DME, LME manufacturing process questions.

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Espi

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I did a search and didn't come up with much.. if anyone has a better search to enter I would appreciate any input.

I am in the process of gathering the bits and knowledge to go all grain but was wondering what the actual process was to creating DME and LME?

I feel I have a good grasp of what is accomplished in the AG process, I guess I am curious as to what/ how this is done? what is added? the process?
I have made good beer so far with extract kits and have not been disappointed...

To put it in perspective is it like buying a bag of frozen veggies with cheese whiz compared to fresh garden veggies and fresh natural cheese?

Is it just as simple as boiling down the wort to the LME stage or dehydrating to get to the DME stage?

The big question is....


Will it help me understand the brewing process any more?? lol

Scott
 
Oh boy I seem to get intimidated and over think things on this forum..... cause I am a noob...

My main question is, what is the process to making DME and LME...
 
I'm far from an expert, but I just listened to a podcast where they interviewed someone from Breiss (they make LME). From what I gathered they make wort and boil it just like you would if you were brewing all grain, then once they have done the boil to stop the enzymes from doing their thing they do their dehydration process. He didn't go into specifics on that but it sounded to me like extract (at least from Briess) has already gone through a hot break. My guess is they pull a vacuum on it to lower the boiling point to concentrate it.
 
It's not cheese whiz. But like even the best cheese, it can grow old (especially LME).

It is as simple as you think- no magic, just dehydrating and condensing.

Basically, they've done the mash for you- and perhaps some of the boil, some may argue.
 
http://***********/stories/techniques/article/indices/30-extract-brewing/1106-making-malt-extract

I think this will answer some of those questions
will it make you better maybe not but you might learn a thing or two
 
DME and LME are made in just about the same way.

First is the malting process we all know. The grain is ground them the malt extracted. This is the same process we use to make wort. They then filter the wort (as it contains bits and pieces of grain mostly) and put it through a vacuum dehydrator.

If they take out almost all of the water they make a tick liquid we all call LME. If they continue and dehydrate it completely they end up with DME.

If you are thinking of making it at home it is either very time consuming (as in the boiling down of the wort while stirring it nearly continuously as it gets thicker ant thicker). This process takes a considerable amount of time. Past that you would need a vacuum dehydrator to get it any less.

In the end you will find it much easier to simply store whole malted grain and grind it your self.
 
http://***********/stories/techniques/article/indices/30-extract-brewing/1106-making-malt-extract

I think this will answer some of those questions
will it make you better maybe not but you might learn a thing or two

great link, i learned a lot from that, thanks
 
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