Campden Or Just Keep Cold?

[Filby]

Hi

Just a couple of days away from kegging an all-grain ginger beer but once it goes into the keg I need to back-sweeten it and obviously stop the yeast from munching up all that cane sugar goodness. Ive been advised that the campden tablets will stop them in their tracks but I was wondering if just making sure the keg stays 4degrees or less will inhibit the yeast from fermenting out the sugar. I would prefer to not use campden as Im concerned about the sulphur smells that some people report after using them in beer. Thoughts?


Cheers

Fil

 

[manticle]

Cold will stop the yeast working. If allowed to warm up again they may of course wake up and do their thing so maintain the cold if you want the sweetness.

Sodium or potassium meta-bisulphite will inhibit yeast growth but won't necessarily kill it. It also, in my experience, adds a flavour and creates unpleasant hangovers. I've also found the sulphur smell (in cider) unpleasant and requires a lot of conditioning to dissipate. Unnecessary

My vote is for cold.

 

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I say go cold and hope you don't get a black out.

The other option is using lactose, I always did this with my ginger beer. It's unfermentable and a little bit goes a long way.

 

[Filby]

Thanks for confirming what I thought would be the better option. One other plus for not using the campden is that Im filtering it so there's going to be bugger all yeast anyway! Oh and lactose is a no go with a lactose intolerant GF

Cheers again!


Fil