LME vs. DME

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cmorkat

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I have done the search and couldn't find a topic on just LME vs DME. Probably cause I am looking for it, but i WITH THE PRICES GOING UP (I just paid $30 for 6.5lbs of Muntons LME at my LHBS) I wanted to see what everyones opinion is on the 2. Can I get the same results with both and is DME cheaper? I thought about buying in bulk but have heard horror stories about storage. What does everyone else do?
 
You get a few more gravity points out of dry. I have found it more difficult to work with because of clumping.

For storing most vacuum pack or some type of air tight container.
 
$30 for 6.5 lbs. of LME seems a bit steep to me. You can buy 3 lbs. packs of Munton's DME from Midwest for roughly $11.

Other than that, +1 on the whisk as well as staying away from LME if color is a concern for you. Also if the LME you are buying isn't really fresh you could start getting the lovely "extract twang".
 
I've used both. If the LME is super fresh, it makes fine beer. But if it's less than fresh, I noticed that it can give an extract-y taste. I prefer DME. It stores fine in an airtight container (ziploc bag) in the cupboard. If it's cool and dry, it doesn't clump and it's easy to measure and use for starters.
 
g_rath said:
I had a lumping problem but then I started using a whisk to stir the DME in and it works wonders.

+1. Definitely use a whisk with DME. I just discovered this technique last week and it's incredible how well it works.
 
It's so darn sticky! I'll use only DME, but it is the cause of all of my messes when brewing :p

Definitely going to try the whisk next time as well, though my clumps are dissolved in under a minute so it doesn't really bother me.
 
:mug: You use 80% DME compared to LME so it's a little more expensive but I think it makes a better brew. I'm definitely getting me a big whisk for my next batch. Last time I used LME, I was dipping the container in the wort to get all the sweet goodness out of it. I had a glove on to take my kettle off the heat. When I got a little too close, glove soaked up a little wort, glove not that easy to get off fast. I said "Darn that's hot!":( :off:
 
Mix the dme while your brewing liquor is still cool, it wont clump.
 
I'm not concerned with HSA at all and stir the heck out of it. I still won't care when I use the whisk, either. I wouldn't necessarily whip it with an automatic beater for an hour, though.

EDIT:
I'm new to this, though, so take what I say with a grain of salt :p I based my opinions about HSA on facts and a taste test podcast from another thread here at HBT.
 
Here's a story problem for you mathheads..

ATTC has a recipe that calls for 5 lb of DME. All he has at home is 5lb of LME and 1lb of DME. How much of the DME will he need to add in addition to the 5lb LME to make the equivalent of 5lbs DME.

Thanks...and help would be appreciated :mug:
 
Factor of 0.8

5lbs lme= 4 lbs dme so throw in everything you've got.

(coincidence or trick question? :D)
 
BobNQ3X said:
Question for the whisk-users: Aren't you concerned about hot-side aeration? How do you avoid whipping air into the wort?

Cheers,

Bob

Normally when you're adding DME you're still in the process of boiling. Any oxygen in the wort is expelled while boiling.
 
I premix the DME with H2O in a mixing bowl and add to the boil that way. As has been said repeatedly by the more experienced among us, adding the DME late in the boil (<15min) gives a much lighter color profile to the finished brew too.
 
shunoshi said:
Normally when you're adding DME you're still in the process of boiling. Any oxygen in the wort is expelled while boiling.

This sounds right. If you're doing a very, very late malt addition, you might want to be careful. But with 20 minutes or more, probably not to worry.
 
Since I've re-discovered home brewing, I have made about 12 extract recipes and have been much more pleased with DME. I would only use LME if it came with a kit but I've only done two kits and they were probably ranked #9 and #10 on my list. I like Briess better than Muntons because for me it seems to ferment out better and it is domestic so probably fresher.

Regards,
Al
 
I'm finally breaking down and replying on this one (and one other, same subject).

I guess I am in the minority but I prefer LME. As I posted here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=55495

...my preference may be shaped by factors that are environmental but the nuisance of handling DME makes it an overwhelming second best for me.

I might also be lucky to have a LHBS that does pretty good volume business (and is run by a guy who really cares about the art of brewing), because I've never felt like I got a can that was stale or old.

I will also say this - I was drawn to Briess because it is domestically grown, so in theory it is fresher and also I prefer supporting domestic producers, all things being equal. But I don't care for their products particularly, either dry or liquid. They just don't seem to give me as full a taste as either Munton's or Cooper's.

It's hard to describe, but to make a musical analogy, the brews I've made from Briess seem like a band without a bass player. There is something that's missing but it's not obvious what it is. I asked my LHBS guy about this and he speculated that it could be that since Briess primarily produces for big commercial brewers, they try to make their products more for the needs of that market.

There. I feel better.
 
SteveM said:
I'm finally breaking down and replying on this one (and one other, same subject).

I guess I am in the minority but I prefer LME. As I posted here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=55495

...my preference may be shaped by factors that are environmental but the nuisance of handling DME makes it an overwhelming second best for me.

I might also be lucky to have a LHBS that does pretty good volume business (and is run by a guy who really cares about the art of brewing), because I've never felt like I got a can that was stale or old.

I will also say this - I was drawn to Briess because it is domestically grown, so in theory it is fresher and also I prefer supporting domestic producers, all things being equal. But I don't care for their products particularly, either dry or liquid. They just don't seem to give me as full a taste as either Munton's or Cooper's.

It's hard to describe, but to make a musical analogy, the brews I've made from Briess seem like a band without a bass player. There is something that's missing but it's not obvious what it is. I asked my LHBS guy about this and he speculated that it could be that since Briess primarily produces for big commercial brewers, they try to make their products more for the needs of that market.

There. I feel better.


Good posts, both here and their...I think, it's like anything else in the hobby, a matter of preference, and how good your process is....and also like you said, having the freshest LME possible.

I think I've only use briess products once, most of the time I've used Muntons myself...Even the DME I get from my LHBS is Munton's

Brew on
 
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