Black and tan quick question

[kadozen]

I read that in order to make a good black and tan the FG needs to be different for the 2 beers being mixed. How different.
One more quicky, how much does corn sugar lower the fg? I'll be using about 5% but every calculator I use doesn't factor the fg drop in when adding simple sugars.

 

[EVILsteve]

Ive heard that in the past as well.
My experience is limited but I was once told that mixing different FG is for renewed fermentation when it mixes. Ive assume the lower FG brew suddenly gets a bit more of what it needs to do its thing one more time be it fermentables, diluted the %ABV or nutrients. Ive always gave a small shot of yeast nutrients and a tad of sugar to kick it into action for a couple days when I tried mixing closely related FG brews and they turned out great. Ive also mixed a lot without bothering that turned out great as well.

maybe someone more experieced can shed some light on this. Ive always wondered myself if its science or old brewer myth.

 

[kadozen]

Ah, thanks, I was planning on just mixing them in at pour from the bottles, I don't have the set up to mix them together in bulk, nor do I keg.
I pretty much got the idea from the evil twin yin and yang ris and iipa(not attempting clones).
The iipa was what the corn sugar question related to. I guess the further point is, does fg matter since I'm going this route? Total newb I know.

 

[yeahfairly]

They need to be poured at serving..... To be honest, you will probably have more success doing it from bottles. Pour your heavier or higher gravity beer first. Pour your lighter gravity beer second, very slowly, and pour it over the back of a spoon so the beer fans out across the top of the first beer poured. It takes a little practice!

If you have Guinness...... skip all the above and pour a pint glass 2/3rds full of Guinness.... pour a shot glass half full of Jameson Irish Whiskey and top it off with Bailey's Irish Cream. Drop the shot into the Guinness and chug..... Awesome!

 

[EVILsteve]

Ive never really got into the mixing at pouring and didn't know their was a procedure. Thanks for that, Ill have to try that out on some of the ones Id not quite hit the target with.

As for the corn sugar. I use it a lot, to simplify its used to water down a beer without reducing alcohol. People equate Guinness to a heavy body beer or meal in a glass where buck a beer is lighter and watery but both have comparable %ABV.

For example a recipe calling for 1.5bs DME at 44 pts per gallon would have an OG of 1.066 where I could use 1lbs DME at 1.044 and 0.6lbs of dextrose bringing me up to around 1.065. This would be a very similar beer with a lighter body. Unfortunately the maltiness will be reduced as well so it has its limits of usefullness. Some poeple have commented on a cidery taste when used in excess. recommended percents vary quite a bit 5% max to 20% max Ive read online. Ive found it really depends on style and malt OG before the dextrose is more of a governing factor of max percent than any one set rule.

here's a simple chart
http://www.homebrewexchange.net/resources/specific_gravity_fermentables

 

[yeahfairly]

Most folks who consider Coors Lite "Good Beer" just haven't developed a pallet for Guinness. I guess the dark color and hint of coffee or roasted grains makes them think they are drinking a thick heavy beer. Guinness is fairly light with a 4.6% (or 4.8% -can't remember) ABV. It's relative density is lighter than a lot of Ales and IPAs, hence the reason it sits so nicely on top of Harp or Bass Beer! A Black and Tan is actually one of my favorites........ Along with the Irish Car Bomb!

 

[Calder]

I'll be using about 5% but every calculator I use doesn't factor the fg drop in when adding simple sugars.

5% may change FG by .001. Nothing significant. Might not even be that much.

Correct, most (if not all - I've never found one that does) calculators do not account for the 100% fermentability. They don't account for the low fermentability of crystal malts either.