When to add Lactose

[BigNastyBrew]

Thinking of doing a Milk Stout from BCS but I'm not sure if the Lactose Powder gets boiled the whole time or not.

When is this added?

[BDawg]

Just add it during the last few minutes of the boil so it will be pasteurized.

[BigNastyBrew]

thanks BDawg. How easy is this stuff to scorch?

[ApresSkiBrewer]

If you want, you can add it post ferment too... at the brew pub I worked at, we would add the lactose powder to 180-190 degree water, and then just add it right to the keg (w/ vanilla as well).

Worked fine...

I think for ease though... last 5 mins of boil would work just as well.

[BigNastyBrew]

Aside from ease, are there any advantages to either method?

[ApresSkiBrewer]

The lactose isn't fermentable by brewers yeast... I think the advantage to adding it after ferment would be to dose a little, and taste, until you were happy w/ the final result - but if you have a tried and true recipe (IE. JZ's) adding at the end of boil will save you a lot of hassle, IMO.

If it were a simple sugar addition (or a sugar addition that was fermentable by the brewers yeast), sometimes there is an advantage to adding after primary fermentation begins to slow - but that's another topic entirely.