh, stir the wort well when adding slowly, and add a significant portion of it late in the boil (2/3 maybe?).

If I got fresh LME and did late additions, I could not tell the difference between all DME and all LME batches. Now I do all grain, but I will still use 3 lbs of LME to augment if I need to hit a high gravity (in my 32 qt pot).
 

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