When do you add malto dextrin?

[Han_Solo]

Trying my third brew ever (English IPA). Not to sure as to when I should be adding the malto dextrin (in fact it's not even on the recipe sheet from my local brew store, but they gave it to me when I asked for the recipe).

Any wise words from more experienced brewers?

 

[Yooper]

I wouldn't use it at all in an English IPA.

But if you feel that you must use it, you could add it to the boil or add it at bottling- it doesn't matter.

 

[Han_Solo]

I wouldn't use it at all in an English IPA.

But if you feel that you must use it, you could add it to the boil or add it at bottling- it doesn't matter.

Excellent. Thanks for the tip.

Any reason for not using dextrin in this style of beer?

 

[Yooper]

Excellent. Thanks for the tip.

Any reason for not using dextrin in this style of beer?

Maltodextrine is a "thickener" like for puddings and other food items. It might be ok if you want a full thick mouthfeel in a beer, but an English IPA is pretty quaffable and not thick feeling.

 

[unionrdr]

I've used Cooper's enhancer1 with only 20% maltodextrin in the 500g total. It does add some body,or mouth feel,to beers that are a bit light. I still have a pound or so I haven't used. I've been playing around with hops & malts to get a crisp sort of bite to my ales,somewhat like lagers have. Just need some new stove burners or a turkey burner to get a good boil to proceed with getting that crispness.

 

[Stretch1991]

Yeah, if your beer is fine without it I would skip it entirely. When I have a questionably watery beer (in a test batch) I will add the maltodextrin but why thicken up a good beer with it?

 

[unionrdr]

Exactly so. Don't try to "stretch" it.