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Robust Porter - All DME?

philm63

Grandmaster Brewer
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Is it OK to use all DME in a recipe? Perhaps it is, but are there any advantages to using LME, or a combination of LME and DME? Are there particular styles that are best suited for DME vs. LME? I'm still an all-extract brewer for now but the grain mill is on the way so PM is not far off. (Kudos to Beersmith for continuing to offer the great deal on the Barley Crusher!!)

I'm getting ready to brew my first Robust Porter, and although I've posted this recipe once before a short while back (some may recognize its name), I've since given it a full makeover after just having brewed an APA this weekend - my first full-boil (yes, it boiled over! I feel as though I've been initiated) There were a few challenges in this first full-boil that lead to some adjustment of my equipment profile and gave rise to the redo of my porter recipe.

I've posted the recipe here and, as always, I'd appreciate some feedback - don't pull any punches here, I'm here to learn!

 

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  • High on the Hog Porter.bsmx
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There's nothing wrong with DME.  Its usually a little more expensive than the equivalent about of LME.  Given the extra work required to totally dry out the DME, it probably a little darker than the lightest LME.  But, it will keep longer without going bad.  So, it evens out.  Use the best ingredients that you have available.  If that's DME, that's perfectly fine.

I guess the other point to make would be to always use light colored Extracts.  If you want dark color/flavors steep grains for those flavors...don't try and buy darker extracts.

 
Whew!  That's a lot of Crystal-120.  my recipe uses about the same amount of crystal-10L.  I'm not saying that's wrong, but 120 is pretty strongly flavored. 

Then again, maybe it will be awesome!  You won't know until you try it.  I say go for it. 

I don't really like WLP060.  Nothing wrong with it per se, but I'd rather use a pure yeast for most styles.  I'd sub Cal-Ale (WLP001).  Then you can reuse the yeast for several generations.  Yeast gets better with age.  But you can't really do that with most blends because the growth rates aren't matched...and it will stabilize at a different distribution than was put in the vial.  So, it won't be the same from generation to generation.


 
Different growth rates - didn't see THAT coming... looks like there's still plenty to learn, and I am the lucky one having so many great minds to tap. Thanks again, Tom.

I've got a whole week before I brew my Porter - I'll keep tweaking until brew day, by then; my LHBS should be able to get that 001.



 
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