Hi brewers, Im brewing a Baltic porter and I can't decide if I should add dextrose to increase the gravity or Dark malt extract. Im loosely copying a Baltic Porter Ive recently tried where the recipe says they use dextrose but Im not sure its the best thing to add ? Any suggestions?
Dextrose vs Dark malt extract in a porter
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duncan_disorderly
Well-Known Member
thehaze
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If you're brewing 5 gallons, you could use the same amount of grains to only brew 4 gallons, which in return will avoid the use of dextrose to raise gravity - dextroise will thin the beer - and will probably turn out better just by using only malts and nothing else. 4 gallons instead of 5 means higher gravity as you're not diluting/sparging to the volume you need to boil down from to get 5 gallons.
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troyp42
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Its a variation of this grain bill here 21 litres at 9.5% (slightly more quantity than whats show here
9 lbs. 14 oz. (4.5 kg) Pilsner malt
1.3 lbs. (0.58 kg) dark Munich malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) smoked malt
6 oz. (0.17 kg) pale wheat malt
6 oz. (0.17 kg) chocolate malt
4 oz. (0.11 kg) black wheat malt
250 grams dextrose.
It had 0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) dark crystal malt but I took it out.
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troyp42
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I need the volume as its for a case swap so need to have 19 litres. (5 gallons)
duncan_disorderly
Well-Known Member
Why take the dark crystal out? It's a common feature in modern porters, and would provide some depth of flavour, another different layer. Just an observation.
The sugar is not excessive in a 9.5% beer. It was probably put there to mitigate against heaviness in the beer. It may have been intended to increase attenuation. The original yeast choice may have influenced this. I think sticking with the original recipe wouldn't be a bad idea, but changing it isn't wrong if you know why you are changing it and how that will affect the final beer.
If you sub extract for dextrose (corn sugar), you will get a slightly lower ABV, slightly more body.
Either option is really fine. I vote you make them both!
Either option is really fine. I vote you make them both!
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troyp42
Well-Known Member
I forgot to mention Im also adding 500 grams (1 pound) of lactose. The original recipe is this one here.
https://byo.com/recipe/kissmeyer-beer-brewing-baltic-porter/
But Im actually using it as a base to try and replicate this beer below. Hence why I changed the black malt for black wheat and added the dextrose and lactose......
Brewed with chocolate and smoked malts and then layered with coffee, lactose, and vanilla,
THE DETAILS
Style: Smokey Baltic Porter
Hops: Warrior
Malt: Bohemian Pilsner Malt, Munich Malt, Chocolate Malt, Wheat Malt, Midnight Wheat, Smoked Malt, Dextrose
IBU: 45
ABV: 9.5%
EDIT- Or if anyone has any suggestions on a recipe using the above grain bill that would be appreciated.
https://byo.com/recipe/kissmeyer-beer-brewing-baltic-porter/
But Im actually using it as a base to try and replicate this beer below. Hence why I changed the black malt for black wheat and added the dextrose and lactose......
Brewed with chocolate and smoked malts and then layered with coffee, lactose, and vanilla,
THE DETAILS
Style: Smokey Baltic Porter
Hops: Warrior
Malt: Bohemian Pilsner Malt, Munich Malt, Chocolate Malt, Wheat Malt, Midnight Wheat, Smoked Malt, Dextrose
IBU: 45
ABV: 9.5%
EDIT- Or if anyone has any suggestions on a recipe using the above grain bill that would be appreciated.
I've never had a Baltic Porter before but my vote would be for dextrose or sucrose. Any beer above 8% gets a little too cloying for me and I like to thin it out a bit.
duncan_disorderly
Well-Known Member
I agree, the dextrose makes sense to me, maybe 5 to 10% even. Half a pound to a pound. Baltic porter is a lighter bodied, lager version of a porter. And the beer you are trying to replicate contains dextrose, so use it, I say.
