Brewing Sugers

[scrumpy]

hey folks......gonna give zamils belgian blonde a crack next weekend, the recipie calls for 14% CANE sugar in the book Brewing classic styles......

I've read that you shouldn't use any more than 7% cane sugar in beer recepies.....

Have i got it wrong?? is he reffering to candi suger???

cheers!!!!

 

[Bribie G]

Now is he referring to 14 percent by weight of grist or 14 percent of total fermentables after mashing, I wonder.

For example Australian breweries use up to 30 percent of sugar in their mainstreams but that doesn't necessarily mean a kilo of sugar to each two-point-something kilos of malt grain, more like 30 percent of the total OG gravity points. Thirsty Boy would be able to enlighten,

In any case you can in theory put as much sugaz in your beer as you like depending on how thinned out you want the body and taste. If cane sugar disappeared tomorrow, some styles if brewed 100 percent grain would be a bit 'chewy' and heavy going and not necessarily popular - for example VB or Melbourne Bitter.

 

[bconnery]

hey folks......gonna give zamils belgian blonde a crack next weekend, the recipie calls for 14% CANE sugar in the book Brewing classic styles......

I've read that you shouldn't use any more than 7% cane sugar in beer recepies.....

Have i got it wrong?? is he reffering to candi suger???

cheers!!!!

No, no, and maybe, but probably not.
It's relatively common in some big belgians to use that level of sugars, and higher.

You often add them after fermentation has started to let the yeast start on malt rather than direct on sugar.
Many people try different types of sugars rather than straight cane sugar. Some people say this is a waste of time. I like to though.

I'm not sure about measuring weight vs other ways for the percentage but if you use something like beersmith or promash, or an online tool then it should calculate it all for you...

 

[manticle]

Having made a few belgians recently with a large amount of sugar and having some of the more delicate types turn out less than delicate, I'll pass on some advice that a knowledgeable brewer recently gave me - some advice I'll be trying with my next tripel and dubbel attempts.

Don't add all your sugar at once. Add maybe a small portion to the boil then in two or three lots after high krausen begins to subside. Recent tripels of mine have come out with fusels and hot alcohol - some quite significantly. I added in 1 kg of invert candi sugar after high krausen but probably should have broken it up incrementally.

 

[Screwtop]

hey folks......gonna give zamils belgian blonde a crack next weekend, the recipie calls for 14% CANE sugar in the book Brewing classic styles......

I've read that you shouldn't use any more than 7% cane sugar in beer recepies.....

Have i got it wrong?? is he reffering to candi suger???

cheers!!!!

Those recipes are % by weight. 14% is not high for a Belgian. Demerera Sugar gives a nice flavour. 50% in the boil for the last 10/15 min. Add the rest in equal amounts every day or second day after about 3 days or as initial fermentation subsides (mix with just enough water to dissolve, heat for 10 min to pasteurise and allow to cool and add to the fermenter). Ferment at 27 or so

Cheers,

Screwy

 

[manticle]

Ferment at 27 or so

Cheers,

Screwy

Hey Screwy,

Would you generally recommend this for yeasts such as 1214 and 3787 and if so at what point would you ramp it up that high?

 

[Screwtop]

Hey Screwy,

Would you generally recommend this for yeasts such as 1214 and 3787 and if so at what point would you ramp it up that high?

I don't consider 27C terribly high for the style. Have done them at 32C usually pitch around 20 - 22 and ferment on the bench

Screwy

 

[manticle]

Advice that's been given to me is to start low and ramp up during latter stages of primary. Tried it once with 1214 and got a fair bit of bananna but there were other factors that made that brew not great.

As you can imagine it's a struggle to push a brew that high, given what you think you know about beer [18-20 18-20 18-20 18-20] but I'm super keen to knock out some good belgian types so as much info as I can get is great.

Start 20 and push to 27 as the brew rolls on?

 

[Scruffy]

I can vouch for 1214 loving the higher temps later in the ferment. Keep it steady, consistent and gentle it'll pay dividends. I do like that yeast.

 

[jivesucka]

brigalow dexterose. curiously it says to add some to fruit juice for an added energy boost. might try it. been drinking way too much lately and my whole sleeping pattern is completely ruined.

 

[manticle]

been drinking way too much lately

Maybe you should take a look at that.

 

[Screwtop]

Advice that's been given to me is to start low and ramp up during latter stages of primary. Tried it once with 1214 and got a fair bit of bananna but there were other factors that made that brew not great.

As you can imagine it's a struggle to push a brew that high, given what you think you know about beer [18-20 18-20 18-20 18-20] but I'm super keen to knock out some good belgian types so as much info as I can get is great.

Start 20 and push to 27 as the brew rolls on?

A, when it comes to Belgians, my opinion: Don't sweat the small stuff when it comes to fermentation. What is a Belgian, what defines the style?... one thing is yeaststrain/fermentation esters. So I wouldn't be anal re temps, don't worry about a few degrees here or there, pitch then let it go. I know it goes against my usual pedantic type of reply :lol: but when it comes to Belgians that is how I treat fermentation. Haven't made enough Belgians to be qualified to say that this is the best method but it works for me. This is also the method used by a fellow brewer who makes great Belgian style beers.

Cheers,

Screwy