A recipe for a White IPA calls for dextrose and lactic acid. What are they used for?

For my next brew, I'm brewing this Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA clone recipe using LME as described at the bottom of the page. I'm unfamiliar with the use of lactic acid and dextrose in brewing and I'd like to understand what's going on a little more with these new ingredients.

For 5 gallons (18.93 L)

  • 5.25 lb (2.38 kg) | pale LME

  • 2.5 lb (1.13 kg) wheat LME

  • 5 ml | lactic acid

  • 0.75 oz (21 g) | Bravo pellets, 15% a.a. (60 min)

  • 5.0 oz (141 g) | dextrose (30 min)

  • Kettle Finings (30 min)

  • 0.12 oz (3 g) | fresh ground coriander (5 min)

  • 0.34 oz (10 g) | fresh ground bitter orange peel (5 min)

  • 1.0 oz (28 g) | Citra pellets (knockout)

  • 1.0 oz (28 g) | Centennial pellets (knockout)

  • 0.5 oz (14 g) | Cascade pellets (knockout)

  • Yeast nutrient (optional)

  • Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity ale yeast

  1. Is the lactic acid an adjustment for the pH of the water of the brewery, or does it affect the beer in another way?

  2. Why would I want to add extra sugar (dextrose) instead of more malt/extract sugars?

  3. (Bonus question) The all grain recipe calls for white unmalted wheat flakes. Would steeping those grains before the boil add anything to the character of the beer?

Thanks!

Topic additives ipa acidity homebrew

Category Mac

1
answered at

  1. 5 ml. of lactic acid will be tasteless in your beer. I don't know why it's there, but you can skip it.

  2. 5 oz. of dextrose will not make much difference to the beer and is the normal amount used for bottle priming. Are you sure it isn't for that?

  3. Unmalted wheat flakes have no enzymes and can't be used without mashing with a base malt to convert the starches to sugars. Unless you do a partial mash, you can't use them.

1
answered at
  1. The lactic acid would add a bit of a sour taste to the beer without having to use bugs or a sour mash.
  2. They are using dextrose instead of more malt because they want more abv without adding more malt character. This not uncommon.
  3. The unmalted wheat flakes may give it some character and head retention in the beer.

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