First ever batch - queries

[MarcusKillion]

I didn't use any sugar, no. The kit came with a carton of stuff called 'Brew enhancer' which is light dry malt extract, dextrose and maltodextrin for 'better mouth feel' as quoted on the pack. Smelt fantastic, too!

I already bought another simple concentrate kit (Australian Toohey's Draught), and it calls for Brewieser brewing sugar (Which I did buy). It says in the listed ingredients as mostly 'maize starch', so i'm assuming that is just corn syrup?

So that is what is in their brew enhancer . that would be good for the taste . Other kits just tell you to use a kilo of sugar . makes the beer very thin and does not contribute any good malt taste . i have used all sugar a couple times but is much better with dme or a 50 50 mix.

corn starch and syrup are not the same thing . They do use corn starch to make corn syrup and other stuff. they kind of mash the corn and ferment it a little to get the starch . Although i recon syrup would work for sugar .
I had no idea you could sub corn starch for sugar in a brew . I wonder if it makes it thick since it is a thickening agent for food .

 

[MarcusKillion]

When you bottle you will of course take a sample for FG . this is the one you drink after reading the FG . It is great . sweet . tastes nothing like the final product will taste. but you gotta try anyway . I also have to try one every week after bottling even though I know it is not going to taste all that good for 3 weeks at least . But it is interesting to note the different flavors it takes on over the conditioning time .
also condition your bottles in a warm room just like fermenting them .
the only beer I drank from the fermenter so far that actually tasted like the final product was my Columbus SMaSH .

 

[OddCoffee]

corn starch and syrup are not the same thing . They do use corn starch to make corn syrup and other stuff. they kind of mash the corn and ferment it a little to get the starch . Although i recon syrup would work for sugar .
I had no idea you could sub corn starch for sugar in a brew . I wonder if it makes it thick since it is a thickening agent for food .

I suppose i'll find out whenever I fire up the Tooheys brew. I find that Tooheys beer tends to taste that way anyway, a little thin, although still pretty refreshing. It's something different, though.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

The amount of priming sugar isn't enough to REALLY impact the flavor, here in the states we typically use corn sugar which is very neutral. If that isn't easily available to you, I'd suggest just using regular old table sugar for your first batch. Experimentation is great, but I'd get a couple simple batches under you before tinkering around too much.

Table sugar is fine. That table sugar = cidery is a myth.

 

[JLem]

Table sugar is fine. That table sugar = cidery is a myth.

Well, I'd say that table sugar is fine to a point. Up to 20% in some styles (eg tripel), but generally 10% or less. Otherwise you'll adversely affect the flavor and body...maybe not cidery, but definitely not good.

 

[MarcusKillion]

I agree that table sugar would definitely leave a flavor if used in too large amount . Much like honey leaves a flavor . good for bottling but not for raising your alcohol level as in subbing it for that alcohol booster .

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Well, I'd say that table sugar is fine to a point. Up to 20% in some styles (eg tripel), but generally 10% or less. Otherwise you'll adversely affect the flavor and body...maybe not cidery, but definitely not good.

Yes, buts he's asking about bottling amounts.

I personally wouldn't go over 20% with any sugar. Not trying to make Bud here.

Retired Labatts (AB InBev) brewmaster told me they used up to 40% glucose in many of the mega brands. (Explains the taste/headache).

The cider taste myth is regarding taste differences between dextrose and sucrose. Negligible.

 

[Cooper90]

Hello all,

New to brewing but hoping this will be a long and fruitful relationship.

i received a cider brewing kit (magnum) a while ago and decided to get cracking a few weeks ago. I followed the instructions but i wasn't able to bottle till 3 weeks - when the instructions said do at 10 days.

When i went to bottle them this weekend i put my hydrometer in and it sank to the bottom and then bobbed slightly above the 1000. I tested it in lukewarm water and it gave a reading of a 1000 - as i thought it should?

I've bottled the cider and added the required sugar as the instructions said i should. After tasting the cider it doesn't taste very alcoholic at all - if any?

Do you have any ideas on why the hydrometer gave that reading and to the taste of it?

Any help appreciated.

 

[Hello]

Hello all, New to brewing but hoping this will be a long and fruitful relationship. i received a cider brewing kit (magnum) a while ago and decided to get cracking a few weeks ago. I followed the instructions but i wasn't able to bottle till 3 weeks - when the instructions said do at 10 days. When i went to bottle them this weekend i put my hydrometer in and it sank to the bottom and then bobbed slightly above the 1000. I tested it in lukewarm water and it gave a reading of a 1000 - as i thought it should? I've bottled the cider and added the required sugar as the instructions said i should. After tasting the cider it doesn't taste very alcoholic at all - if any? Do you have any ideas on why the hydrometer gave that reading and to the taste of it? Any help appreciated.

What was the original gravity reading before you began fermentation?

 

[Cooper90]

What was the original gravity reading before you began fermentation?

Unfortunately i didn't take one - Is that a big problem? I bought the hydrometer afterwards,

 

[JLem]

Hello all,

New to brewing but hoping this will be a long and fruitful relationship.

i received a cider brewing kit (magnum) a while ago and decided to get cracking a few weeks ago. I followed the instructions but i wasn't able to bottle till 3 weeks - when the instructions said do at 10 days.

When i went to bottle them this weekend i put my hydrometer in and it sank to the bottom and then bobbed slightly above the 1000. I tested it in lukewarm water and it gave a reading of a 1000 - as i thought it should?

I've bottled the cider and added the required sugar as the instructions said i should. After tasting the cider it doesn't taste very alcoholic at all - if any?

Do you have any ideas on why the hydrometer gave that reading and to the taste of it?

Any help appreciated.

Cider is different than beer...it is more like wine. You should expect the final gravity (FG) to be at 1.000 or even lower since the sugars in the juice are all simple and the yeast can metabolize pretty much all of them. So, you ended right where you should. If you started with apple juice, your original gravity (OG) was probably in around 1.045 - it can vary, of course, but this is a safe average value to use. Using this, your ABV = 5.9%.

BTW, most ciders are allowed to age for a while before bottling...again, more like wine than beer...and there's a whole "Cider Making" sub-forum here at HBT that you should check out - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/

 

[Cooper90]

Cider is different than beer...it is more like wine. You should expect the final gravity (FG) to be at 1.000 or even lower since the sugars in the juice are all simple and the yeast can metabolize pretty much all of them. So, you ended right where you should. If you started with apple juice, your original gravity (OG) was probably in around 1.045 - it can vary, of course, but this is a safe average value to use. Using this, your ABV = 5.9%.

BTW, most ciders are allowed to age for a while before bottling...again, more like wine than beer...and there's a whole "Cider Making" sub-forum here at HBT that you should check out - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/

Brilliant, thanks for this - some great stuff in that link!

 

[JLem]

Yes, buts he's asking about bottling amounts.

Ah, yes...I missed that somehow.

 

[OddCoffee]

So, past three days the FG has been stable at 1.016 from a start of 1.050, suppose that's about 4.5% or so....

Anyway, added 110 grams of priming sugar dissolved in water, then bottled it! Got 15x740mL PET bottles, 12x375mL stubbies, 10x330mL stubbies.

A bit darker than I expected, but still a nice golden colour.

 

[OddCoffee]

I also realize that these 330mL bottles are a bomb threat, so that'll be exciting.

 

[JLem]

So, past three days the FG has been stable at 1.016 from a start of 1.050, suppose that's about 4.5% or so....

Anyway, added 110 grams of priming sugar dissolved in water, then bottled it! Got 15x740mL PET bottles, 12x375mL stubbies, 10x330mL stubbies.

A bit darker than I expected, but still a nice golden colour.

Just making sure you know to keep the beer away from the light, right? Especially in clear bottles. Light exposure = skunked beer.

 

[OddCoffee]

Yup. Was just for this pic. All boxed up in a dark, cool place.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

I also realize that these 330mL bottles are a bomb threat, so that'll be exciting.

Why are they a bomb threat?

 

[OddCoffee]

Because these particular bottles are fairly weak and excessive carbonation might cause high pressure. I highly doubt that will happen with this batch, though.

 

[emjay]

I have always used corn sugar (which is a mixture of about 90% fructose and 10% glucose IIRC)

I think you're confusing corn sugar (also sold as dextrose in North America) with high fructose corn syrup. "Corn sugar"/dextrose is actually 100% glucose.

 

[OddCoffee]

Hello again. Almost a month since bottling, and I have already polished off a few of these brewskies. The verdict is.....drinkable! It definitely doesn't taste like Coopers Pale ale at all (given how dark the beer actually is, who'd of thunk? haha!), but I know exactly why; Incorrect wort mix, high fermentation temp, bottled too quick, etc. At this stage, it's not as bitter as I'd like it to be, and it's still tastes a little thin. A month later though is definitely an improvement. Nice head on it too. Definitely a beer that is enjoyable to drink!

I have bought the ingredients to try exactly the same brew again, though. I want to get this right before I move on to something more complex.

 

[BlackGoat]

Awesome, congrats! As your techniques and knowledge improve, so too will your beers. Just try to keep it simple, I like the idea of repeating your first beer so you can compare more easily.

 

[OddCoffee]

Cheers. Yeah, I regularly drink the beer that this kit is based off, so until I get something that tastes similar to it i'm gonna keep trying. I'm confident in this next batch though