Coopers kits nailed the base — but something was still missing from my best brew

June 11, 2025

A simple malt swap that made every glass sing — and it almost flew under the radar

If you've ever taken that first sip of your homebrew and thought, "Yeah... that’s alright," but not "Whoa, that’s a deadset cracker," then lean in. What if I told you a single ingredient—something you probably walked past a dozen times—was the missing link?

The 'Okay' Phase: When every batch felt a bit... samey

I’d been brewing for over two years. I had my temperatures dialled in, I sanitised like a surgeon, and the gear in my shed would make a small-scale brewer jealous. But the flavour? Predictable. Drinkable, sure. Friends would grin and nod, but the passion wasn't in their eyes. I wanted heads to turn at that first taste.

"It’s good, mate, just doesn’t have that pub-fresh punch." — A mate’s honest verdict

The Shift: Swapped out dry malt extract for liquid malt extract — and boom

After chatting with a local brewer at a demo day, I switched from dry malt extract (DME) to liquid malt extract (LME). Same recipe. Same yeast. Same hops. But the difference? Bloody magical.

LME keeps more of the complex sugars, and those translate to richer mouthfeel and fuller flavour. It was like switching from a black-and-white telly to full-blown colour. The beer became smoother, rounder, malty in a way that felt… proper. Like it belonged in a taproom, not just in my backyard fridge.

Why it works: Freshness, body, and sugar complexity

Dry malt extract has its place, especially for convenience and storage. But it’s more processed — meaning some of the subtle sugars that give beer its backbone can get lost. Liquid malt, especially the kind that’s fresh and locally stored, brings that complexity back in. It gives your brew something to stand on.

For anyone chasing:

A maltier, fuller body that doesn’t feel watery
Better head retention and mouthfeel
A brew that tastes closer to your favourite pub pour

This one change might be your new secret weapon.

Old habits die hard — but great beer changes minds

At first, I resisted. “Why mess with what works?” I thought. Funny thing is, sometimes good is the enemy of legendary. Swapping to liquid malt didn’t mean throwing out the playbook. It was more like seasoning the steak better — same meat, just cooked better.

Since that batch, every new brew has had that pub-style quality I was chasing. It didn’t need a new fermenter, or a degree in chemistry. Just a simple swap.

3 signs your brew could benefit from the swap

You’re getting clean ferments, but your beer lacks ‘wow’ factor
The body feels thin, even though your recipe looks sound
Your mates drink it... but nobody asks for a second

Taste is everything — and it’s closer than you think

Flavour is the one thing your homebrew can't fake. And while there are plenty of tweaks you can make — from yeast strains to temp control — few offer such an instant upgrade as switching to high-quality liquid malt.

It’s funny how the tiniest changes turn the dial. Sometimes, the missing link isn’t fancy — it’s just fresh, local, and done with care.

Every great shed brew starts with a better base

Your gear might be humming, your steps rock-solid. But taste? That sits in your ingredients. Starting with better malt gives everything else room to shine — cleaner hoppy notes, steadier balance, that stick-around head we all chase.

So if your last batch tasted like a mid-week campfire story — nice enough, but not memorable — try the liquid swap. Brew it this weekend. Serve it cold. And watch what happens when the glass hits your mate’s lips.

The missing ‘wow’ might be hiding in the can, not the keg. Taste isn’t about effort — it’s about the right base ingredient doing the heavy lifting.

Cheers,
Candeece