DME vs LME

[Harrydan]

Just wondering about the advantages of using one or the other... or both?
The only homebrew I've brewed/bottled/drank was an oktoberfest recipe from my LHBS that called for both amber LME and light DME. I tweeked the recipe a bit to make it my own but it came out great. The red Ale I have in the primary right now was an all grain recipe that I modified to an extract recipe with no DME. I'm a little nervous because I see alot of brewers that use dme exclusively in extract brewing, so any input will be helpful.

Sincerely,
A Sponge-like noob

 

[orcus332]

Since you are fairly new, don't forget about the search function in the upper right. dme vs lme has been covered ad nauseam. I've pasted a post by llazy llama, hope it helps.

Extract: Dry (DME) Vs. Liquid (LME) Vs. Canned

Dry
Pros:

Stays fresh longer than liquid
Easily storable, and easily transferred into separate containers. This comes in handy when using dry extract for starters, or for doing partial late extract additions
Available for bulk purchase from most any LHBS and most online stores
Easy to clean up any spills


Cons:

Tends to clump when added to wort. This is easily remedied by adding DME slowly and stirring constantly
Available in fewer varieties than LME
More expensive than LME


Liquid
Pros:

Available in many different varieties
Smells amazing. So amazing, in fact, that sometimes I'll dab a bit on my upper lip, and just be in a heavenly mood all day
Less expensive per pound than DME or canned extract


Cons:

You will at some point, regardless of how careful you are, spill this stuff. It's not too difficult to clean it off a stove top (if you're quick about it) but it will make your floor feel like velcro if left to dry. Clean it ASAP
To get every last drop out of your container, you'll need to either dip the container into the boiling wort and pour the run off out, or ladle in boiling wort and pour again. It's not difficult, just be careful not to burn yourself as I do every single time
Pours slowly. Remedy this by letting the container soak in hot water for a while to thin it out


Canned Extract
Pros:

Can be purchased pre-hopped
Can be stored over long periods of time without much degradation of quality
Container shape is conducive to the dip and pour method to get out every last little bit


Cons:

Tend to be much lower quality. The difference between canned LME and LME fresh from an LHBS or online is very noticeable
Can be purchased pre-hopped. Your guess is as good as mine as to what variety of hops they used to make it, or in what quantity
Requires a can opener to open. Not really a big deal, in all honesty
Pours slowly. Remedy this by letting the container soak in hot water for a while to thin it out
Just like LME, you want to clean up any spills as soon as possible
Available in very few varities

 

[Harrydan]

Thanks could barely see that search engine!

 

[strambo]

I like LME because I can get it fresh at 2 LHBS stores and it costs a lot less. If I had to order everything, that might change the equation.

 

[cervezarara]

You need 25% more LME than DME to reach the same gravity (with LME the moisture content is higher). That's one reason DME is more expensive.

Some all-LME recipes never fully attenuate (you can also search the dreaded 1.020 wall). I think this depends on the freshness of the extract, and there are doubtless other contributing factors. During the boil, for some reason LME tends to darken a bit more than DME. This may not be a huge concern, but many extract brewers do late extract addition to diminish this effect.

 

[Gear101]

You need 25% more LME than DME to reach the same gravity (with LME the moisture content is higher). That's one reason DME is more expensive.

Some all-LME recipes never fully attenuate (you can also search the dreaded 1.020 wall). I think this depends on the freshness of the extract, and there are doubtless other contributing factors. During the boil, for some reason LME tends to darken a bit more than DME. This may not be a huge concern, but many extract brewers do late extract addition to diminish this effect.

Agree if you factor in the amount used in relation to the price, the cost really isn’t that much more. IMHO it’s just easier to use DME.

 

[Robin0782]

Personally, I always use a light DME and get my color and flavor from steeping grains. No Amber or Dark DME, and definitely never use hop flavored extract. Use real hops. So really I just use DME to replace most of the base malt in a recipe. I always do a partial mash with a few pounds of base grain though, which seems to have significantly improved my beers. So if you can, I recommend it. But at the least, only use light DME and steep some specialty grain.

 

[jmprdood]

OP - orcus gave you a good run down - it really is a matter of what you have access to and what you feel comfortable with using. Experiment and see what you like.

Cheers!

 

[CarpenterBrewer]

Bulk LME and DME are virtually the same price at my LHBS. Though you would save a couple dollars on each brew reusing a container with LME.

 

[tonyc318]

There is an episode of brewing network where they talk about kits beers and the difference between LME and DME. How there are made is a decision maker for me. DME is wort that has been sprayed into an open vessel and harvested once dried. There is no guarantee that the air is pure. LME is boiled down in a more sanitary environment. Anyways, they explain it way better, so go look up the kit beer episode on Brew Strong and hear John and Jamil explain. Obviously pretty quality beers are made with both. Use what you're most comfortable with.