DME vs. Corn Sugar

[Ninkasi]

I have been getting some perceived off flavors in my beers, specifically apple and cidery aromas and flavors. I believe that the corn sugar I use to bottle is part of the problem (amongst other things).

Acetaldehyde, one of the intermediary biproducts of sugar to ethanol conversion, is a main contributor of cidery and apple-like flavors and aroma in beer. Overtime, healthy yeast will finish the conversion, removing most of the "green" beer flavor. But...it seems like I am not doing my beer any favors by using corn sugar that, as I understand it, has less fermentable sugars then DME (i.e. my carbonating beer with retain some sweet, dare I say, cidery flavors/aromas).

So...DME good, corn sugar bad...? I was NEVER informed that using the small amount of corn sugar to carbonate bottles could actual contribute to off flavors in my beer. If I had, I would never have used corn sugar in any beer (and, furthermore, it should not be sold at my LHBS).

Is my understanding of corn sugar for priming correct? What does everyone else use to cabonate their bottles: DME or corn sugar? Has anyone had experience with both and, if so, have you noticed any difference between the two priming methods?

 

[Beerrific]

I have only used corn sugar. Personally, I don't think that small amount of sugar will add off flavors. With that being said, I am priming with DME next time.

It seems most of the experienced folks use DME. But, I have made great beers priming with corn sugar.

Do you have a batch ready to bottle? You could split the batch do half with sugar, half with DME, do a taste comparison. That would be an interesting report...

Hope this helps.

 

[CBBaron]

Acetaldehyde, one of the intermediary biproducts of sugar to ethanol conversion, is a main contributor of cidery and apple-like flavors and aroma in beer. Overtime, healthy yeast will finish the conversion, removing most of the "green" beer flavor. But...it seems like I am not doing my beer any favors by using corn sugar that, as I understand it, has less fermentable sugars then DME (i.e. my carbonating beer with retain some sweet, dare I say, cidery flavors/aromas).

I think it is the opposite as far as fermentable sugars. Corn sugar is nearly 100% fermentable while DME will be 75-80% fermentable. Some people use sugar to reduce the FG on really big beers. I don't think the small amount of completely fermentable sugar used to prime your beer is going to make much of a difference. I think that fermentation temps or other mechanisms are your culprit. Still it doesn't hurt to use DME for priming and it might make a small difference.
Craig

 

[cweston]

I have used both DME and corn sugar to prime, and I haven't noticed any difference. Some people say that DME produces a better texture (smaller) bubble. I don't know.

Since I don't perceive any difference, I generally use corn sugar because it's cheaper.

 

[sirsloop]

... Some people use sugar to reduce the FG on really big beers....
Craig

Are you referring to priming sugar, or people adding in corn sugar as a replacement for malt sugars in the main boil?

If you are just priming, adding corn sugar is going to do nothing but add more alcohol content and maybe drop the FG by like .000001. Basically whatever volume you put in there will make the ratio of volume to unfermented sugars less. The only way to make the FG lower at that point is to add more water.

If you are referring to using say a pound of corn sugar in the beer instead of more DME during boil, yeah that'll lower the FG because you are taking away non-fermentables and adding 100% fermentables. Belgian beers are a perfect example w/ their rock candi sugar.

 

[Evan!]

I have been getting some perceived off flavors in my beers, specifically apple and cidery aromas and flavors. I believe that the corn sugar I use to bottle is part of the problem (amongst other things).

Acetaldehyde, one of the intermediary biproducts of sugar to ethanol conversion, is a main contributor of cidery and apple-like flavors and aroma in beer. Overtime, healthy yeast will finish the conversion, removing most of the "green" beer flavor. But...it seems like I am not doing my beer any favors by using corn sugar that, as I understand it, has less fermentable sugars then DME (i.e. my carbonating beer with retain some sweet, dare I say, cidery flavors/aromas).

So...DME good, corn sugar bad...? I was NEVER informed that using the small amount of corn sugar to carbonate bottles could actual contribute to off flavors in my beer. If I had, I would never have used corn sugar in any beer (and, furthermore, it should not be sold at my LHBS).

Is my understanding of corn sugar for priming correct? What does everyone else use to cabonate their bottles: DME or corn sugar? Has anyone had experience with both and, if so, have you noticed any difference between the two priming methods?

Here's the low-down, as far as I can see: the cidery flavors you're getting are most likely from the amount of extract you're probably using in the boil (I'm inferring this from your signature, which says that your first partial mash has just been bottled). I had the same problem on a lot of my beers until I switched to partial mash. Even then, there was still some of that sourish weird extracty taste, but the higher my grain/extract ratio got, the better my beers got. So, I do believe that if you do a partial mash with mostly grain, and just use extract to bring it up to the gravity you need, you'll be much happier.

The sugar in the bottles is not enough, in most cases, to affect the beer flavor that much.

That having been said, I have decided to switch over to DME for bottling, exclusively. I just like the quality of the carbonation better with DME than corn sugar. It seems more...I dunno, smoother, silkier, the bubbles are finer, resulting in better mouthfeel. Some swear that there's no difference, but I've used both (extensively), and priming with DME definitely produces better beer, I have no doubt about that. It's more expensive, and it takes longer to carbonate, but it's well worth it.

 

[sirsloop]

IDK man... co2 is co2. I suppose I haven't got enough experience bottling to tell the difference, especially now that I'm kegging. Back when I did bottle I noticed no difference between DME and CS. I think the original recipe (contents, ABV), age, serving temperature, the glass (cleanliness/oils), and the amount of dissolved CO2 define the head and head retention. You are really only adding like 3/4 cup of sugars in 5 gallons of beer. Thats under 1/2tsp per cup of beer!!! If you figure its 80% fermentable... it would be like pouring a beer and adding 1/10th tsp (under a dash) of raw sugar to a cup of beer (8oz). I can't possibly see that having any noticeable effect on taste.

 

[rocketman768]

IDK man... co2 is co2. I suppose I haven't got enough experience bottling to tell the difference, especially now that I'm kegging. Back when I did bottle I noticed no difference between DME and CS. I think the original recipe (contents, ABV), age, serving temperature, the glass (cleanliness/oils), and the amount of dissolved CO2 define the head and head retention. You are really only adding like 3/4 cup of sugars in 5 gallons of beer. Thats under 1/2tsp per cup of beer!!! If you figure its 80% fermentable... it would be like pouring a beer and adding 1/10th tsp (under a dash) of raw sugar to a cup of beer (8oz). I can't possibly see that having any noticeable effect on taste.

Bububut Sam Adams' video uses DME! I've only ever used dextrose=glucose=corn sugar (why do we have so many names btw?), but have never noticed any cidery flavors except those due to fermentation temperature errors (I think).

 

[mattmcl]

I use DME for the smaller bubbles, it's closer to the mouthfeel of a nitrous pour and I do a lot of stouts. Also, I buy DME for yeast propagation and it's one less thing to forget when I'm at the LHBS.

I would agree with the above, I doubt it's the corn sugar causing the off flavors.

 

[HollywoodMX]

I was reading a book "Radical Brewing" and he states Dextrose can produce apple/clider tastes. I had this problem with my coopers lager kit that came with a box of dextrose to suppliment. I used DME on the next brew to offset the sugar and bingo, bye bye apples..

 

[Synovia]

If you are just priming, adding corn sugar is going to do nothing but add more alcohol content and maybe drop the FG by like .000001. Basically whatever volume you put in there will make the ratio of volume to unfermented sugars less. The only way to make the FG lower at that point is to add more water.

This is incorrect. Alchohol is lighter than water.

 

[HollywoodMX]

Since DME is only 70% frementable would priming with DME help battle sourness vs using corn sugar?