Priming with Malt extract.

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alamedabrew

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I am currently brewing 5 gallons of a strong Belgian ale. Its actually a clone of a Beer called Gulden Draak. The recipe calls for 1 and 1/4 cups of light malt extract syrup versus the typical corn sugar. I'm just a tad curious as to why malt was recommended. Also, since the syrup is so viscous, would anyone see a problem with mixing it up with a bit of warm water to enable me to mix it with the beer easier? Otherwise I'm afraid it'll clump up and not mix thoroughly.
 
Are you sure they didn't mean Dry Malt Extract. Liquid malt extract is very concentrated and 1 1/4 # of that would most likely create bottle bombs from hell. I couldn't find much information here or on Google for priming with LME, so hopefully someone else will chime in.
 
The original recipe called for DME, but I got Liquid malt instead, which I was told was the equivalent of DME. But what you're saying is that its actually much mower potent and could blow the bottles. That's not good!
 
alamedabrew said:
The original recipe called for DME, but I got Liquid malt instead, which I was told was the equivalent of DME. But what you're saying is that its actually much mower potent and could blow the bottles. That's not good!
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I'm not sure how to do it with LME, but there must be a way. Most of us use the dry extract, or simply corn sugar (dextrose).

You could figure out how much LME is equal to 1.25 cups of DME and dissolve that in water and boil it. That would work- I just don't know how much to use.
 
Dried malt extract is 20% more concentrated than liquid malt extract. My guess is that you would need around 1.5 cups of the liquid.
 
I might just go with regular corn sugar. Here's the thing though. This is a super-alcoholic beer, as in almost 11% Alcohol. The yeast is a Belgian Trappist yeast with a higher alcohol resistance. The beer I'm cloning typically comes in bottles with a very high effervescence.So when you pour it, it takes several minutes to settle down. So I'm wondering if by using regular corn sugar, would it not have the same effect as using DME? I'd much rather go the safe route than blowing up the bottles because making this stuff was a pain!
 
alamedabrew said:
I might just go with regular corn sugar. Here's the thing though. This is a super-alcoholic beer, as in almost 11% Alcohol. The yeast is a Belgian Trappist yeast with a higher alcohol resistance. The beer I'm cloning typically comes in bottles with a very high effervescence.So when you pour it, it takes several minutes to settle down. So I'm wondering if by using regular corn sugar, would it not have the same effect as using DME? I'd much rather go the safe route than blowing up the bottles because making this stuff was a pain!
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I haven't noticed a bit of difference in beers primed with DME vs. corn sugar. You can use a priming calculator, so that you can prime your beer "to style". Some beers (like English milds for example) are noted for lower carb levels, while the beer you're making is noted to be highly carbed.
 
Since it is a high ABV beer then the corn sugar might very well work better, as corn sugar is super easy for yeast to eat, and even if the yeast are tired they will chug along through and carbonate...
 
Well... I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to go to the brewer's supply place and buy 1/1/4 cup worth of DME and just follow the recipe as I should've done to start with. That way I won't find out the hard way if using the syrup version blows up the bottles. I'll let you know how it goes!
 
alamedabrew said:
Well... I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to go to the brewer's supply place and buy 1/1/4 cup worth of DME and just follow the recipe as I should've done to start with. That way I won't find out the hard way if using the syrup version blows up the bottles. I'll let you know how it goes!
Click to expand...

Good plan. I like it.
 
i would use corn sugar.

btw, i've made that exact recipe before...it's from one of the clone brews books, no?

it's been buried under my friends steps for a year. we're opening it next month :)

last time i tasted it, it was quite comparable to gulden draak
 
Yup! I got it from the Clone book. I like Gulden Draak a lot. I made it because the stuff is expensive in the store. It'll be nice to have 5 gallons worth of it sitting around! Anyhow, I reckon we're neighbors since I live over in Alameda. Do you go to the wine and brew supply place in Berkeley?
 
yep, Oak Barrel. Best LHBS ever.

where you live in alameda? have you been to speissekammer?? i love that place.

maybe i could drop off a bottle of my Scarlet Dragon (the GD clone) sometime so you could give it a shot while you wait for yours to finish. i don't know how good it is, though...i hope a year added some carbonation :cross:
 
Yes, I've been to Speiskammer many times. But... A cool place that has TONS of beer, including loads of Belgian and Canadian micro brews is Lucky 13 about 4 blocks up the street. They carry lots of smaller California breweries too. And if you're from Oakland, then I imagine you've also been to the Trappist. All-Belgian bar. Sort of crazy on weekends though. They need a bigger bar!
 
srsly...last time i went there we were lucky to get a table after 30 minutes of standing. I'm not sure if i'm been to Lucky 13 yet...i've heard of it. Luka's taproom is another good one.

i live right down the street from Cato's Alehouse, ever been there? they have tons of microbrews on tap. they used to have a really good house ale, too, but they haven't had it for months. wonderful pizza and sandwiches and whatnot.

god, i love the bay area :D
 

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