carbonating with cane sugar?

[noelizabeth]

What's the benefit of using corn sugar (dextrose) to carbonate? Can I just use cane sugar/brown sugar? If so, how much should I use for a gallon?

 

[kyt]

What's the benefit of using corn sugar (dextrose) to carbonate? Can I just use cane sugar/brown sugar? If so, how much should I use for a gallon?

Allegedly, sucrose can produce slight fruity flavors, dextrose doesn't. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and everything I've carbed with cane sugar hasn't tasted "fruity". Sounds like snake oil to me, but the brown sugar will have a flavor because they have added molasses back into it. If you want a good strong molasses flavor, use sucanat instead. Sucanat is (SUgar CAne NATural) evaporated cane sugar that has not had the molasses separated yet. Be warned, sucanat has a pretty strong flavor that really comes out after you've fermented the sucrose from it. I've had to dump batches of kombucha because it was so strong we just couldn't drink it.

The amount you want to use per gallon depends on how much CO2 you have now; how much you want to end up with. Check out this calculator:
http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

Ideally, you want to use 3.7-4.0g of sucrose per liter to add 1 volume of CO2.
So if you want to end with 2.0 volumes of CO2, you need to subtract the amount currently dissolved, which you can only assume based on temperature, from where you want to be and add only that much sugar. It's explained multiple places all over the net, just use the calculator above.

Dextrose and sucrose aren't swappable 1:1 because dextrose isn't 100% sugar.
Also, since dextrose is made from corn, the chances of it NOT being made from GMO crops is horribly slim. However, the same goes for white/brown sugar; if it doesn't specify "cane sugar" or has the USDA Organic stamp, you can safely assume it's made from GMO sugar beets.
I was curious about the popular brand of priming sugar from LD Carlson, so I emailed them.

Thank you for inquiring about the GMO status of our priming sugar/dextrose. A document from our supplier of dextrose states “We are unable to certify that the above products are manufactured from non-GMO corn.”
As of now we do not have plans for a dextrose derived from a non-GMO corn. However, as customer needs and expectations change it may be an opportunity we explore in the future.

Best regards,

Ryan T. Stelzer
Purchasing Agent
LD Carlson Compan

 

[noelizabeth]

Thank you! The GMO thing was actually my main concern with dextrose. I could find only one organic certified GMO free dextrose and didn't feel like shelling out the money or waiting for it to come since I'm ready to bottle now. I'm a WAPF member so I am familiar with sucanat and use it pretty regularly. Thanks for the advice! I might try to use evaporated cane juice since I have some on hand.

 

[Yooper]

There is no difference in flavor or carbonation in using cane sugar, beet sugar, or corn sugar. Use whatever you want.

 

[MarkKF]

Beet sugar? Does it have a flavor or color? Where can I get that?

 

[masskrug]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MGWI1G/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[kyt]

Beet sugar? Does it have a flavor or color? Where can I get that?

Any sugar you buy in the US that does not specify as cane sugar or organic beet sugar will more than likely be GMO.
If that is what you want, you don't have to pay $4.99 + $4.99 for a bag of genetically modified plant material. Just stop by your local grocer and buy their brand of cheapo sugar. I think the 3lb bag at the ghetto Kroger near-ish me sells Value brand for about $1 or so.

Here's a comment from that Amazon listing:

NOW used to get Non-GMO'd beet sugar from their suppliers, but ALL the suppliers in the US have gone 100% GMO'd.

THANKS Montsanto!

Beware before you buy this product that even though their website says no GMO, the PACKAGES Say it contains GMO beets.