Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Something I have been wondering as lately cash has been an issue and bags of glucose cost $7 for a effing kilo I want to make good beers but was wondering would caster sugar used in the same amounts ie 300g per brew make any difference i noticed it tastes nearly like glucose just a tad more sweeter and my ginger beer kit recommends 2kg of it since then i have wondered will caster sugar work without leaving undesirable flavours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Something I have been wondering as lately cash has been an issue and bags of glucose cost $7 for a effing kilo I want to make good beers but was wondering would caster sugar used in the same amounts ie 300g per brew make any difference i noticed it tastes nearly like glucose just a tad more sweeter and my ginger beer kit recommends 2kg of it since then i have wondered will caster sugar work without leaving undesirable flavours SWMBO tells me that it is the same as sugar, just finer. I find it works good for priming. I never use large amounts of sugar in beer, I do believe that large amounts of sugar are responsible for the imfamous home brew twang (cider like taste). I have used it in GB at 1kg and SWMBO was pleased with the result. I have increased the rate in the next GB but its only three weeks bottled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Yeah i was only thinking of using small amounts like 300g same as i would the glucose just i can buy 1kg of caster sugar at aldi $1.20 compared to $7 for a kilo of dextrose I use LDM or malt for the rest of it to give the beer body and maltyness Ginger beer is a different story yet to try it the main thing I was thinking about was cutting my home brew bill down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB8 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 $7 for a kilo of dextrose Thats just plain daylight robbery, thats the price I pay for DME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 $7 for a kilo of dextrose Thats just plain daylight robbery, thats the price I pay for DME Tell me about it DME is nearly $10 here local bbq's galore is the only place that sells home brew goods kits hops etc in town here sucks I order 1kg bags of DME online for $9 when i can it effed here so expensive I wish i had the cash I would open a home brew store. The only two other places that sell kits and coopers DME and BE's is Kmart and Safeway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Slugg Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Small amounts of sugar wont hurt at all, Raw sugar is good in darker beers and even some brown sugar. I wouldnt go over 500g. The old Kilo of sugar days has been blamed for a lot of the home brew twang and sometimes rightly so, but the other main reason was brewing temps and the yeast. The old days we use to keep the brews way too warm and they tasted crap!! Some people usually AG brewers blame the tins of prehopped malt themselves for the 'Twang' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Yeah I don't intend on using a kilo i use a kilo of DME these days if not 1.5kg of DME and 300g glucose to bump the alcohol up a tad the only time I got that twang was when i brewed at higher temps when i started out now that i have the temps around 18 -20 its gone and i have been making nicer beers I have used dark brown sugar before in a stout a porter and a dark ale using around 400g and the taste has been good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Slugg Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 my advice , although sometimes hard, is to team up with a couple of people and buy in bulk. Or you can get 6kg of Dextrose from grain and grape for $18.70 and delivered in most of Vic for $8. not sure about Warrnambool, but its $8 for 20kg of stuff delivered, maybe worth a phone call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 I only have 1 other mate in town who brews as well but might give them a bell when i need some more if it saves me money in the long run i won't mind paying a little extra for shipping next time i am in melbourne or ballarat I will be stocking up that is for sure I am looking at buying dry malt in bulk too as that will save me dosh as i use a lot of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Slugg Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Yeah well yell out when you are thinking of doing it , if coming to Melbourne , I could very well throw in some money too. The more the better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Caster sugar is the same as table sugar just finer. I wouldn't recommend using it in large quantities but a little wouldn't hurt. Just try some and see for yourself the limit you are happy to do. Start small though and work up a little at a time to find "your" threshold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 $7 for a kilo of dextrose Bloody hell! I get a kilo of Dex from the brew shop for $3. I mostly only use it to bulk prime so it lasts a fair while too. DME is around $8 a kilo I think. But yeah, as per previous posts, caster sugar is just normal refined white sugar ground finer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 @Gavin not sure when I will be able to come to melb but I just landed a new job online so never know when i will come down i haven't been for a while to melbs 350k each way argh and Bill I don't intend on using a whole kilo of it I made one kit with a kilo of glucose and it was watery and had that twang since then I use a minimum of 1kg of DME and no more than 300g glucose and my beers have been turning out awesome and also keeping the temps between 18 - 20 wow what a difference so yeah will give it a go i seen tonight while i was at woolies they have 1kg of coopers brewing sugar for $4.20 but I think they mix maltodextrin in with that but yeah the local bbq's galore is the only place i can get brewing gear and malt etc i did order from craft brewer a kg of malt a while back when i was buying star san and hops only paid $9 for the kilo and it still worked out cheaper with the hops than at bbq's galore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 I forgot to mention if it is going to turn my brew to shit i will avoid it as i have made some awesome brews lately but yeah if small amounts don't affect the taste I would be better off using the cheaper means to save costs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Slugg Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Brewall is in Portland, but thats still 100kms... I'd try and speak to one of the brewers at The Flying Horse Bar and Brewery, they maybe able to help you out, if not you might run into other home brewers there :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne (Captain Yobbo) Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 I didn't think of the Flying horse haven't tried any of their beers yet either I suppose a phone call might yield some results Yeah portland is a bit away but I do have a friend travel that way regularly so maybe i could ring them up make an order and get my friend to pick it up :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Slugg Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Just make sure you talk to a brewer and not just bar staff or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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