Can I have your thoughts on a new brew

[legionbob]

I recently made a rather good stout using raw cane sugar and I want to try to take this a little further this time.

i intend to brew a stout using only dark malt, probably from a dry only kit. then do a second fermentation using raw cane sugar, prior to bottling, i will then add my own caramel made from condensed milk. then bottle condition it using more cane sugar. Im hoping to get something a bit like a rochford. I like my beers strong but sweet.

anyone tried anything similar, or am i way off the mark?

 

[phettebs]

Adding sugar is going to dry your beer out and boost your alcohol content. I use sugar in a lot of my beers but it doesn't make them sweet. To do that (I'm AG) I mash high which will leave residual sugars in the wort that the yeast do not convert. When dealing with extract, you have no idea at what temp they mashed.

I'd avoid anything like condensed milk in there. You can certainly make your own caramel from pure cane sugar. I suppose you could use a poorly attenuating yeast to leave some of the sugars behind but that's kind of tricky.

 

[legionbob]

My reasoning behind the condensed milk is that milk or sweet stouts are made by the addition of lactose, which is a non fermentable sugar found in milk. this should make the caramel non fermentable thus making the beer sweeter but no stronger. Muscovado sugar was what i had added last time and it gave the stout a cinder toffee after taste, but also fermented, so this time i want to try both. i'll let you know how i get on.

 

[unclepumble]

You can buy lactose to add to your brew, & it does not really matter when you add it, you can put it in the boil or add it at kegging bottling time, about 1lb for 40 pints is usually about right.


UP

 

[jamesb]

I've been looking at this thread. I think legionbob has a good idea and I'd like to see how it turns out. But I wouldn't use the whole tin. I can't see you needing much to give a caramel taste and impart a sweetness to the brew.

I'd make banoffee pie with the rest. Nom.

 

[phettebs]

My concern with adding anything like that is that you don't know what else they put into the process of producing it. There are probably oils and fats that have the potential to limit or kill the head retention of your beer. I think adding lactose like in a milk stout is a fine idea.

I'm not telling him not to do it. Just offering a word of caution. With that said, let us know how it goes! :

Barry

 

[legionbob]

well i think i will try it, if i do make a full 23L batch, i may bottle half using conventional methods then add the caramel to the other half prior to bottling. this way i dont ruin a whole batch if it all goes wrong.