What is the difference between malt extract (dried malt) and malt syrup in how it acts in cooking?

Answer 1

Malt syrup is basically liquid malt extract (LME). Dried malt extract (DME) is essentially the same thing...but dry. The methods of production are slightly different. The malt is mashed and lautered (the sugars rinsed from the grain husks). For the liquid extract, the excess water is cooked away, making essentially a reduction. DME is made by spraying the wort against a screen in a high temperature dryer oven which flash dehydrates it. As a result, things made with DME tend to have a little less of a "cooked" taste than LME. What you choose depends upon what you want the finished result to taste like.

Answer 2

Basically the other guy is very right in what he said. Dried malt extract typically has less of that "homebrew" twang to it. Also 1 lb of DME is actually more than 1 lb of LME. Also I should mention that DME is more expensive than LME though you need less of it for a particular batch. To answer your question both work basically the same during cooking. Both of them you need to stir so that they don't scorch at the bottom of the pot.

Answer 3

Not commonly used in cooking, typically used in production of beer, and malt liqour. Ask your nearest home brew shop ask about the finer points in taste, clarity, and carbonation between the two products. When in doubt, ask a brewer and find out.