Priming a Braggot with DME?

dmomo · 01-29-2012, 07:52 AM

I'm working on a Braggot recipe based on a Dark Wheat (Dunkel). I'm going to have some wheat DME left over.

In the braggot recipes I've seen, priming is typically done with honey, and sometimes dextrose or a blend of the two.

Is there any reason not to use the DME? I imagine that it would carb faster than the honey. How much would be good for a 5 gallon batch? Would I need more or less than I would if I were making beer?

gladril · 02-27-2012, 12:37 AM

I would think this could add some additional body to the brew as well.

dmomo · 02-27-2012, 08:24 AM

Thanks. Part of me wants to try to bottle half with each so I can compare. But that's a very small part of me. I'll likely just go ahead and use the DME.

**biochemedic** · 02-27-2012, 11:54 AM

Be aware that different brands of DME can have a varying fermentability...Ideally you know the brand and are able to determine the percentage of fermentable maltose.

Check out this priming calculator...it calculates priming sugar additions for a couple of different major DME producers.

dmomo · 02-27-2012, 03:46 PM

Thanks for that link! Does the type of DME matter? I have wheat DME handy, though the calculator only has manufacturers, not varoations.

**biochemedic** · 02-28-2012, 12:37 AM

Wheat will probably have a higher percentage of non-fermentables compared to regular DME of the same manufacture. If you're not sure, you could ask where you bought it from what brand it is, and you should be able to sort things out. Overall though, if I were to use DME for priming, I'd use regular DME. No specific reason, it just strikes me as it would be better (I suppose unless it was for a wheat beer or something...)