LME or DME???

[commsbiff]

Am I right in thinking that the end result of using either of these products to base your malt flavour on in an extract brew would be the same?

Eg I want to do a 5gal pale ale batch. Do I use 2 1.5Kg tins of Pale LME, or 2.8Kg DME light, or a combination of the 2?

What are the advantages of each? eg xx is cheaper, you can get a slight off-taste with xx, xx will give more flavour. I know you can also add steepable grains for further improvement - but I want to concentrate on the virtues of LME and DME for now.

Your wisdom is gratefully apreciated :

 

[arturobandini]

LME is cheaper and supposedly of better quality given that there is less process involved to make it than the further drying out that takes place with DME. However, depending on it's age LME can give a tinny twangy taste the beers reminiscent of some Kit Beers that seem have sat too long on the shelf at the Homebrew Shop.

 

[Aleman]

Without a doubt the best quality product you can get from most retailers is Muntons spray dried malt extract . . . . There is no boiling under vacuum to condense it. The boiled wort is sprayed at high pressure into the top of a tower, through a narrow nozzle . . . hot air passes up the tower evaporating the water, and the fine malt powder settles on the base. . . .Very little extra darkening . . . Downside is that it is incredibly sticky, always seems to get everywhere in the kitchen making everything sticky . . .and you must store it away from moisture . . . if you don't you get a malt extract brick . . . and it goes 'musty'

If you can buy in bulk and use it rapidly, then Brupaks Liquid Malt Extract in 15Kg jerricans is the next best, as this is Muntons Cedarex 'B' Extract as supplied to commercial breweries . . buying it in bulk generally means it comes direct from Muntons, and it is fresh. The problem with Liquid extract is that it darkens as it ages, and it oxidises to leave all your beers with THT (That Homebrew Twang).

My personal preference is for DME, as it has a longer shelf-life when un-opened . . . I would not use LME in tins from a LHBS.

 

[arturobandini]

Plus when you're dissolving the DME it smells absolutely delicious.

 

[commsbiff]

Cheers gents. I've been looking at the Muntons range on their website and spotted their Hopped Light Spraymalt. On the bottom right of the page there's a link to "quiz Linda", and I asked her the same question I asked the other night in the chatroom.

The question is if I could use this product with no other grains or hops to produce a reasonable tasting beer. I think it was Wez who suggested I make up a small batch as a tester. I plan to do this after I've moved house which will hopefully be in a few weeks time.

I was wondering if anyone else has thought of doing this, actually done this, or just has some input to give. :

 

[Greg]

You could do this but you would have not control over the hop flavour so I guess you would need to make some up and see how it comes out. I have no idea what hops they use for this.

You may get a beer that suits your tastes but I would imagine you will get better results using DME and hops.

Let us know how you get on if you decide to use the hopped spraymalt.

 

[commsbiff]

Yeah - I know the downside is that I can't control the hop flavour. But that's kinda the point. I'm trying to look at it as a kit-beer in spraymalt form. With Munton's reputation for their good quality spraymalt - I was thinking that this may produce a 'kit beer' without the dreaded twang. :hmm:

 

[tubby_shaw]

If you want a dry kit they are already made :thumb:
LOOKY