[flbrewer]

So I've been looking around in the recipe wiki and notice most of them list instructions for all grain. Can I use the exact recipe or alter slightly while using DME and/or LME to accomplish a similar recipe? Thanks.

[a10t2]

Can you give an example? I'm thinking the answer is relatively straightforward: once you have the wort in the kettle, everything is the same. But I don't want to steer you wrong.

[morticaixavier]

you can, with some exceptions. although those exceptions are getting further and further apart.

Someone will correct me but the ratio for DME to Grain is .6:1 approximately.

The general procedure is to identify those malts that must be mashed and see if you can replace them with extract at that .6:1 ratio.

So, my Kolsch recipe is about 7 lbs of pilsner and about 3 lb of munich malt. This all must be mashed and luckily you can find both pilsner DME and Munich LME) so you would want about 3-4 lbs pilsner extract and about 1.5-2 lbs munich extract.

Now this won't be exact because I don't think the munich extract is 100% munich but it will get you close.

If there is crystal malt in a recipe you can just leave that as is or reduce it a little because extract usually already has some crystal malt in it.

[flbrewer]

Sure, here's the first one I clicked on...

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/BillyBobMississippiLager

[flbrewer]

Also, why all of the 5.5 gallon recipes? Previously all of my kits were for 5 gallons.

[skrag6713]

5.5 gallons goes into the fermenter because you will lose some to sediment after fermentation is complete.  this way you get to bottle a full 5 gals.

[skrag6713]

FWIW, as a side note, it's perfectly fine to do a straight 1:1 grain to extract conversion.  a friend of mine tried it the first time he wanted to convert a recipe.  he just ended up with an 8.5%abv Belgian white when he was expecting something in the upper 4% range!  still tasted great!

[morticaixavier]

Sure, here's the first one I clicked on...

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/BillyBobMississippiLager

that one should be pretty easy, swap out about 3.5-4 lbs pilsner DME or extra light DME for the 6 row... done.

it won't be exactly the same because pilsner malt is not the same as 6 row, there will be less of a grainy flavor likely but other than that... same same

[flbrewer]

That light lager was just an example. Not the biggest light lager fan!