Corn sugar for carbonation...

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feffer

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I understand the theory and practice here, but have a question. If corn sugar is used for carbonation and the beer is bottled, will the taste/alcohol be different than if the same beer is force carbonated in a corny keg and NO corn sugar is added. It just seems that it would have a somewhat different taste and maybe a little more alcohol (with corn sugar), but I don't have any experience about this.
 
I understand the theory and practice here, but have a question. If corn sugar is used for carbonation and the beer is bottled, will the taste/alcohol be different than if the same beer is force carbonated in a corny keg and NO corn sugar is added. It just seems that it would have a somewhat different taste and maybe a little more alcohol (with corn sugar), but I don't have any experience about this.

The corn sugar is refined and completely ferments to alcohol, so it doesn't affect the flavor. You might think the alcolhol level would be more, however, since you dissolve the sugar in a little boiled water, you also water it down a bit, so the alcohol level should be very nearly the same. You could make it very close to the same if you make your priming solution to have about the same gravity as the O.G. of your beer. Generally, people don't worry about it and assume the affect is too small to notice.
 
I think technically the sugar will add about 0.1% - 0.2%, but the water you dilute it in will just about cancel that out. Such a small amount of sugar is going to have an insignificant effect on taste though.
 
You can also prime your batch with table sugar, or DME, or honey, or brown sugar, or almost anything with fermentable sugar in it. The Tastybrew calculator gives results for corn sugar, table sugar, and DME (3 different varieties). Generally, this is one of those "simplest solution is the best solution" situations. But I will occasionally prime with DME, if I think the style calls for it. But I couldn't swear that I could ever tell the difference.

Cheers!
 
Agreed. You won't get any fermented corn taste in it. It's too well refined. Demerara sugar works well too, both in the recipe & priming. It has a light brown sugar laced with honey flavor to it.
 
I used to use corn sugar and DME, then I ran out, switched to table sugar and never looked back. As mentioned above, your adding so little, plus the tiny amount of water that it really isn't even worth thinking about.
 
OK guys, thx. Sounds like everyone agrees. btw, that never happens on the wine forums...
 
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