Pimped Sugar.

[Dave70]

I use to think salt was just salt until I saw what they charge for Fleur de Sel de Guerande.
For guys familiar with Belgian or other brews that use a bunch of refined sugars in their recipe's, are there any other (better) options than plain old off the shelf stuff?
I'm talking white sugar, nothing fancy like candi or caramelised.

 

[QldKev]

I don't really make much Belgium beers as they are generally higher alc, and get QldKev pi55ed too quick. But I would think some inverted sugar could be a nice addition, it does great in a lot of other beers. Fairly cheap to make, and like all our brewing, rewarding to do that extra step yourself.


QldKev

 

[benno1973]

Maybe not in relation to Belgians specifically, but after reading Radical Brewing, I've used Jaggery in a few beers. After boiling it down and caramelising it with the first runnings for 15 minutes, it's awesome stuff, with a great caramel taste. I imagine it would go well in a Belgian, but I used it in an English Pale Ale, so I don't really know.

 

[Dave70]

I don't really make much Belgium beers as they are generally higher alc, and get QldKev pi55ed too quick. But I would think some inverted sugar could be a nice addition, it does great in a lot of other beers. Fairly cheap to make, and like all our brewing, rewarding to do that extra step yourself.


QldKev

I use to do the invert thing until I read a post here, by one of the retailers I think, that basically kerb stomped the idea and dismissed it as a waste of time.
I must admit, I could never tell the difference.

 

[QldKev]

I use to do the invert thing until I read a post here, by one of the retailers I think, that basically kerb stomped the idea and dismissed it as a waste of time.
I must admit, I could never tell the difference.

I've seen a few posts stating that sugar boiled in the wort during the boil will invert anyway, but the difference is wort is 103 degrees C, inverting sugar needs at least 115 c. I personally think there is a difference, but depending on how much inverted against how big of a malty backbone it gets hidden easily. In a Belgium base I think you would need invert #3 and a fair whack of it. Otherwise as suggested above by Kaiser Soze, maybe try using normal sugar and caramelising it with some first runnings.

QldKev

 

[Bribie G]

I rarely use sugar nowadays, I use maltose syrup (cheap as chips from Chinese shops). Maltose is a disaccharide same as cane sugar, but is a glucose-glucose molecule as opposed to a glucose-fructose one.

The yeast really loves it and ferments it along with the maltose already obtained from the mash. So I find it has all the benefits of white sugar ( lightening body or brewing a stronger pale beer without it getting too chewy ) and none of the disadvantages such as altering the yeast performance by making it go the invertase pathway.

 

[Dave70]

I rarely use sugar nowadays, I use maltose syrup (cheap as chips from Chinese shops). Maltose is a disaccharide same as cane sugar, but is a glucose-glucose molecule as opposed to a glucose-fructose one.

The yeast really loves it and ferments it along with the maltose already obtained from the mash. So I find it has all the benefits of white sugar ( lightening body or brewing a stronger pale beer without it getting too chewy ) and none of the disadvantages such as altering the yeast performance by making it go the invertase pathway.

Sounds good. Should work well in a blonde.
Do you add it at the same rate - weight for weight that is - as regular sugar?

 

[losp]

i usually make my own invert sugar. it is very easy...
all you need i a pan, a sugar thermometer and something acidic.

I don't think the boiling process would achieve the same effect what with it being mixed with everything, and i believe the sugar needs to be kept at a constant temp (114) for some period of time.

 

[felten]

I just finished making a big batch of no. 2 style invert tonight, its dead easy to make if you have the equipment like losp said. Takes a few hours to get the darker colored sugars, but the light stuff doesn't take much time at all.

 

[hoppy2B]

Cracked corn from a fodder store. Stick it in a pressure cooker and then in with the mash.
Let the pressure cooker cool a bit before opening, and then add to mash to help get your temp up to where you want it.

:huh: ... ... ... :lol:

 

[Bribie G]

Sounds good. Should work well in a blonde.
Do you add it at the same rate - weight for weight that is - as regular sugar?

It's just a bit more sticky than malt extract, at 13% water so you need to calculate accordingly.

 

[Bribie G]

My typical usage:

 

[flano]

having never used suagr before in BIAB I did a coopers pale ale clone from the data base and used this stuff.
I just chucked in the boil for the last 15 mins.

Still fermentimg hope I havent stuffed it.
It was the only "cane sugar" I could see on the shelf.

 

[super_simian]

All CSR sugar is "cane sugar". Where do you think white sugar comes from?

 

[flano]

Just thought it was meant to be unrefined or something.
The recipe says "cane sugar" so I got the stuff with cane sugar written on it.
It looks different to the standard white gear.

there is also brown sugar , palm sugar ,icing sugar I doubt there is a variety of icing sugar cane growing.

 

[manticle]

It's a matter of how they process it, not where it comes from. All from cane (sugar cane)

 

[freezkat]

All CSR sugar is "cane sugar". Where do you think white sugar comes from?

beets?

 

[mwd]

beets?

Sugar here in Australia comes from Sugar Cane, Europe uses Sugar Beet for most of its sugar crops.

 

[flano]

geeuz.

who calls normal everday sugar "cane sugar" anyway?
...
coffee luv?

yes please...milk and 2 cane sugars pls?

 

[Dave70]

having never used suagr before in BIAB I did a coopers pale ale clone from the data base and used this stuff.
I just chucked in the boil for the last 15 mins.

Still fermentimg hope I havent stuffed it.
It was the only "cane sugar" I could see on the shelf.

If the yeasties you used suffer from insulin resistance, I'm sure they,ll appreciate it.

Carries basically the same carb load as white sugar anyway. The Molasses may give it a bit of rummy note, which sounds quite nice actually.