hightest
Well-Known Member
I've started to notice home brewers looking to use sweeteners other than malt, dextrose / sucrose, and honey (a topic discussed Jan 2004 on another forum).
While on the surface these alternative sweeteners (Stevia, aspartame, etc.) may seem acceptable, I would urge caution in their use in home brew products. One reason is that while the substitute sweeteners add sweetness to certain food products, they are not all that stable when stored in alcoholic and acidic environments - like wine, mead, and cider.
Underscoring that assertion is the outcome of safety assessments that were carried out for Stevia and stevioside in the EU. Presently, these products are not permitted for sale as food (or food ingredients) in the UK or elsewhere within the EU. They must have a good reason for this...
And lastly, I'd offer two comments from actual home brewers about Stevia:
While on the surface these alternative sweeteners (Stevia, aspartame, etc.) may seem acceptable, I would urge caution in their use in home brew products. One reason is that while the substitute sweeteners add sweetness to certain food products, they are not all that stable when stored in alcoholic and acidic environments - like wine, mead, and cider.
Underscoring that assertion is the outcome of safety assessments that were carried out for Stevia and stevioside in the EU. Presently, these products are not permitted for sale as food (or food ingredients) in the UK or elsewhere within the EU. They must have a good reason for this...
And lastly, I'd offer two comments from actual home brewers about Stevia:
- I work in a nursery, and we sell Stevia plants in the summer. Needless to say, I've tasted a couple of leaves, and while they do taste sweet and sugary for the first couple of chews, the aftertaste kicks-in fast and strong, and the whole mess stops tasting like sugar very quickly.
- I tried the Stevia and I can say I am happy I only sweetened two bottles. It is sweet and not much of an after taste. But, to me, it just doesn't taste luscious or have the "fat" taste of sugar or honey.