Trouble with old LME in a time of need

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jonpecan

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In 2017, I thought I was being smart and purchased a large quantity of recipe kits online on discount that included with them Gold LME as the main fermentable. Keeping these for long term use for where and when I might need them.

And lo, the world was upturned by a lethal pandemic.

As such, I began pandemic brewing with aplomb. This was the time to dig into my stored Gold (LME).

The beers initially created were bitter and unpleasant. 3 batches. This did not stop consumption.

Our protagonist luckily had unwittingly set aside a decent amount of 2-row. The 4th Covid beer would therefore be about a half LME and proper grains.

Alas, the beers even with significant dilution did not improve significantly.

My friends, can anyone confirm this sad phenomena?

My LHBS malt monger provided succor. A 55 pound sack of Weyermann Barke Pilsner malt now sustains us.

Did this LME go stale? Or is LME (or this Maillard Malt Gold LME one in particular) of more suspect taste than I recall? Moreover, my fermentation time definitely shortened in deference to empty kegs.

Here's to pandemic brewing. I number them sequentially, and I am now up to "Covid-8", "Covid-9", and "Covid-10" mellowing in carboys..
 
Nope, not an anomaly, LME undergoes chemical aging. Your extract is old and your beers are a result of that.
 
FWIW I purchased 36lbs of LME earlier this year at a very good price. It wasn't worth it. I have limited experience with LME prior to this. IMO it's best used for a moderate to higher ibu brew. What I'm saying is add enough hops to cover up the crazy flavors that come from LME if you can.
 
FWIW I purchased 36lbs of LME earlier this year at a very good price. It wasn't worth it. I have limited experience with LME prior to this. IMO it's best used for a moderate to higher ibu brew. What I'm saying is add enough hops to cover up the crazy flavors that come from LME if you can.


or black patent malt.....chocolate malt, might, work in a pinch......it'd fit a motive of 'dark days'.....
 
We all must have gotten in on the same deal. I got about 50 lbs for $1/lb shipped and it was almost certainly at least 3 years old. It was dark when it came out of the bag and despite inserting near flame out, the beers all came out darker than expected. They mostly went into 50/50 LME/grain beers, but the one that was all LME was an Avery IPA clone, so fairly light, and tasted plain weird, somewhat metallic. But like most beers of questionable goodness, I held off drinking it and I must say that now after 4 months in the bottle it has improved and is now decent. I'll have to concur that old LME is probably not worth purchasing, heck, maybe not even fresh.
 
I have found that the only use for old LME is making starters, but at 3 years since purchase yours may be too old even for that. I was using old LME for starters for a while, but I found that as it aged it became less fermentable and thus didn't give the yeast growth I wanted.
 
I was using old LME for starters for a while, but I found that as it aged it became less fermentable and thus didn't give the yeast growth I wanted.

As LME ages, Maillard reactions are occurring, which would explain why it becomes less fermentable for you, as well as some of the color change previously mentioned.
 
Thanks for the input all. I'm going to take the aging approach with the last batch in which I decided to dump all of the remaining LME. Calling it a strong ale, because of the strength required to consume it. I'm thinking I'll give it half a year. Or just distill it into a weird tasting whisky.
 
I have a lot of 'old' LME and have not noticed an issue. Maybe because I use it in small quantities. My LME is from 2017 and 2018, all NB Milliard gold or Pilsner. Yes it has darkened.

I partial mash , and the amount of grain I use in my 6.5 gallon batches has increased considerably such that I now use between zero (an all-grain brew) to maybe 25% in the bigger beers. I'm also making a lot more lower gravity beers now, so it is taking longer to use up than I expected when I first bought it.

I am using a lot of it in Starters, and not noticed any issues. I try to keep it cool; Garage in Winter and Basement in Summer. I probably have about 25 lbs right now, and that will last thru 2021.
 
Any thoughts if souring it might help get rid of any of the unpleasant flavors? I used to make Brett, pedio, lactobacillus beers, and have saved less savory beers by doing this in the past.
 
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