Malt Extract

Malt extract is exactly what the name says, the extract of malt, normally barley malt (if not it will be specified), it is the main ingredient of beer kits and is also used by extract brewers. Liquid malt extract ( LME ), the most common type, comes in tins and is made by mashing the crushed barely in warm water, just as a brewery does, then it is boiled in a copper this sterilizes the malt and breaks down unwanted enzymes, if the extract is hopped malt extract hops are added, once the boil is completed the wort is placed into a vacuum condenser and is reduced down into a thick syrup which is tinned. Dry malt extract ( DME ) follows the same process but instead of reducing down to a syrup it is fed through a spray dryer that renders it to a fine powder. Any of these products can then be dissolved in water to regain the original wort.