Sugar
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raiderman
Sugar
Never thought it would come to me adding sugar willingly but I'm starting to buy into the amerikan idea that when brewing a strong beer using sugar stops it becoming cloying which can happen with an all malt brew. Our amerikan cousins then wax lyrical about the merit of unrefined sugars of varying degrees. I'm aiming for a golden ale. All pale malt and a few llbs of sugar to bring the gravity up. My first thought was something on the lines of muscavado but is that going to impart too much flavour. Never having tried it I have no idea so before I muck it up if anyone has any thoughts I'd be grateful. Cheers d
Re: Sugar
Normal household sugar is fine for diluting malt flavour in a high gravity ale; I've also successfully used both dark and light muscovado.
Re: Sugar
You can use up to about 20% of fermentables, depending on the recipe and what you want to achieve
I always use some in stronger ales, over 6%abv or so. for belgian ales I'll go up to 20% for 9%abv+ ones
I did a couple of golden ales a few months ago that had 6% sugar or so and it made them pretty light bodied but they were only about 4.6%abv I think. I wouldn't use sugar for ones that low in strength
Just use dextrose or plain table sugar for a golden ale. Either put it in with about 15mins to go or add it in solution after a few days into fermenting
the more strongly flavoured sugars are probably better used in the likes of stouts or strong dark ales
You can also look into making your own brewers syrup. by heating up demerara sugar with water and a bit of acid to 115C, holding it there until it gets to the colour you want, turn off the heat and a dd a bit more water to keep it as a syrup and use that. A few percent in a bitter can be good as long as you mash nice and high so it doesn't get too watery
I always use some in stronger ales, over 6%abv or so. for belgian ales I'll go up to 20% for 9%abv+ ones
I did a couple of golden ales a few months ago that had 6% sugar or so and it made them pretty light bodied but they were only about 4.6%abv I think. I wouldn't use sugar for ones that low in strength
Just use dextrose or plain table sugar for a golden ale. Either put it in with about 15mins to go or add it in solution after a few days into fermenting
the more strongly flavoured sugars are probably better used in the likes of stouts or strong dark ales
You can also look into making your own brewers syrup. by heating up demerara sugar with water and a bit of acid to 115C, holding it there until it gets to the colour you want, turn off the heat and a dd a bit more water to keep it as a syrup and use that. A few percent in a bitter can be good as long as you mash nice and high so it doesn't get too watery