Hi,
I've brewed a stout and would like some advice on the best method of priming it when I bottle it. It tastes fantastic and I don't want to ruin it by getting my priming wrong.
Thanks,
Chris
I haven't brewed a stout but I think if you use brown sugar it may give a slightly caramel taste. Not sure though. Others might be able to confirm this.
If the beer is watery, thin, and a load of rubbish to begin with, dex will make it worse. For a stout, even if its a kit and kilo, there will be ample malt backbone to it to negate the argument. Just use dex.
So for a pilsner or any other thinner beer dex is no good? I've found it okay, but then again I haven't even achieved as greater body as I'd like.
apparently brown sugar has molasses or something in it to give it that taste?
Brown sugar does indeed have molasses in it, usually around 6%, and is produced by adding molasses to refined white sugar. Demarera sugar is somewhat similar, but is less precise on how much molasses is in it. It is unrefined cane sugar, which has molasses in it naturally.
Normally, I'm very anti on using sucrose, even in priming. Brown sugar as a prime in a heavy ale or a stout is my exception to this, the molasses flavour easily masks any anadise produced to break the sucrose bonding, and it gives a great flavour.
Another one that is worth experimenting with is natural 100% maple syrup. Smoky, woody and dry.
I would go same as dextrose. for the amount of brown.How much maple syryp per litre would you use for a stout? Sounds interesting...
Also, with brown sugar do you use the same amount as with dextrose? Or more/less?
Depends really on how heavy or roasty the stout is, I suppose. The flavour added is fairly subtle, its more really just for a bit of smoothness against the asttringency of the roast. In an amber, or a dark ale, the flavour is a bit more noticable.I doubt that using brown sugar to prime would do much flavourwise to a stout due to the very small amount used per each bottle. ( IMHO )
No shortage of sugar round here it grows on trees
I agree, absolutely, dex in a stout is the way to go. But hoppingmad is looking at experimentation to give his stout 'something extra', and so I assume it is less than a 'perfect' brew. Hence the digression into using alternate sugars....as something that is worth playing around with if you're in an experimental frame of mind, not as something you would do as usual practice.For what its worth I would just use 100g of Dextrose for 23 litres. Unless you have made that many stouts that you have the std brew down pat I would not be messing around with an otherwise perfect brew by using any funky priming sugars. If its good, just prime it and drink it.
Steve
Normally, I'm very anti on using sucrose, even in priming.
Invertase produces off flavours, most noticably a 'cider' taste.
Hi,
I've brewed a stout and would like some advice on the best method of priming it when I bottle it. It tastes fantastic and I don't want to ruin it by getting my priming wrong.
Thanks,
Chris
Sucrose is a disacchiride, which contains 1 glucose and 1 fructose. Sucrose in and of itself does not ferment. The bond between the monsacchirides has to be broken. There are 2 ways to do this. The first is by balling it with the adition of acid. (this is a cooking process, and is how invert sugar is made. Invert sugar is sucrose where the bond has been broken.) The second way is by introduction of an enzyme, either manually, or through production by the yeast. This enzyme is called invertase, aka beta-fructofuranosidase. Invertase produces off flavours, most noticably a 'cider' taste.
Now this is why plain sugar should not be used in the main fermentables of the batch. I go further, and state that it should not be used in priming either (although a lot of people disagree with my viewpoint on this). My main reasoning for being anti, even in priming, is that some people are hyper sensetive to this enzyme and the flavours it produces, ie they can taste it even in small quantaties. Most people won't detect it in such low quantities as caused by priming. Some people do. For me (and I stress, that it is for MY tastes and preferences), if it is used in priming, I can usually detect it in a beer that is not overly strong in either malt or hop flavour. The amounts in the prime don't make me spit it out, nothing that dramatic, its just more of an aftertaste that I would rather not have.
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