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Using lactose in all-grain beers, thoughts?

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beachbumchris

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I'm interested in using lactose as an ingredient in a homebrew and wanted to get some thoughts from some of you who have used it before.  I don't want to do the typical stout but maybe something more unusual, like a Tripel. 

Thoughts?

 
I use it in an Oatmeal Stout recipe and it is used in sweet stouts as well.  It adds great creamy mouthfeel and a degree of sweetness to the beer that works well in certain stouts.  I say go for it.
 
If you share a lactose brew I would hope you warn any potential drinkers because they may, like me, be lactose intolerant.
 
Slurk,

I use 3/4's of a cup and I use it at bottling.  This is in addition to the priming sugar.  So I prime as normal but also add the 3/4 cup of lactose to the slurry.
 
Hmmmmm. I've only used lactose in a sweet stout.  1# for 5 gal, added it right at the beginning of the boil.  I didn't realize that there were other ways to use it. 
 
You can stir lactose into your mug of beer to get an idea of what it would taste like. Start with like a 1/8 tsp.
 
Thanks for the responses guys.

Will there be differences in the beer between adding the lactose to the boil, secondary or bottling?  I know it won't ferment out so it's basically just adding body, right?

 
@ Grathan
grathan said:
You can stir lactose into your mug of beer to get an idea of what it would taste like. Start with like a 1/8 tsp.
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Actually I have bottled a Black Beer that I could use for this purpose. Thanks Grathan!

@ Humble Brewer
Humble Brewer said:
@Slurk, yes 5 gallons.
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  Thanks HB!

@ Factory
factory said:
Hmmmmm. I've only used lactose in a sweet stout.  1# for 5 gal, added it right at the beginning of the boil.  I didn't realize that there were other ways to use it. 
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  Thanks Factory. Interesting area! I've seen recipes without and with boiling (mainly at the end of the boil). I would like to explore this area.


@ beachbumchris
beachbumchris said:
Thanks for the responses guys.

Will there be differences in the beer between adding the lactose to the boil, secondary or bottling?  I know it won't ferment out so it's basically just adding body, right?
Click to expand...
You're reading my mind...
 
I recently made a Chocolate Oatmeal Stout (extract with grains) and added the lactose at the beginning of the boil.  During the entire(!) 60 minute boil, the wort acted like it was going to boil over.  My co-brewer and I had to constantly fan the surface to keep the hot break down and boy were we thankful when the timer finished!  Has anyone else had this problem - which I'm assuming is due to the lactose (the wort was very thick) - when adding the lactose at the beginning?

Thanks all!
 
Tress said:
I recently made a Chocolate Oatmeal Stout (extract with grains) and added the lactose at the beginning of the boil.  During the entire(!) 60 minute boil, the wort acted like it was going to boil over.  My co-brewer and I had to constantly fan the surface to keep the hot break down and boy were we thankful when the timer finished!  Has anyone else had this problem - which I'm assuming is due to the lactose (the wort was very thick) - when adding the lactose at the beginning?
Click to expand...

I've got three recipes calling for the lactose...... 15 minute boil, 10 minute boil, and one that I haven't tried that's a 60 minute..... most of the recipes I've read, are 15 or less..... seems to me that would be the way to go, kind of like adding DME in an extract recipe, ya gotta watch for boil over..... turned my back on a boil for a yeast starter.... yeah....THAT went well. Stove's clean anyway  :eek:
 
I do a Sweet Stout that uses 1lb of lactose for a 5 gallon batch. Probably the best beer I brew and the only one that I can't seem to keep enough of once everyone knows I've brewed it again.

Mouse
 
The big issue that I can imagine with adding lactose to the boil for 60 min would be the affect on hop utilization, seeing as how it is going to add to the sg of the wort in the kettle.
 
I've used lactose in something that is called a Limesicle.  2-row(base), acidified malt (for sourness), lime zest, vanilla bean, small hop addition (centennial), dry hop with Citra, lactose.

Should be interesting.
 
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