Only DME beer?

[boomtown25]

Can anyone tell me if I could make a good beer using ONLY dry extract and hops? The only store near me (not really a LHBS, more like a wine kit store) has hops and DME, and yeast, but no grains whatsoever, so I was wondering if I could put something good together from this.

 

[kevokie]

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to make a good beer with those ingredients.

 

[Celticway]

Sure, why not?

 

[Revvy]

Plenty of beers are made that way. Though some steeping grains add some depth of flavor.

 

[Celticway]

Feel like you have to add something else?Ok what about coffee, spices or fruit?

 

[Revvy]

If they only have dme, then the beast way would be to formulate a recipe that uses a variety of dme, small amounts of darker extract can serve the same purpose as steeping grains.

For example doing an amber ale with mostly extralight dme as the base and some mid range dme along with a small amount of dark will have a bit more complexity than a beer totally with amber dme....

 

[Revvy]

Feel like you have to add something else?Ok what about coffee, spices or fruit?

Another good option.

Also toasting some flaked oats from the grocery store (quick oats) and steeping a few ounces will add flavor and some head proteins.

 

[broadbill]

Sure you can, but the question is: do you want to? If you want to make a beer with steeping grains than bypass this store and buy your stuff online. Why bother doing business with a company that isn't going to take the time to stock the right stuff?

 

[Celticway]

Another good option.

Also toasting some flaked oats from the grocery store (quick oats) and steeping a few ounces will add flavor and some head proteins.

That's the best part of brewing..you decide what will go into and how the beer will come out. Try something bold or original if you feel up to it. You never know, you may just come up with something great.

 

[Dillinja666]

sure you can, but the question is: Do you want to? If you want to make a beer with steeping grains than bypass this store and buy your stuff online. why bother doing business with a company that isn't going to take the time to stock the right stuff?

this^^^^^^^

 

[Nateo]

You can make great beers with DME only. Anything that doesn't rely on subtle malt flavors is a good candidate. Wheat beers, or Belgians, or anything with strong yeast character is what I would do.

Without trying to turn this into "you should/shouldn't support your LHBS" thread, I would say that the fact you have a LHBS at all is a good thing, and if you need DME and they have it for a reasonable price, I'd buy it from them.

 

[QuaffableQuips]

You can make a really nice Hefeweizen using only wheat DME if they carry it. No steeping grains needed!

 

[beergolf]

Sure.

Do a simple wheat beer. You could add spices like coriander and orange peel. Use the proper yeast and you have a good brew.

I do one and use a Belgian yeast that is very tasty.

 

[DD2000GT]

My son is just getting into home brewing and bought a Mr. Beer kit at a steal (don't say it, I know). Anyway, he made his first kit and was not thrilled as the instructions told him to add quite a bit of white table suger to the malt kit... Anyway, I told him I was brewing Sunday and to bring over his Mr. Beer setup. I bought him some Amber DME and Wheat DME and some Hallertau(sp) and Saaz pellet hops and brewed a quick 2 gallon batch next to my all grain brewing setup. Should be quite a bit happier with this batch and hopefully got him turned back onto home brewing after the poor initial batch. No reason at all DME beer cannot turn out great.

Mr. Beer kits should be banned IMO, or at least sent with better quality ingredients... but that is for another post.

Agree with the previous posters - wheat brew is a good choice.

 

[jkarp]

My last lager was pilsner DME and Saaz. On tap right now and it's outstanding.

 

[beergolf]

I just looked this one up in my btew log.

try this.

5 1/2 lbs. Wheat DME
4 oz sugar

1 oz. Hallertaur at 60

3/4tsp coriander (whole seed crushed) at 10 minutes
.25 oz bitter orange peel at 10 minutes

WY3463 Forbidden Fruit

YUM

 

[boomtown25]

Definitely the info I was looking for. From my recollection, they have Amber, dark, light and extra light in 3 and 6 lb bags. I think they also have the "C" hops as well 2 oz for $3.50 (not bad). I wouldn't callit a LHBS. They mostly sell wine kits and this is just a side show on that. Plus its MS. I generally (actually, always) get my stuff online, but the shipping each time is killing me (plus the wait!). If anyone wants to put me together some DME recipe similar to Cenntennial Blonde, have at it!!

 

[jonmohno]

The right hops right yeast and you could have a really good one.I like revvys suggestion about adding small amounts of other dme if you have it,never really thought of that but never needed to i always steep or mash most the time. Ive done all extract wheat and pilsners. My pilsner was good, one of my all wheat extract i could have chose a differnt hop to use i guess it was ok.

 

[beergolf]

What yeasts do you have access to?

That will help us a lot with recipes.

 

[Diver165]

Sure you can, but the question is: do you want to? If you want to make a beer with steeping grains than bypass this store and buy your stuff online. Why bother doing business with a company that isn't going to take the time to stock the right stuff?

Or you could talk to the shop owner and see if they want to get a better variety. But I will tell ya, pick an online HBS and order away. I haven't taken the all grain plunge yet. A lot of perfectly good beer has been made out of LME, DME, steeped grains and pellet hops.

 

[boomtown25]

I have Notty, US-05, WLP300 and Wyeast 1056.

 

[AR-Josh]

I made a cream ale this summer. It was 6 lbs of pilsen DME and 2 oz of williamette hops. Still drinking it. Still a thirst quencher.

 

[david_42]

If you are a hop-head, you've got everything you need for good beer. Check out SMaSH recipes.

On the other hand, there are many great online stores that have whatever you desire.

 

[Mexicanconnection2002]

Just did an extract batch a week ago w/ 5 lbs Pilsen Lt DME and Ahtanum hops. Similar to BM's Centennial Blonde Ale extract just without the Carapils. Always try to keep a Blonde Ale around for the girlfriend.

 

[beaksnbeer]

Always try to keep a Blonde Ale around for the girlfriend.[/QUOTE]

Nice so GF likes blondes mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[HomebrewMTB]

All DME is fine for some beers but why limit yourself. I don't see what the big deal is with mail order. Norther Brewer is $7.99 flat rate, Austin Homebrew is $7.99 or free with $100 order, and More Beer is free shipping over $59. Order two or three kits and shipping works out to be negligible. DME is really expensive compared to LME. So you'll likely be saving quite a bit of money even with shipping. I'd highly recommend dry yeast through mail order, at least in the summer. There are others sites like Midwest, Brew Masters Warehouse, or Rebel Brewer but I haven't tried them.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/
http://morebeer.com/

 

[frydogbrews]

i order through midwest all the time and i think they are great. all the "free shipping" and "flat rate shipping" is a gimmick anyway, unless you are ordering something really heavy (which there is usually a little asterisk by in relation to the free shipping) those places tend to have the shipping costs included in the item, remember, nothing is ever "free".
do you have any kinf of homebrewing club around there? sometimes they do group buys of things to save big money on shipping and you could buy a bunch of different speciality grains and just store them, then pull them out, crush and use. i just crush them with a wine bottle in a bag. buy 6-8 different kinds of grains and you' would be good for awhile.

 

[Clearwall]

I made a DME-only Hefe and everyone loved it.
1.5 kg Helletaur @ 60
3 lb light DME

ferment 2 weeks then secondary onto orange peel ~10 oranges worth for one week.

Add priming sugar according to Jim Palmer chart and bottle.

 

[Jsmith82]

I made a DME IPA when I first started brewing. It was good, a bit malty but not bad, had a plentiful body on it and a great head. Here's the scoop:

Estimated OG: 1.056-1.058
Estimated FG: 1.014-1.012
Estimated SRM: 8.3
Estimated ABV: 5.8
Estimated IBUs: 43.2

3lbs Light DME
1lbs Amber DME
1oz Amarillo
2oz Cascade
Wyeast American Ale 1056

60 minute boil, all extract added at 60

Hop Schedule:
.25 oz Amarillo (60min)
.25 oz Cascade (60min)
.25 oz Amarillo (20min)
.25 oz Cascade (20min)
.25 oz Amarillo (10min)
.25 oz Cascade (10min)
.25 oz Amarillo (5min)
.25 oz Cascade (5min)

I left it in the bucket for 3 weeks then bottled, then popped the beer above open after about 10 days. It wasn't the greatest in my opinion now, having brewed some better beers since but some of my friends still nag me to brew another batch. It would be better if it sat for 6 weeks in the bucket then in bottles for a couple of weeks. (This was my first recipe I had ever concocted so I rushed everything out of excitement. It was a valuable lesson)