Larger tastes like beer

[Totem]

Hi, I’ve just bottled my larger and managed to try a bit. To me it tastes like an almost fruity beer (bitter), not larger. Is the main reason for this using bitter/beer yeast instead of larger as I’m assuming that’s what the kit gave me? I also don’t think that there is enough yeast in the suspension to carbonate the larger as there was hardly a yeast cake at the bottom of the secondary ferment. I think I should have bottled earlier however, I have moved all the bottles into a warm area. It’s only been a day and the bottles are still as soft as before (pet). I have an ipa kit do to next which was go into my keg so I’m looking forward to that. Just have to give the stuff a chance to carbonate, just doesn’t taste like larger though.

[Totem]

I did have it fermenting at a lower temp as i thought thats what it should be doing as a larger. Must get hold of some larger yeast next time then.

[Totem]

I used a john bull master class 3kg bavarian larger kit, got a JB master calss 3kg ipa now too.

[Totem]

Another thought, i used a thing called body brew by youngs as the priming substance. Its almost like iceing sugar in consistancy but doesn't tase sweet at all. Has anyone used this before, if not what do you use to prime?

[mysterio]

Never heard of body brew but it sounds like malto-dextrin or Lactose, I.E. non fermentable sugar which won't work for priming. For priming I use glucose (brewing sugar), but table sugar does the same job. Many use dried malt extract.

As for priming, you need to leave your bottles for a couple of weeks at least. Ten days is usually the minimum time I notice carbonation by. Don't worry about the yeast, there will definately be enough in suspension.

Lager yeast is essential for producing a 'true' lager, and so is actually lagering the beer (the word lager means 'to store' at low temperatures). There's plenty of websites you can research this but yeah, low temperatures during fermentation is essential.

Once your beer is fully carbonated and chilled, you won't notice the fruity flavours as much. I assume this is what the kit manufacturers are banking on when they sell 'lager' kits with ale yeasts.

[Totem]

Just a quick google, body brew is Malto Dextrin sugar, ill read more about it ina bit. The body brew was sold with the kit so i gues its ok for priming?

[mysterio]

If it's just malto-dextrin then it's not ok for priming unfortunately. It's a flavourless carbohydrate that adds body & mouthfeel to your brew. You may want to add sugar to your bottles at the rate of about half a teaspoon per pint.

[clootie]

I started this kit back in April and even the bottles I have left now taste more like an ale than a lager. That's not to say its unpleasant though, just different to what I expected.

[Andy]

If it's just malto-dextrin then it's not ok for priming unfortunately. It's a flavourless carbohydrate that adds body & mouthfeel to your brew.

I use it as an energy drink when biking. The branded ones are 100% maltodextrin but cost 5x the price

[Totem]

I read on another site that the body brew is ok for priming, the bottles are starting to firm up but not too much. That might just be natural gas and not from priming?

[Totem]

I guess that’s ok then, I was gunna leave it in bottles for maybe 2 weeks then to a cool place. With my ipa kit I wont want it fizzy at all, so it might be worth using bodybrew for when I keg that so I get the benefits of the brew and not much fermentation for less carbonation.