Critique my first recipe/Munich LME?

[ratnerstar]

I've been brewing for several months and have pretty much confined myself to kits and pre-designed recipes, with a few minor tweaks of my own. I've also been shopping exclusively at my lhbs, which is an awesome place but a bit pricey. Trying to save myself a little money, I started checking out the online shops, where I discovered all sorts cool ingredients I had never seen before. In particular: pale chocolate malt and Munich LME.

Both of those things sounded really cool, especially the Munich LME, but I couldn't find any recipes that called for them. And since I was also, ahem, sampling some homebrew at the time, I decided to whip up a recipe of my own, with the help of QBrew. This is what I came up with. I'm calling it an ESB, although that may be a stretch.

Steeping grains:
12 oz Crystal 40
2 oz Pale chocolate malt
2 oz Carapils

Malt extract:
3 lbs Extra light DME
3 lbs Munich LME

Hops:
1 oz Northern Brewer (7.4%) @ 60 min
1 oz East Kent Golding (7.2%) @ 20 min
1 oz East Kent Golding (7.2%) @ 5 min

Yeast:
White Labs WLP007 Dry English Ale

At the time I was excited, but I'm a little nervous now. So any thoughts on this and how it could be improved? Also, does anyone actually use Munich LME? If so, for what?

Thanks!

 

[SteveM]

It should be great just like that.

I think the type of LME you use is almost entirely about appearance, but a Munich could be a different case. I simply use the palest one available. For most beers, it's like picking a canvas upon which you will paint.

 

[Yooper]

I've used Munich LME. It's perfect when you want to use Munich malt, but can't do a mash.

It'd be good in a German beer, like Oktoberfest, or American beers where you want some extra malt character, like pale ales. It's particularly nice in porters!

 

[frazier]

I recently did O'Flannagain's Stout (here), as a mini-mash. I used 4# of Munich LME, it turned out great.

 

[nanofreak]

The one question I have is why the LME and DME. I know some homebrew shops do that in their kits too, and I don't get why.

 

[ratnerstar]

Thanks guys. I was having some jitters, but I figure it'll turn into beer one way or another!

I've used Munich LME. It's perfect when you want to use Munich malt, but can't do a mash.

Do you know if there's a simple method for converting Munich grain in a recipe into Munich LME?

The one question I have is why the LME and DME. I know some homebrew shops do that in their kits too, and I don't get why.

For me, it's just that I prefer DME to LME, so I use the former whenever possible. But there's no Munich DME, so I was forced to use both. I'm not sure it makes much of a different either way.

Again, thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Yooper]

The one question I have is why the LME and DME. I know some homebrew shops do that in their kits too, and I don't get why.

It's usually because LME is cheaper, so they use that. But sometimes the LME comes in cans, so they "make up" the difference with DME. It's the same basic product- at least pale LME and light DME are. The darker extracts usually have other things in them, like crystal malt. You can safely sub pale LME and light DME for each other, but it's not a one-for-one. LME is watered down a bit, so you need to use more for the same amount of fermentables.

Do you know if there's a simple method for converting Munich grain in a recipe into Munich LME?

I would sub Munich LME for Munich malt in a 75% amount. What I mean is 1 pound Munich malt = .75 pound Munich LME.

 

[nanofreak]

It's usually because LME is cheaper, so they use that. But sometimes the LME comes in cans, so they "make up" the difference with DME. It's the same basic product- at least pale LME and light DME are. The darker extracts usually have other things in them, like crystal malt. You can safely sub pale LME and light DME for each other, but it's not a one-for-one. LME is watered down a bit, so you need to use more for the same amount of fermentables.



I would sub Munich LME for Munich malt in a 75% amount. What I mean is 1 pound Munich malt = .75 pound Munich LME.

Nope, this is places like Northern Brewer where they send you both bulk LME and bulk DME, and others as well. Just seems odd. As far as the differences in weight needed for each, I understand that.

I am just used to brewmasters warehouse where no matter how much or little I order Ed can accomodate it to the ounce.

 

[nanofreak]

For me, it's just that I prefer DME to LME, so I use the former whenever possible. But there's no Munich DME, so I was forced to use both. I'm not sure it makes much of a different either way.

I will admit I missed it being two different types. Makes sense.

 

[SumnerH]

Nope, this is places like Northern Brewer where they send you both bulk LME and bulk DME, and others as well. Just seems odd. As far as the differences in weight needed for each, I understand that.

I am just used to brewmasters warehouse where no matter how much or little I order Ed can accomodate it to the ounce.

LME often comes in cans of certain sizes (like 1# and 3# or whatever), and it's hard to use part of a can.

DME is easy to weigh out just as much as you need. So if the brand they're using comes in 3# cans, you'll often see a recipe with 6# of LME and 1.5# of DME instead of one that has 7.8# of LME and only uses a fraction of a can of LME.