Why LME vs DME?

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gcarter

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Why use LME vs DME? What is the real difference between the two when doing all extract brewing, how do they affect the product?

TIA
 
I think DME is way easier. Also it is easier to tweak ratios of each blend in my opinion. Lastly I think the taste is better and all my DME batches have gone really well and the clarity has improved.
 
same thing, DME is 2-0%water and LME is 20% water. DME is easier to weigh obviously but in any giving recipe it will taste about the same. if you are converting one for the other you would use less DME due to the fact that it is diluted with some water.
 
DME has a longer shelf life. On the few occasions I've used jugs of LME, I felt compelled to refrigerate it and was nervous about storing a portion.
 
You can use DME or LME. A blend of both can offer complexity and depth to the flavors in your finished beer.
 
Yeah, I've used DME in the boil for hop additions with LME going in at flame out & got good flavors & lighter colors.
 
I use DME, just easier to work with and have always had good results. LME you never seem to get all of it out of the container.
 
I have heard that some people prefer the taste of LME but it has to be fresh. DME has a really long shelf life. I hate the way DME is so damn fine that it billows everywhere.
Here is some unsolicited advice: learn to do a partial mash as soon as you can because it will vastly improve the range of beers you can make.
Here is the best tutorial: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=75231
 
HAREEBROWNBEEST said:
I use DME, just easier to work with and have always had good results. LME you never seem to get all of it out of the container.
Click to expand...

Use some of your hot water/wort. Add a cup or two into the plastic jug & stir/swirl vigorously - just don't put the top on and shake!

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I mainly use DME, but there are a few things I want LME for - like the fact I can get rye & Maris Otter LMEs, but not in dry forms.
 
slym2none said:
Use some of your hot water/wort. Add a cup or two into the plastic jug & stir/swirl vigorously - just don't put the top on and shake!

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I mainly use DME, but there are a few things I want LME for - like the fact I can get rye & Maris Otter LMEs, but not in dry forms.
Click to expand...

To much work, ha ha
 
slym2none said:
Use some of your hot water/wort. Add a cup or two into the plastic jug & stir/swirl vigorously - just don't put the top on and shake!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I mainly use DME, but there are a few things I want LME for - like the fact I can get rye & Maris Otter LMEs, but not in dry forms.
Click to expand...

I never use extract except for starters (in which case it's DME, last time I bought LME was for a weeknight pipeline filler extract brew a couple years ago), but both of these points are spot on.

I would suggest using LME when you need to to get a certain character, and DME otherwise. Or, if it makes it simpler (which was why, when I used to brew extract beers, I blended both), to mix whole containers (3.3 lbs LME and 1-3lb DME) to hit the gravity that I wanted, without having to worry about little bits left over. Easier to deal with with DME, but leftover LME is a nightmare.
 
I generally prefer DME simply because of the shelf life and I think it's easier to use, like others have said it's an extra step getting all the LME out of the bucket. I may start trying a mix.
 
I prefer DME for lighter color beers since I seem to never be able to keep it light using LME, although as others have stated you can only get certain types of extract in LME form such as MO or Rye. Both are great in my experience.
 
When I did extract I would always buy LME because it was only $2/lb compared to >$5 for DME. By DME only being roughly 20% more sugar than LME.

I see valid points for using one or the other but mine was ultimately cost. I still use DME for starters just because it's easier to store and weigh.

I know this is off topic but not not go BIAB? It only takes about 30 minutes longer on a brew day making it 3.5 hours instead of 3. You won't regret it. I wish I had known before I did so much extract. The beer is almost totally different. I see no reason at all to ever do partial mash beers.
 
unionrdr said:
Partial mash biab doesn't require as big a kettle as AG biab. Some of us are still on the stove.
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I see. My wife would kill me if I did such a thing. It was okay for my first brew...well only because we didn't know about the smell.
 
I used to think that LME's advantage was price, but with AIH selling 3LB bags of DME for $13 with $5 flat-rate shipping, that's cheaper than cans of LME at my LHBS.
https://www.homebrewing.org/Briess-Golden-Light-DME-3-LBS_p_1432.html

My first couple beers used 2 cans LME and I felt that this gave them "extract twang." Now I won't use more than 1 can and convert the rest to dry.

Dry dissolves better in wort, reducing risk of scorching. It stores more easily and has better shelf life. It's convenient for making starters. People seem to think that DME beers finish drier. I'll buy LME when I can get it cheap but otherwise, why bother?
 
I still think extract prices are insane. $13/3lb is outrageous. I just bought a 3lb bag from AIH because it beats the $5/lb from them. Just insane. Especially since 2 row is $1.25/lb from them. BIAB is so convenient and the beer is so much cheaper and better.
 
unionrdr said:
Oo oo, that smell...can ya smell that smell? The smell that's around you...yeah...:ban:
Click to expand...

Often misquoted, one of the most mistaken lines in music I'd imagine about the trappings of addiction.

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

actual lyrics....

Whiskey bottles, and brand new cars
Oak tree you're in my way
There's too much coke and too much smoke
Look what's going on inside you

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Angel of darkness is upon you
Stuck a needle in your arm
So take another toke, have a blow for your nose
And one more drink fool, will drown you

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Now they call you Prince Charming
Can't speak a word when you're full of 'ludes
Say you'll be all right come tomorrow
But tomorrow might not be here for you

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Hey, you're a fool, you (2:30)
Go on stick them needles in your arm (2:34)

I know I been there before (2:50)

One little problem that confronts you (3:28)
Got a monkey on your back
Just one more fix, Lord might do the trick
One hell of a price for you to get your kicks

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Hey, you're a fool, you
Go on stick those needles in your arm
You're just a fool, just a fool, just a fool
 
I like DME over LME for a number of reasons. As people have mentioned, it has a longer shelf life and is easier to measure. It also floats on top when you add it, so you can mix it in without getting much "extract twang." LME on the other hand sinks down to the bottom right away and can easily scorch, which does not taste very good. I think every beer I have made using DME is much better than the few that I made with LME, but that's just one man's opinion
 
wilserbrewer said:
Often misquoted, one of the most mistaken lines in music I'd imagine about the trappings of addiction.

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

actual lyrics....

Whiskey bottles, and brand new cars
Oak tree you're in my way
There's too much coke and too much smoke
Look what's going on inside you

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Angel of darkness is upon you
Stuck a needle in your arm
So take another toke, have a blow for your nose
And one more drink fool, will drown you

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Now they call you Prince Charming
Can't speak a word when you're full of 'ludes
Say you'll be all right come tomorrow
But tomorrow might not be here for you

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Hey, you're a fool, you (2:30)
Go on stick them needles in your arm (2:34)

I know I been there before (2:50)

One little problem that confronts you (3:28)
Got a monkey on your back
Just one more fix, Lord might do the trick
One hell of a price for you to get your kicks

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you
Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Hey, you're a fool, you
Go on stick those needles in your arm
You're just a fool, just a fool, just a fool
Click to expand...

I was paraphrasing...:mug:
 
I use both in certain recipes. Usually I just use LME from Northern Brewer along with a partial mash. I'll be doing a straight extract wheat beer soon so we'll see how the flavors may be different.
 
That's like when I was doing AE with Cooper's cans. Plain light DME in the boil for hop additions, the pre-hopped Cooper's can or cans at flame out. Now that I'm doing PB/PM BIAB, either one goes in at flame out, since I mash a sufficient amount of grains with batch sparge for the boil.
 
Really?

I am cursing DME.
First of all I make a huge mess.
Then it clumps in to rock candy, even by the steam before it hits the water. Cakes all up on whatever I use for stirring. A lot wasted. The rock candy never dissolves at flameoutx so I often have to put the burners back on.

Ive been all dme for a long time because of threads like this, but am reconsidering.

I put a bowl on the scale, slowly pour the lme to desired weight, and use a big spoon to add the lme in, it melts right off of the spoon and doesnt scorch.
 
Ster said:
Really?

I am cursing DME.
First of all I make a huge mess.
Then it clumps in to rock candy, even by the steam before it hits the water. Cakes all up on whatever I use for stirring. A lot wasted. The rock candy never dissolves at flameoutx so I often have to put the burners back on.

Ive been all dme for a long time because of threads like this, but am reconsidering.

I put a bowl on the scale, slowly pour the lme to desired weight, and use a big spoon to add the lme in, it melts right off of the spoon and doesnt scorch.
Click to expand...

Go to biab. You'll find it's as gravy as extract. I'm about to write an article on the real world differences of all grain biab vs. extract. There are a few more calculations to make for biab but other steps are swapped such as pouring in LME or DME. It takes me 3.5 hours for a 5 gallon batch compared to 3 with extract.
 
Sounds like you're pouring the DME 1st, then stirring. I start stirring 1st, then slowly pour some DME in. Like stirring in the center while poring DME at the side. Indirect stirring, one might say?
 
I prefer high gravity beers, and after fighting with trub on my first couple of BIAB batches, I decided to go back to extract. Like most, I find that the DME is a lot easier to work with. However, in the secondary now, is the Northern Brewer HT clone. It used a mix of DME and LME. The advantage of the LME is that it could be added near the end of the boil, after hop additions to allow for better hop utilization. I simply put a large kettle of water on the stove and let it get to 180 or so and let the LME bottle soak in there while I was boiling the rest of the wort. It poured in very easily. Gave it a taste after my last gravity reading, and I can't complain a bit. Even warm and flat it's better than a lot of things I've tried.
 
I use LME rather than DME because I get the LME for $1.40 per pound (including shipping), and the DME was two or three times that much.
I use 5 gallon buckets of LME and to get it pour easily, I put it in a kettle of hot water for at least an hour.
When I do double strength brews (to be diluted in the fermentor), I add half the malt at flameout, so my hops utilization doesn't suffer.
 
geejay said:
I use LME rather than DME because I get the LME for $1.40 per pound (including shipping), and the DME was two or three times that much.
Click to expand...

I've been hesitant to buy more than three months worth of LME at a time because the literature says older LME starts tasting stale. How long do you keep yours? How does it taste when brewed from the older product? What temperature do you store it at? Where do you get it?
 
ncbrewer said:
I've been hesitant to buy more than three months worth of LME at a time because the literature says older LME starts tasting stale. How long do you keep yours? How does it taste when brewed from the older product? What temperature do you store it at? Where do you get it?
Click to expand...

I get it direct from California Concentrate Company, the manufacturers of Alexander's Sun Country Malt. Most people just call it Alex Malt. I used to buy it from my LHBS for twice that price. I live in California, so the shipping is pretty low (about $25 shipping for a 5 gallon/60 pound pail). The malt itself is $60 for a 5 gallon/60 pound pail.

One pail only lasts me about a month so I can't comment on old malt. 5 gallons of malt only makes about 50 gallons, depending on OG of course.

It's direct from the manufacturer, so I would think it'll be fresher than anything from a LHBS or other middleman.

I store it at room temp, which these days is 70-80F.

For folks not in or near California, it's worth calling extract producers near you to see if they will sell directly to you.
 
ncbrewer said:
geejay - Thanks for the quick reply.

Seems you brew a little more than I do.
Click to expand...

I just started brewing again in February, after a ten year pause. So I have a lot of pent up creativity to unleash. So many important-to-me questions that can only be answered by brewing and tasting.

If I were trying to save LME for months, I think I'd vacuum seal it in half gallon or one gallon bags. Or maybe use 1-2 gallon pails but purge with CO2 before and after filling. I've also though using a corny keg might be a neat way to go. Then (theoretically) it could be dispensed with CO2 and stay oxygen free.
 
I only by enough extract for one or two batches & store it in the fridge. Yeast goes int e lil butter cubby on the fridge door & hops in the freezer. They keep real well that way.
 

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