priming with molasses

I read somewhere that you can prime your beer with molasses. I am brewing a "gingerbread red" for a holiday beer...i know i'm a little late, but presidents day is a holiday too. I was wondering if anyone has ever primed with molasses and can tell me: how much? boil/dilute?

thanks

Don't bother. It's not worth the time or trouble. You'll get virtually no contribution to the flavor/aroma from the small amount you'll need to prime, and the carbo will be spottier and less reliable because it's not as readily fermentable as dextrose. I see no benefits in priming with anything but corn sugar.

I have never used Molasses as a primer. However, I have been told that anything used for priming won't add too much to the flavor of the beer. If you're still planning on doing it I have a midwest catalogue that says you'll need 1 cup of molasses if you're bottling, and 1/2 cup if you're kegging. No clue about diluting it, but I imagine it would be a good idea to mix the molasses in with some water (and heat above 150 ish) rather than just pour a straight cup of it into your beer.

thanks for posting a reply. i just primed with sugar. appreciate the feedback

I have primed with treacle with a kit bitter (it was worth a shot, as it really was bland and needed 'something'). I just boiled it up in a pan with some water, and a small bit of dark brown sugar.

It gave it a wonderful liquorice taste, but was not overpowering. Managed to save the beer

Can anybody comment on the possible color molasses might add to say a cream ale?

Natethebrewer said:

Can anybody comment on the possible color molasses might add to say a cream ale?

Click to expand...

Depends on how much. I would think that the amount used for priming (if that is your question) would have virtually no effect. If used as a fementable I still think, unless you used a high amount (two pounds?) would not add much to the color. Very dark backstrap or treacle might add a bit more.

Yes, I was thinking for priming.
I'm concerned it might muddy up the taste of a lighter beer as well but if it adds little color I can't see it adding a lot of flavor either.

Anyone have a link to the fermentability of different type of molasses in order to help calculate how much to prime with?

I had read its 1 cup for 5 gallons. being equal to 3/4 cup corn sugar. Didn't say what kind of molasses, or even if that information is available.

Priming WILL ADD FLAVOR AND AROMA. I haven't used "sugar" since the days of using kits. It will be upfront and subtle, but its there. I only use honey now to prime and I find it fantastic, I've even taken honey malt out of my grain bill because I find the priming aroma/flavor more balanced.

Calichusetts said:

Priming WILL ADD FLAVOR AND AROMA. .

Click to expand...

Yes

But priming with mollasses will more than likely leave the person doing it with a beer they hate. I primed a great beer with Date Palm Mollasses, and pretty much ruined it.

go with a brown sugar, maple syrup or a honey if you want a nice priming agent, or flavor your normal priming sugar (I provide info on doing that in the bottling stickey) but really try to avoid mollasses. It's an aquired taste for most people anyway

Would it then only have a place brewing historic beers?
I have a prohibition era recipe from my mothers family that calls for "roasted barley malt" (I assume they mean "toasted") corn grits, table sugar and molasses.

Seems like that would be the only time to use it when brewing something like that.

Molasses is an acquired taste, as Revvy mentioned, but it's not really only for 'historic beers', if you like the flavor of it, use it, if not stay away from it.

I have a recipe for a stout that uses molasses in the fermentor. Comes out as one of my best beers and the one I get most requests for, even from those who 'don't typically like dark beers.'

[just wanted to clarify that Revvy didn't mention it was for 'historic beers'. that first sentence kind of got away from me]

Molasses is quite a variable product. Some can be fairly bitter and slightly sour. It can also cause haziness. I don't care for it when brewing, treacle is a much more acceptable adjunct.

I agree with those that say it will add flavor.

Lennie said:

Molasses is quite a variable product. Some can be fairly bitter and slightly sour. It can also cause haziness. I don't care for it when brewing, treacle is a much more acceptable adjunct.

I agree with those that say it will add flavor.

Click to expand...

Yup.

Another one I like is

I was simply posing a new question regarding the use of molasses, not claiming anybody said anything historic-sorry for the confusion.
I've used Lyle's and I like it, but I haven't bottled with it.

Thats another thing about molasses, I think you'd want to test it because I don't know how consistent it is in terms of the amount of fermentables.

Report back on how you liked it.

OT (but we've gotten a little OT anyhoo) but curious if anybody has primed with candi syrup. I have some left over from the brew itself (~1/2 pound or half the container of D-45 amber) and had been kind of wishing I'd thrown the whole container in in the first place...kegging it today so any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Isn't candi syrup sucrose? If so I would think it would work as well as table sugar, or Lyle's would.

oh yeah, just didn't know how much to use. the tastybrew calculator spit out (I think) 6.4 oz of sucrose for my desired 2.8 volumes of a Belgian pale ale (well, really an APA fermented with WL 550) that fermented @ about 74...and about 7.4 oz of honey, 7.6 of maple syrup. 7.1 of molasses (may have jumbled these up but you get the drift.)

I went with 6.8 oz amber candi syrup diluted with about the same amount by volume (~ 1/2 a cup) of boiled water. we'll see what happens. If it's a little undercarbed I can always supplement with CO2, a little more of a PITA to bleed it out if it's overcarbed...but by no means un-doable.

I'll be interested to hear how it comes out. I have 3 gallons of honey weizenbock at 9.5%abv on deck to be bottled and I'm trying to decide where to go with it.