The Benefits of Using DME?

[YAPN]

I'm asking the question because I cannot think of a single one.

I brew kits and giggles and for the last one I substituted the usual can of Liquid ME for a bag of Dried ME. Then realised why I chose LME in the first place. Hands down, it is just much easier to use.

That powder is so dry it absorbs moisture from the air and then sticks to everything. I was prepared for that and got it to stay inside the FV, but it coated all the inside and formed big sticky lumps, didn't even bother taking the OG reading.

I'll favour Liquid over Dried every time from now on.

 

[Digga]

If you put the DME in first with a bit of cold/cool water and swirl it around you will find you won’t get the clumping issue that you speak of.

 

[koshari]

there is no doubt the stuff can be messy but as Digga posted it can be tamed to a degree. I use it but i measure out the amount i want in a large stainless bowl and mix it into cool water with a whisk in a large stainless pot before transfering it into the fermenter . I gave up trying to mix it with hotter mixes. The steam would turn it into treacle and i ended up with golf balls that wouldnt dissolve.



You ask for one good reason to use dried malt?
How about trying to carry the equivelent of a 20kg bag of dried malt in extract to the boot of your car?.

 

[Thomas Wood]

I had the opposite experience. Used liquid once and never again. It was sticky and messy and got everywhere. I don't even think I managed to get all of it out of the tub. Plus you need to use more of it.

If you put the DME in first with a bit of cold/cool water and swirl it around you will find you won’t get the clumping issue that you speak of.

Thanks for this tip. I just mix it straight with the boiling water, but have no issues except very minor clumping.

 

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Used a blender. All dme nicely mixed and aerated into a frothy purée with no clumps.

Prefer mashing though

 

[YAPN]

If you put the DME in first with a bit of cold/cool water and swirl it around you will find you won’t get the clumping issue that you speak of.

Yep. Tried this. Cold does work better than hot but, for me, LME is still much easier to use.

How about trying to carry the equivelent of a 20kg bag of dried malt in extract to the boot of your car?

20 tins of LME, no problems, except for the inguinal hernia and ruptured disc I'd be just fine. Just on that, if you're using a 20kg bag, how important is it to boil the dissolved DME? From an infection point of view.

 

[koshari]

20 tins of LME, no problems, except for the inguinal hernia and ruptured disc I'd be just fine. Just on that, if you're using a 20kg bag, how important is it to boil the dissolved DME? From an infection point of view.

i can only provide anecdotal evidence, i have not bothered boiling it and have not had an issue with over 20 batches, of these some i have pasteurised at about 60-70 deg in winter as our tap water gets down to 11-16 deg and a few litres of warmer water in the batch lifts it up to a temp that i can pitch the yeast at.

 

[ianh]

I am with Thomas Wood on this one. Only occasionally used LME when a full tin was required. But became an extract brewer (over 200 brews) and used DME almost exclusively.
Use to buy 20kg bags and split into approx 1kg lots which was stored in ziploc bags. Dissolved DME in hot water separately prior to adding to the fermenter, never had problems with lumps.
First advantage of DME is cost as it is much cheaper than LME especially bought in bulk.
Secondly much easier to weigh out a specific weight as required for hop boils and makes recipes more flexible.

 

[YAPN]

I am with Thomas Wood on this one. Only occasionally used LME when a full tin was required. But became an extract brewer (over 200 brews) and used DME almost exclusively.
Use to buy 20kg bags and split into approx 1kg lots which was stored in ziploc bags. Dissolved DME in hot water separately prior to adding to the fermenter, never had problems with lumps.
First advantage of DME is cost as it is much cheaper than LME especially bought in bulk.
Secondly much easier to weigh out a specific weight as required for hop boils and makes recipes more flexible.

When I first started, about 2003, the bulk price difference was about $1 (1kg DME/1.5kg LME) But you would have to multiply those figures for extract only brewing.
The flexibility would an be advantage for you, luckily I don't need it. The portion-control of a tin is just perfect for me.

 

[theQuinny]

Here's my weekend sorted:

Left, my bog stock American Pale Ale & Right, Fat Tire Ale Clone (American Amber)

With the liquid ME, I dissolve it hot water first then add to the wort about 10 min before the end of the boil The dry ME, I just snip the corner of the bag and sprinkle it into the boiling wort while stirring. Seems to go ok...

 

[Thomas Wood]

If you put the DME in first with a bit of cold/cool water and swirl it around you will find you won’t get the clumping issue that you speak of.

Just did this the other night and it worked perfectly! Cheers