Malto Dextrine

Grains, malts, hops, yeast, water and other ingredients used to brew. Recipe reviews and suggestions.

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IrishRed
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Location: Sparks, NV, US

Malto Dextrine

Post by IrishRed »

So here I am trying to finalize my all-grain Porter and the only thing that seemed to be missing was a bit more body. A friend suggested that I use 1lb Malto Dextrine in my keg (to smooth it out, add body, and up the alc content). So when I got all my grain last time I bought the 1 lb of Dextrine, and now I am unsure of how to dissolve it (like corn sugar when I was bottling?) or should I have added it to the boil? I am a bit more adventurous with my other recipes but this is one that I almost have finalized and I am not too sure about throwing in something that is going to ruin the 5g batch...
Thanks for your help,
Kate
Gravity Thrills
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Dextrine's Laboratory?

Post by Gravity Thrills »

You may have been looing to add dextrine malt to the mash and not malto-dextrine, which is nonfermentable and mostly used by extract brewers to add smoothness. Really, neither should be required for an all-grain porter. foe a few more details, here's two entries on the subject from the beer bookshelf:

Dave Miller: "Malto-dextrine is the most complex fraction of the products of starch conversion. It is tastelesss, gummy, and hard to dissolve. It is often said to add body (palate fullness), but in fact proteins are responsible for this. dextrines do increase wort viscosity and add smoothness to the pallate of low-malt beers. However, it is easy to change the dextrine contant of grain beers by changing the mash schedule [read: higehr mash temp] or using dextrine malt. Mainly of interest as a supplement to extract brews."

Stephen Snyder: "NONFERMENTABLE, tasteless carbohydrate that adds smoothness to beer. can cause hase in light beers. Primarily for extract-based recipes to improve mouthfeel."

Sounds like the general consensus is to leave it out.

Cheers,
Jim
BillyBock
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Final Gravities

Post by BillyBock »

What were your original and final gravities? What yeast did you use?

Personally I would leave it out, esp. if you're worried about ruining an entire 5g batch. I'd only use it in a dire emergency, like my final gravity was 1.002 and didn't want my friends to think they were drinking Bud. Since it's not fermentable, it won't bump up the ABV. If you do want to use it, the last 15 min. of the boil is probably the easier place to do so.

Having said that, just chalk this one up to experience and next time control your final gravity (and thus body) with mash schedule (high temp. for dextrins) and/or yeast selection (low attenuator).

Cheers
Bill
IrishRed
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Thanks...

Post by IrishRed »

Thanks for saving me the fopaux of ruining that batch. Granted a batch is never ruined, it just is good experience to the learning process (...sometimes last forever in the keg).

In answer to the questions I was using 1056 American Wyeast (in the gold tube), and my OG was 1056 with a TG of 1020.

So I was no where near Bud flavor or body. This time around I added 1lb more Munich to try and bump up the carmel and body. Are there any other suggestions you have?

My Porter now has...7# 2 row, 2#Munich, 1# 40L, 3/4# Chocolate, 1/2# Carapils, 1/4# Patent (Along with 1o Northern, and 1o Cascade)

Thanks,
Kate
BillyBock
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No Problem

Post by BillyBock »

Hey, no problem. I made an experimental chipotle pepper beer that was a little more than I bargained for. Talk about lasting forever in the keg--it's still in the keg, going on 3 months now waiting for it to mellow.

As far as your recipe--looks tasty! I'd suggest replacing the Patent w/ Chocolate. But then again, that's my preference in Porters. Maybe I'll adapt this one....hmmmmmm

v/r
Bill
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