# Mangrove Jacks Ginger Beer pouch.



## Shauna (23/11/18)

Hey 
So I put down a MJ pouch just over a week ago. I'd made the Coopers ones before but the first time I did a MJ, it was super dry. I figured it was because I hadn't used the sweetener sachet (as far as I'm aware the Coopers kit had the sweetener premixed). This time I used the sweetener, but as I've started testing for the FG I decided to have a taste. Wow. It seems even dryer than when I didn't use the sweetener.
I've been reading lots of forum posts about back sweetening but there really doesn't seem to be much info on how to do it if you want to bottle your brew. The consensus appears to be add lemonade to it when drinking it, not something I want to do as I'm a type 1 diabetic. 
Does anyone have a tried and tested method for back sweetening? Do I add stuff prior to bottling, or do I do it for each individual bottle? And if I add sweetener to the fermenter then do I need to leave it or can I bottle immediately? 
I've read that adding lactose adds more body than sweetness, and even though I use artificial sweetener because of my diabetes, I only like saccharin as all the others have horrid after taste And IMO Stevia is the worst.
Would appreciate any help!!


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## SKBugs (24/11/18)

How are you planning on carbing it? 
I would sweeten as a whole brew rather than per bottle. This is to make sure you have uniform sweetness across the board, if you know what I mean. 
I only have experience with mead but if your planning on back sweetening then the issue arises in if you add fermentable sugars you will wake up the yeasties - higher ABV and not sweeter. 
Also an issue if you do it at bottling because the CO2 will cause the bottle bombs. Hence the original question about how you plan on carbing. If you are going to keg it then I think it isn't a problem to add the sugar (never kegged before). 
If however you don't want a fizzy drink then no dramas adding Camden tablets and then a stabilizer to kill the yeast. Once that is done add honey, maple syrup, any of the processed sugars. 
Hope that makes sense. 
Cheers


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## Shauna (26/11/18)

Thanks for responding. 
I ended up using a spare half sachet of acesulfame k I had left over from a pink lemonade brew.
It still isn't as sweet as I think it should be, but it's also not anywhere near as dry as it was.
I'm bottling it so using the carbination drops to carb it.
I really don't want to add anymore sweetener, so will bottle this evening and hope for the flavour to sort itself out.
I think the next ginger brew I put down will be with a different brand kit or I'll make a plant instead.


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## altone (26/11/18)

Shauna said:


> Thanks for responding.
> I ended up using a spare half sachet of acesulfame k I had left over from a pink lemonade brew.
> It still isn't as sweet as I think it should be, but it's also not anywhere near as dry as it was.
> I'm bottling it so using the carbination drops to carb it.
> ...



You could always try back sweetening it with Xylitol next time.
I'm fairly sure that doesn't affect blood sugar levels and doesn't ferment so no bottle bombs.

Just a thought


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## Shauna (29/11/18)

Thanks for the Xylitol suggestion. I'm a type 1 diabetic so I have a lot of experience with sweeteners and unfortunately Xylitol makes my mouth feel like I've been licking sandpaper. 
Basically the only sweetener that isn't overpowering to me is saccharin and the acesulfame k. In my last post I said I was just going to bottle it and hope for the best, but I did end up adding more sweetener, by using the sweeteners I have in my coffee. 40 dissolved in 100ml water, cooled and then stirred into the fermenter. That's the equivalent sweetness of 200g of sugar. I left it overnight, and then bottled it. Should be interesting! I'm actually now wondering if the Mangrove Jack's is more like a ginger flavoured beer rather than an actual ginger beer? It had a very distinct draught flavour to it.
I'm still looking forward to it anyway


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## altone (29/11/18)

Shauna said:


> Thanks for the Xylitol suggestion. I'm a type 1 diabetic so I have a lot of experience with sweeteners and unfortunately Xylitol makes my mouth feel like I've been licking sandpaper.
> Basically the only sweetener that isn't overpowering to me is saccharin and the acesulfame k. In my last post I said I was just going to bottle it and hope for the best, but I did end up adding more sweetener, by using the sweeteners I have in my coffee. 40 dissolved in 100ml water, cooled and then stirred into the fermenter. That's the equivalent sweetness of 200g of sugar. I left it overnight, and then bottled it. Should be interesting! I'm actually now wondering if the Mangrove Jack's is more like a ginger flavoured beer rather than an actual ginger beer? It had a very distinct draught flavour to it.
> I'm still looking forward to it anyway



That's interesting. Xylitol is the only one that tastes like sugar to me (of the one's I've tried).
Stevia adds a strange aftertaste - well the bought stuff - the actual plant leaves are quite nice.
Luckily I don't "need" to try alternates to sugar but do try and minimize my sugar intake where I can, without compromising flavour.
Saccharin is not a very healthy option and it seems acesulfame k is thought may be a carcinogen but not tested.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and from what I've seen is pretty benign.

Anyway the alcohol in our beer will probably kill us before the sweeteners do so whatever works is good


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## sutski (7/2/20)

Shauna said:


> Hey
> So I put down a MJ pouch just over a week ago. I'd made the Coopers ones before but the first time I did a MJ, it was super dry. I figured it was because I hadn't used the sweetener sachet (as far as I'm aware the Coopers kit had the sweetener premixed). This time I used the sweetener, but as I've started testing for the FG I decided to have a taste. Wow. It seems even dryer than when I didn't use the sweetener.
> I've been reading lots of forum posts about back sweetening but there really doesn't seem to be much info on how to do it if you want to bottle your brew. The consensus appears to be add lemonade to it when drinking it, not something I want to do as I'm a type 1 diabetic.
> Does anyone have a tried and tested method for back sweetening? Do I add stuff prior to bottling, or do I do it for each individual bottle? And if I add sweetener to the fermenter then do I need to leave it or can I bottle immediately?
> ...



Hi Shauna, how did the MJ ginger (with sweener) turn out in the end? Cheers!


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## perthstan (8/2/20)

I didn't use MJ sweetener as i do not like the after taste of artificial sweeteners. Instead I used stevia as a replacement. I think I used 60 gms in the brew and after tasting i figured it was 30 gms too much. i will try the lower amount next time. hope this helps. Stan


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## sutski (9/2/20)

perthstan said:


> I didn't use MJ sweetener as i do not like the after taste of artificial sweeteners. Instead I used stevia as a replacement. I think I used 60 gms in the brew and after tasting i figured it was 30 gms too much. i will try the lower amount next time. hope this helps. Stan


Thanks Stan, I have a batch in the tank now and was just impatient for tasting thoughts  I did as per instructions this batch so fingers crossed


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## peterlonz (9/2/20)

Been their & messed up.
My simple conclusions:
Do not use artificial sweeteners for two reasons. the taste is bloody awful & you are pretty much guaranteed to overdo it.
I have no practical solutions if you must bottle.
Kegging is another story but I think you know that.
If GB is your favourd drink why not invest in a keg & associated gear?
Then your problem will be how to effect the best extraction & how strong should the ginger taste be, ...........................maybe in another post?


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