callmebruce

Recipes 

I've been away from this forum for quite a while! Well, my wife tested my blood sugar and it was over 100 a couple times, so I've stopped with soda and only have beer maybe twice a week.

However - back under 100 and thinking about lower calorie sodas. I know I can cut the sugar way down and still get carbonation using yeast, but would need to substitute some of the sugar as a sweetener with an alternative.

Anyone mess around with lower calorie, lower sugar sodas? Have a preference for Stevia or other alternatives?

As a side note - my previous rootbeers were kind of watery. If I add maltodextrine, about how much should I use for a one gallon batch of soda? Does it impact flavor, or is it nuetral? Also - previously I used Nottingham Ale yeast. Is that preferred, or are there other recommendations for a yeast that doesn't impact flavor?

Anyone have recommendations for a lower calorie rootbeer? A good recipe?

joelrapp

Recipes 

I kegged a "diet" root beer not long ago, so I didn't have to fuss w/ natural carbonation as I forced carbed it. I used the Kirklands Splenda knock off. Took about 150+ packets (good thing they came in a box of 1500). It could still be a tad sweeter however I'm really happy with how it turned out and it gets great reviews from everyone who tries it. I know the extract I picked up had the ratios for doing a lower calorie version.

prosper

Recipes 

I bought liquid sucralose on ebay - pure, uncut stuff dissolved in water. 2 to 3 drops per pint is all that's needed, it's potent stuff. You could carbonate with sugar, if you wanted to - 1-2 cups in a 5 gal batch should make it nice and spritzy, and it should ferment almost all the carbs completely out, with no risk of over carbonation. Or you could just keg it up and force carbonate.

'watery' sodas are usually under carbonated, I've found. It's not beer, it needs much more than 2 or 3 volumes. I have no idea what I run mine at; 60 PSI at 3 degrees C seems to work well, probably 6 or 7 volumes I'd guess, though still not *quite* as spritzy as commercial sodas. I don't know whether natural carbonation could approach this level before the yeast craps out, or the bottles start to explode. 60 PSI at 3 degrees would be a LOT more at 20 degrees. I'd definitely be using PET if I was using natural carbonation, as they can take the pressures more safely.

Rigger103

Recipes 

I am diabetic and use stetivia as I was told by a MD that it is the best (substitute) for sugar. I buy granulated stetivia in a large bag like splenda comes in. I force carbonate in a keg and I also use a 1/2 cup of my own honey to make more of a foamy head. I have also used brown sugar or molasas in simular quanities for same effect. It does add carbs / calories but it also adds alot of character to the soda. I tried fermentation a long time ago and decided to skip the hassle and made the investment to keg. tasty hobby......

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