Sugar or barley

[nickfanelli]

So, about to bottle some Bock from a Festa Brew kit. I used the prescribed sugar my first time, a friend says he prefers Barley. What is the difference? If the sugar adds sweetness and the barley doesn't that may be a seller for me as this bock seems a bit sweet already. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[unionrdr]

Barley is the grains that make up what the wort is made out of. you can't prime with it unless you mash some wort. Easier to just use priming sugar like most others do.

 

[Schumed]

Barley is the grains that make up what the wort is made out of. you can't prime with it unless you mash some wort. Easier to just use priming sugar like most others do.

Your friend is probably using DME which is a form of dried barley in powder form which essential is a sugar...I've used both I can't tell the difference

Both work the same look up Palmers How to Brew he has a great section on Priming sugars in a handy chart showing how much to use based on how much carbonation you desire

You could do a little experiment bottle half with DME (barley) other half with sugar... Just use half the amount so you don't create bottle bombs

 

[Ricochetbrew]

So, about to bottle some Bock from a Festa Brew kit. I used the prescribed sugar my first time, a friend says he prefers Barley. What is the difference? If the sugar adds sweetness and the barley doesn't that may be a seller for me as this bock seems a bit sweet already. Thanks in advance for the help.

Definitely use bottling sugar. It will not add any sweetness to your final product as long as you allow sufficient time for it to be consumed by the yeast and you use the prescribed amount. I have never heard of using barley as a carbonation agent. The only way I could see it working is if you steeped the barley to convert the starch to sugar. However I foresee a certain unpredictability in carbonation trying to do this.
Lastly a question... You stated you are about to bottle however u sated you used the sugar? Is this a grammatical issue or have you already added the sugar to the fermented beer and not bottled yet?

 

[Ricochetbrew]

Your friend is probably using DME which is a form of dried barley in powder form which essential is a sugar...I've used both I can't tell the difference

Ah. I was not considering DME when he said barley. You are correct. This is probably what his friend is using. I would still use the sugar. That's just me.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I prefer keeping flavors the same as they were from the primary. While what DME is used isn't much,I feel better using various sugars which add a little complexity on the back. but not adding more to the malt side of the equasion.

 

[nickfanelli]

So sorry guys. Yes if was malt. Has anyone heard of or used Kreamyx. It seems like it is a mixture of the two.