BeerBorg

I have a 2 gallon beerdemon tank. If I only have HME can I just use 2 cans of it and some extra sugar. Any recipes out there.

Makom wrote:I have a 2 gallon beerdemon tank. If I only have HME can I just use 2 cans of it and some extra sugar. Any recipes out there.

You "can" but it will be twice as bitter as intended if 1 can of HME + 1 can of UME (or booster or whatever they call that now) was the "standard" recipe for 2 gallons.

If you don't mind light bodied beer, you could use 1 can of HME and sugar to make up the rest if you wanted to. Corn sugar (dextrose) would be better then cane sugar in this scenario as it will not leave behind as much acetaldehyde for the yeast to have to clean up later. (less green apple to condition out). "Booster" is something along the lines if 85% corn sugar, and 15% maltodextrin. If you happen to have some maltodextrin around (some people do if they make certain kinds of foods/snacks) then you could go with that kind of proportion of corn sugar and maltodextrin. The advantage of that mix, is the maltodextrin doesn't ferment out, so it leaves you with some body and slight residual sweetness as if you had used malt instead of pure sugar. Using some dextrose, or especially "booster" (dextrose + maltodextrin) is really not much different then using flaked corn as an adjunct in an all grain beer in similar proportions, it's just already "mashed" for you as such.

So maybe a cup of sugar and a cup of honey should be enough

I am asking not suggesting

Measuring in a cup is going to give inconsistent results. You want to measure by weight if you can.

Sugar is like 1.048 ppg, honey is about 1.035ppg. (liquid malt extract is like 1.036)

What ppg means is points of gravity per pound per gallon that is the OG it will provide. So 1 pound of honey in 1 gallon = 1.035 wort. 1 pound of sugar in 1 gallon = 1.048 wort.

Make sense?

So consider how many OZ / pounds the missing can of extract is, and what it will increase the OG by (which is basically half of the 1 gallon calculations as above, since you are doing 2 gallons and the HME would be the other gallons PPG).

So honey you would use in similar proportions to malt extract to get the same fermentable amount. Sugar you would use less.

If the missing can of extract was say 1#, then 1 pound of honey or 1/2 pound of honey and say 1/3 of a pound of sugar would more or less make up for it.

Did that make sense?

Make sure (especially with honey) that you bring it up to a temperature that will pasteurize it. Honey, especially raw honey has inactive but still living "fun things" in it that will gladly help ferment your wort once it's diluted.

1st things first; what kind / flavor of HME do you have?

some people do if they make certain kinds of foods/snacks

Let me guess. You make your own gels? Got any recipes you want to share? I haven't been burning as many calories since covid hit, but I used to make a shake, expecially when I'd ride 20+ miles and swim 3000+ yards. I'm hoping to get back to burning more calories in a few months.

I echo the comment on getting a scale. I may be mstaken, but I think most of the world weighs, and it's only the US that measures. You may use it rarely at first, but I predict you'll use it all the time once you get into the habit.

bpgreen wrote:Let me guess. You make your own gels?.

I often use it in baked energy snacks which can be any kind of cookie/brownie/rice krispy or nut bar like thing... but replacing part of the sugar with it, because it acts more like a complex carb and helps the snacks have a more longer lasting / controlled energy release.

But yes, you can make gels with it as well, I would do something along the lines of:

1/2 cup maltodextrin

1 TBSP sugar

1 mashed up banana

Start with ~1/2 cup of water hot water and mix everything in until it's smooth, and then add more water until it reaches consistency you like, more if you want it runny, less if you want it more gel like.

1/2 tsp of salt

If you like, add some other flavoring, lemon juice, lime juice, a pinch of cardamom, or whatever.

You can also incorporate some honey if you like.

You will want to keep that in the fridge if your not going to use it right away, and you need some acid / lemon juice if you want to keep it somewhat stable from oxidation. Unless you happen to have containers where you can properly "can" them, but I don't have anything like that which will work for a gel dispenser. I just put it in little plastic snack sized bags and then open up a corner when I want to get at it. It's actually harder to figure out how to package the stuff in a way that works for you then it is to make it.

That mixture gives you not just energy, but salt and potassium which are good things when your sweating, and will give both an immediate boost of energy as well as sustained energy.

Makom wrote:I am asking not suggesting

1 cup of sugar + 1 cup of honey is also going to make for a thin, cidery beer unfortunately.

But, sometimes you need to experiment to see what you like/don't like.

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