Final Gravity

[dynomax]

I am just getting into brewing with DME (Dry malt extract) and i used 500g of DME and 700g corn sugar. The kit says final gravity should be 1005. Will using DME result in this being heavier?

I am not using any enzyme. And the kit is a 1.6kg can.

[ray m]

I'm not asking this to be a pain the butt, but why prime with both DME AND corn sugar? Priming with either (or both) will not make the beer heavier. If you don't mind me relating some personal experience, I used to be on a "priming with just DME" kick a couple years back. I have since abandoned the practice and strictly use corn sugar. I have found that, even though more DME is used for priming 5 gallons than corn sugar, it has taken nearly twice the time for my bottled brew to carbonate. Maybe I was doing something wrong, I dunno. I have had to wait 6 to 7 weeks sometimes.

ray m

[fuji6100]

Ray, he's brewing with corn sugar and DME, not priming.

To answer the original question, I'm pretty sure you will get a sligtly higher FG, as some things in the DME are non-fermentable, and corn sugar is like 99% fermentable.

as to how much it would affect it? I dunno.

[dynomax]

I could be wrong, but i thought without an enzyme, corn sugar was 65% fermentable, perhaps thats too high.

I am finding it is taking slightly longer to ferment the DME and corn sugar.

Were you priming, or fermenting with DME ?

[paul84043]

I have always been under the assumption that Corn sugar is highly and quickly fermentable. It's typically used in brewing to jack up the alcohol content without adding anything to the body or flavor.

I would personally try to avoid with brewing with corn sugar unless it comes in a kit for the aforementioned express purpose of making the beer more potent.

Is It used to make the lighter bodied beers like Pilseners? I have made a few Kolsch's and Corona clones, they have all used DME and malt extract. No corn sugar except for bottling.

I also agree with Ray's observation and opinion on bottling. Why bother mixing them? Unless you're allergic to corn, I'd just stick to it.

[ray m]

OOPS!! Sorry, Dynomax...I guess I did read that wrong! I do agree with Fuji & Paul, though. Corn sugar is highly fermentable (@ 99%, like Fuji said), indeed. Using a fair amount of it will jack up the alcohol content a bit---but I think Paul is right in his statement that use of it should be limited to just bottling (corn sugar, that is). Whatever works for you, though---that's the best thing about homebrewing---break some rules & traditions and see what happens!!!!