# Crystal Malt With Lemondade, Ginger Beer Or Cider?



## phinnsfotos (17/3/10)

On and off I've been mulling around in my head how to make ginger beer, lemonades and ciders sweeter. I know about and have tried using lactose but while I found lactose takes the edge off the sourness, it's just not a sugary sweetness. Maybe I'm just not using enough. I did use a kilo in a lemonade I made and it is still VERY sour. I like it, but I'm in rare company amongst my friends. 

My mind wandered onto ideas like artificial sweeter, but I've decided the logistics of keeping a monkey on hand so I can lick it's arse after each mouthful to get the taste out just wasn't feasible. 

So, while steeping some crystal malts I made this amazing leap of understanding  That crystal malts add sweetness. Amazing I know. Hey it just takes me a while to catch on to these things.

Finally the question. Has anyone actually tried using light crystal malts to add sweetness to these drinks? I'm thinking that they would go best with cider, but that's the drink I'm having the least trouble with. How do you think they'd shape up in a lemonade? I know it would alter the flavour considerably, but I'm thinking a malty lemonade might be all right.

Cheers,
Finn.


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## Bongchitis (17/3/10)

Hey phin, been looking at this also. Stevia (good extract) and sucralose are also good sweetening options that are non fermentable and have bugger all aftertase. I'm looking at basically the same drinks as you are and trying different sweetening strategies together for a complex or rounded sweetnes. In a cider for example, at the moment im using stevia, sucralose, malt, lactose and brown sugar (all in small amounts) and low attenuative yeast to give sweetness that you certainly couldn't tell was artificial, Well i can't anyway but i have been drinking diet coke for years :icon_vomit: 

I think i might try and steep some crystal next time. 

Good luck with it mate.


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## neonmeate (17/3/10)

cool idea. id like to make icecream with crystal malt too....


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## phinnsfotos (17/3/10)

Now I hadn't thought of ice cream.


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## rupal (21/3/10)

phinnsfotos said:


> On and off I've been mulling around in my head how to make ginger beer, lemonades and ciders sweeter. I know about and have tried using lactose but while I found lactose takes the edge off the sourness, it's just not a sugary sweetness. Maybe I'm just not using enough. I did use a kilo in a lemonade I made and it is still VERY sour. I like it, but I'm in rare company amongst my friends.
> 
> My mind wandered onto ideas like artificial sweeter, but I've decided the logistics of keeping a monkey on hand so I can lick it's arse after each mouthful to get the taste out just wasn't feasible.
> 
> ...





Apparently Xylitol has the same sweetness (Gram 2 Gram) as Sugar & is 100% non-fermentable, it also has the same kind of sweetening effect as Sugar unlike Lactose.
Although apparently it can have a slight laxative effect  . And it isn't that cheap, ($30- 2 KG, or $230- 25 KG) from: http://www.nirvanahealthproducts.com/index.php?cPath=2

I am planning on buying some soon & doing some experiments with Ginger Beer, so i will post back my results.


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