Beer Forum

I'm making a hefe that calls for 1 and 1/4 cup of DME for priming. I have only used priming sugar before. This recipe doesn't specify how much water to boil the DME in for priming. Suggestions? Thanx in advance.

Gerard

I would use the same amount of water you use when you use priming sugar. Assuming the finished solution is evenly mixed in the wort it should carbonate the same no matter how much water you use. Really the only purpose of boiling the priming sugar of dme is to sterilize it. I would just make sure not to use too much water so you dont end up watering down your beer.

My recommendation would be to use sugar. DME offers no advantage over table sugar.

Danno wrote:My recommendation would be to use sugar. DME offers no advantage over table sugar.

What is this assumption based on? I'm asking since most brewers will tell you that DME is better than corn sugar or table sugar.

Kai

Well, both provide the sugars needed for carbonation. With table sugar, their's nothing left afterward. With DME, you have dextrins among other things that are left behind. Okay, so the dextrins would be a good thing but there are so few that they don't add anything. There are also the things that create the hot and cold break amongst other constituents. No need to put those in there.

So you pay more but don't get any benefits. You can sometimes get a free ring around the neck with DME. If you do and put that bottle into a competition, the judge will predisposition your beer as being infected.

Danno wrote:Well, both provide the sugars needed for carbonation. With table sugar, their's nothing left afterward. With DME, you have dextrins among other things that are left behind. Okay, so the dextrins would be a good thing but there are so few that they don't add anything. There are also the things that create the hot and cold break amongst other constituents. No need to put those in there.

So you pay more but don't get any benefits. You can sometimes get a free ring around the neck with DME. If you do and put that bottle into a competition, the judge will predisposition your beer as being infected.

I bottled with DME and Kraeusen, and never got a ring at the neck of the bottle.

The fact that corn or table sugar provide only simple sugars to the yeast, can lead to a shift in their metabolism. In fact it has been reported (at least for table suger) that beers primed with surgar have a slight cidery taste to them. I never noticed that with my corn sugar primed beers, but I'm not sure if I would be able to pick this out. But a judge might.


Have you ever primed beers with DME ?

Kai

Kaiser wrote:I bottled with DME and Kraeusen, and never got a ring at the neck of the bottle.

The fact that corn or table sugar provide only simple sugars to the yeast, can lead to a shift in their metabolism. In fact it has been reported (at least for table suger) that beers primed with surgar have a slight cidery taste to them. I never noticed that with my corn sugar primed beers, but I'm not sure if I would be able to pick this out. But a judge might.


Have you ever primed beers with DME ?
Kai

I didn't say that you would get a ring every time or even often. It has been reported by others many, many times. So if you don't get a ring, there still isn't any advantage.

Cidery flavors from sugar is an old wive's tale. Many Belgian beers are made with 10% sugar and they aren't cidery. Many craft brewers use sugar in the BW's. Sucrose is completely metabolized by the yeast as is corn sugar. DME is not.

I don't undersand what you mean by a 'shift in metabolism'. Priming provides so little sugar that it doesn't change anything that can be perceived in the flavor or appearance. Krausening has a few benefits but they are outweighed by the variability for the home brewer. Most German breweries did it because of the big R.

I have never primed with DME because I have never seen a single benefit. I stopped using corn sugar years ago for the same reasons. You can continue as you wish. There aren't enough negatives to say don't do it or that you shouldn't but I'm a 'cup is half full guy'. Why bother if there aren't any benefits and it's more hassle (partially openend DME bags and more cost).

I plan to do an experiment with various priming methods once I can brew again (I'll be moving shortly). In this experiment I want to see for myself the difference between table sugar, corn sugar, DME and kraeusen. Until then I don't have further facts to continue this discussion.

I particularily prefer bottling with kraeusen since it doesn't change the recipe of the beer and guarantees fast carbonation.

Kai