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Author Topic: Adding dextrose  (Read 5413 times)

Offline jc24

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Adding dextrose
« on: October 31, 2017, 07:03:06 am »
Recently I have been adding dextrose to most of my brews in order to get the ABV measurements and FG where I want them. I'm wondering if there is any point in doing this? If I'm brewing an AIPA and want the beer to finish at around 1.012, will I get any flavour/body benefits from adding dextrose to boost the OG without making it finish too high? Would I be better off only using DME and therefore having a lower OG if I wanted the beer to finish at a low FG?

Offline Bob357

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Re: Adding dextrose
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2017, 09:20:49 am »
Adding simple sugars to raise OG and dry out the finish a bit is common when brewing IPAs. Some people say up to 20% is OK, but I never go over 10%. In an AIPA most people want the hops in the front seat, so a less malty profile is just fine. I like to avoid crystal malts and go with Munich or Vienna for color some maltiness for balance if needed.

Also, I doubt that you'd ever notice any difference if you replaced the dextrose with table sugar. Put the extra buck or 2 into more hops for some extra kick.
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Offline jc24

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Re: Adding dextrose
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2017, 03:58:27 pm »
Thanks bob, but what’s to gain from adding dextrose? Is it purely to increase ABV? If no flavour benefit, why not just start with a lower OG?


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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Adding dextrose
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2017, 07:27:59 am »
The benefit is more alcohol, as dextrose is 100% fermentable. Makes a big IPA more drinkable with less malt flavor and body. Years ago I got the idea from the Pliny clone.
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/russian-river-pliny-the-elder-clone/
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Offline denny

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Re: Adding dextrose
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2017, 09:53:44 am »
The benefit is more alcohol, as dextrose is 100% fermentable. Makes a big IPA more drinkable with less malt flavor and body. Years ago I got the idea from the Pliny clone.
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/russian-river-pliny-the-elder-clone/

An equal benefit is reducing the body of the beer.  I sometimes use sugar to do that while decreasing other ingredients so I don't get the ABV boost.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Adding dextrose
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2017, 10:13:46 am »
The benefit is more alcohol, as dextrose is 100% fermentable. Makes a big IPA more drinkable with less malt flavor and body. Years ago I got the idea from the Pliny clone.
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/russian-river-pliny-the-elder-clone/

An equal benefit is reducing the body of the beer.  I sometimes use sugar to do that while decreasing other ingredients so I don't get the ABV boost.
I did say reduce the body.  :) I didn’t point point out your technique.

Hey, I use Tate and Lyles in my British Bitters to give it that little something. Making invert 2 is on my list of things to try.
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Offline denny

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Re: Adding dextrose
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2017, 11:02:57 am »
The benefit is more alcohol, as dextrose is 100% fermentable. Makes a big IPA more drinkable with less malt flavor and body. Years ago I got the idea from the Pliny clone.
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/russian-river-pliny-the-elder-clone/

An equal benefit is reducing the body of the beer.  I sometimes use sugar to do that while decreasing other ingredients so I don't get the ABV boost.
I did say reduce the body.  :) I didn’t point point out your technique.

Hey, I use Tate and Lyles in my British Bitters to give it that little something. Making invert 2 is on my list of things to try.

Once again, I replied before the second cup of coffee!
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline ethinson

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Re: Adding dextrose
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2017, 02:16:21 pm »
Thanks bob, but what’s to gain from adding dextrose? Is it purely to increase ABV? If no flavour benefit, why not just start with a lower OG?


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I started adding small amounts of dextrose to my beers to lower the FG.  In your example, you want to finish at 1.012, but you won't get there with 100% DME (at least not in my experience).  My beers were finishing around 1.020-1.024, which can lead to a lot of sweetness and oxidation flavors as the beer ages.  Lower FG will make a beer crisper (especially for hoppy beers like IPAs).  You can account for it by lowering your extract amount so your ABV doesn't change. 

Also: What Denny said.
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