Question about lactose

[Truble]

Hey all,

In my last recipe, a stout, I used some lactose. I know that it is not fermentable, but will it still figure into a Gravity reading? If so, should I adjust for the amount using it as equal in contribution to DME?

thx in advance.

 

[Walker]

yes, it will affect the gravity, because it will make your liquid thicker than water.

However, I don't understand the purpose of asking.... are you adding it late in the game here or something? (ie; are you dumping it into the secondary rather than adding it to the boil and are concerned it will mess up your FG and ABV calculations?)

-walker

 

[david_42]

It will raise both the OG and the FG by exactly the same amount. Figure 0.009 per pound for a five gallon batch. So, it may look like your stout is stuck, but it isn't.

 

[Truble]

yes, it will affect the gravity, because it will make your liquid thicker than water.

However, I don't understand the purpose of asking.... are you adding it late in the game here or something? (ie; are you dumping it into the secondary rather than adding it to the boil and are concerned it will mess up your FG and ABV calculations?)

-walker

Thx guys. As for the question, it went in late in my boil. It was a last minute thought on the recipe since I have never used it. starting gravity was higher than I expected, as was my reading when I racked to secondary. I used shy of a pound, had 1.064 OG, and 1.021 when I racked to secondary. With the ~.009 adjustment, I feel a lot better about the fermentation progress.

thx again