c41171 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 Paul, why do Coopers (and most other kit beers) say on their cans to use white sugar, when HBS and forums encourage you to use all the other various types of stuff to give you a better tasting beer and tend to put white sugar down? I would think that you would want the best results for your product, hence you would recomend the best ingredients to add to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BirkdaleBob Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Sugar is good, but Light Malt Extract, or liquid malt, is better. Coopers have hit the shelves with their brew enchancers (1,2 & 3). Here in Qld brew enhaner #3 costs $6.50 per kilo in the supermarket, whilst LME, Dextrose, Corn Syrup etc is much cheaper at the HBS. Perhaps the Coopers product is cheaper in SA, but it is difficult to justify it's use here. Having said that, I'll still use Coopers brew kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kai Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 I don't think there's anything wrong with using ordinary sucrose for the extra fermentables, especially if you're just after an easy drinking brew and won't need the extra body & flavour using other adjuncts would give. Some people say that using sucrose imparts a cidery flavour to the beer, but I'm uncertain as to the veracity of that statement, as I think it is more to do with the yeast strain and the fermentation conditions. Perhaps if someone from Coopers could chime in with a more authorative opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Sucrose consists of bonded glucose and fructose molecules. For the yeast to be able to assimilate the glucose and fructose it must first break the bond by releasing an enzyme known as invertase. Invertase can produce a cidery/green apple character. This tends to dissipate over time. Dextrose (shortened from dextrose-monohydrate) is predominantly glucose. Dextrose and sucrose ferment out completely leaving only alcohol. Large quantities of dex/suc will make the beer thinner with a drier finish and reduced head retention. Some prefer the flavour profile from sucrose whilst others swear by dextrose and still others say "use malt only". I think it's a matter of experimenting and finding what suits you. My rule of thumb is to keep the weight of simple sugars (dex/suc) at or below 10% of the total fermentables. Only Brew Enhancer 1 and 2 are available. We are yet to release a Brew Enhancer 3 for sale...I have a blend in mind but I am yet to get the green light from the marketing department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kai Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Sucrose consists of bonded glucose and fructose molecules. For the yeast to be able to assimilate the glucose and fructose it must first break the bond by releasing an enzyme known as invertase. Invertase can produce a cidery/green apple character. This tends to dissipate over time. Ah, gotcha. Thanks for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c41171 Posted February 2, 2004 Author Share Posted February 2, 2004 Thanks very much for the lesson in chemistry, but I'm still non the wiser as to the answer to my question :?: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I think the gist of it is this. Its much easier for a beginner to use one kilo of sucrose or dextrose. Thus Coopers will state the fact that these should be used, and less to go wrong for the beginner, also imparting a reasonable brew. ( more beer kits sold ). For the more advanced, use your malts and so on. More experience means you can experiment to make that better brew and the more experienced you are the more adventureous you become. You can reasonably assume that your brew will turn out as you want it. You spend more money on adjuncts but because of your experience you shouldnt be wasting it ( thus even more beer kits sold ) :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 Sorry, your original question was why do most kits recommend sugar. Sugar is cheap, readily available (probably have a kilo in your pantry if you forgot to buy some while you were out shopping), promotes good attenuation and it helps bump up the alcohol level (alcohol is a flavour enhancer - like salt on food). In the dark old days of home brewing history it was common place to experience a stuck ferment...the use of a good quantity of simple sugars such as sugar/dextrose helped the yeast to ferment out completely. You may have noticed that the Thomas Cooper Premium Selection and Brewmaster Series recommend adjuncts other than sugar. The lid instructions with the Bavarian Lager also recommend adjuncts rather than sugar/dextrose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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