is normal sugar alright to use?

[wipeout]

Hi am new here started. My first ale brewing kit yesterday it was a birthday present I have started it off just wondering when I come to kegging it do I just use normal sugar it dosent state any special sugar on the instructions but though I best check
Thanks
Lee

 

[fermentall]

Hi W, yes normal sugar is fine :

 

[wipeout]

Cheers

 

[alifreddy]

I used normal sugar with my first brew coopers bitter + it turned out fine, I'm using dextrose this time with 500gs light sprayed malt to see if I can see difference

The dextrose ferments quicker than normal sugar + does'nt leave a bitter aftertaste

 

[wipeout]

Cool as this is my first brew ill stick to normal sugar and try n get the ropes of all this stuff before I have a go at other recipies

 

[Aleman]

The dextrose ferments quicker than normal sugar + does'nt leave a bitter aftertaste

Not in a brewing environment it doesn't . . . it may ferment quicker in a biochemistry lab, but you won't notice any difference in a fermenter. . . . and glucose (aka dextrose) and sucrose (glucose+fructose) ferment out completely so there is no after taste. The issue with a cidery taste to beer kits fermented with a kilo of sugar is down to the lack of yeast nutrients/adulterated malt extract (cut with other sugars). There is a theory that suggests that the invertase that yeast use to split the glucose and fructose bond in sucrose contributes to it but to be frank that has to be a load of b*llocks . . . as the invertase is located on the yeasts membrane and does its stuff as the sucrose is transferred across the cell wall.

Another brewers wives tale that needs to be corrected

 

[bolty]

I think the only real downside to normal sugar over malt (either dry or extract) is that it does completely ferment out, and this leads to a thinner beer.

 

[State of the mind]

Yeah, you can use up to 10% sugar, before you start to get a negative effect on the mouth feel of your beer I think. Sugar is great to use as it is econmical and if you are looking for a rather thin beer such as some of the pilseners, sugar can be used to thin the beer down. In my opinion the use of sugar is not ideal as it has a tendancy to add cidery tastes as Aleman said.

 

[Aleman]

What I actually said was If you use sugar for up to half of the fermentable matter you will get cidery tastes, for small volumes, more in dark beers, and for priming to develop condition it is fine . . . and undetecable

 

[State of the mind]

I wasn't quoting you on figures, just on the fact that you said that sugar could produce a cidery taste profile. :wha: