Not sure what kind of extract I have

Hi,
I bought 5lb LME in a home brew shop I don't go to usually.
It's packaged by the shop.
The guy there told me it Munton's liquid Wheat malt extract (50/50 wheat/barley)

The thing is, I'm not sure it really is wheat extract, because the label (by the shop - not original) says simply - "Malt Extract".
(I don't trust this shop...)

Is there some test I can do to find out what kind of extract this is?
My original thought was to make a small starter, crash cool it and see how cloudy it is. However, I think it won't be conclusive, since I have brewed some very clear wheat beers and in a starter the yeast will make it cloudy due to the slight mixing during racking.

Any suggestions?

It sounds like it is a 50/50 blend of wheat and barley malt extract...pretty straight forward

Malting is the term for a grain process, not a type of grain.

The purpose of malting is to create these enzymes, break down the matrix surrounding the starch granules, prepare the starches for conversion, and then stop this action until the brewer is ready to utilize the grain. After modification, the grain is dried and the acrospire and rootlets are knocked off by tumbling. The kiln drying of the new malt denatures (destroys) a lot of the different enzymes, but several types remain, including the ones necessary for starch conversion. The amount of enzymatic starch conversion potential that a malt has is referred to as its "diastatic power".

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Barley, wheat, spelt, I think even corn...pretty much any type of grain can go through the malting process....and make malt extract.

I don't know if there's any way to differentiate what is in your container short of brewing a small batch and tasting it...But I also can't figure out why you think he's tell you it was one type and give you another...

ohad said:

Any suggestions?

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Brew a beer that would work if it is 100% barley malt or 50/50 wheat/barley. I would aim for something like a Blonde Ale or American Wheat. Use some non "C" American hops and use a clean ale yeast (wlp001, wyeast1056, US-05).

I think in any case you will get a nice, light, clean beer good for summer drinking.

But, I agree with Revvy's analysis also, but it would be nice for them to label it "wheat" if it is indeed wheat.

Brew it up and see what it tastes like. that will tell you what kind of beer you have.

Off-hand, I can't think of any simple test that would tell you. I think Beerriffic has the right idea, brew something that works either way. Five pounds would make for a nice, low ABV lawnmower ale. Check it after the fermentation is done & maybe rack on some fruit.

I purchased a 44 lb box of partial fills from Williams a couple years ago. Box of bags of LME, some labeled, some not; had fun.

I think I'll just put it aside, and use it just for starters and OG adjustments in Belgian beers.