Yeast starter on dextrose for a seltzer

A starter made of dextrose should be fine, but I think you might want to add some yeast nutrients. Beersmith says 5.5 lbs corn sugar in 5.5 gallon batch will get you 6 abv. Assumes 1.046 pts per pound per gallon for an OG of 1.046 and an FG of 1.000.

 

As said, this will work. It is usually stated to not do it, as the yeast will become acclimated to simple sugars, and not Ferment maltose fully. No maltose, no problem.

 

I wouldn't rely too much on a calculator. The software is assuming your yeast is working on making wort into beer. Even when producing beer there are variables that are not perfectly accounted for, notably yeast health and attenuation.

A 0.5% abv spread is probably well within the margin of error, and the software is going to tell you to use some variable of sugar.

More importantly, a malternative seltzer is produced with fermentable malt sugars and yeast because it can be advertised and sold anywhere fermented malt beverage, aka beer, can be sold.

Since you and I do not have this problem to overcome, why not just add vodka and flavoring to your selzter? Unless you want the challenge of fermenting malt and achieving a neutral and colorless malt beverage.

Cheers

 

Some calc's list corn sugar at 42ppg and cane sugar at 46ppg . . . others list both at 46. VikeMan says corn sugar is really 42, something to do with our atmosphere.

 

It's only a felony if you get caught.
Keep in mind that distillation without a Federal permit is a crime. So is owning a still.
So, I guess you should scrap that.
Cheers

 

When I was a squirt we used to get a fake ID and make a county-line run to buy some rot-gut. It was so horrible we puked, but the thrill of breaking the law made it worthwhile. Young and dumb and full of cum . . . now I'm old and smart and full of farts.

 

You can always sprinkle it on your breakfast cereal.

 

Yep, grew up in a dry county where corn liquor was a significant money-maker. Many times whilst hunting in the woods we would inadvertently walk up on an unlicensed distillery. Here we were in camo, walking stealthily in the woods, heavily armed . . . and would encounter equally heavily armed people engaged in a Class I felony. Fortunately the unwritten law between the cops and 'shiners was nobody got shot. Even with that in mind we learned how to make an equally stealthy retreat. Aside; my state regulated buying sugar in bulk (they knew where it was going). I've seen many a country 'still have the ground littered with 100+ yellow Domino sugar bags, betcha they knew exactly how many ppg they were getting. Then after this precious nectar left the thumper keg was when Thunder Road started . . . another dangerous but adrenaline-filled adventure.

But I can see where vodka-soaked cucumbers might give an equal rush . . .