Little or a lot of grain

[Raffie]

Been meaning to ask.

I do extracts and see some beer needs very little grain and others use lots.

What exactly does the grain in beer do?
What does it add beside fermentable sugars?

 

[Yeast Infection]

taste, color, a more mouthy feel,

 

[Bobby_M]

In extract batches, the grains are used for color and flavor mostly. Since you're technically not mashing, you don't get many fermentables from them.

 

[TheJadedDog]

Specialty grains like crystal, chocolate, ect... and adjuncts like roasted or flaked barley can add mouthfeel, color, and other flavor characteristics.

I have only been using extra light DME, so all of the things that make each of my beers different from one another, other than total fermentables, comes from the specialty grains.

Of course, I am in the process of putting together equipement to go AG.

 

[shbrewer]

I just found a beer that I bottled a few months ago that was Hopped LME and it tasted very "thin", I compared it to a Kolsch that I brewed and even ran through a beer filter that I made and the differnce is amazing. The Kolsh was a partial mash, and like I said the other was just Hopped LME. I will only brew if Ihave something to steep with my DME.

 

[Raffie]

So base flavors and textures.
Adds suttlenees to the over all taste.

 

[cfresh]

Specialty grains like crystal, chocolate, ect... and adjuncts like roasted or flaked barley can add mouthfeel, color, and other flavor characteristics.

I have only been using extra light DME, so all of the things that make each of my beers different from one another, other than total fermentables, comes from the specialty grains.

Of course, I am in the process of putting together equipement to go AG.

Sorry for the dumb noob question and a bit off topic, but does your comment about extra light DME mean you use only light dry malt extract (powdered form) and just add hops and specialty grains to make your brew? If so how much Light DME would you use as a base for a brew? I want to move off of kits and customise a bit but dont want to go AG at this stage.