beersmith questions

I have 2 questions to do with BeerSmith

1) why does the addition of lactose add to the expected original gravity numbers while malto-dextrine does not?

2) why does the addition of lactose make the expected final gravity lower than if there wasn't any lactose at all?

Just doesn't seem to make sense. I figured that since lactose isn't 100% fermentable that the expected final gravity should be higher than if there was no lactose at all. Thank you for any help you might have on this matter

1. It shouldn't. If it does, there is a glitch in the software.

2. It shouldn't. But the FG prediction is not accurate anyway, so I ignore that. The FG is just a % of the OG and doesn't really take fermentability of the ingredients into account, although it's better than the Beersmith 1.4 version for trying.

For lactose, the Og and the FG are both raised .009 for a pound of lactose in 5 gallons, since it's nonfermentable.

Awesome that helps big-time!!! Is it the same with malto-dextrine as far as how much is raises OG and FG per lb.? Thank u very much for the info!!!

je52rm said:

Awesome that helps big-time!!! Is it the same with malto-dextrine as far as how much is raises OG and FG per lb.? Thank u very much for the info!!!

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I really don't know- I wouldn't use maltodextrine, so I have no experience with it.

je52rm said:

Awesome that helps big-time!!! Is it the same with malto-dextrine as far as how much is raises OG and FG per lb.? Thank u very much for the info!!!

Click to expand...

Yes. Maltodextrin is unfermentable by brewers yeast.

And the fact that BS doesn't know what to do with either one has been one of my many peeves with that program...

Cheers!