HomebrewandBeer.com forum

Where's the best place to buy LME?

I can't buy it at my local HBS and I don't even think ross sells it (could be wrong about that though).

Check your local supermarket. I saw a kilo for $7 or $8, I think it was the health food section.

Heals wrote:Where's the best place to buy LME?

I can't buy it at my local HBS and I don't even think ross sells it (could be wrong about that though).

Why do you want liquid over dry?

We stick with dry, as it's easier to mail order & you are not paying freight on 20% water.

cheers Ross

There is a place in Brisbane that sells 20kg bags of dry for just over $100. Ask ryan or search for a post about "storing malt extract".

bottle top wrote:Check your local supermarket. I saw a kilo for $7 or $8, I think it was the health food section.

it's not quite the same as brewing quality LME.

Yeah, I've heard the health food stuff isn't even close to brewing quality.

I'm suprised a HB shop doesn't have liquid.

If you can get it the Morgans 1.5kg liquid malt is probably cheaper than the stuff (1kg) at the supermarket anyway. I paid $8 for the tins I got last week. If your local HBS stocks morgans they may order it in for you. From what my local tells me they're really good with sending mixed boxes etc.

Earle

There is a place in Brisbane that sells 20kg bags of dry for just over $100. Ask ryan or search for a post about "storing malt extract".

Kev, I'm looking to give extract brews a go, can you use all LDME? Most of the recipes I see have liquid malt that's all....

(Ross, cheers, same question as above! I'm still learning!)

you can use dry instead of liquid.... the only thing you really have to take into accounts is that fact that liquid malt is 20% water, so you dont need to add the same ammount of dry malt to give the alcohol percentage you would expect from the same ammount of liquid malt.

3kg of liquid malt extract in 22L gives you about 5% alcohol.

2.6kg of dry malt extract in 22L gives you about 5% alcohol

I think you will find that dry malt will give a better tasting beer compared to liquid malt. liquid malt they concentrate to wort down to 10% of its original volume. whereas dry malt, they pretty much dehyrdate the wort to powder. I had a great analogy comparing this with making coffee or something but i cant remember it.

Heals wrote:
Kev, I'm looking to give extract brews a go, can you use all LDME? Most of the recipes I see have liquid malt that's all....

(Ross, cheers, same question as above! I'm still learning!)

Yes, you can. I have done it.
However, I found the beer tends to be somewhat malty sweet, and took a fair while to mature.
I suggest you need to balance it with some specialty grains, to give your beer some character and complexity. Also, add bittering, flavour, and aroma hops.
I'd also make sure you fully ferment it out to prevent any residual malty sweetness.

I agree with warra here. If you are using DME add a bit of carapils to your grain steep this will give you a fuller body without changing the flavour. Also reduce the weight of malt in the recipe to account for the water as James said. Easiest way to do that is to multiply the total weight of the LME by .8 and add that amount of DME (ie. if the recipe calls for 3kg LLME use 2.4kg LDME).