corn sugar vs. DME

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God Emporer BillyBrew

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I've always used corn sugar to carbonate except for on my Christmas beer which I did a couple of brews ago. It took it about 4 weeks to fully carbonate. I just cracked open a Dortmunder which I bottled with corn sugar. It has been 12 days and it is almost completely carbonated. I think by 2 weeks it will be.

Have you all noticed sugar carbing quicker than DME? What do you think DME does for a brew. My Christmas beer was my best ever, but I did alot of things different with it.
 
billybrew said:
I've always used corn sugar to carbonate except for on my Christmas beer which I did a couple of brews ago. It took it about 4 weeks to fully carbonate. I just cracked open a Dortmunder which I bottled with corn sugar. It has been 12 days and it is almost completely carbonated. I think by 2 weeks it will be.

Have you all noticed sugar carbing quicker than DME? What do you think DME does for a brew. My Christmas beer was my best ever, but I did alot of things different with it.


Corn sugar is just fine for priming. People, even all-grain brewers like myself prime with corn sugar, when i run out of Coopers carbonation drops. DME will always take longer to carbonate because there are some unfermentable sugars, and the yeast take a little longer to process DME. As for the DME adding anything to your brew besides carbonation, i think so. It adds a little malt character which is good in any beer. Takes a little longer but what the rush. Im curious to know what you did different with your christmas beer.
 
billybrew said:
Have you all noticed sugar carbing quicker than DME? What do you think DME does for a brew. My Christmas beer was my best ever, but I did alot of things different with it.
Yes, the beers will carb faster with corn sugar vs. DME, however corn sugar is evil. ;)
 
usmcruz said:
. Im curious to know what you did different with your christmas beer.
I used liquid yeast, made a starter and used a secondary. All for the first time! So I'm not sure what I owe it to.

El P - Why is it evil? Do you have the same reasons to use DME as usmcruz does?
 
billybrew said:
I used liquid yeast, made a starter and used a secondary. All for the first time! So I'm not sure what I owe it to.

El P - Why is it evil? Do you have the same reasons to use DME as usmcruz does?

Corn sugar is not evil. I think he might be talking about how if you add too much you get cidery flavors, but not an issue with priming. Have you ever tried the coopers carbonation drops? I really like them. I only prime my beer with what i think taste good among sugars. I use one per 12 oz and 2 per 22 to 24 oz. I fill my bottles to about a 1/4 inch from the top of the bottle so i get a good carbonation going. Those coopers carbonation drops taste so good that i usually get a second bag for just sucking on while i bottle. I usually buzzing around the house after 3 or 4 because of the sugar in those things. One day i will go into a diabetic coma, wake up and then have some more.
 
rheisenhbot (i think thats how you spell it) purity laws. Those laws were set forth for the german commercial brewerys not homebrewers. I usually try to follow these laws but adjuncts usually falls off my shelf into the fermenter. Oh well, i guess i will have to try for a pure beer next time. I really gotta fix my shelf!!
 
I lived in Germany for 9 years and know a lot about German history, and yes, beer.

In Germany the Reinheitsgebot is also called the Deutsche Biersteuergesetz - "Bier" is "beer", "steuer" is "tax", and "gesetz" is "law".

Many of the bottles are labels such as to say "brewed in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot" or "brewed in the tradition of". To me this is a very distinct difference. One, not being so honest.

Here's a definitely angry look at it:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~patto1ro/reinheit.htm

Which defintely is not what we dream/assume it to be.

Here's what it REALLY says:

We hereby proclaim and decree, by Authority of our Province, that henceforth in the Duchy of Bavaria, in the country as well as in the cities and marketplaces, the following rules apply to the sale of beer:

From Michaelmas to Georgi, the price for one Mass [Bavarian Liter 1,069] or one Kopf [bowl-shaped container for fluids, not quite one Mass], is not to exceed one Pfennig Munich value, and

From Georgi to Michaelmas, the Mass shall not be sold for more than two Pfennig of the same value, the Kopf not more than three Heller [Heller usually one-half Pfennig].

If this not be adhered to, the punishment stated below shall be administered.

Should any person brew, or otherwise have, other beer than March beer, it is not to be sold any higher than one Pfennig per Mass.

Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that in future in all cities, markets and in the country, the only ingredients used for the brewing of beer must be Barley, Hops and Water. Whosoever knowingly disregards or transgresses upon this ordinance, shall be punished by the Court authorities' confiscating such barrels of beer, without fail.

Should, however, an innkeeper in the country, city or markets buy two or three pails of beer (containing 60 Mass) and sell it again to the common peasantry, he alone shall be permitted to charge one Heller more for the Mass of the Kopf, than mentioned above. Furthermore, should there arise a scarcity and subsequent price increase of the barley (also considering that the times of harvest differ, due to location), WE, the Bavarian Duchy, shall have the right to order curtailments for the good of all concerned.
 
I wouldn't use corn sugar in the wort, but it does the trick for bottling. I do plan on using DME for my imperial stout just because I think it's worth the longer carbonation time to have the added malt flavor. Plus, I'll probably have these around for a long time anyway.
It's also entirely possible that after this I'll use DME exclusively, but for now, I see nothing wrong with priming sugar.
 
That law stinks, i didnt know it said all that. Punishing people for brewing with other than hop, water, barley. Reinheitsgebot I think is meant for the commercial side of german beers. It has no place in home brewing. You need variety, and thats not the way to get it.
 
rewster451 said:
Oh, Germans!

Edit: I'm over half German, so no ill will is intended by that remark.

I dont dislike germans, hey i eat sauerkraut on my hotdogs, and so i always have a little german in me at all times. Im spanish and italian and i dont like that in italy they dont put cheese on there pizza's. hahaha Those crazy italians!!!
 
homebrewer_99 said:
In Germany the Reinheitsgebot is also called the Deutsche Biersteuergesetz - "Bier" is "beer", "steuer" is "tax", and "gesetz" is "law".

Many of the bottles are labels such as to say "brewed in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot" or "brewed in the tradition of". To me this is a very distinct difference. One, not being so honest.

Here's a definitely angry look at it:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~patto1ro/reinheit.htm

Thanks for the link. I have been looking for a link that contains a more up to date purity law. But I don't think it is the currently valid version of the law. When I did some research about Germany's purity law, I looked at the web pages of the german justice department and found that many of the articles shown in the link above, are not contained in this law. Some of the articles are noted as "removed" in the current text of the law.

What is important to note, is that although other grains than barley are allowed in top fermenting beers( except for rice and corn), they can also only be used after being malted.

Kai
 
Kai said:
Thanks for the link. I have been looking for a link that contains a more up to date purity law. But I don't think it is the currently valid version of the law. When I did some research about Germany's purity law, I looked at the web pages of the german justice department and found that many of the articles shown in the link above, are not contained in this law. Some of the articles are noted as "removed" in the current text of the law.

What is important to note, is that although other grains than barley are allowed in to fermenting beers except for rice and corn. They can also only be used after being malted.

Kai

very interesting, i didnt know that. Thanks for the facts
 
eh, that's why we homebrew right? to brew it like WE want it. not what someone else wants/thinks it should be. i do both. traditional and non-traditional. that's the beauty of it all :~)
 
Here is my take on this:

I actually try to brew in compliance with the German purity law. Not because I want to be able to say "Gebraut nach dem deutschen Reingeitsgebot" but because I don't like blueberries/cherries in my beer, I don't like nutmeg or Cinnamon in it either. This is only my taste, which favors lighter beers. The limited diversity of ingredients gives me less to worry about. I don't have to worry about the effects of oatmeal or flaked corn. Most of the beers I like can be brewed from only barley, wheat, hops, water and yeast. And there is so much to learn about these few ingredients and how to create the flavor characteristics I'm after.

So far, I have been priming with corn sugar. Mostly because I like the faster carbonation and have less to worry about. Once I have a kegging system even this worry will be gone.

In the summer, I may however mix my beer (lager style) with Sprite to make something called Radler. A very refreshing drink. Go figure.

If you are looking for a decorative print-out of the original purity law, look here: http://www.spaten.de/download/pdf/reinheitsgebot.pdf

You guessed it, I'm German.
 
I don't think it's a bad law, even if it is an old law. It's a darn sight better to enforce this law on the commercial breweries than let them get away with putting all that "extra" crap (I'm thinking preservatives here) in the majority of today's mass produced commercial brews!
 
BlightyBrewer said:
I don't think it's a bad law, even if it is an old law. It's a darn sight better to enforce this law on the commercial breweries than let them get away with putting all that "extra" crap (I'm thinking preservatives here) in the majority of today's mass produced commercial brews!

very true. much like CAMRA. helps to keep those big guy's in check!
 
El P is right. Corn sugar truly is evil. Take the following true story from me.

Me: Well, it's time to bottle this wonderful Christmas ale for my friends. Let's see here - I have plain light DME and corn sugar . . .

Corn sugar: Come here, baby. I've got what you need.

Me: But you taste so artificial.

Corn sugar: Hogwash! You're thinking of that DME in there. I make the best stuff, and I do it right.

Me: I really want this Christmas ale to turn out right. I'm using DME for the superior carbonation and mouthfeel . . .

DME: He's right. I take a little longer, but I give the best head...

(Corn sugar whips out 9mm and fires five rounds into DME. DME falls over dead...)

Me: Why did you do that? Everybody knows DME is best!

Corn sugar: Let's move it, flesh thing! Right now - boil me and drop me into that tasty toasty american amber!

Me: (with barrel to head) Please, don't hurt me. I'll do what you want.

I woke up a month later with a splitting headache, a meth addicted wife with a vegas marriage liscense signed by Elvis, a pierced pecker, and not a penny to my name.

Sorry, I just got bored. DME really does make the best head, however.
 
i was enthrawled in that post happy mug. poor DME......

side note: Saint Arnold's primed their Christmas Ale casks this year w/ brown sugar rather than corn sugar, and it was noticably better. when i bottled, i used brown sugar for my IPA's, ESB's, and Alt's.
 
Happy mug: That may be the best damn post I've ever read!! I always used corn sugar for priming, but I was unaware that it was packing heat all this time, I may have to make a premptive strike, thanks for the warning!! :)
 
The happy mug said:
....
I woke up a month later with a splitting headache, a meth addicted wife with a vegas marriage liscense signed by Elvis, a pierced pecker, and not a penny to my name.

A peirced pecker! Now that's just one step too far! I shall never use corn sugar...ever!:D
 
Does anyone here use a pre-measured amount of the original wort for priming?

This is what most of the german homebrewers seem to do. They freeze it and use it when it's bottling time. To me this seems like a pretty good way of priming. Especially since you can feeze the wort to keep it.

Since I started to omit the funnel/screen and siphon from the brew kettle into the fermenter above the trub, I realized that I have about 2l worth of trub/wort left in the kettle. Last time I filled this in a galon jug and let the trub settle out. The clear wort I freezed for future starter(s) or maybe even priming. But I don't think I have enough left for priming.

Kai
 
I haven't tried it, but I've read about it. The important thing is to check your starting gravity, and work a formula off of it so you know just how much wort you'll need for the 'ideal' priming level.

I have seen it called "krausening", but I have also read that it is not the proper name for the act. "Gyle" is the name for the wort that has been saved.

Formula taken from The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian.

Multiply the gallons of wort x 12
Divide it by specific gravity -1

If you use degrees Balling, it gets a little easier.
Multiply the gallons of wort x 3
Divide by degrees Balling

The resulting number equals the quarts of gyle you will need.

P.S. I'm glad everybody enjoyed the post before this one. I was hoping to be entertaining.
 
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