Bulk DME?

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ryser2k

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Is there any online homebrew supply site where you can buy bulk DME at a discount? I saw some on Northern Brewer but they don't have many options, so I thought I'd ask. I'm thinking about going back to partial mashes instead of all-grain, so I'd like to get a good stockpile of DME.
 
2nd Street Brewery said:
NB is where I get mine 55# XLDME for $140

Ditto.

Figure 55lb of DME is roughly 66lb of LME.

NB got my stuff to me quick... in about 3 days. I wish they had free shipping though.
 
It's a box with the DME double bagged. I've made 3 batches with it so far and it seems like I haven't put a dent in it.

NB double box's it when they ship it to you.
 
ryser2k said:
Does it come as a case of 1-lb bags or is it one huge 55-lb container?

Your best bet if you're going to buy bulk ingredients but like to have them portioned is to pick up a vacuum sealer. Get your 50 pounds of extract and portion it out into whatever weights you want.

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodli.asp?DeptNo=3000&ClassNo=0335

I actually bought mine for food originally and later discovered how useful it was for beer ingredients and equipment, the first aid kit in my trunk, spare socks for camping/hunting, putting medicine/liquids in my checked luggage on flights, creating a 'snowstorm staples' pack to keep in the basement for emergencies--- I've got a lot of stuff in those vacuum packs other than the bulk frozen meats and frozen stews/chilli/soup that I orignally bought it for.
 
kornkob is correct. My uncle's been hocking the Foodsaver on QVC and infomercials for years, so my entire family has one. My kitchen couldn't function without it...now I'm learning how useful it is in extending the life of various beer ingredients.
 
kornkob said:
Your best bet if you're going to buy bulk ingredients but like to have them portioned is to pick up a vacuum sealer. Get your 50 pounds of extract and portion it out into whatever weights you want.

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodli.asp?DeptNo=3000&ClassNo=0335

I actually bought mine for food originally and later discovered how useful it was for beer ingredients and equipment, the first aid kit in my trunk, spare socks for camping/hunting, putting medicine/liquids in my checked luggage on flights, creating a 'snowstorm staples' pack to keep in the basement for emergencies--- I've got a lot of stuff in those vacuum packs other than the bulk frozen meats and frozen stews/chilli/soup that I orignally bought it for.

I completely agree on this, but didn't think to seperate my DME. Thats a great idea.. and the bags are resusable.

I use my vacuum sealer for all kinds of stuff. I bought it initially for beer ingredients, but I'm amazed how much longer meats stay looking fresh in them. I usually go to the grocery store when they ribeyes or NY strips on sale for $4.99/lb and stock up!.

As far as beer stuff.. I buy all my hops from hopsdirect... I have 12-14 varieties and keep them in my deep freeze. I keep my corriander and orange peels together for my wits. I buy my speciality grains in bulk, split their proportions out, then keep the grain bill in one bag for next time.


I just hate all those damn styrofoam peanuts though. A royal PITA/images/smilies/mad.gif

Definately! Especially when you have a 8 week old lab puppy that thinks they are treats. :cross:
 
Yeah I think you're right, a vacuum sealer would probably be a good idea for me, especially with the direction I want to go with my brewing. My plan is to get a set of bulk ingredients that will let me brew several different partial mash or extract recipes without having to order anything from a HBS, since I don't have a local one.

Right now, I'm thinking
  • 55 lb Extra Light DME
  • Larger quantities (~1 lb each) of common hops (like the Three C's), kept in the freezer
  • Wyeast American and Irish Ale yeast (washed and reused up to 5 times)

I figure with these things plus some speciality grains, I can do just about every variety of ale out there. Also, I could probably brew for six months to a year without placing an ingredients order.

joutlaw, how do you store your specialty grains? After you vac bag them per batch, do you freeze them as well? It sounds like you are doing the exact thing I want to be doing, so please do share any knowledge you have :)
 
ryser2k said:
Yeah I think you're right, a vacuum sealer would probably be a good idea for me, especially with the direction I want to go with my brewing. My plan is to get a set of bulk ingredients that will let me brew several different partial mash or extract recipes without having to order anything from a HBS, since I don't have a local one.

Right now, I'm thinking
  • 55 lb Extra Light DME
  • Larger quantities (~1 lb each) of common hops (like the Three C's), kept in the freezer
  • Wyeast American and Irish Ale yeast (washed and reused up to 5 times)
I figure with these things plus some speciality grains, I can do just about every variety of ale out there. Also, I could probably brew for six months to a year without placing an ingredients order.

joutlaw, how do you store your specialty grains? After you vac bag them per batch, do you freeze them as well? It sounds like you are doing the exact thing I want to be doing, so please do share any knowledge you have :)

I keep my grains in my fridge. No particular reason other than storage. I keep my unopened bags from AHB in the brown box they came in if I don't have room.

I also keep my yeast, vacuum sealed wit ingredients, dry hop tablets, and clarifiers in the fridge.

I keep the hops in my deep freeze, and I've learned not to order the whole hops again. I really couldn't tell that much of a difference, and the 1lb pillows took up too much room.

My goal when I ordered that 55lb box of DME was to get enough speciality grains, clarifiers, and yeast to make at least 8 batches, 4 recipes 2 times each. I'll probably have enough DME to make 10 batches total... some of recipes call for 7lbs of DME.

I already had the hops I needed to initially. I had been planning this for a while, and finally took the plunge.

I think the yeast will save you most money. Bulk DME is cheaper, after shipping it was around $3/lb.

In case your interested the recipes I had in mind were:

ESB
Irish Red Ale
Best Bitter
Light Ale

These used magnum, northern brewer, cascade, williamette, and e.k goldings hops.

I have some hops I've never opened like chinook, perle, sazz, tettanger, hersbrucker, and others just laying around in the deep freeze.

I'm thinking with whatever DME I have left over after my 8 batches I'll make some insanely hoppy IIPA with a large variety of these hops. pretty much just an experiment.
 
It's like you read my mind (or I read yours :) ). That's exactly my goal here... I figure I can make all the recipes you mentioned, and then some, with just the ingredients we're talking about.

Are the grains you purchase milled by AHB or do you mill them yourself?
 
I just wanted to mention that I found a better deal on Bulk DME (for me at least). The Grape and Granary in Ohio has 50 lb of Briess DME for $115 ($2.30/lb). Shipping via UPS or Fedex for me is only $18, since this store is much closer to me than Northern Brewer or Midwest Supplies.

They also have Munton's for $139 ($2.52/lb) and Laaglander for $134 ($2.44/lb). These are 55 lb containers.

I'm not sure whether I should get the Briess Golden Light or Sparkling Amber DME, but when I do order it's definitely going to be from here.
 
I'd get the lighter DME, personally (as light as I possibly could). Get your beer's color from specialty grains. Then, if you want to make a really light beer, you won't have to get a different, lighter extract.
 
ryser2k said:
I just wanted to mention that I found a better deal on Bulk DME (for me at least). The Grape and Granary in Ohio has 50 lb of Briess DME for $115 ($2.30/lb). Shipping via UPS or Fedex for me is only $18, since this store is much closer to me than Northern Brewer or Midwest Supplies.

They also have Munton's for $139 ($2.52/lb) and Laaglander for $134 ($2.44/lb). These are 55 lb containers.

I'm not sure whether I should get the Briess Golden Light or Sparkling Amber DME, but when I do order it's definitely going to be from here.

Thats an excellent deal. Thanks for the heads up. Let us know how their service is. FWIW I added the Laaglander 55lb and it gave me 5% off since the order was over 125$. With shipping it was $150.xx to my door. I paid 170$ from NB.

I'm on a IIPA kick and its using a good bit of my malt.

Question for the guru's and might need to start another thread for it, if I want to make a wit with ELDME could I use wheat as a speciality grain if I steeped enough of it? SWMBO is a wit fan and doesn't care too much for these IIPAs.
 
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