Lactose – Sweetener ideal for stout making

Christina Crook

6 years ago

So, why Lactose?

Provides a milky, creamy, vanilla-like flavour and a soft mouth feel to the beer
Suitable for making stouts and dark beers
Doesn’t effect the colour of the Beer

Lactose is an off-white solid sugar or syrup that adds no colour to beers. It is used as a priming sugar and the dosage rates are in the range of 1 to 2 kg per hectolitre of finished beer. The rates can be found by dosing small amounts and tasting the beer, stopping when the desired profile is reached.

Lactose is unfermentable by most brewing yeasts and is added by traditionalists trying to emulate milk stouts. Most brewing yeasts are unable to ferment lactose so when added it is as a priming sugar, it can only contribute this sweetness.