Lactose

[gazpachos0up]

I was at my brew shop yesterday asking about the use of lactose for sweetning cider. The woman at the shop told me that it would make it creamy and milky as its the sugar from milk.
Is this true? The last thing I want is Creamy Ginger beer and cider...








When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading

[DavidP]

I've used lactose and I didn't notice any milky or creamyness!
and I havn't heard of it doing that either.
I'm certainly no expert but I think that lady might be full of crap!

[rwh]

I've heard it adds body and sweetness, though the sweetness is about 1/3 that of sucrose. I don't think it adds milkiness, but if by creaminess you mean body, then I guess you're sort of right.

[wambesi]

She obviously has never used it or has no idea and is thinking of milk as soon as the word lactose is heard (which mind you I thought initially too)

I just bottled my Lemonade which had 500g of Lactose added and it is not milky or creamy, no where near it!!
It is actually clearing quite well, it will remain cloudy but no milk or cream tastes or looks.

I also (as a experiment ) added 200g to a coopers lager recipe I did and I just bottled this morning, sweeter taste but it is quite clear!

If you search up there are some threads on this site as well as others regarding its use, apparently it can be quite sweet as it us unfermentable (mostly) so dont add to much!

[Wassa]

Refer to Oliver's Blackrock Cider Recipe. He insists that it made it drinkable and I reckon he's right (from a female respective, because my wife reckons it's toooooooo dry. Me I reckon it's great)

[dragonphoenix73]

I used lactose in both apple cider and ginger beer. Its fine.

Next time, I may even add more to the apple cider, coz the extra granny smiths I chucked in definitely left their distinctive sourness behind (but not too overpowering).

Are you sure you went into a HBS? Maybe you stepped into a Milk Bar....

[Chris]

Milky! Another bit of wisdom from a HB shop owner!

[drsmurto]

Lactose, also known as milk sugar..........

Think thats where your local HBS person got the idea from. Does show a complete lack of knowledge from someone who really should know better.

Time to switch HBS....

Cheers
DrSmurto
p.s. lactose added to GB makes it sweeter without making it creamy....

[illywhacker]

Where do you guys FIND lactose? My HBS doesn't seem to stock it and no luck in Woolies.

Also, I have a sneaking suspicion I may be lactose intolerant. Is there a substitute, or am I resigned to the darkworld of artificial sweeteners?

[KEG]

there's a quick way to find out if you're lactose intolerant... when you do find lactose (most good HBS's have it), down a couple spoonfuls in a glass of water. if you find yourself running for the toilet, it's a fair bet you're lactose intolerant

by the way - chuck norris isn't lactose intolerant. he just refuses to put up with lactoses' shit.

[rwh]

Is there a substitute, or am I resigned to the darkworld of artificial sweeteners?

I've head stuff about stevia. Haven't tried it myself, so ymmv.

[Rod]

I use lactose in my stout

5 gm per bottle for a milk stout

10 gm for a cream stout

makes the brew a bit sweeter and a bit smoother , somewhat a little
less " medicinal "

no milky appearance

I really need to make some stout with more lactose so as to reach the flavour boundary , i don't think the 5g does much

as I bulk prime I will need to do some bottle with extra , using weight to get it correct , Lactose is hard to measure by volume