Leffe Blonde - Belgian Candi Sugar Vs Cane Sugar?

[piraterum]

Hey Guys,

I'm planning a Leffe Blonde based on the Fly Blown Blonde recipe. It recommends to use "cane sugar" I assume this is just plain white sugar you get from the supermarket?

How come Belgian Candi Sugar is not used? What is the diff between Belgian Candi Sugar and cane sugar?

cheers!

piraterum

 

[RobW]

Hey Guys,

I'm planning a Leffe Blonde based on the Fly Blown Blonde recipe. It recommends to use "cane sugar" I assume this is just plain white sugar you get from the supermarket?

How come Belgian Candi Sugar is not used? What is the diff between Belgian Candi Sugar and cane sugar?

cheers!

piraterum

About $10 :lol:

Seriously though I'd just use the cane sugar, it'll be fine

 

[Swinging Beef]

3/5 of Fark Hall.

There are some liquid belgian candi sugars that impart flavours to beer, but they are generally not what you are looking for in lighter coloured beers.
Regular table sugar is very good for belgian beers.
Just try to add it 3/4 of the way thru the ferment, not up front.
Later additions of simple sugars result in dryer beers, or, as the Belgian brewers call it. Digestibility.

 

[manticle]

Hey Guys,

I'm planning a Leffe Blonde based on the Fly Blown Blonde recipe. It recommends to use "cane sugar" I assume this is just plain white sugar you get from the supermarket?

How come Belgian Candi Sugar is not used? What is the diff between Belgian Candi Sugar and cane sugar?

cheers!

piraterum

To answer the question on the difference - the main difference is that the belgian is a form of inverted sugar and comes in a syrup. You can make your own.

As SB suggests - darker syrups have associated flavours and will impart colour and flavour to a brew. In paler beers it's less of an issue. There is a debated idea that invert sugar stresses yeast less and stops them producing invertase which can lead to acetylaldehyde - depends how much you're worried about it. I think the flyblown is a pretty tried and true recipe so I'd be inclined to follow that and not worry.

Duvel supposedly uses cane sugar.

 

[Fourstar]

you could also candi some sugar by dry melting it or boiling with abit of water and add a touch of citric or lactic acid. wait until tis just melted or begins to colour and transfer to a cookie sheet lined with baking paper for immediate cooling/setting.

I did this with 200g of sugar im using as a substitute for 'brewers caramel' in my kentucky common. hopefully i can brew it tonight assuming my package from CB arrives in the mail.! :icon_cheers:

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

BLAM is your (well, my) friend:

http://www.brewlikeamonk.com/?p=88

I don't think it is worth the bother of inverting sucrose. I kinda liked what the flavoursome Belgian candi sugar did, but not the price. I've not done enough of either to claim expertise, though.

 

[piraterum]

Thanks for the feedback guys. :icon_cheers:

I'll stick with cane sugar