I am new to Berr Brewing and have question. I need to put 2.2 lbs. of sugar in kit of "scottish Style Heavy Ale" Can somebody help me convert the weight to measuring cups? (acuratly) Of give me another method. I don't have brewing sugar, is white or brown sugar better?
Thanks, John
The first thing you should do is throw away the instructions that came with the brewing kit. Your beer won't turn out quite so well if you use white or brown sugar.... it will be thin and watery, instead of the nice heavy Scottish ale you are expecting. The best thing for you to do might be to use a whole extra can of malt extract... I know it sounds crazy, but doubling up on the malt extract is a perfectly good idea, and you will certainly end up with a nice heavy ale out of it. The only consideration might be to try to use unhopped extract, so your beer doesn't turn out too bitter. But if you don't mind a little bitterness, a hopped beer kit might be fine. On a Scottish ale, personally I'd try to find some unhopped extract.
As far as measuring cups go, it's much better if you invest in a kitchen scale. I have a digital scale that was not very expensive. Otherwise I can tell you that a cup of white sugar weighs a little bit less than 0.5 lbs... I got 0.455 lbs when I tried it here with my scale. I didn't try the brown sugar, but it would probably not be the same, because it's sort of "wet". But I don't recommend using white or brown sugar in a Scottish ale.
I read somewhere that some Scottish ales are brewed with the addition of molasses. I've actually never tried it, but it is said to contribute a buttery taste. Any comments on this?
No truth to it as far as I know...
------------>Denny
Hang on, sugar will not necessarily make a beer thin and watery. Sometimes it's absolutely required...if you use an extract high in unfermentables (like Laaglander, for instance) it's a necessity. You can't make most Belgian or a lot of British styles without sugar, either. The key is knowing when and how much to use.
I agree completely with the scale...there's no accurate conversion to volumetric measurements.
------------>Denny
I'm aware of that, but 20% is really only a guideline, not a hard and fast rule. If you're using a kit formul;ated for that much sugar, using an extract that's highly unfermentable, it _might_ be an acceptable amount. But your point is well taken...it might not be an acceptable amount. My advice would be to follow the kit instructions, then change the next time if you don't like the one you produced.
No doubt about that!
------------->Denny
Molasses will contribute both a dark colour and some serious flavour to a heavy ale. I don't know about "buttery" and I'm not good at describing taste anyway, but I have found that 300 grams of molasses in a 21litre brew helps create a dark, dry ale. ie, the molasses does not make the beer sweet, but it sure makes it heavy. OG 1045 and FG 1012, from the brew log. In a Scottish ale, you might want to cut back a bit, to say 100 to 150g, at a guess.
Just brew it in a well ventilated place - I did it in the kitchen and my wife still has not forgiven me for the smell.
Red
DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.