Got me 110 Lbs of DME

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JacktheKnife

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Apr 29, 2005
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Location
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Howdy again ya'll,

Its true, I bought two boxes of DME both 55 Lbs.
I have been brewing, reracking or bottling dern near every day since.
After 14-15 years homebrewing I have officially gone over to DME
rather than LME! About a month ago I brewed a batch of ale with all DME,
put it on the shelf with all the other bottles of LME and after a couple of days tried one. Tried another and another... drank the entire batch before I drank another LME ale. Even though there was 10 gallons of LME which was older and more completly carbonated, bottled and sitting there right beside it. The DME was just better, cleaner tasting ale. It was gone before it had been bottled a week!

The Fermentis Safale 56 yeast has proved to be profoundly better than the english yeast I have been using for 14 years, even with LME.
I brewed 15 gallons of fermentis S-04 too, and I like it better than the #56.
So with better yeast and a more favorable extract, I am a brewing 'Knife!'
It takes me 6 hours to brew a 5 gallon batch of ale.
I can re-rack two batches, or bottle two batches in one day but brewing... about one batch, ie. 5 gallons a day is about all I can do.

One thing which may be of help to other brewers is this:
I am always forgetting something so I make lists,
Afixed to the wall in my brewery is a list of gear, items needed for
1. brewing
2. re-racking
3. bottling

It helps me to check the list when doing any Idophoring,
as I don't have to wonder what I forgot.
Reracking cane, hose, rinse water dipper and a plate to sit it on, # of pots of rinse water, more for bottling and less for re-racking. ect.

And a plastic milk crate is invaluable as a carbouy holder.
When shaking, it keeps the carbouy 90 degrees to the direction of the 'shake', and is a safety must. And when skooting back to the brewery ... Hey, their great, go out and steal a dozen from behind the 7-11 ya'll!

Yup, I feel like I am improving as a brewer, and as a knife maker as well.
Actually as the sun comes up this morning, I am finishing hardening and tempering brand new store bought 1095 blade steel rather than the junk I have been using the last 5 years since I got out of the hospital.
26 knives, skinners, handled with horseapple wood, which I hope to sell at the gun and knife show.
I even recieved an email from a friend who is a photographer and does knives. He agreed to take new pictures for the web site, where the pictures of the shop are 3 years old and the pictures of me and my hounds are 25 years old.

Later ya'll

J. Winters Knife
jacksknifeshop.tripod.com
 
That's how I get mine also.

I have 6 boxes (in various states of emptiness/fullness).

Here's a tip...I have all 6 of mine on a dolly so I can move them from my storage room to the brewing kitchen (about 20 ft).:D
 
thats definitely a sign of beer brewing dedication... I still havent stepped above buying everything a day before brewing... hehehee...

Jester
 
I'm not at that point, but since it's a long drive to any supplier from my house (heck, it's a drive to the mail box), I keep the makings for a few batches in the freezer compartment of the kegger.
 
I'd love to stock up a bit more than I normally do...how long can you keep DME without staleness issues? Does it "go bad"?
 
The boxes do have experiration dates on them, but they are usually empty before then.

I do have several 3# bags that are over 7 years old. I haven't noticed any problems with them as they are still sealed...imagine they used to cost $8.50 for 3#s?
 
where did you purchase your bulk DME, and about how much did it cost per pound shipped?
 
55 Lbs DME
Homebrew Headquarters
North Dallas {coit rd.}
$145.00 'picked up'
don't know shipped.

J. Knife
 
So is it agreed that DME produces a better beer when compared to LME? And are there different "flavors" of DME just like LME?
 
When using extracts the only different flavors comes from the yeast, unless you use some grain.:D

I pay $139.95 plus shipping from MidwestSupplies.com. HOw much that is I don't know because I usually order a bunch of other things.
 
Never mind the wRONG,
It was a typo.

I was buying my monthly 55 Lbs of DME at the 'Headquarters, yesterday, and was specifing pale, {not extra pale} and saw on the list the salesperson had in his hands,,
several types of DME,
I asumed there was amber, wheat, dark, but since I use mostly pale,
I didn't really pay attention.
There is pale, wheat, dark and amber in LME,
is there not the same in DME?????

I never thought about that one,

Knife
 
I, too, am starting to buy in bulk. But my local brewer told me to get the LME because it's easier to keep. I don't know about that but it sure is messy! Maybe I'll try the DME next time!
 
Robbw said:
I, too, am starting to buy in bulk. But my local brewer told me to get the LME because it's easier to keep. I don't know about that but it sure is messy! Maybe I'll try the DME next time!


One of the advantages of DME is that you can store it longer.
 
Robbw said:
I, too, am starting to buy in bulk. But my local brewer told me to get the LME because it's easier to keep. I don't know about that but it sure is messy! Maybe I'll try the DME next time!
LME is too dark (carmelized) for most styles. I recommend Extra Light DME as your base malt. It is mine.:D
 
Homebrewer99 dude,
Thats it !
Caramelization !

The too much 'dark' something,
in LME that I was unable to describe.
The exact taste I was getting tired of in the LME.
Which is not present in the DME.
I thought of it, the DME, as 'clean' tasting.
It was the lack of caramelization which 'tasted clean'.
Now I am an amature gourmet chef,
and I love caramelization.
I could tell ya'll a story about the time I showed old
'Massachusets Thailand Vic', who was to use this idea in his resturant,
about caramelization of bbq chicken, he went crazy over it,
eating that piece of bbq and growling like a dog!
but that would be beside the point,

I will use the LME as a different taste option,
sometimes I will just be in the mood for an Ale made from the syrup.
{I love caramelization but not on everything.}
{And there is nothing better to turn into feeders and waters,
as well as nest boxes for poultry than the 33kg white LME jugs.}
But I seem to be expanding my culinary as well as my zymerological expertise, LME, DME, ale and soon.....
{Drum roll please}

Beer.

over & out.

J. Winters Knife
 
To make your brews even "lighter" (in color) do a search on "late" boils".

I have been doing them for some time and am very pleased with the results.

One of my latest recipes, the "Czech's In The Ale", is the lightest colored brew I have ever done, other than meads. I used only Extra Light DME.

It's in the secondary now, but I will be taking pics of it when it's ready for consumption/poured in a glass.:D
 

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