Lactose...again

I have searched and searched but have found no real solid answer so bear with me here.

I am designing a new recipe and looking to sweeten it a bit, the recipe is a Vanilla Espresso Stout and what I want is a sweeter edge to it. In looking around it seems that lactose is the best way to achieve this without a "cloyingly sweet" effect that you can get from Carapils/Dextrin.

I also understand you can pretty much add it whenever though the last bit of the boil seems to be the preferred addition timing so I have set myself on last 20 minutes for that.

The real question is this: I am building this for a 93+/-gal batch (3bbl) and I have seen numbers ranging from .25lbs per 5 gal batch up to 1lb per batch average, that puts me anywhere from 23lbs up to as much as 93lbs in my brew which seems an awful lot....WWHBTD?

 

hmm...just re-read my post and I am thinking my math may have been off a bit (face of shame)

Looks like with the new numberrs I am sitting as low as 4.65lbs @ .25 per gal and as high as 18.6 @ 1lb per gal

This sounds a bit more realistic...if someone could double check me on this it would be appreciated.

 

math looks good to me. I've used 1/2 lb. for a 5 gallon batch and it seems plenty to me.

 

for a 93 gallon batch I calculate 4.65 lb also on the low end
(4 oz per 5 gallons). Would think this would be a good place to start. You could also add more at bottling if need be. (this is when I add it.)

 

Out of curiousity would you eliminate any dex use in a recipe using lactose or keep it for head retention purposes. Current recipe has just about an 8% amount built into it for that purpose alone.

 

I used 1 lb. in my Chocolate porter recipe and it taste fine to me. Not overly sweet. That's about the maximum I've ever seen recommended though.

 

I like about 1/2 to 3/4 pound per 5 gallon batch about right for my taste. A full pound is a little too sweet for me.

 

I'm pretty new so I'm gonna refrain from giving an answer.

 

It all depends on the recipe and where you want your FG to be. Where you want your FG to end at depends a lot on how much roast malt and hop bitterness is present.

Post the recipe and I can give you a better opinion. Also, are you sure you want to brew a 3bbl test batch?

 

I find that when using lactose less is good. You can always add more when kegging or bottling if you feel it needs more. I used a pound in a milk stout a while back and I found it to be a bit much. I just kegged another batch I recently brewed up using the same recipe and cut the lactose in half. I while it is good I still think I should have used less.

 

better to err on the low side and add more if needed at bottling time or when kegging. Especially with a 3bbl batch where you have a lot on the line.

Here is a reference of what to expect for final gravity with lactose:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/final-gravity-in-recipe-formulation.html

And how sweet it might taste:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/final-gravity-as-indication-of-sweetness.html

About replacing cara with lactose: (Personaly, I wouldn't do it)
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/fermentability-of-crystal-malt.html

 

I've done several iterations of milk stout and (depending on batch size) have been between 1 lb and 1.5 lb per 5 gallons. My milk stout recipe uses a LOT of roast, though, so I need that much sweetness to balance.

For a vanilla espresso stout, I'd probably do a lighter touch. 3/4 lb per 5 gallons sounds nice.

 

Thank you for the article, reading them now.