Palm sugar

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Sunday Jun 26, 2005 5:13 pm

Just put down a lager today, and discovered some 'cakes?' of palm sugar in the cupboard. So I chucked 2 in (100 grams each) as well as the brew pack & some Fuggles. Only thought afterwards, gee, I hope they didn't have anything strange in 'em. Anyone used this before?

Post by **Oliver** » Sunday Jun 26, 2005 6:58 pm

No, I haven't but I certainly like the idea. I reckon it will turn out pretty well.

Might give it a go in a stout or something soon. Perhaps in an adaptation of my No.37 Dragon Stout, which tried to replicate the fabulous Dragon Stout from Jamaica. After all, Jamaica=Palms=Palm sugar.

Cheers,

Oliver

Bomma · Post by **Bomma** » Sunday Jun 26, 2005 9:15 pm

steveo,

Palm sugar a lot like brown sugar in cooking - so maybe a similar experience in beer? Brown sugar in a Milk Stout works well - You didnt mention the kind of kit ror grains you were using.

Please report results!

I have another - Given that Horlicks is about 42 % LDM combined with Wheat Flour (in a higher concentrate than the LDM if the ingredients is to be believed), Dried Skim milk and some other minor ingredients such as lactose, Dried Whey - has anyone used a jar of this just for a test? Obviously an expensive way to buy Dried malt - but just wondering?

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Monday Jun 27, 2005 8:24 pm

Just a Coopers lager. No grains or anything. Haven't ventured into that territory yet. Soon maybe.

The sugar crystals seem to be the consistency of castor sugar or brown sugar if you scrape some off. Tastes pretty nice. Bubbling away very nicely tonight!

beermeister · Post by **beermeister** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 11:30 am

Steveo,

I think that the amount of palm sugar you used (which apparently comes from the sap of the palm tree) will leave at least a hint of its rather interesting flavour. I have done similar experiments with small amounts of treacle, maple syrup etc and they all turned out great - I often wondered what palm sugar might be like.

As to any undesirable nasties in the sugar, if you did a boil you should be right.

BM

NickMoore · Post by **NickMoore** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 11:48 am

further to the horlicks, has anybody tried priming, say a stout, with milo?

Post by **Oliver** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 1:39 pm

NickMoore wrote:further to the horlicks, has anybody tried priming, say a stout, with milo?

No, although I once primed a couple of bottles of stout with drinking chocolate. I didn't take any tasting notes about it (and it was many beers ago, so I have no recollection of how it tasted).

I have thought of trying Milo. How much would one use, given it's not nearly as fermentable as regular priming sugars?

Anyone with ideas?

Oliver

grabman · Post by **grabman** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 1:48 pm

for milo or horlicks try a bulk prime, mix up with hot water, maybe add a little sugar to help and away you go!

Evo · Post by **Evo** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 2:22 pm

Why would you not chuck your Milo or Horlicks (or chicken) into the brew pot with your malts (ie before you add your yeast) and then prime with dextrose as normal ? That way you are still getting your funky flavours AND you know how gassy your beer will be.

Just a thought. Remember I haven't bottled since the 80's.

db · Post by db » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 2:52 pm

Evo wrote:Why would you not chuck your Milo or Horlicks (or chicken) into the brew pot with your malts (ie before you add your yeast) and then prime with dextrose as normal ? That way you are still getting your funky flavours AND you know how gassy your beer will be.

Just a thought. Remember I haven't bottled since the 80's.

that sounds like the way to go.

or you could try fermenting milo by itself.. measure the drop between the og & fg to find out how fermentable it is & work out how much to use to prime from that.. sounds like a hassle yeah?

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 3:32 pm

sounds like a hassle yeah?

So if you do go to the effort, post result here so the rest of us slackers dont have to do it.

Will probably continue with dextrose based bulk priming either way.

Greg

Post by **Oliver** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 6:43 pm

Evo wrote:Why would you not chuck your Milo or Horlicks (or chicken) into the brew pot with your malts (ie before you add your yeast) and then prime with dextrose as normal ? That way you are still getting your funky flavours AND you know how gassy your beer will be.

Oh, come on, Evo. That'd be sensible. But you make a very, very good point.

Might try a Milo stout at some stage.

Oliver

Evo · Post by **Evo** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 8:50 pm

Milo stout ! I like it. Very Aussie. Actually, Milo isn't Aussie is it ? Then again, what is these days ?

Apart from that, does Mr Milo have any preservatives added ?

Post by **Oliver** » Tuesday Jun 28, 2005 10:54 pm

Evo wrote:Milo stout ! I like it. Very Aussie. Actually, Milo isn't Aussie is it ? Then again, what is these days ?

Not much, Evo, not much.

Evo wrote:Apart from that, does Mr Milo have any preservatives added ?

No preservatives by the looks of it: Extract of malted barley and rice and/or barley, milk solids, sugar, cocoa, mineral salts (341, 504, 500), vitamins [vitamin c, vitamin a, thiamin (b1), riboflavin (b2)], mineral (iron), emulsifier (soy lecithin).

So given there's milk solids in there, could you call a Milo stout a milk stout

http://www.milo.com.au

Oliver

NickMoore · Post by **NickMoore** » Wednesday Jul 13, 2005 10:27 am

primed a 740ml bottle of cooper's stout with two teaspoons of milo powder. will let you know in a month or so.

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Wednesday Jul 13, 2005 12:14 pm

The Milo website gives the following analysis of dry product:
per 100g
Carbohydrate (g) 70.3
- sugars (g) 46.4
- sucrose (g) 19.0
- lactose (g) 11.0
- galactose (g) <1.0

If I am reading this right, it's 46.4% sugars, though not all of them are fermentable. For priming, then, you would need to use 15g or so to get the recommended 7g of sugar per 740ml longneck.

Salut!

NickMoore · Post by **NickMoore** » Wednesday Jul 13, 2005 12:51 pm

it was a two-can stout (actually the second can was a dark ale) so I think it'll be ok if it's a little underprimed.

peterd · Post by **peterd** » Wednesday Jul 13, 2005 5:34 pm

I acknowledge it is a bit off-topic, but I have used some Milo in a Dark Ale. Added three heaped large teaspoons to the boil (along with coffee, dark malt, light malt, brown sugar, honey, corn sugar, dextrose, ... - I was feeling somewhat adventurous at the time). Whole lot on top of a Coopers Dark Ale. Two sachets Coopers ale yeast.
Modesty and concerns about late night burglaries from envious and drooling drunkards prevent me accurately and honestly describing the result

grabman · Post by **grabman** » Wednesday Jul 13, 2005 7:48 pm

peterd, we need quantities please!!

Sounds interesting.

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Thursday Jul 14, 2005 5:16 am

along with coffee, dark malt, light malt, brown sugar, honey, corn sugar, dextrose, ... - I was feeling somewhat adventurous at the time

Sounds like you were clearing out the cupboard.

Greg