CaraPils and CaraAroma in Same Beer?

General Homebrew Discussion
1

Does anyone have a problem with having CaraPils and CaraAroma in the same beer? It seems like the two might compliment each other.

CaraAroma: Imparts fuller body and improved malt aroma.

CaraPils: Increases foam, improves head retention and enhances mouth feel without adding flavor or color to your beer.

An upcoming DIPA calls for 6 ounces of Crystal 40 and I have CaraAroma on hand. It’s a 6 gallon batch.

I am not concerned with color.

Would 6 ounces of CaraAroma completely affect the flavor where Crystal 40 is called for?

2

Yes CaraAroma will definitely be a different flavor than C40. It’s a much darker crystal and gives a stronger caramel flavor to me like C150 or even a Special B character sometimes . Could be really tasty though.

3

Carapils in general is nearly worthless in most recipes.  It becomes useful where you don’t want appreciable caramel flavor but you want to guarantee good body/mouthfeel, like say in a graf or a blonde ale or something like that.  I don’t know if it truly enhances foam and head retention like everyone says.  More experiments would be necessary.  I only use Carapils in my graf, that is all.

4

Lacking proper mashing temperature control, I tend to add maybe 5-10% carapils to boost unfermetables in pale beers.

Should perhaps try out some of those recipes without the carapils…

5

This is for a Pliny clone. I am not trying to replicate Pliny exactly and would like to use what I have to fill the Crystal bill. At 6 ounces, and the sheer amount of hops, the flavor should be negligible. Color is another thing.

Any issues using table sugar instead of corn sugar? This recipe calls for 1 pound.

6

Table sugar is fine.

7

With proper fermentation temperature and attenuation, do you find ‘cider’ flavors from table sugar?

8

No cider flavors for me

9

+1 - I’ve gone as high as 25% simple sugars in a recipe with no off flavors of note. I think this is as old homebrewing myth that has more to do with the quality and health of the yeast and fermentation practices back in the day than the sugar content of the wort.

10

Yep.