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Malt instead of sugar

Discussion in 'General Homebrew Discussion' started by Komodo1977, Oct 30, 2015.

 

  1. #1
    Komodo1977

    Member

    Posted Oct 30, 2015
    I am a new Brewer, so far I have made 2 batches using 1kg of brewing sugar
    I am led to believe I can use malt in place of sugar
    Do I replace the same quantities of malt as sugar , 1kg of sugar becomes 500g of sugar and 500g of malt ??

    I have made lager and pale ale and would like to master these especially the pale ale using malt
     
  2. #2
    specharka

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    When you say "brewing sugar," what are you talking about? Candi sugar, dextrose, liquid malt extract...? Also, are you pitching this sugar into your boil or bottle conditioning with it?

    I can say that table sugar (sucrose) and DME are not a 1-for-1 substitute. 100% of the sugar in candi sugar can be digested by yeast into alcohol, but light DME is limited to around 91%.
     
    CJ-3 likes this.
  3. #3
    MaxStout

    Well-Known Member  

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    Are you saying that you have been brewing with sugar only? Or malt plus the sugar? What recipe did you use? Not sure what you are trying to ask here.
     
  4. #4
    m1k3

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
  5. #5
    Calder

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    I did a quick search and found a thread where it said Coopers Brewing Sugar was 80% dextrose,20% maltodextrin (thanks uniondr, who I'm sure will find this thread sometime soon).

    If that is the case, replacing the brewing sugar 1 for 1 with DME will improve the body and flavor, but will not affect the OG or FG (by any detectable amount). So you would just replace the 1kg of sugar with 1 kg of DME.

    Use the lightest DME you can get (Pilsner/Extra Light/Light/Pale/Gold - lots of different names/types). After these it starts to have added grains that may affect flavor (which could be good or bad, but will affect the final flavor and balance of the beer).
     
  6. #6
    Komodo1977

    Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    Using kits still with 1kg of brewing sugar from a Homebrew shop
     
  7. #7
    theseeker4

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    What is the recipe? What kind of "brewing sugar"?
     
    Pappers_ likes this.
  8. #8
    Pappers_

    Moderator Staff Member  

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    What else is in the kit/recipe?

    edit: what he said ^^^^^^ ;)
     
  9. #9
    chuckcomm

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    The first kit I got with my starter set came with sugar instead of DME. I called and asked why and was told they do that because the sugar is cheaper. I asked what difference it would make in the finished beer and was told the DME would have more body and flavor as stated above.

    I then ordered the DME and have used the sugar to carbonate when I bottle.
     
  10. #10
    kh54s10

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    More information is needed... We still cannot answer because we don't really know what the question is.

    Kit? Other ingredients plus the sugar?

    If it is just corn, cane or beet sugar and you are adding yeast and hops, that is not really beer..... Beer = Malt, water, hops and yeast.
    Simple sugars are considered adjuncts.
     
  11. #11
    kh54s10

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    Hoppy carbonated sugar water..... Sounds disgusting....
     
    theseeker4 likes this.
  12. #12
    chuckcomm

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015

    ??? The sugar that comes with the kits is corn sugar the same that we use for carbonating in the bottles. Not sure what you mean by hoppy carbonated sugar water.....
     
  13. #13
    kh54s10

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    Without malts to add flavor you just get a dry hop flavored alcoholic "water". What other ingredients were there?

    Corn sugar, hops, water and yeast do not really = beer....

    There has to be some malt in there somewhere?????
     
  14. #14
    chuckcomm

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    Its been a few years since that first batch but there was a can of hopped LME with the kit as well as the sugar which they substituted for the DME because it was cheaper for them.
     
  15. #15
    kh54s10

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Oct 31, 2015

    As I suspected there was malt extract.

    The OP has not stated whether there was any malt extract in his recipe. So we cannot even determine exactly what the question is.....

    P.S. most kits come with corn sugar for carbonation/bottling. Some also have sugar additive to boost ABV>
     
  16. #16
    chuckcomm

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Oct 31, 2015
    Exactly...but as stated above the one bag of sugar I got with this kit was a substitution for DME by the store I ordered the kit from. I also got a 5oz package of corn sugar for carbing.

    Anyway my point was that rather than putting the DME in with the other ingredients the store gave me corn sugar as a cheaper (for them) alternative for the DME.
     
  17. #17
    kh54s10

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Nov 1, 2015
    How did that one turn out? And are they still in business. I would not give that place any business. What they did was worse than the ones that give iffy advice.

    Oh wait. I remember that you said there was LME in the kit. It is often common to use LME, no DME but add corn sugar to boost the ABV.
    My first kits were LME and steeping grains. They did not contain corn sugar OR DME.
     
  18. #18
    Komodo1977

    Member

    Posted Nov 1, 2015
    Coopers Canadian blonde with coopers brew enhancer 2 1kg
    Coppers American pale ale using 1kg of brewing sugar

    I want to break away from 'pot noodle' beers and adding a bit of my own dynamic but being a real new starter it's a bit confusing
     
  19. #19
    chuckcomm

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Nov 1, 2015
    In this case the recipe I received gave instructions on when the add the DME and when I saw I had none I called them and they said they substituted it with the corn sugar.

    I have not dealt with them since that first order.
     
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