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Has anyone "back-sweetened" a beer?


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#1 Big Nake

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Posted 12 October 2011 - 05:14 PM

My Spiced Pumpkin Ale could be a little sweeter. This is a beer where a little bit of sweet works well but it came out a little drier than I would like. The beer is cold, carbed and kegged and I'm thinking that at 35°, the yeast is sleeping and will not wake back up. Boil some water and add some brown sugar or something, let it cool and pour that into the keg? I've never done it but I could see it working. Anyone got a feel for a better way or if the sugar thing sounds okay, how much to use? Cheers.

#2 djinkc

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Posted 12 October 2011 - 05:51 PM

Lactose. I've never used it but yeast won't touch it from what I know. May be the perfect thing to add. I've had saved slurry in the kegerator (~ 38df) that was obviously still working, slow but still active. It might be possible to get something that keeps over carbing if you add fermentables. Just guessing though.

Edited by djinkc, 12 October 2011 - 05:54 PM.


#3 beach

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Posted 12 October 2011 - 07:45 PM

Maybe you could hit it with K-meta to make sure the yeasts are shut down? Beach

#4 Big Nake

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 05:30 AM

Okay, so here's what I did. First off, I carbed this beer a little lower in the first place because it's better for the style and I also thought it would help with the balance of sweet/dry. Last night I took about a pint of water and ½ cup of brown sugar and boiled that mixture. I let it cool a little bit and then added it right to the keg. I let it settle a little bit and tried a glass. It seems a little sweeter and I will allow it to go longer and then try a few more glasses to see if this was a good idea or a mistake. I can't see the keg getting overly foamy from more fermentation but I suppose it's possible. I will keep an eye on it and report back on the carb & flavor. Also... there was VERY little yeast going into the keg in the first place. This beer sat for a few weeks in secondary and the beer was surprisingly clear. Cheers.

#5 positiveContact

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 05:37 AM

I'd be a little concerned with oxidation but maybe I'm off base here.

#6 Genesee Ted

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 05:44 AM

Eh, I think he will be okay. CO2 is way heavier than O2 so just popping off the top of the keg shouldn't be too much of a concern, especially considering that it is probably not going to be aged long term. I would worry more that the yeast will chew through the sugar thus decreasing its usefulness as a backsweetener. It will be fine as long as you keep it cold though.

#7 positiveContact

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 06:18 AM

Eh, I think he will be okay. CO2 is way heavier than O2 so just popping off the top of the keg shouldn't be too much of a concern, especially considering that it is probably not going to be aged long term. I would worry more that the yeast will chew through the sugar thus decreasing its usefulness as a backsweetener. It will be fine as long as you keep it cold though.

oh - I was thinking O2 in the sugar/water mixture he's putting in.

#8 beach

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 07:45 AM

oh - I was thinking O2 in the sugar/water mixture he's putting in.

Ken boiled it so most of the O2 should have been driven off. Beach

#9 positiveContact

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 07:52 AM

Ken boiled it so most of the O2 should have been driven off. Beach

roger that!

#10 ScottS

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 04:49 PM

I sweeten meads by adding a 1:1 water/honey solution. Add slowly, stirring gently and from the bottom, taste frequently. Stop before it's "sweet enough", because the flavors will blend and it'll taste sweeter after another couple weeks of aging. I don't have any oxidation problems from this process. I don't boil anything,

#11 MyaCullen

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 05:22 PM

that will probably work ken, but I wouldn't be surprised if the sugar doesn't mix well

#12 Big Nake

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Posted 13 October 2011 - 07:48 PM

So I tapped a few of these tonight while watching the NLCS and you know what? This worked beautifully. The beer is noticeably sweeter but it's very much the way it normally turns out. I just stabbed in the dark with the amount but I'm very happy that it came out well & saved this batch of beer. Ka-ching! Cheers Beerheads!


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