Spraymalt

[kevjohno]

Hi guys, looking to start my coopers English bitter at the weekend but looking for some advice on whether to use 500g of sugar and 500g of medium spray malt or just 1kg of sugar? anyone brewed this with either of them before?

 

[Mark1964]

I would use brewing sugar (dextrose) if any combined with spraymalt. Just add it to the wort bit by bit and stir. Take a hydrometer reading every time you add some , then it depends on how strong you want the beer and if the yeast can cope with the strength. 10.045 should be strong enough

 

[BruinTuns]

I've not brewed that one myself but with single can kits the default setting is to add a kilo of beer kit enhancer which is a 50/50 mixture of spray malt and brewing sugar (dextrose).
The malt will add body and flavour, all sugar will give a thinner, drier beer.

 

[stesmi]

hey Kevjohno

I'd go with as much DME as possible, but it'll still taste great with 100% sugar/dextrose. Just remember that DME is a max of 65% fermentable (relative to corn sugar) if fresh, so you'll need to adjust your sugar to get your original OG.

1 KG sugar = 100% fermentable

(500 DME * 65%) + (500 Sugar *100%) = 825 g equiv of 1KG sugar

so you'll need:

(500 DME *65%) + (675g Sugar *100%) = 325 + 675 = 1KG sugar equiv

Hope my Maths is right? :???:

 

[kevjohno]

do you always add brewing sugar or normal sugar?

 

[stesmi]

Usually Brewing Sugar, but normal sugar should be OK. Some think it tastes cidery with normal sugar, but I'm not so sure. :drunk:


If you google "Adding sugar to your beer is NOT going to make it taste like freakin' cider." you'll get a great answer

 

[kevjohno]

hey Kevjohno

I'd go with as much DME as possible, but it'll still taste great with 100% sugar/dextrose. Just remember that DME is a max of 65% fermentable (relative to corn sugar) if fresh, so you'll need to adjust your sugar to get your original OG.

1 KG sugar = 100% fermentable

(500 DME * 65%) + (500 Sugar *100%) = 825 g equiv of 1KG sugar

so you'll need:

(500 DME *65%) + (675g Sugar *100%) = 325 + 675 = 1KG sugar equiv

Hope my Maths is right? :???:

HAHA the maths has slightly baffled me, but from what you've said, if I add 500grams of light DME then I need to add 675grams of sugar. I'll take your word for that as I have no idea :hat:

 

[Mark1964]

personally I wouldn't use sugar the yeast is made to actually ferment wort not sugar. It will have a distinct effect on the taste

 

[kevjohno]

cheers mark, just looking for different opinions to see what's best

 

[coopsy]

Coopers English Bitter, one of the greats, great to experiment with, always great to drink, i always use 1Kg muscovado sugar along with 300g's brew enhancer, after many variations, that one suits me just fine, great keg, session beer, although had mine as high as 5.1.........sometimes best to go with the instructions first time, then start to experiment, whatever your plans, i'm sure this particular kit won't let you down......


"I WOULD GIVE UP BEER, BUT I'M NO QUITTER" :smile:

 

[kevjohno]

ended up getting the spray malt from wilkos so will be using that at the weekend when I start the brew :-D

 

[Brewed_Force]

I've got a Cooper's English Bitter in the FV at the moment. Got two cans for xmas! Will see how this one goes before deciding whether to tinker with the recipe for the second can.
I usually use spray malt but this time decided to go with 1kg Young's Brew Enhancer, as it was only £3.75 at Tesco. Only other ingredient was 200g light muscovado sugar.
I used the muscovado for two reasons:
1. On the Cooper's website there is a recipe for smooth bitter, which uses molasses. Muscovado sugar has a strong molasses flavour.
2. I had half a packet of Billingtons Light Muscovado sugar in a kitchen cupboard.
OG was 1.041. Tested it after 1 week and SG was 1.010 so that's just over 4% ABV if I worked it out correctly. Was quite cloudy so needs another week to settle down. Tasted the sample, very bitter & not that nice, but I'm sure in another week it will be fine.
I'll report back with the finished results, hopefully the muscovado sugar will add a little something extra.

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

I have used a kilo of brewing sugar with a tin of LME (1.8KGs) and it comes out fine, but i have used 500 gms of spraydry malt with the same can of liquied malt too, never had any issues re taste or alcohol content