How Much Lactose?

[Wreck]

How much lactose would you put in a sweet stout?

I was thinking along the lines of 250g for a batch around 20 litres.

Thanks,
Wreck.

 

[AndrewQLD]

Sounds about right to me Wreck, the only time I made a sweet stout I added 200 g and while I would'nt call the stout overly sweet it was very smooth and creamy.

 

[Murray]

I know this is completely unhelpful, but I'd say none. Lactose, while unfermentable, is not a sweetener. What's the rest of your recipe?

 

[Wreck]

Yeah, don't want it too sweet as such.

Thanks,
Wreck.

 

[Wreck]

By sweet stout I mean milk stout, which has lactose in it, doesn't it?

Haven't worked out the recipe yet. Looking at a partial mash with some pale, roasted and maybe some chocolate malt.

Wreck.

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Hmmm tasted a stout with lactose in it once. Once.

No taste or sweetness from the lactose, but a nasty little chemical taste which i presumed was from the lactose. Happened to talk with Luke about lactose today, he gets that chemical side taste and also does not use it, and he is a stout fanatic!

What the lactose mainly does is raise the FG. If your stout has a heaping helping of dark grains it should already have a 'stout' FG

This whole thing about milk stouts arose from the belief of doctors in 17th through to early 20th century that stouts were really nutritious, so a milk stout must be doubly so and prescribe to invalids and nursing mothers.

Don't add the lactose is my advice


Jovial Monk

 

[Guest Lurker]

Seconded. Hate the stuff and have experimented with it quite a bit.

 

[GMK]

Every stout and dark ale i make has lactose in it - varies between 150 - 250gms.

I think it helps the balance in the stout.
The guys tried both my dark and stout on monday - got really good reviews...

To make a milk stout i would add 250 - 450gms of lactose - ie 250 with the boil - taste before racking to bottling bucket - add more if you want it sweeter - i have done this before.

Also, add 150 gms of flaked oats with the steeping - 50gms of Dark compound cooking choc is really good too.
I also add 250 gms of Dark Brown Sugar - this leaves a bit of caramel toffee sweetness in the stout.

Before everyone says that oats should be mashed etc....(should be )
with my stouts that are kits and bits i only do steeping add it turns out really good - cloudiness from the oats does not show in a stout/dark.

Hope this helps.

 

[jayse]

I want say oats need mashing.

I'LL SHOUT IT. OATS NEED MASHING.

Iam with the majority any lactose is too much. Don't use it at all.
while your beers where drinkable ken... although i only had about 100ml of each of those the other day.
They weren't anything like a good oatmeal stout like TDA's i had last nite and the one i made last year.
The difference is unreal.

Jayse(stirring up GMK again)

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

I want say oats need mashing.

I'LL SHOUT IT. OATS NEED MASHING.

Iam with the majority any lactose is too much. Don't use it at all.
while your beers where drinkable ken... although i only had about 100ml of each of those the other day.
They weren't anything like a good oatmeal stout like TDA's i had last nite and the one i made last year.
The difference is unreal.

Jayse(stirring up GMK again)

Did Dave crack that last night jayse?
It was supposed to be for BBD, nevermind.
How was the Goliaths get together?

C&B
TDA

 

[jayse]

Yeap we tried a bottle of your oatmeal last nite TDA.
Don't worry iam sure everyone deserving of a taste will get some when you get back.
It was awesome, it had the same ultra clean quality of the one i made last year.
Its a truell great beer.

The goliath show was great. We had a shop full of brewers, plus some allgrain brewers i hadn't met yet in JSB and steveSA who both had wicked beers in which i hope to taste again tommorow in much bigger portions.

The grumpy show was a little lacking in attendance though with only Batz, BBB, chiller, the lazybrewer and myself.
Chillers bikes bigger than my bloody van, jeez thats one hell of a ride.

Seeya when you get back.

Oh GMK maybe that is why all your dark beers have that funny taste i always thought its because of the liquid malt base. But lactose may be the cause.

Jayse

 

[GMK]

gmk is now officially stirred up.