A couple malt questions

[JimmyT]

I started looking into dme for a port recipe. That lead to me looking at all the different malt options and it only lead to more questions.
I was looking at the more beer website and it only listed 6 dmes but then I went to the malt section and there was 70 some choices for all grain. I then seen Lme and wondered about using those. Would I be able to use either for my port recipe? How do you use the three different types? Pro and cons of each of the three? There's a few different ones that sounded like it would compliment my recipe pretty good but wasn't sure if I could use them or not.
I guess I just need a malt lesson and the basic run down of each type.

 

[richmke]

DME is "Dry Malt Extract", and LME is "Liquid Malt Extract". IMHO, not much difference, just your preference.

However, DME will clump when rehydrated. So, it takes some technique to get it right and fully dissolved. LME avoids that problem.

You can start with grains and make LME. It is a long process, hence people buying "(Dry,Liquid) Malt Extract", especially for boosting. Obviously, doing it yourself gives you much more opportunity to fine tune your brew.

 

[JimmyT]

What's the process of taking the malt grains and making Lme?

 

[richmke]

Basically, it is the Mashing, Lautering, and Sparge steps.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/All-grain_brewing

 

[JimmyT]

Do you guys think this will work? It's a LDME and I wouldn't think it would impart too much flavor. I'd imagine it'll do its job at adding body also. I found this under the beer making ingredients while poking around and figured I'd see what you all think.

 

[wineinmd]

DME is "Dry Malt Extract", and LME is "Liquid Malt Extract". IMHO, not much difference, just your preference.

However, DME will clump when rehydrated. So, it takes some technique to get it right and fully dissolved. LME avoids that problem.

You can start with grains and make LME. It is a long process, hence people buying "(Dry,Liquid) Malt Extract", especially for boosting. Obviously, doing it yourself gives you much more opportunity to fine tune your brew.

I posted this in the other thread, but wanted to put it here as well in case someone isn't tracking both.

In the brewing world, there isn't much of a difference between the two, but for use in a port, the extra water that is in LME can be a big consideration. If using an all juice base, DME won't dilute it like LME would.

The all-grain process you link to isn't producing LME, rather actual wort (brewing equivalent of must). LME is concentrated wort. If someone went that route, they'd have to make the wort, boil it like crazy to concentrate it, and would still end up diluting everything. I wouldn't recommend that process.

 

[wineinmd]

View attachment 22823
Do you guys think this will work? It's a LDME and I wouldn't think it would impart too much flavor. I'd imagine it'll do its job at adding body also. I found this under the beer making ingredients while poking around and figured I'd see what you all think.

That would work. It is just a small package of light DME. Unless all you're going to use is 2 oz., it wouldn't be very cost effective though. You can just buy a larger package of light DME if you're going to be using a larger amount.

People use a small amount like that to make a starter, which is kinda, sorta like using Go-Ferm. Starters are generally reserved for liquid yeast, and are used to make sure all the little guys are healthy and ready to go, and also to build cell counts for higher gravity beers.

 

[JimmyT]

I was planning on using 4oz or so for the 3 gallon batch. Would you recommend using this for a starter if I'm using Ec-1118 for my port? I know the Ec is a work horse but I'm going to be pushing it til it falls over dead and can't pull the cart anymore. Never made a starter but have rehydrated yeast as it says on the package. Sounds like a good idea to make a starter to me since I will be pushing it

 

[wineinmd]

I was planning on using 4oz or so for the 3 gallon batch. Would you recommend using this for a starter if I'm using Ec-1118 for my port? I know the Ec is a work horse but I'm going to be pushing it til it falls over dead and can't pull the cart anymore. Never made a starter but have rehydrated yeast as it says on the package. Sounds like a good idea to make a starter to me since I will be pushing it

If I'm doing the math correctly, 4 oz. in a 3 gallon batch would get you an extra 0.004 gravity points. I'm not sure how that corresponds to the amount of body added though, if it does at all. Hopefully someone with experience can chime in with how much they used.

I don't know if starter is the term used in winemaking, but based on my limited experience, I would definitely use Go-Ferm (or equivalent) prior to pitching and follow a good nutrient schedule. I don't think I'd use the DME as part of the starter though. I don't know how wine yeast would react with just wort and no juice.

 

[Boatboy24]

I was planning on using 4oz or so for the 3 gallon batch. Would you recommend using this for a starter if I'm using Ec-1118 for my port? I know the Ec is a work horse but I'm going to be pushing it til it falls over dead and can't pull the cart anymore. Never made a starter but have rehydrated yeast as it says on the package. Sounds like a good idea to make a starter to me since I will be pushing it

If I recall correctly, I used 2 cups of DME in my blueberry port. Not sure how much that translates to in weight, but 4oz sounds light to me. I think I had about 3/4 lb in mine.

 

[JimmyT]

If I recall correctly, I used 2 cups of DME in my blueberry port. Not sure how much that translates to in weight, but 4oz sounds light to me. I think I had about 3/4 lb in mine.

Did you use the 1/2cup of dme that is listed in your recipe? I just went and looked back through your post on it and that's what was listed. 1/2cup is 4oz according to my conversion.

 

[wineinmd]

Did you use the 1/2cup of dme that is listed in your recipe? I just went and looked back through your post on it and that's what was listed. 1/2cup is 4oz according to my conversion.

I think you might be mixing up weight and volume when it comes to ounces. 1/2 cup is 4 fluid ounces.

A very famous brewer on another forum posted that he weighed it out, and 1 cup DME was 6.5 oz, which makes BB's estimate of 2 cup = 3/4 lb pretty close.

 

[JimmyT]

Well his 1/2 cup listed in his recipe would be 3.25oz then, no?
I was just using his recipe and a few others as reference and another said 1/2cup also.

 

[JimmyT]

I just got home from work and reread his port recipe post and I think where the confusion on my part is that the recipe is listed per gallon and not total for his 3 gallons. So him saying the 1/2 cup seems light to him is actually because it is. Should be atleast 1.5cups. That's what I get for skim reading while at work when I'm not supposed to be on here [emoji15][emoji15][emoji16][emoji16]