Root beer with DME

I've noticed the root beer extract comes with instructions to use a big chunk of corn sugar (HFCS) to flavor the root beer. A lot of people swear by cane sugar, though; and there's always white sugar around anyway.

I'm thinking everything on the shelf uses HFCS, and I don't feel like using cane. DME however has a really smooth texture and interesting taste. I think I'll fire that down instead of corn sugar, and use champagne yeast (I've seen it done with ale yeast... bread-like flavor).

Thoughts?

I use 1/4 lb. Malto dextrin so it has a "frosty mug taste" creamy A&W flavor.

I suppose you can add a 1/4 lb. of DME.

Austinhomebrew said:

I use 1/4 lb. Malto dextrin so it has a "frosty mug taste" creamy A&W flavor.

I suppose you can add a 1/4 lb. of DME.

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To a 1 gallon batch? 5 gallon?

This thing lists 8 cups of sugar per 4 gallons...

The thing that has been pointed out to me is that Rootsbeer does not have a grain flavor.

That would probably taste horrible. But its your oney so go for it. DME is just a bit more expensive than sugar where I live. On earth.

really, this has been discussed a lot. If it turns your crank, go for it.

BigKahuna said:

The thing that has been pointed out to me is that Rootsbeer does not have a grain flavor.

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BuffaloSabresBrewer said:

That would probably taste horrible.

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Are these related?

bluefoxicy said:

Are these related?

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No me and BigKahuna are not related actually. Id buy him a beer if I met him but were not related in anyway.

Holy crap, rootbeer is about as toxic as eating 2 apples!

Root Beer Concentrate

And they banned it for that!

this seems really stupid. Also

I have made a `root beer ale' by using a can of malt extract (light) along with the root beer extract, and then fully fermenting it out. It tasted like a dry root beer (not at all sweet, of course), but had a kick to it.

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This seems to defeat the purpose of rootbeer but have fun.

Maybe you should not make root beer then. Solved.

bluefoxicy said:

I've noticed the root beer extract comes with instructions to use a big chunk of corn sugar (HFCS) to flavor the root beer. A lot of people swear by cane sugar, though; and there's always white sugar around anyway.

I'm thinking everything on the shelf uses HFCS, and I don't feel like using cane. DME however has a really smooth texture and interesting taste. I think I'll fire that down instead of corn sugar, and use champagne yeast (I've seen it done with ale yeast... bread-like flavor).

Thoughts?

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This sounds nitpicky, but I don't mean it to be. I make ginger ale and root beer, because I am anti-HFCS. I also don't use aspartame or other artificial sweeteners. HFCS is NOT corn sugar. High-fructose corn syrup is an artificially made syrup ( made to increase the fructose content) that is used in many commercial applications- especially soda. I don't think it's a healthy choice, so I make my own if I want it. Cane sugar (sucrose) and corn sugar (dextrose) aren't really that different, so I use either one.

What Yooper said - Corn Sugar is not HFCS.

YooperBrew said:

This sounds nitpicky, but I don't mean it to be. I make ginger ale and root beer, because I am anti-HFCS.

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Interesting! I thought HFCS was corn sugar; although, mind you, HFCS can indicate 55% fructose 45% glucose or 85% fructose 15% glucose. Table sugar (sucrose) I know splits into 50% glucose 50% fructose, but I'm not sure what dextrose is.

I'll look into the malto dextrin thing.

bluefoxicy said:

Interesting! I thought HFCS was corn sugar; although, mind you, HFCS can indicate 55% fructose 45% glucose or 85% fructose 15% glucose. Table sugar (sucrose) I know splits into 50% glucose 50% fructose, but I'm not sure what dextrose is.

I'll look into the malto dextrin thing.

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Well, chemically dextrose ("corn sugar") and sucrose are very similiar. When you say HFCS can indicate certain percentages of sugars, that's correct. The HF comes into the whole "high fructose" part. It's chemically changed to add more fructose (more sweetening power) to it. It's NOT something you would use in winemaking or beer making, or even for soda. Well, at least I wouldn't. That's why I make my own stuff- to get rid of chemically altered crap in my food and drink.

There are lots of options here for sugar. You could use honey, raw sugar, white sugar, corn sugar or DME. Its always worth making a gallon to try the taste. If you do try the DME, you should post what it tastes like. It sounds like a valid experiment.