Lager & cane sugar primary fermentation

[point-break]

Hello!

I was wondering if it will be ok to use cane sugar for the primary fermentation for a lager?I have not selected one yet,might use a john bull from tesco. Would it be ok if I used cane sugar and put in yeast nutrients? i have used brewing suger/spray malt before but it seems to make the lager "darker".

Thanks

Nathan

 

[Dave1970]

Fairly new here myself, but my understanding is that you could ferment with cane sugar no problem, the kit instructions will probably say to do that, but it will result in a beer that is 'thinner' and has less body (which could be what you're looking for). Maybe you could try BKE (Beer Kit Enhancer) or a light spray malt that shouldn't darken the beer.

 

[point-break]

If you ferment with cane sugar you get a cidery taste. Not due to the actual sugar but there is not enough nutrients for the yeast to consume the sugar correctly. My question is could i use cane sugar with the yeast nutrients to avoid the cidery taste since the yeast have what they need (I should have made it a bit clearer! my bad )

 

[Aleman]

If you ferment with cane sugar you get a cidery taste.

Not true (unless you are in the US )

If you are using a well formulated kit that is made up of all malt extract then adding sugar to that kit (like the coopers ones) is not likely to create a cidery taste (except perhaps in the case of the light lagers - When perhaps any taste is better than none :grin: ) However, many of the cheaper kits already contain sugar and then you add more to them and this is when you get thin 'green apple' like flavours. It is for this reason that I would avoid the cheaper kits (like John Bull).

I actually prefer the Coopers Kits (the Lager ones) made up with all cane sugar, as using malt extract changes the balance of the kits unacceptably IMO, I've yet to try an 80:20 mix of sugar:malt extract with the Coopers though.

So to the OP . . . Stay away from the cheaper kits and either buy the two can kits that require no added sugar, or Use A good quality kit like Coopers and then add sugar with perhaps some malt extract.

 

[point-break]

Ok thanks

The john bull is 100percent malt extract with iso hops.it is actually manufactured by youngs,i think the youngs lager kits are not 100% though.since the johnbull is 100% would cane sugar with nutrients be acceptable?.thanks

 

[tomkandy]

There should be enough nutrients in the malt extract already.

If you're worried about the colour from beer kit enhancer, have you tried using extra light dry malt extract instead? Even a kilo of that should add very little colour.