Ginger Beer - Different "Sugars"

[BrissieBrian]

hi everyone,

first post, been reading forum for a couple months

my brother got me hooked on Brigalow ginger beer - dang him !!

so I had to go out and buy a fermenter, and start my own

20 - 25 yrs ago I used to brew 70 bottles a weekend with my cousin, we had a nice "beer cellar" going by the end, but haven't brewed anything for about the 20 yrs


the first brigalow GB I did (only this last week, been in the bottle 4-5 days) was a non alcoholic - so I'd have SOMETHING to drink right away (mmm that gingery taste after work !!)

it is a little "dry" and doesn't have much "body" or is it "mouth feel" I mean? lol. its not quite like my bros alco version. idk why.

anyway, I used 150 gms of raw sugar like it said on the can (which is basically for priming the bottles)


anyway to my question:

what difference will any of the "sugar substitutes" make to the brew, if any,

you have white, brown, dark brown, raw sugars, then you have maltodextrose, dextrose, and a bunch of other things like coopers brew enhancer 1 and 2 - my mind is REELING


I'd also be interested in knowing what difference they make to a beer, as that's my next brew to go in (tooheys can from big W) - my bro swears by coopers enhancer #2 - says white sugar makes the brew taste "home brew-y" - I tasted his beer, tastes just like store bought beer to me, but im curious about all the "sugars" etc.


so what suggestions could you give me for what to use for the GB this weekend (hoping to put it down sunday)


the lhbs told me just use dextrose (which I have some of sitting right here from a second hand - new never used - fermenter I just picked up off gumtree.

(and does dextrose "go off" - I suspect this one is 2 to 3 yrs old - the brigalow can of beer was blown out both ends, so that will be going for the bin and all)


thanks for any tips, or point me to any threads that may help me - ive tried reading thru the forum/s to find the info but my mind is a bit boggled by it all.



looking forward to getting back into brewing

thanks and cheers !!

 

[thylacine]

An alternative is to use a 'house beer recipe' (e.g. a recipe you enjoy and can replicate) and add fresh ginger. I grow ginger for this purpose. Cheers...

 

[BrissieBrian]

thanks mate,

i'll definitely be looking into the "recipe" option - ive bookmarked a couple I liked in the forum here

good idea to grow own ginger, that stuff is EXPENSIVE

we're moving in a few months, so ill have to wait until after that to commit to growing ginger


but for now im stuck with my brigalow GB can - swmbo would spew if I started going down the path of recipes atm - im sposed to be painting and fixing things to sell the house - she didn't even want me to buy a HB setup until we moved.


also, finding a recipe I "enjoy" will be trial and error, for sure - I enjoy my bros brigalow, im just trying to improve it a little if possible, and I thought the easiest way may be a different sugar - btw the bro uses raw sugar for the alco GB and raw sugar to prime bottles.



but thanks for your reply mate

cheers

 

[indica86]

Table sugar will be thin, no body, no taste, possibly cidery.
BE2 - has maltodextrin, dextrose and malt. The Maltodextrin gives body and mouth feel as it is generally unfermentable.
Brown/ raw sugar will leave some taste as it has molasses.
Most genuine beer has mostly malt as the fermentable. This lends body and mouthfeel as welll as alcohol content - all of which are important.