When using someones recipe from a book or magizine, does it matter what brand light malt extract you use? cant you just use a brand from the company you generally deal with instead of looking for that particular brand?
Does brand matter??
- Thread starter thatsus02
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rarely does it really matter which brand you use.
One exception I can think of is Laaglander brand DME. It has a MUCH higher amount of non-fermentables in it than the average stuff so you get more body in the finished beer.
When I brewed extract, I used that for stouts.
One exception I can think of is Laaglander brand DME. It has a MUCH higher amount of non-fermentables in it than the average stuff so you get more body in the finished beer.
When I brewed extract, I used that for stouts.
BeerBalls
Well-Known Member
From what I read, the most important thing to look for in any extract is freshness. I'm sure lots of extract brewers have their brand preference, but if you ask your supplier how quickly he turns over his supply of any given brand of extract (and he's honest), then choose the one that he sells the most of. That way you get the freshest extract. If you're ordering online, you don't have that option. I don't know how much inventory turnover the big guys have, but I'm sure their customer service folks would be happy to field the inquiry.
robbyg
Well-Known Member
From what I've read elsewhere on this site, brand doesn't matter so much on the light and extra light malt extracts -- by necessity they're all pulling from the same basic ingredients (2-row, predominantly). That changes a little bit if you move up into the other "colors" of malt extract. For example, two companies could use fairly different grain ratios whose end result are both a 12 SRM amber extract.
jkreuze
Well-Known Member
Someone had recommended Briess light DME in a different thread talking about this topic, but I forget exactly why.
KeithMoonsLiver
Well-Known Member
They are all pretty different, but as long as they are good quality extracts they should make good beer. IMO just find a few you like and are experienced with so you can accurately predict the flavor and fermentation of your beer. You can manipulate a mash to get different levels of fermentability, but with extract you have to use different extracts which requires experience to figure out which ones ferment less or more.
To echo an earlier post, the freshness of the extract is going to be the most important thing.
When I was extract brewing, the two guidelines (assuming liquid) I followed were use freshest extract as possible, and stick to the lightest extract and control color with specialty grains in a steep or partial mash. Freshness for obvious reasons, and light colored extract since you know it is going to be essentially 2row...where as you may not know what is in darker extracts.
When I was extract brewing, the two guidelines (assuming liquid) I followed were use freshest extract as possible, and stick to the lightest extract and control color with specialty grains in a steep or partial mash. Freshness for obvious reasons, and light colored extract since you know it is going to be essentially 2row...where as you may not know what is in darker extracts.
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