beginner with spraymalt

[terminal500]

Hi, couple of novice questions

1. Why use spraymalt instead of sugar.
2. Why use spraymalt in addition to the 1kg of sugar
3. Is the abv the same if you use weight for weight as a replacement for sugar
4. Is the main difference between dark and light the taste.
And last if you add 500g of spraymalt to a kit as well as the normal amount of sugar will it effect the fermentation at all.

Regards
Tom.

 

[rpt]

1. Because it tastes better and gives the beer more body. Sugar will completely ferment out but malt will leave some residual sugars. Adding small quantities of sugar to a beer is fine but larger amounts don't taste so good.
2. It will make it stronger, but if you've added all that sugar then it seems an expensive way to do it.
3. Spraymalt and sucrose (ordinary white sugar) will give pretty much the same ABV. If you use brewing sugar (dextrose monohydrate) then you need about 10% more.
4. I believe so.

 

[winelight]

if you add 500g of spraymalt to a kit as well as the normal amount of sugar

That's what many people do. Or some other similar combination. For example, if a kit says add 1Kg of sugar, I'll probably add 500g sugar, 500g spraymalt and a jar or two of liquid malt extract for luck (the sort they sell for making malt loaves). All adds to the fun.