Sugar

[Bloodymint]

Hi Everyone

I have a friend that has been brewing for a couple of months now and he uses normal sugar from the supermarket instead of using the dextrose or other types of sugars. He uses the sugar for fermenting the brew with the kit. Is this right or wrong? I've been told never to use plain sugar from a few people becuase it gives it a different taste. What do you guys think?

 

[bum]

How does his beer taste?

The "rule" to never use sugar is silly but you'll want a good reason and sensible amounts. Half your fermentables just because it is cheaper is neither good nor sensible. Unless his beer tastes good, of course. If you want your beer to taste like his then does what he does.

 

[ash2]

Have you tried his brews? I have never used just sugar or tried anyones brew that had just sugar in it .Is your mate just a tightarse ?Does he know how other fermentables can inprove his beers. :beerbang:

 

[chefeffect]

When I did kits I used sugar a few times and then gave up, the beer was far to dry for me, but depends what you like. I found for an extra $2-3 you can by a coopers enhancer pack 1 or 2 and they make a vast difference in mouth feel. Even dextrose with some DME or honey is a better option.

 

[Mace]

Having only ever brewed with kits, all I can say is that plain sugar will do the job, but the finished product using (for example) the coopers fermentables or other pre packaged combinations available respectively from supermarkets or brew shops deliver a better final product with improved head. I used plain sugar for the first few years, but now only use these "other" sugars. Worth the extra few $$$

 

[Canuckdownunder]

Is grocery sugar even that much cheaper than a kilo of dex from somewhere like Big W?

I mean I've never even considered it just because it's so easy to grab some dex or a box of Coopers BE/DME...

 

[ash2]

Is grocery sugar even that much cheaper than a kilo of dex from somewhere like Big W?

I mean I've never even considered it just because it's so easy to grab some dex or a box of Coopers BE/DME...

We could all chip in & buy him some BE2 for $7.50 :lol:

 

[carniebrew]

A mate's old man has been brewing for decades with a kit can and a kilo of white sugar. My mate describes his dad's beers as "drinkable". So if you're happy with "drinkable", go for it....

 

[Bloodymint]

I've been brewing for a few years now and I just buy the dextrose or brew booster, always from my local brew shop because I think it gives a much nicer flavour than plain sugar. He doesn't really want to pay the extra dollars but I just think you get an average beer. I've heard it can make a really dry beer. He is a rough and ready brewer. Lol

 

[manticle]

White sugar is fine, in and of itself. It's the amount/proportion you use and the other ingredients and fermentation processes that make up the rest that matters. A kit plus 1kg of dex ain't tasting loads better than a kit and 1kg of bundaberg white. There is a valid argument for using dex or invert over sucrose but there's other things that are more important.
I wouldn't recommend using either as the only fermentable besides the tin goop.

 

[Bloodymint]

I use alot of brew booster and other things like hops and grain to change the flavour. I rarely use dextrose unless for bulk priming.

 

[manticle]

You would notice very little difference bulk priming with ordinary white sugar.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

My first few batches of kit beer about 10 years ago almost consisted entirely of a can of LME and a kilo of white/brown sugar. I was so stoked that I was making beer, the quality didn't seem to matter that much.

More than once, the feedback I got was that the beer tasted cidery and so I began using dry malt extract/dextrose blends.

Here's a link to a great source of info. http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter3-1.html

And another. http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

 

[episteme]

I used white sugar for my very first beer almost 10 years ago now. It tasted like apple cider and was not good. I swore to never do that again. I started researching and realised it's a bad idea. My uncle still uses a can with a kilo of sugar but he's verging on an alcoholic and talks more about what each beer costs rather than taste.

Some of my best beers have been partial mashes with a can and dry hopped. It's so easy if you just use specialty grains which add back the freshness that a kit loses. Keeping your brew temp near the minimum is also a tip (and simple) that greatly improves the quality of the beer. If the brew temp is high it takes about 6 months in the bottle to start tasting good (the yeast eventually eats the chemicals causing the off flavours).