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Author Topic: Old Extract?  (Read 10377 times)

Offline csu007

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2012, 03:38:31 pm »
Yes unfortunately some (actually most i believe) brew shops charge more for DME. I'm sure if you really want to cut out the LME then you can find some cheap DME online

I noticed that northern brewer charges about $11 for both LME and DME for 3lbs. but i think by the time i ship it here it would be the same price as my LHBS. For now i will stick with LME and deal with darker beers until i can progress to all-grain some day
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Offline denny

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #16 on: August 27, 2012, 03:42:16 pm »
Doesn't DME work out to be cheaper per gravity point because there's no water in it?
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2012, 03:47:18 pm »
Doesn't DME work out to be cheaper per gravity point because there's no water in it?

That's how it has always worked out for me.  But I understand pricing varies widely.

I use LOTS of DME and by far the most economical purchase I can make is a 50lb bag of DME from Northern Brewer.  But I live in the mid-west, so shipping isn't too bad.

Shipping for LME is also more per gravity point...

Elsewhere, I'm sure you want to get it closer to home.

I try to buy at the LHBS, but $1 or more per lb of extract adds up.
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Offline euge

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #18 on: August 28, 2012, 08:04:12 am »
Curious. I always believed DME to be a better deal, but at my LHBS DME is $4.99/# and LME is $2.50/#. So to make a 1.045 six gallon batch it will cost $29.94 with DME (6#) and $18.75 with LME (7.5#).
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Offline diybrewing

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #19 on: August 28, 2012, 11:54:13 am »
In our shop we go through around 700 lbs of LME a month and we have no darkening or molasses at all. One of the things you also have to pay attention to is where the LME is coming from. We use Briess currently although we are switching to United Canadian. We get Briess that has been manufactured less than a month old. So for us from manufacturing date to being sold to you is less than 2 months. If we were to buy Muntons, the best case scenario we could get was most likely 6 months old. We also only sell 3 types of LME ( Pilsen or extra light, Wheat, and Munich). Our Munich and wheat sell less so we buy smaller containers of them so that is still stays fresh.
DME costs close to twice as much wholesale and is a pain to work with. 
Also the ration LME to DME is 6 lbs LME = 4.92 lbs DME.
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Offline Wesbrau

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #20 on: August 30, 2012, 02:52:00 pm »
The version I re-brewed with DME has finished active fermentation.  Drew a sample last night and this beer has none of the problems I noted in the prior LME beer. 

The LME I used in the prior batch was from Morebeer, which I'm pretty sure is from Briess.  MB touts their turnover and so I was surprised to get old extract. 
Wes

Offline diybrewing

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #21 on: August 30, 2012, 10:25:53 pm »
Wes MB certainly does turn over their LME in that manner.
I am 90% positive More beer does not Briess use but has a private label malt extract maker. Nothing against them at all.
Also when did you put your LME in the beer? Adding LME at the end of the boil will have huge positive effects on your beer. We are currently validating in store putting LME in after the boil. Since you only need to sanitize it, our theory is that if we keep it above 160F for 15 minutes we will be fine. So far we have had luck at keeping LME above 180 for 30 minutes with no problem. Just some food for thought.
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Offline Wesbrau

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #22 on: August 30, 2012, 10:47:10 pm »
Also when did you put your LME in the beer? Adding LME at the end of the boil will have huge positive effects on your beer. We are currently validating in store putting LME in after the boil. Since you only need to sanitize it, our theory is that if we keep it above 160F for 15 minutes we will be fine. So far we have had luck at keeping LME above 180 for 30 minutes with no problem. Just some food for thought.

I may have to try that.  For both batches, the one with the old LME and the subsequent one with the DME, we added the extract after removing the steeping grains (at about 160F).  The heat was off and we stirred them in well before ramping up to boiling.  The DME batch smelled like normal all grain wort, whereas the LME batch had that molasses aroma and was much darker than expected. 

Not trying to knock Morebeer.  I've been very pleased with them over the years.  Just a bad batch of extract, I guess.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2012, 10:49:49 pm by w.e.s. »
Wes

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Old Extract?
« Reply #23 on: August 31, 2012, 08:46:04 am »
Maybe the extract was mis-labeled?  Could it have been amber or dark instead of pale?

Late addition of extract helps to reduce the darkening and carmelization from the boil.  You need some fermentables at the start, or else your just boiling your hops in water, but you can add the bulk of it way at the end.

I'm able to produce straw-colored beer using Breiss Pilsen DME and a mini-mash/partial mash/whatever you want to call it.
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