I see a lot of extract kits and recipes using maltodextrin in them. Especially ones around 5% abv and under. It makes sense since with extract you can’t control mash temp and steeping grains isn’t as effective as mashing them. More curious to see if it necessary to use the maltodextrin or would steeping more specialty grain work just as well.
Thoughts on using maltodextrin
- Thread starter CBurgles
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Well... I'd recommend adding maltodextrin to an extract to add to the body and overall feel of the beer. I'd also recommend adding maltodextrin when steeping grains for use in an extract beer or to an all grain brew when under modified malt is used or if large amounts of non-base malts are used in an all grain brew.
As Tobor said, maltodextrine is for adding body without flavor or sweetness.
I have never used it. I used to use carapils for the mouthfeel but have seen a lot of people saying that it doesn't really work.
Most of the recipes that I see do not use either, so I don't add them. My beers have mostly been fine without either.
Here is one short thread on the subject: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/carapils-way-superior-to-maltodextrin.456810/
Most of the recipes that I see do not use either, so I don't add them. My beers have mostly been fine without either.
Here is one short thread on the subject: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/carapils-way-superior-to-maltodextrin.456810/
Silver_Is_Money
Larry Sayre, Developer of 'Mash Made Easy'
I've added 1 full Lb. of maltodextrin to two of my ~6.25 gallon yielding all-grain recipes to date, and I can't tell where it accomplished anything vs. the same recipe made without it, sans for raising the FG and adding a bunch of unnecessary calories. I couldn't detect any enhancement of the mouthfeel or notice any improvement in head retention. But admittedly I did not do split batches and compare them side by side, but merely went from memory. There was a time (only a few years ago) when I thought it would perform magic, but I no longer think that way about it. Now I think it's a waste of money. But I also think that of Carapils and Carafoam.
Thanks guys. I’m only 5 batches in so I don’t have a lot to compare to, especially since I haven’t brewed the same thing twice yet. But I think some of my thinner mouthfeel issues could be due to topping up with distilled water in fermenter to yield 5 gallons.
Distilled as opposed to other water would not have any effect on mouthfeel unless you use too much.
