LME/DME questions

[kontrol]

1. I often see people use LME and DME in their beer recipe (both light). Why? They should be the same in theory, is it because LME come in limited size and once the pot is open it's harder to keep? So this make using DME easy because their is little conservation problem and you take the exact amount you need?

2. What is Amber LME? A Pale ale with some crystal malt liquid malt extract? What would be the use of Amber LME for me that do extract recipe using steeping grains? I could just easily only use light LME and steep crystals?

 

[alane1]

1.Yeah, dme can be added in certain weights then can be easily stored for later use.Once lme is opened it does'nt store as well as dme.
2.amber malt extract is probably just that, pale malt with crystal.I've never had any real use for the stuff because you get better results using a light malt extract with steeping grains.

 

[unionrdr]

The biggest thing is,DME doesn't darken very easilly in the boil like LME does. LME is more suseptible to mailard reactions. You get darker color & that extract twang to one degree or other. Late extract additions go a long way to fix this.

 

[kontrol]

The biggest thing is,DME doesn't darken very esilly in the boil like LME does. LME is more suseptible to mailard reactions. You get darker color & that extract twang to one degree or other. Late extract additions go a long way to fix this.

Yeah following people advices I add 1/3 of LME at the begining and the rest in the last 15 minutes of the boil to avoid this kind of problem. So if I would use LME and DME in my recipe it would be best to use DME in the begining and LME later on.

 

[logan3825]

1. I often see people use LME and DME in their beer recipe (both light). Why? They should be the same in theory, is it because LME come in limited size and once the pot is open it's harder to keep? So this make using DME easy because their is little conservation problem and you take the exact amount you need?

LME is generally less expensive. A couple bucks a batch usually. There are also more types of LME than DME now.LME is much tougher to measure out a set amount of weight. DME has a longer shelf life if stored properly.

2. What is Amber LME? A Pale ale with some crystal malt liquid malt extract? What would be the use of Amber LME for me that do extract recipe using steeping grains? I could just easily only use light LME and steep crystals?

I only use Amber for stouts. It saves you a little bit of money instead of buying extra crystal malt.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah following people advices I add 1/3 of LME at the begining and the rest in the last 15 minutes of the boil to avoid this kind of problem. So if I would use LME and DME in my recipe it would be best to use DME in the begining and LME later on.

Basically yes. I use DME in the partial boil for my AE beers. LME at flame out no matter whether it's AE or PM. Lighter color & cleaner flavor are def worth it. Wait'll I post a pic of my Hopped & Confused. Nice light lager color.

 

[kontrol]

Other question regarding LME/DME

In beersmith why is the dry yield (I guess its the proportion of what is fermentable?) is a lot higher for DME than LME.

LME is Dry Yield: 78.0 %
DME is Dry Yield: 95.0 %

http://www.beersmith.com/Grains/Grains/grain_56.htm
http://www.beersmith.com/Grains/Grains/grain_45.htm

or am I just totaly wrong about what this mean?

 

[unionrdr]

Not sure what they mean by dry yield. But they can both be added after the boil. I do it all the time. Unless they mean total yield from fermentability?...

 

[logan3825]

No idea what the dry yield means. I know in general DME yields more gravity point per pound. I would just ignore that.

 

[whoaru99]

Other question regarding LME/DME

In beersmith why is the dry yield (I guess its the proportion of what is fermentable?) is a lot higher for DME than LME.

LME is Dry Yield: 78.0 %
DME is Dry Yield: 95.0 %

http://www.beersmith.com/Grains/Grains/grain_56.htm
http://www.beersmith.com/Grains/Grains/grain_45.htm

or am I just totaly wrong about what this mean?

LME has ~20% less fermentables than DME on a pound for pound basis because LME is about 20% water.

So, if you take away the water in LME you end up with less dry yield than DME, as it shows.

It's why, on a weight basis, if you sub LME for DME you need to add ~20% more, and if you sub DME for LME you need to cut back ~20%.

 

[kontrol]

LME has ~20% less fermentables than DME on a pound for pound basis because LME is about 20% water.

So, if you take away the water in LME you end up with less dry yield than DME, as it shows.

It's why, on a weight basis, if you sub LME for DME you need to add ~20% more, and if you sub DME for LME you need to cut back ~20%.

But in the end if I brew with LME or DME I should have same OG and FG (in perfect scenario of course). One doesn't have more unfermentable than the other. Right?

 

[unionrdr]

The amount of unfermentables depends on the individual maltster & how dark it is. Otherwise,I think they ferment about equal,given that the LME is fresh. DME seems to retain that fresh quality longer,imo.

 

[whoaru99]

As far as I know that's correct, as long as you have adjusted the quantities appropriately if subbing one for the other.