On Wednesday, June 19, 2013 9:24:57 AM UTC-5, Jim Stone wrote:
> This discussion below was sent to me. (Starting from the bottom up).
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> Person A is saying it does not matter what sugar is used at the beginning of
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> a brewing process from a health point of view, whilst person B says it
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> 'does' matter. Grateful if the wise minds here can throw some light on this
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> debate. Thanks.
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> B. There is simple sugar and complex sugar, the second is processed in a
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> different way and also includes various nutriments beneficial to the
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> organism.
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> A. Surely all sugar is finally processed to the same end product when
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> consumed within the human body? Sugar is converted into alcohol via a
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> brewing process which has fourteen distinct stages. What type of sugar used
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> at the beginning of this brewing process no longer exists, and so from a
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> health point of view is not significant, whether white refined sugar, grape
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> juice or malt.
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> B. Yes, obviously. Alcohol is fermented sugar, but *quality* alcohol is
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> made from malt or fruit (usually grape) juice, not refined white sugar which
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> is toxic (empty calories without nutritional value).
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> A. Are not all beers made from sugar? i.e. Malt ?


Yes, but the type of sugar matters to the flavor and quality of whatever you are fermenting. Adding regular table sugar or too much molasses will create weird, off, cidery flavors, as will using too much corn sugar. The interaction between brewers yeast or the naturally occurring yeast on grapes and the natural sugar in the malt or the grapes is what gives wine, beer or ale its familiar taste and mouth feel. It is a fairly complex business and if a foreign strain of yeast sneaks into your fermenter, you can end up with a lot of unexpected, unpleasant things going on in whatever you are trying to make.

Although you could probably make alcohol with a gallon of welches grape juice, a three pound bag of sugar and a packet of red star yeast, you probably wouldn't like the result.