Replace Dextrose with DME...HELP!

[AtwellMicroBrew]

Hello, I am new at home brewing and I have been searching for an answer in tweaking a recipe but haven't been able to find it. I hope all you brew gurus can help. I have a Sam Adams taste alike that calls for adding 4 cups of dextrose to the recipe. I would like to add DME instead. Is this possible? And if so is there a rule of thumb in figuring out how much? Also it states the %Alc./Wt. is only 2.4 Isn't this kinda low? How would I go about raising the Alcohol level to lets say 5.2 ish? Please feel free to e-mail me: wv_bowhunter@direcway.com

Thanking you in advance, Tim

[stronk]

alcohol by weight (which is what you quoted) is a different measure to alcohol by volume. Depending on the beer itself, an abw of 2.8 will probably give an abv of at least 4%. And no, that's not too low.

About the DME/dextrose substitution: you shouldn't be using dextrose (no matter what the recipe says). I don't know the exact figures, but you'll need to substitute the dextrose for DME volume for volume and then add a little more (depending on the type of DME). I'd wait for a better reply before going ahead.

Upping the abv is easily done. Just add more DME. However, if you add too much, you'll unbalance the beer and have to add more hops. If you're just beginning extract brewing, I suppose you probably aren't playing around with hops at the moment.

[danno]

I'll echo everything Stronk says, especially about skipping the dextrose... I'd swap the DME for the dextrose directly by weight. (If it was LME, you'd want to add a little more, but DME is 100% fermentable)

[AtwellMicroBrew]

Thanks for you help, I am new at this and have read in Brew your own that you shouldn't use Dextrose in your recipes. But I couldn't find any other information on it. Again danno & Stronk, Thanks.

[oakgrovebrew]

What's the rest of the recipe. You would only be adding 4 cups of dextrose to bump up the alc%. You could probably just increase your malt to compensate. If you don't want to change the color at all you could use some corn sugar or rice solids (which may make your beer a little drier tasting)

[grizzlymike]

Originally posted by danno
I'll echo everything Stronk says, especially about skipping the dextrose... I'd swap the DME for the dextrose directly by weight. (If it was LME, you'd want to add a little more, but DME is 100% fermentable)


while dextrose and DME have the same weight to volume ratios (1lb=2.4c. 1c.=6.5oz) their fermentability is not same.

dextrose is almost 100% fermentable, while DME is 55-75% fermentable, dutch products being on the low end and english on the high. so make sure you adjust accordingly

[danno]

Originally posted by grizzlymike
while dextrose and DME have the same weight to volume ratios (1lb=2.4c. 1c.=6.5oz) their fermentability is not same.

dextrose is almost 100% fermentable, while DME is 55-75% fermentable, dutch products being on the low end and english on the high. so make sure you adjust accordingly I'm looking at ProMash right now, and, for example, Briess amber DME has a "% yield" of 99.54%. in fact, all the DME's are listed at that, while the LME's varyfrom 70-80%.

[BrewDog]

I agree with GrizzlyMike.

%Yield != %Fermentables. When you prime for bottling, you typically use 3/4 cup dextrose for 5 gals, while you would use 1 1/4 cup of DME. Therefore, in order to get the same amount of fermentables using DME instead of sugar, (ie, raise the alcohol), you'd need to multiply the sugar amount by 1.67

[AtwellMicroBrew]

My Recipe is as follows:
Samuel Adams Taste Alike
Original Gravity:1.030
Final Gravity: 1.007
%Alc./Wt.:2.4
1 lds Light Cystal Malt
1 Can Coopers Real Ale Kit
.75 oz Saaz (Boil)
.75 oz Saaz Finish
4 cups Dextrose

I didn't want to use the Dextrose in this recipe.

Thanks again for all your help I am new at this and couldn't find the answer to my original question. In the above recipe what amount of DME would I need to replace the Dextrose. And another question arises, what kind? Amber?

[BrewDog]

4 * 1.67 = 6 2/3 cups.
Dextrose doesn't add color, so I'd go with the lightest DME you can find.

[stronk]

And the lighter, the more fermentable, right?

[AtwellMicroBrew]

Ok here is what I did, if you see any problems please let me know.
Finial recipe: Sam Adams Taste Alike

1-3.75 can of Coopers Real Ale
1 lb. Light Crystal Malt 20 L
1oz. Saaz Hop Pellets (Boil) in tea ball
1 oz. Saaz Hop Pellets (Finish) in Hop Bag
3 Lb Plain Amber Malt (DME)

Steps
1- Steep 1lb. Crystal malt for 30 min. in two quarts of spring water heated @ 169 F.

2- Strain out grains

3- Bring water level to one gallon

4- add syrup from real ale kit

5- add 3lds. Plain Amber malt, stir

6- add 1 oz. saaz hops in tea ball 15 min.

7- Remove from heat add 1 oz. saaz hops for finishing (in Hop Bag)
20 minutes

8- cool wort <80' top up to 6 gal

9- SG= 1.045

10- Pitch 14g Coopers yeast


Things I noticed.......Hops in tea ball was solid, I won't use this method again, Couldn't have got everything out of these hops.
Hop bag seemed to be evenly used.
Using the above method wort was very clean.
Please comment on the above, Thanks Tim

[BrewDog]

Stronk said:
And the lighter, the more fermentable, right?

Maybe as a general rule, but it may not hold true in all cases. The fermentability factor is mostly from mash temps used to make the wort that was dried. I'd say it's best to read the exact figures from the manufacturer to get that info, because it does vary.

[YamahaXS]

Yeah that tea ball is going to be a problem. You will have a poor hop conversion rate and can expect your beer to lack the bittering goodness of those saaz hops.

I wouldn't worry though, it will still be a good beer.

[BrewDog]

Atwell-

Since you asked, here is what I'd tweak about the process you listed (in addition to ditching the tea ball and going with another hop bag):

1) I would do the steep a little cooler - 155 or so instead of 169.
You are danger close to tannin extraction temps at 169.

2) I'd also use a more volume in the steep -- 2 to 3 quarts per pound or so.

3) I'd also up to 2 1/2 to 3 gals for the boil. 1 gal will really reduce hop utilization and you will get a noticeably darker final beer due to kettle caramelization.

4) Finally, I'd top up only to 5 1/2 for the fermentation. 6 gals will be ok, but you will have diluted it a little more than you really need to. 5 1/2 will provide enough extra liquid to get 5 gallons and still leave all the trub behind.

HTH-
Steve