I have been bottling for years with Dextrose. The other day I was kegging an IPA and had about 40 oz left over so I decided to bottle a few. I used conditioning tabs. I opened one up and the mouthfeel is so much better than anything I have ever bottled before. The conditioning tabs beer was creamy, the others I have bottled in the past have a sharp bubble (for lack of a better description) taste. Even my kegged beer isnt as good. So, how can I get that same mouthfeel without to cost of conditioning tabs?
Use less pressure on your tank or less priming sugar. The only way I can figure on this less sharp is that you have fewer vols of CO2. What was your normal dextrose addition? What PSI do you keg to and at what temperature? How many conditioning tablets did you use of what brand?
Aren't most carbonation tablets made with a combination of dextrose and DME? If so, try carbonating with a combination of dextrose and dme (50/50 split should work) and allow a little more time for carbonating than when using dextrose on its own. Say 3 weeks vs. 2
hmm, so I will try that. So for instance, if I would normally use 4 oz of Dextrose, I could use 2 oz dextrose and 2 oz of dme?
Actually I believe you should use a carbonation calculator that has both dextrose and dme options. Calculate how much dextrose it calls for to carbonate the whole batch and use half that amount. Then calculate how much dme it calls for to carbonate the whole batch and use half that amount.
Better yet, prime half a batch this way (the way Koopa suggested), and the other half with the full dextrose and no DME. Then see if you can tell the difference in a blind test.
Some carb tabs (Muntons) have a "heading agent" in them. This could account for the additional mouthfeel. http://www.brewerslair.com/index.php?p=brewhouse&d=additives&id=&v=&term=12
I must admit I've only carbonated one batch with 100% dme and it did produce a creamy mouthfeel comprised of fine carbonation bubbles. Then again, I've found that beers I've carbonated with 100% dextrose came out the same way after extended conditioning (say 3+ months at cellar temps). I do feel that dextrose carbonated bottles come off with a sharper, less creamy, carbonation when sampled fairly young.
