Dextrins, and in this case specifically maltodextrins, are a group of mostly unfermentable carbohydrates produced by the partial hydrolysis of starch or glycogen. Dextrins and maltodextrins typically impart little to no flavor upon the finished beer, but are important because they can be a valuable method for adding gravity and perceived body and mouthfeel to a beer. This can be extremely helpful when you are brewing a heavy adjunct based beer such as a gluten free ale that might have a thin body. Maltodextrin is often made from corn, and a typical composition will be .5% dextrose, 2.5% Maltose, 3.5% maltoriose, 93.5% higher saccharides. You will want to consult your vendor for actual numbers.
Tag: term (Page 3 of 3)
An ale is a beer that has been fermented using a top fermenting yeast. Ale yeasts are typically more resilient to warmer temperatures then their lager counterparts and are usually fermented at a temperature range of 65-75 F. Since the yeast is more active at higher temperatures, an ale ferments much quicker then a lager.
Examples of ales include golden ales, pale ales, India pale ale, old ale, Belgian ale and barley wines.
Something to keep in mind when fermenting an ale is that ale yeast can ferment beer above a temperature of 75 F, but when doing so it will oftentimes create undesirable esters and off flavors. Also, liquid ale yeast is vulnerable to high temperature, and it should be refrigerated to maintain its viability in transit and in storage. Due to the delicate nature of liquid yeast, I always create a yeast starter to verify its viability prior to pitching it in the cooled wort.
A beer or brewing adjunct is any unmalted grain or other fermentable ingredient used in the brewing process.
Brewing adjuncts are often used with the intention of lowering overall brewing production costs or modifying aspects of the beer such as creating better head retention or enhancing the flavor of the beer.
Some common brewing adjuncts include rice, corn, sorghum, rye, oats, honey, fruits, and candi sugars.
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