Extra LME
- Thread starter jefraz
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Captain Damage
Well-Known Member
Use DME instead. Basically multiply the amount of LME clled for by 0.8 to get the amount of DME you need. You can't usually buy less than 1lb of DME at a time, but as long as you keep it dry it will las quite a long time.
LME is great when you can buy it from a LHBS because they have it in big vats that are purged with gas to keep it fresh. Stay away from canned LME, though!
If canned LME is your only choice at your store, then buy the DME as mentioned! Canned LME usually isn't fresh and older LME just doesn't have the same good taste as fresh LME in bulk or DME does.
If canned LME is your only choice at your store, then buy the DME as mentioned! Canned LME usually isn't fresh and older LME just doesn't have the same good taste as fresh LME in bulk or DME does.
looneybomber
Well-Known Member
I went to my LHBS just days ago asking for either 3lbs of dark DME or 3.3lbs of dark LME. The guy behind the counter said I should get Muntons dark LME since I was brewing a stout, recommending it over the DME. Hope he wasn't trying to push old stock on me.
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Yes, if the LME is canned.
Fresh LME (in those bulk "vats" I mentioned earlier that are purged with gas) is great. They have more varieties of LME than DME- like Munich LME and rye LME. If it's fresh like that, it's really good quality. Some homebrew stores have that system, and sell you little jugs of the LME from their big vats.
Some stores just carry the canned LME and that is the stuff to stay away from.
Captain Damage
Well-Known Member
Not really, if the LME is fresh... but in the cans it can be hard to tell how long it's been sitting on the shelf. If it's old it can taste like ballpoint pen ink. DME, as long as it's powdery, you know it's been kept dry and has a longer shelf life.
He probably wasn't trying to push old stock on you, he was probably trying to sell you the easiest way to get a good result. The reason we usually recommend using pale DME and coloring and flavoring with specialty grains, rather than using dark extract is that this is more similar to the way a professional brewer brews. The great majority of the grist in any beer, whether it's a black stout or pale pilsner, is pale malt. Using pale extract + specialty grains mimics this and gives you control over what's in your beer.
Dark extracts will usually make a fine dark beer, but the manufacturers almost never publish the breakdown of what malts were used in making them. Also, it's hard to use leftovers for anything other than dark beer, whereas light extract can be used for anything.
Pour the extra into a clean plastic container and keep cool.
gratus fermentatio
Well-Known Member
Interesting; the LHBS where I shop has big, 30 gallon barrels of LME, they sell me whatever amount I want. Though I'll admit I've never asked for less than 1lb.
Regards, GF.
Regards, GF.
mmonacel
Well-Known Member
If you're getting cans, I'd suggest getting enough cans to use them all and then make up the rest of the gravity points with DME. It should give you the majority of the flavor you're going for without wasting too much.
Half a pound of any LME is not going to make any difference to the beer. You didn't say what it was, but for that small quantity I suspect it is wheat LME.
You could just replace it with some other type of extract.
You could just replace it with some other type of extract.
