Pasteurizing or secondary after backsweetening?

[Angus MacDonald]

I personally have never done either with my brews. I usually force carbonisation in bottles after the primary fermentation is over and not worry about second. I make simple stuff and it hasn't hurt what I make so far.

However I've read that racking up for secondary when backsweetening can cause the end product to be flat since the yeast is usually hampered by sorbate (which again I don't tend to use to clear the beer or stop the yeast, it usually clears itself). Pasteurization I've read means that you can force carbonisation and not have to worry about sorbate but if you screw it up, it's exploding time.

So I ask the question in the title, which would you go for to keep the fizz when your brew needs backsweetened and you don't keg?

 

[day_trippr]

Ever considered using pure monk fruit extract?
Here's the thread that came from: Monk Fruit

Cheers!

 

[clone63]

You're kinda SOL. Without force carbing, you can't carbonate something back sweetened because it will just explode. You can use Xylitol or Lactose, or something non-fermentable and sweet if you just want a bit, but adding a lot can taste off. Wouldn't even bother with Splenda etc.
You can try the pasteurization game. The gamble was never worth it to me. I've had some success cold crashing the back sweetened bottles VERY shortly after bottling, to halt fermentation, but that is still always a gamble and CO2 levels are a crap shoot.

 

[Abhishek Dewan]

I have had some success with burnt honey. It becomes less fermentable and leaves sweetness but it may have flavour too. Give it a try, heat up a tablespoon of honey slowly and when it caramelises, let it cool and try it.