Extract is expensive!

wilserbrewer said:

If you can get in on a local group buy, Country Malt Group sells 5 gal. (60 lb.) LME for $75.90 plus about $5 shipping. Briess DME is $92 for a 50 lb bag. plus shipping around $5.

http://www.countrymaltgroup.com/downloads/Champlain%202013%20Price%20Sheets%20-%20Updated%2012-31-12.pdf

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Good info. Sooner or later somebody was going to try to compare group buy base malt price to 3 lb LME cans to come up with crazy ratio showing ho expensive extract is. That said I've heard you need to be careful not to expect too much shelf life from bulk LME so the 50 lb DME might be the way to go in bulk. I have some older bulk LME in the garage but I only use it for starters now.

My LHBS sells 50 lb bags of DME for $140 or so, bringing my cost per pound down to $2.80 per pound. Then I just weigh it out with a food scale. I don't use LME.

eric19312 said:

I've heard you need to be careful not to expect too much shelf life from bulk LME .

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IME bulk LME has a fairly reasonable shelf life...guessing a couple few months. One could also break it into smaller amounts and freeze it FWIW?

cooldood said:

I know a lot of people here (including me) whine about shipping costs but I like the Midwest kits but $18 for shipping can almost double the price

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That shipping is what kills the cost. You really have to plan ahead if you want to save yourself some money.

I wouldn't buy bulk DME. The cost savings doesn't really offset the hassle of dealing with it, at least to me. Besides, I like to use several different types of LME. In the last 2 months alone I have used wheat, amber and gold. I have also used Marris Otter, Munich and Pilsen within the last 4 months. That is at least 5 distinct types of extract that really can't be substituted for each other.(Amber could be replaced with Gold+ specialty and maybe Munich with Gold+ specialty)

how did you get free shipping?

In the end its still alot cheaper than buying craft beer from the store.

wormraper said:

I brewed an all grain stout for $22 .... the extract version cost $29.75

my all grain hefeweizen is $19, my extract version is $22

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IMHO, this is the only fair way to compare it. Batch vs. batch, or recipe vs. recipe, total cost.

I'm brewing 2.5-3.0 gallon batches (because I send it all right to 2.5 gallon cornys), and LME is working out perfect. a single 3.3 lb can is the perfect size as a base malt for such a batch size.

My question would be how long does the LME last? I'd like to order a bunch from an online store and only pay shipping once, that way it's just on hand whenever I need it (I buy grains from the LHBS for $1.25/lb). However, the thought of using bad/expired LME has me worried.

Upthewazzu said:

My question would be how long does the LME last? I'd like to order a bunch from an online store and only pay shipping once, that way it's just on hand whenever I need it (I buy grains from the LHBS for $1.25/lb). However, the thought of using bad/expired LME has me worried.

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I would think refrigerating it would help. Not sure how long it would last though.

The carboy I have sitting in the garage for starters has been there several months and seems fine. Curious I tasted the decant liquid from my last 24 hour starter and it was so tasty I ended up drinking about a pint of it...certainly didn't detect any cardboard.

I raised the issue re shelf life of LME from what I've read, but my experience is that it is really pretty stable.

BxBrewer said:

In the end its still alot cheaper than buying craft beer from the store.

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Yea I went to the store an they wanted almost $11 for this 6pack. I was like are you kidding. So I grabbed two 12packs of PBR for $20. You get what you pay for but I have bad some great home brews and they are a lot cheaper.

lumpher said:

i do some extract brews with dme. hefe is 1 of my normal extract beers. i use 2 bags wheat at $11 apiece, wb-06 at $3.50, and 1.5 oz hersbrucker ( $1.15 total since i buy in bulk ) . total 5g extract hefe is a little less than $27

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I live in Alaska and our LHBS sells 7lbs LME for a little over $20, white labs for $10, 2oz hops for $6, DME for $6 a lb. and specialty grains for 2.10 lb. total cost for a nice Heffewiesen is about $45. That's about the cheapest extract I can make up here. Sucks when I hear about the prices everywhere else around the country.

That does not include propane to boil with. Takes about 1/2 tank per batch at $30 per cylinder. Adds $15 to every batch.

http://noblegrape.ca/?beertype=malt-extracts

http://noblegrape.ca/?beertype=grains

This what I'm paying in New Brunswick, Canada.

I can easily make a 23L (6 gal) batch of beer for anywhere between $25 - $40. I am only extract brewing right now. I don't have space or time for all grain.

I started harvesting yeast, which is another good way to cut brewing costs.

I do, it's my little hobby car. Currently putting a 200hp Subaru engine and tranny in it. Too many hobbies not enough time.

unionrdr said:

Do you actually have a 914? Love those.

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Porsche914 said:

I do, it's my little hobby car. Currently putting a 200hp Subaru engine and tranny in it. Too many hobbies not enough time.

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Damn impressive...gonna be a 911 killer at that HP / weight, might wanna think about upgrading the brakes as well

OK sorry I'm hijacking...quote below...

The 1.7L 914 which was produced from 1970 until 1974 put out 76hp. The 1.8L 914, produced from 1974 through 1976 actually had a peak output of 72hp. The 2.0L option that was produced from 1973 through 1976 put out 91hp.

The 914/6, produced from 1970 through 1976, had a peak output of 110hp from it's 2.0L flat 6.

Other rare/unproduced cars that are part of the family, mentioned in previous answers: the 916 was a variation of the 914/6 that features 914/6GT body work and the engine from a 911S (190hp). The two 914/8 models that were built were both outfitted with the 3.0L flat 8 from the 908/3 (the red 914/8 that was owned by Dr. Piech featured the 3.0L engine used MFI and produced 300hp; Dr. Porsche's carb equipped version put out 260hp).

OMG 300hp and 8 cyl torque in a 914 go cart...WTF

fishfoolz said:

That does not include propane to boil with. Takes about 1/2 tank per batch at $30 per cylinder. Adds $15 to every batch.

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WHOA!...you need to fix that...I get about five batches from a tank and a refill costs about $12.50.

NivekD said:

WHOA!...you need to fix that...I get about five batches from a tank and a refill costs about $12.50.

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Just depends on the size of burner. But I would say that $12.50 is a little low. I pay maybe $16 but its ballpark.

Yes, creating your own recipes and going with Extract DOES get expensive, if your using DME. I switched this past fall to DME and the results are enough for me to continue on using it. The beer taste better, to me. $35-45 for ingredients for most batches, but thats life. I've got a killer Chocolate Stout I brewed in the fall, DME and grain.

I am, however, thinking of buying an 8 gallon brewpot (with triple clad bottom) and going BIAB. The brew shop charges about $1.5/lb for grain, my price would drop to less than $20 per batch! But that $120 for the brewpot is quite a few batches of beer. Extract really isn't THAT much faster if your using any steeping grain at all. I have found I get the most if I do a 45 minute steep @ 150°F. 20 more minutes and I would have All-Grain. Hmmm.

nymtber said:

Yes, creating your own recipes and going with Extract DOES get expensive, if your using DME. I switched this past fall to DME and the results are enough for me to continue on using it. The beer taste better, to me. $35-45 for ingredients for most batches, but thats life. I've got a killer Chocolate Stout I brewed in the fall, DME and grain.

I am, however, thinking of buying an 8 gallon brewpot (with triple clad bottom) and going BIAB. The brew shop charges about $1.5/lb for grain, my price would drop to less than $20 per batch! But that $120 for the brewpot is quite a few batches of beer. Extract really isn't THAT much faster if your using any steeping grain at all. I have found I get the most if I do a 45 minute steep @ 150°F. 20 more minutes and I would have All-Grain. Hmmm.

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Or maybe 10 minutes less with BIAB if your crush/grind is fine enough. From what I see, my mash is done in less than 30 minutes. I use my Corona style mill and grind the grain very fine.

I usually buy a bunch of DME from morebeer--now only if only I could justify buying a 50 lb sack

NivekD said:

WHOA!...you need to fix that...I get about five batches from a tank and a refill costs about $12.50.

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I just did my third batch with the same tank and might have enough for my fourth batch. I guess I was a little off on how much was left in my tank. It does cost about $30 per tank unfortunately in Alaska. Realistically about $6-$7 per batch. That does not seem as bad.

Hi just saw 33 lb LME carboys at LHBS for $55. Brewtopia Long Island. Had 4 new carboys in the store.

That's $1.67/lb.

Given standard formula of 1 lb grain = 0.75 lb LME = 0.6 lb DME that's the equivalent of buying base malt at $1.25/lb. I pay $1.10 for 50 lb sacks. So I'm saving $0.15/lb using all grain...less than $2/ batch. All prices are "pick up at the store prices, so no additional shipping charge.

I asked the owner how he was able to offer such a great price and he indicated this is recently bought, includes his standard markup, not a mistake.

Conclusion, if you want to brew with extract, and don't like the price, shop around. Maybe ask at your LHBS to see if you can get a similar deal.