Informing the public

[monkeybrewer]

I'm going to add some lactose to a "breakfast stout" I am making (for roundness) and was wondering if fellow brewers feel as though they need to tell the public if there is lactose in their products. Would the small amount I am going to add give lactose intolerant people a bad reaction? I don't want to hurt anyone but I'm also concerned the crowd I sell to (I'm trying to bring craft beer into a yellow fizzy beer area) will be turned off if in the description I include lactose. Any thoughts would be of great help.
Cheers

[gabewilson50]

Call it a milk stout and leave it at that. People who are lactose intolerant will avoid it and those who aren't can choose if they want it or not.

[Bham Brewer]

As someone who is lactose intolerant, I can tell you that the small amount of lactose that makes it's way into my glass of milk stout is not enough to hurt me... If I were to consume enough for it too be a problem.. well... I would have more than just that one issue to deal with!

[monkeybrewer]

Thanks guys...I will call it a milk stout one way or another but I am also glad to hear that if a lactose intolerant person doesn't put 2 and 2 together they'll be OK. Thanks again.
Cheers

[kugeman]

Jay,
I use lactose in my Pumpkin Ale and have always mentioned the presence of lactose in the beer description for those who are lactose intolerant. Not a single customer has ever mentioned it to me or even asked about it. Even with the Plattsburgh crowd I doubt you'd be turning anyone off by telling them it's got lactose.

I think anyone who's going to order a "breakfast" stout is probably mentally and emotionally prepared for something interesting

[Neckbone]

As someone who is lactose intolerant, I can tell you that the small amount of lactose that makes it's way into my glass of milk stout is not enough to hurt me... If I were to consume enough for it too be a problem.. well... I would have more than just that one issue to deal with!

Passed out on the bar floor with a case of the uncontrollable runs, probably wouldn't be too fun.

[Dr Malt]

As one who is also lactose intolerant, I would appreciate the fact that it was labelled. Lactose intolerance as I understand it is not an all or none issue. Different people have varying degrees of sensitivity to lactose. I know i can handle the small amount of lactose i take in if I use milk in my coffee, but a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream is out of the question with lactase tablets. So, you do not know how sensitive each of your lactose intolerant customers are. I would suggest erroring on the side of keeping them informed.

Just my 2 cents.

Dr Malt

[monkeybrewer]

Thanks everyone so much for the feedback. As some one who is not lactose intolerant I am now realizing I didn't fully understand it. I definitely thought it was an all or nothing sort of affliction. I'm beginning to wonder if I should even use it in my stout. Does anyone out there know of another sugar or something that gives that round, creamy flavor to beer. There must be other sugars out there to give the same effect. Any thoughts would be great.
Cheers

[jarviw]

gives that round, creamy flavor to beer

I don't think lactose does that...
Lactose is just another disaccharide that yeast cannot metabolize, therefore leaving in the final beer as unfermented sugar. It tastes sweet (not a very sweet one) and really not much else.

http://food.oregonstate.edu/sugar/lactose.html

[monkeybrewer]

I've actually been able to try a beer before and after the lactose was added and even though it is just a sugar, the beer went from being very thin to some type round silky perception (creamy wasn't the right word as there are obviously no milk fats in lactose). I would almost liken to the addition Calcium Chloride to a brew in order to get a much rounder malt character but in a sweeter sense. Are there other sugars out there that will act like lactose in the sense of creating a more silky perception? Thanks for any help.
Cheers