"pale" Or "light"

[Hop Me]

Hello Again,

I've been scouring the recipes on a couple of books ("How to Brew" and the "Joy of Home Brewing") and have come across many extract recipes calling for "Pale" liquid malt extract. Given that the majority of recipes ask for "Light" LME, I'm thinking the pale must be something different. I haven't come across a HBS or malt company in Australia yet that stocks Pale LME.

If it is true that PALE is different from LIGHT, well, I'd love a source from which to buy it in bulk, as the premium price for wee little 1.7k cans is a bit much. Thanks, as always... Dave.

 

[MHB]

How much do you want, I can do a special label run, how are labels saying "DaveW's Special Selected Light Malt" sound just joking.

I think it's a bit like North Americans refer to "Pale" beer as Light, has lead to some memorable hangovers, same same for DME, in OZ we just say Pale.



MHB

 

[iScarlet]

Yeah, they are the same thing. On the cans of LME they usually have Light, Amber and Dark to denote the colour/shade of the extract within. I thought that was pretty standard, but I suppose different manufacturers will have different terminology.

I've actually never heard pale to describe LME before, more to describe the colour of the brew you're making.

MHB beat me to it.

 

[Hop Me]

Thanks for that. I was worried it was a shade or two below light, and unavailable here to the extract brewer. Cheers!

 

[manticle]

(Morgan's) sell pale and extra pale Liquid malt but my understanding is as above - little difference between that and light dried.

Usually something like this with liquids- Extra Pale, Pale, amber, caramalt, chocolate, black. Dried extract is usually just light and dark (and sometimes house blends of the two). Obviously I'm discounting wheat in both ranges.

They (Morgan's) used to have some specialties that fit in between (eg dark crystal) but I think they stopped that range or at least consolidated it with their regular LME range.

If you want to get bulk you'll probably have to look at grains instead. I could be wrong.

 

[seemax]

Morgans have Extra Pale and Pale, 3EBC and 5EBC.

They also have (or had) a lager malt which was 2.3EBC.

 

[MHB]

Thats actually Contributes 2.5 EBC when diluted in 23 litres, which is a whole lot different. Remember one was a 1 Kg can the other is a 1.5 Kg can.



MHB

 

[Hop Me]

Whoa! Thanks for all that good info. I'll give the Morgan's EP a shot and get back to you all with the results. I want to make a nice Pils. Dave

 

[manticle]

There is a nice honey characteristic in Pilsners which you will only get from pilsner malt.

Pilsner malt needs to be mashed but with a small esky you can add some of that characteristic to your beer. Not to say you won't make a very nice beer without it but it's worth considering for the future.

 

[chadjaja]

Any real difference apart from some colour from the extra light liquid malt and the light version?

I have a beer I do with the extra light to do but I only have light liquid malt here in the house. Was just thinking of using the light and the beer a bit darker but if it effects the taste then I'll get a can of the extra light. Its boonies LCPA if so an APA can be that dark anyway but I love the taste of this beer as it is.

 

[manticle]

I'm sure there's a slight difference as the reason it's a different colour is to do with the manufacturing process. I can't imagine it would be supremely different, depending on how much you use. Might be worth a side by side comparison.

 

[goomboogo]

I checked my notes from back when I used to use these Morgans extracts. Even though it's been quite a while since I've used them I suspect the product will still be the same. I found the extra pale to be reasonably more fermentable than the pale. The suspicion was there is a portion of a highly fermentable adjuct such as liquid glucose added to the pale extract to arrive at the extra pale. I asked the question of Morgans however they declined to offer any details.

The extra fermentability may be something to consider when designing your recipe.

 

[Hop Me]

All good info. I can't wait to start mashing up my first brews. I know the Pilsner flavour you speak of, and I was a bit worried I wouldn't be able to arrive at that with extracts.

 

[DKS]

I checked my notes from back when I used to use these Morgans extracts. Even though it's been quite a while since I've used them I suspect the product will still be the same. I found the extra pale to be reasonably more fermentable than the pale. The suspicion was there is a portion of a highly fermentable adjuct such as liquid glucose added to the pale extract to arrive at the extra pale. I asked the question of Morgans however they declined to offer any details.

The extra fermentability may be something to consider when designing your recipe.

Yes I agree
I could be wrong but, I think the Morgans extra pale was once called/packaged as " beer enhancer" which as you say is more fermentable than the unhopped pale as it supposedly contained a fair percentage of dex. Cant find my info since moving house but pretty sure twas pale malt & dex. :icon_cheers:
Daz

 

[manticle]

All good info. I can't wait to start mashing up my first brews. I know the Pilsner flavour you speak of, and I was a bit worried I wouldn't be able to arrive at that with extracts.

For the price of a small esky (say 10 L) you can mash up to 3 kilos of pilsner malt to add to your brew for something of that lovely flavour.

I'd recommend having a crack just with extract and then one at mashing with grain so you can ascertain the difference. To demystify 'mashing' it's essentially soaking cracked grain in hot water (around 70 deg C) for an hour (maintaining the temp as much as possible - hence the esky), straining, rinsing a couple of times (same temp water, same volume) and boiling the resulting liquid (usually for an hour with hops additions along the way). It takes a lot more time but is relatively easy and super fun and tasteworthy.

Sorry if you already knew that.

 

[Hop Me]

You've got me convinced, Manticle. I'll do in all extract, and one partial. I can't wait to get into AG with all the awesome malt flavours to tap. Thanks for the advice, you lot! Dave

 

[manticle]

I too am looking forward to opening the door to my first AG brew but I'm also enjoying all the steps it's taking me to get there.

 

[cdbrown]

Mashing is easy, pretty much the same as steeping but will more emphasis on the volume of water and temperature control.

 

[DKS]

Heh Davew,
When the time is right can you let us know the results
Ive had two brews that seemed a little HB twangie /sour/ fruity. These were both done with cascade hops and I didnt think of it till now but each had a can of Morgans extra pale ( beer enhancer) which could account for the extra stength hops if there wasnt as much malt as I thought at brew time . ( I heard cascade can be fruity) Just looking for reasons for friuty bite apart from possible secondary infection although it hasnt got stronger in a few months , I"ll drink it anyway :icon_cheers:
Daz

 

[manticle]

Mashing is easy, pretty much the same as steeping but will more emphasis on the volume of water and temperature control.

Super easy I reckon. It can get more technical and so forth but that's reserved for later in my brewing life. Basic mashing, particularly for partials is simple (a bit time consuming but it's an enjoyable process) and the difference it can make is a wonderful thing.

A small, cheap esky or two and a good strainer and stockpot and you're there.