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Chris wrote:I am yet to work out some brewers fascination with "brew enhancers" and dextrose. .
I've gotta disagree Chris, while most of my beers are all malt, I do make some lagers with dextrose. While you do sacrifice body and flavour, I must admit they make a great swilling beer for a hot day when you're mates are around and you just want a light tasting beer.
I agree with Tipsy, I often prefer to make lagers with dextrose rather than all malt for the sake of the "lets get pissed" beer. It something you should always have a few of in the fridge in case of an impromtu piss up.
Never used brew enhancers though. I'm not saying I wouldn't use them if I had them, I've just always bought my ingredients seperate for complete freedom to use how I want.
My mate is putting down a Coopers Draught this weekend, using 1kg white sugar and can yeast. He will prime with 1 measure of white sugar.
I just put mine down using 750gr dex, 250gr LDM and dry hopped 12gr cascade hops. I used the yeast from the can and the yeast from a can of Coopers Lager. As far as I could tell they were the same yeast, almost same number on the back, unlike the PA and MC yeasts Ive seen, which are marked. I will rack for 3 to 4 days after ferment is finished, and bulk prime with 10gr/L of a 50/50 mix of dex and LDM.
Chris wrote:I am yet to work out some brewers fascination with "brew enhancers" and dextrose. .
I've gotta disagree Chris, while most of my beers are all malt, I do make some lagers with dextrose. While you do sacrifice body and flavour, I must admit they make a great swilling beer for a hot day when you're mates are around and you just want a light tasting beer.
A great "lets get pissed" beer.
I too believe dextrose has it's place. Especially in the warmer months.
Last edited by chris. on Monday Oct 08, 2007 6:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I reckon just use dextrose and maltodextine. That's all you need.
People seem to forget a kit contains 1.7kg of malt. You don't' need anymore malt, the flavour has been created by the homebrew manufacturer, if you add anything else of flavour such as malt or sugar then you will change what the intended flavour of the beer brew.
You just need say 1kg of dextrose to increase the alcohol concentration, and 250grams of maltodextrine for head retention and body.
LOL, well if you're just sticking to exactly what the manufacturer intended, what are you doing on here? Making your own recipes is all the fun. And what about AG!?
Seriously though, if you like beautiful malty full bodied ales, all malt is the only way to go. If you're into lagers, then BE1 is just fine.
atropine wrote:I reckon just use dextrose and maltodextine. That's all you need.
People seem to forget a kit contains 1.7kg of malt. You don't' need anymore malt, the flavour has been created by the homebrew manufacturer, if you add anything else of flavour such as malt or sugar then you will change what the intended flavour of the beer brew.
You just need say 1kg of dextrose to increase the alcohol concentration, and 250grams of maltodextrine for head retention and body.
A lot of cans ive used have a note on them saying that for a maltier tastier brew with more body add a can of liquid malt and ditch the sugars.
Remember the german rule of thumb. Malt hops water only Although ive only just started doing all malt.
There seems to be an overwhelming support of dextrose on this post. I disagree with you guys, but that's just me. When it comes down to it, at least it's all HB.
Biggles wrote:OK,
I guess I was just surprised at how good my mates beer was with only white sugar, after all I'd read on here. Ive used a mixture of dex, and malts in my brewing. Hopefully when my brews mature in the bottle theyll taste heaps better and I may even convert my mate from his ways. .
Thought Id post an update to this thread and my mates homebrew. We had a fishing trip last weekend and drank plenty of homebrews. I learnt something about my mates taste. He is a pisshead and by his own admition, "as long as its cold and tastes like beer its fine by me" His coopers Draught made with a kg of white sugar and primed with same was drinkable, but had lots of home brew taste and not much mouthfeel or anyting remarkable about it. My coopers draught made with 750gr Dex and 250gr LDME, a 12gr bag of cascade chucked in and primed with LDME had a much nicer flavour and mouthfeel. My mate couldnt pick it ? ? ?
The cascade hops had next to nill effect that I could taste anyway.
The choice beer of the weekend was the TCB Summer Wheat we sampled 2 bottles of.
Biggles wrote:OK,
I guess I was just surprised at how good my mates beer was with only white sugar, after all I'd read on here. Ive used a mixture of dex, and malts in my brewing. Hopefully when my brews mature in the bottle theyll taste heaps better and I may even convert my mate from his ways. .
Thought Id post an update to this thread and my mates homebrew. We had a fishing trip last weekend and drank plenty of homebrews. I learnt something about my mates taste. He is a pisshead and by his own admition, "as long as its cold and tastes like beer its fine by me" His coopers Draught made with a kg of white sugar and primed with same was drinkable, but had lots of home brew taste and not much mouthfeel or anyting remarkable about it. My coopers draught made with 750gr Dex and 250gr LDME, a 12gr bag of cascade chucked in and primed with LDME had a much nicer flavour and mouthfeel. My mate couldnt pick it ? ? ?
The cascade hops had next to nill effect that I could taste anyway.
The choice beer of the weekend was the TCB Summer Wheat we sampled 2 bottles of.
Make him a Coopers Draught (as he seems to prefer that), with 1kg liquid malt, + 12-20g of Hallertau boiled/stewed at 65-70 degrees for 15 minutes.
I have made this one and it is a very nice and simple drop.
Let him have one and then tell him to kiss your ass as no doubt he will want more being a pisshead
Cheers and Merry Xmas,
Boonie
A homebrew is like a fart, only the brewer thinks it's great.
Give me a flying headbutt.......
Hey, I work with a bloke who swears by 1kg sucrose. He's been doing it for years. He also likes those dry beers like pure blonde, etc. He also only uses the basic coopers range. I thinks its like that pirate movie, you don't know what bad beer tastes like until you've had good beer.
Biggles wrote:His coopers Draught made with a kg of white sugar and primed with same was drinkable, but had lots of home brew taste and not much mouthfeel or anyting remarkable about it.
My coopers draught made with 750gr Dex and 250gr LDME, a 12gr bag of cascade chucked in and primed with LDME had a much nicer flavour and mouthfeel.
My mate couldnt pick it ? ? ?
Perhaps he's pissed (mind the pun) that you've outdone him already?
Although ive only just started doing all malt.
as no doubt he will want more being a pisshead 
