Molasses In Beer

[ryanator]

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking of adding some dark brown sugar to a stout or a dark ale. I was just wondering how molasses affect beer taste. Does it give beer a sweeter taste?

Cheers.

 

[colinw]

Go out and buy some Theakston Old Peculier for an example of a beer with Molasses character.

It imparts a funny, complex, rummy/winey type character, which IMHO goes very well indeed in a malty dark ale and would probably work in a porter or stout.

You don't need to use much to get that effect - a tablespoon in a 23 litre batch is very noticeable. If you used 200g I doubt it would be drinkable (for my tastes).

cheers,
Colin

 

[GMK]

Got to agree with Colin on the MOLASSES - dont use 2 much Table spoon is enough.

Dark Brown Sugar no worries...use between 100 - 200gms

 

[Jim - Perth]

I have used it twice in stouts (1/2 jar on each occasion).
Suffice to say, I won't be using it again.
It leaves a residual molassis/rubber bandy type bitterness.
With 1/2 jar/23L you can certainly detect the molassis in the end product.
If you have to use it, I would suggest that you be spareing.

 

[ryanator]

Thanks guys. Always a big help.

I'll probably go with 150g.

Edit: 150g of dark brown sugar (not 150g of Theakston Old Peculier).

 

[Shunty]

In my kit and kilo days i added 500g blackstrap molasses to a stout. The entire house smelt like vomit for a week, and the beer wasn't drinkable till it had aged a year in the bottles