Milk Stout

[3 Dawg Night]

I'm getting ready to brew a Milk Stout based on the "Triple X Sweet Stout" from Brewing Classic Styles. The recipe calls for 1 lb lactose (milk sugar). I've never brewed with additional sugars before. Do I add the lactose to the mash tun or to the boil kettle? Does it matter? I've learned that lactose is an unfermentable sugar, but will the enzymes in the mash break it down (at least partially) into simpler fermentable sugars?

 

[tracer bullet]

I've read up on this before and it's not supposed to matter. That said I'd give it at least a tiny amount of boil time to be sure it dissolves and if anything funky is in it, it gets killed by the heat.

As for full boil versus late... ??????

 

[brewbama]

I‘ve always added milk sugar at 15 min remaining.

cheers from just E of HSV.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

I guess the question is does it need to mash, and it sounds like the answer is no. So, the new question is: does boil time matter? If I add it at the beginning of the boil, is it going to change flavors at all over the hour it's boiling?

I see some experimentation on the horizon.

 

[RCope]

I've always added lactose at 10 min left in the boil...turn down the heat and stir like crazy so it doesn't sink and scorch. But your question is a good one...it probably caramelizes the more you boil it. That would may be a good thing in a milk stout but not so good in a milkshake IPA.

I did boil it for about 45 minutes once...I needed to back-sweeten an Imperial Stout that finished too dry. I put a pound of lactose in just a few cups of water. It took about 5 minutes to fully dissolve and then I boiled some water off over 45 minutes. The color change (light brown) was significant as I boiled it down. I didn't taste it, though...just dumped it into the stout and it did what I intended.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Lactose should be added in the boil. I'm sure you COULD add it in the mash but what I don't know is what effect does lactose have (if any) on the mash pH? You may have to adjust for that, not sure.

I agree with the previous poster, add it in the last 15 min of the boil.

If you were to boil it for the full hour, I don't think it would affect your flavor.

 

[bracconiere]

i'd imagine if you add it to the mash, you'd lose utilization.....because some of it would get left behind?

 

[bracconiere]

The color change (light brown) was significant as I boiled it down. I didn't taste it, though...just dumped it into the stout and it did what I intended.

as the gravity goes up, so does the boiling point.....i doubt 1lb of lactose in 7 gallons of water is going to carmelize......

 

[Alex4mula]

Every recipe I have seen is 5min before end of boil for lactose.