Liquid Malt Extract

From Home Brewing Wiki

Liquid Malt Extract, or LME, is the result of removing some, but not all of the water from the wort. It is a syrup and is available in hopped and unhopped forms. One pound of base malt is equivalent to approximately 0.75 pounds of LME. It can be packaged in cans, plastic containers, or sealed bags. While typically less expensive than dried extract, the main drawback of LME is the difficulty found in measuring and handling the thick, syrup-like substance.

[edit] Using LME

For easier handling, soaking your can or pouch of LME in a sink of hot water will thin the syrup and make it flow easier. When adding LME to the kettle, turn off the flame or burner. The heavy syrup sinks to the bottom of the kettle, and, if the flame is on, will scorch rapidly. This scorching can add a burned flavor to the finished beer.

Many beers brewed with LME end up darker than anticipated. Using a Late Extract Addition can alleviate some of the problem. A Late Extract Addition adds some of the LME at the beginning of the boil, with the hops, and the bulk of the extract is added with 15 minutes left in the boil, long enough to sanitize the LME.