Corn Syrup

[the_yobbo]

Howdy,

While down at the local brew store and discussing making a cider (aiming for the sweeter side), they suggested putting in corn syrup and handed me a packet of powder labels corn syrup.

I did a quick forum search and a google search and I'm non the wiser of what I actually have. I thought the word syrup is only used for liquids, not powder.
Is it non fermentable or semi fermentable?
Anyone used it in brewing?

Cheers

 

[brettprevans]

corn syrup is maltodextrine. partially fermentable. the guy who sold it to you, is a knob.

read the cider threads in the non-beer-brewing section to get some ideas about how to make cider more sweet etc.

edit: corn syrup is what the yanks call maltodex.

 

[Pete2501]

corn syrup is maltodextrine. partially fermentable. the guy who sold it to you, is a knob.

read the cider threads in the non-beer-brewing section to get some ideas about how to make cider more sweet etc.

edit: corn syrup is what the yanks call maltodex.

Partially?

 

[brettprevans]

maltodex is partially fermantable. thats why its used to add body.

dextrose is fully fermentable and doesnt add body, just alc.

 

[Pete2501]

maltodex is partially fermantable. thats why its used to add body.

dextrose is fully fermentable and doesnt add body, just alc.

This is still kinda on topic. How does the yeast deal with a polysaccharide.

I can't find out what makes up maltodextrin.

 

[pint of lager]

Wiki on dextrins.

Wiki on maltodextrin.

Yeasts can utilise the shorter chain polysacharides, but cannot utilise the longer chain polysacharides. So, as others have said, maltodextrin is partially fermentable. Utilise means turn into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

The longer chains that the yeast cannot utilise, remain in solution, giving body and some sweetness to the beer.

Confusioun reigns. The yanks manufacture their maltodextrin from corn starch and call it corn syrup, and their corn sugar is actually dextrose.

Try and avoid the terms corn sugar and corn syrup. New brewers at some stage mix them up. Maltodextrin is useless for priming.

 

[Jamieman]

Little light just went on here.
Love this educational stuff.

 

[Nick JD]

Buy a Coke in USA and there's no sucrose in it. It's all High Fructose Corn Syrup.

I really like it. Their Coke has a hint of Juicyfruit chewing gum initially and the very sweet aftertaste. Hell - if I'm gonna drink gut-rot, it'd better be as bad for me as possible.

So HFCS is a mixture of fructose and glucose. Corn syrup here is maltodextrin. Be wary when you are reading American recipes.

EDIT: sucrose is a glucose and a fructose joined together.

Fructose is the sugar in fruit and is damn near the same as glucose.

Dextrose is glucose.

 

[the_yobbo]

Awesome, will see what it does to my cider when I put it down.
I need to get my tempmate working again before trying since I almost lost my last brew due to these WA temps and the tempmate not functioning correctly.

 

[earle]

I don't think it will make your cider much sweeter. Maltodextrin is mainly used to add body/head to brews. In too greater quantities it apparently can add a soapy flavour. You'd be better off using lactose or artificial sweeteners. Another way to make sweeter cider is to stop fermentation early by killing the yeast but this can be hit and miss.

 

[Pete2501]

Fructose is the sugar in fruit and is damn near the same as glucose.

Except that thing called Relative sweetness.

 

[Nick JD]

Except that thing called Relative sweetness.

That's why I don't use obese American yeast.