Dry malt extract VS liquid malt extract

[yesjenks]

Hello All,

Aside for price, what's the difference? Is one better depending on the type of beer?

 

[rodwha]

DME is shelf stable and lasts a long time. LME can be left out for weeks, but it's stated that it's best to refrigerate it if it won't be used within a few weeks (not the canned stuff as I'm unfamiliar with it).

I prefer LME due to the cost. I get mine from MoreBeer and it's always been good. But I stock up on DME and use it for my yeast starters and those times when I may have made a mistake and need a few gravity points, or a spur of the moment idea lacking ingredients.

 

[yesjenks]

DME is shelf stable and lasts a long time. LME can be left out for weeks, but it's stated that it's best to refrigerate it if it won't be used within a few weeks (not the canned stuff as I'm unfamiliar with it).

I prefer LME due to the cost. I get mine from MoreBeer and it's always been good. But I stock up on DME and use it for my yeast starters and those times when I may have made a mistake and need a few gravity points, or a spur of the moment idea lacking ingredients.

Thanks for your response. Just to clarify, LME is more expensive. I'm happy to spend the extra $$ if my beer will taste better. In your opinion, it's worth it?

I have been making extract kits until Sunday when I brewed a partial mash recipe. My LBS (local brew store) was charging $16 for 3.3lbs of LME. Recipe ended up at $100. A bit much of a 5 gallon brew.

 

[fastengine]

Thanks for your response. Just to clarify, LME is more expensive. I'm happy to spend the extra $$ if my beer will taste better. In your opinion, it's worth it?

I have been making extract kits until Sunday when I brewed a partial mash recipe. My LBS (local brew store) was charging $16 for 3.3lbs of LME. Recipe ended up at $100. A bit much of a 5 gallon brew.

Not around here.
I can get LME for 16-17 dollars for 6 lbs and 3 lbs DME costs me $13.00
I don't use much of either but also like to have some on hand for starters.

 

[rodwha]

I've read that the canned LME can be iffy as it may have been sitting on the shelf for some time. I just don't know and wouldn't venture that direction knowing I've had great experiences with MoreBeer's LME.

From my experience with MoreBeer the LME is no different. I choose it only for the cost.

There's no way I'd spend $100 on one brew.

Partial mashes (if not all-grain) is a much better option, and where I am at. It's very much worth it to me.

Check out MoreBeer's prices vs where you go. If you order over $59 the shipping is free (on most everything). I've been ordering from them for close to 3 years now. Quite happy.

 

[rodwha]

MoreBeer sells a 5 lb bag of Briess golden light LME for $15.50. 3 lbs of extra light DME is $13.25 (also Briess).

 

[yesjenks]

Thank you for all the feedback. Gonna check out morebeer for my next brew.

 

[Calder]

My LBS (local brew store) was charging $16 for 3.3lbs of LME. Recipe ended up at $100. A bit much of a 5 gallon brew.

Wow!!!!! That's expensive.

I get 33 lb packs of Briess LME from my LHBS for $60. With tax it works out at $2 per lb.

Saw RiteBrew has 50 lb bags of Briess DME for $120. With shipping would probably be about $2.80 per lb.

 

[aprichman]

My LHBS sells LME for $2.75/lb which is cheap but still a lot more expensive than using grain. A cooler mash tun can be built for under $100 and is all you really need assuming you are using a big enough kettle. Just to give you an idea of all grain cost I buy 2 row for $1.25/lb (and if I bought in bulk from my LHBS that would go down to $1.05) so 5 gallon batch would cost ~12.50 for the grain. I also buy hops in bulk which ended up costing ~$0.80/oz. A 5 gallon batch costs me under $15 to make this way if I reuse yeast.

Cost of equipment can be recouped really fast if you are spending $100 to pump out 5 gallons.

 

[yesjenks]

Wow!!!!! That's expensive.

I get 33 lb packs of Briess LME from my LHBS for $60. With tax it works out at $2 per lb.

Saw RiteBrew has 50 lb bags of Briess DME for $120. With shipping would probably be about $2.80 per lb.

Thank you for the feedback. Gonna look at ritebrew now.

 

[yesjenks]

My LHBS sells LME for $2.75/lb which is cheap but still a lot more expensive than using grain. A cooler mash tun can be built for under $100 and is all you really need assuming you are using a big enough kettle. Just to give you an idea of all grain cost I buy 2 row for $1.25/lb (and if I bought in bulk from my LHBS that would go down to $1.05) so 5 gallon batch would cost ~12.50 for the grain. I also buy hops in bulk which ended up costing ~$0.80/oz. A 5 gallon batch costs me under $15 to make this way if I reuse yeast.

Cost of equipment can be recouped really fast if you are spending $100 to pump out 5 gallons.

Do you buy your grain online? I was thinking of trying AG but figured my LHBS would be more expensive than an extract brew.

 

[aprichman]

I buy from my LHBS

 

[Jim311]

I am gathering that I need to figure out how to brew all grain. I forget what my LHBS charges for LME but I'm pretty sure it's costing me 24 bucks or more on an average Pale Ale or IPA.