Cane Sugar v. Corn Sugar v. Table Sugar

[TravelingLight]

I'm still new to brewing (got my first finishing now). I see a lot of recipes with corn sugar, some with cane sugar. When I brewed mine I was going to use sugar to dry it out (IPA) some and I just used regular old table sugar. My question is: what's the difference between cane and corn sugar, or why do some people prefer one over the other?

 

[m00ps]

cane sugar = table sugar = white sugar
corn sugar = dextrose

really barely any appreciable difference. Neither imparts any taste. Both are 100% fermentable. Corn sugar is generally preferred for carbing since (supposedly) it is the easiest for yeast to digest, but cane sugar works fine. You just need to adjust you priming measurements accordingly since cane sugar has a bit more fermentables per pound than corn sugar (maybe vice versa)

 

[TravelingLight]

cane sugar = table sugar = white sugar
corn sugar = dextrose

really barely any appreciable difference. Neither imparts any taste. Both are 100% fermentable. Corn sugar is generally preferred for carbing since (supposedly) it is the easiest for yeast to digest, but cane sugar works fine. You just need to adjust you priming measurements accordingly since cane sugar has a bit more fermentables per pound than corn sugar (maybe vice versa)

Once again, m00ps coming through! Thanks for the sound advice, as always.

 

[z-bob]

In very large amounts, table sugar can give a "cidery" taste. In the bad old days we thought *any* table sugar in a beer would do that. I wouldn't go over 20% of the fermentables with it, but I might still just be superstitious.

I use sugar cubes to prime my bottles; works great and they are premeasured, and it's cheaper than using corn sugar or malt extract.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Cane sugar to me usually means something a little different than table sugar. Normally table sugar is MADE FROM cane sugar, but I typically think of table sugar as the refined stuff, and cane sugar the less (or un) refined stuff. Think generic white sugar vs. turbinado or demerara (both being completely unrefined cane sugar).

The less refined the sugar, the more flavor it will impart. Turbinado sugar adds a lot of flavor that regular white sugar does not. Sometimes that'll be what you want. Other times, it won't be what you want.

End result, while corn sugar and table sugar are chemically distinct (dextrose vs. sucrose), they ultimately have almost identical impact on the beer. No real flavor difference (neither will add flavor unless used to excess), just dry it out, lean it out, and boost the ABV a bit. If I recall correctly, only tangible difference is a very slight variance in the amount of sugar provided per weight (with table sugar adding a little more bang for the buck than corn sugar).

 

[JKaranka]

As above, unrefined cane sugar is not just sucrose but contains more stuff in it. Invert sugars are made from unrefined cane sugar and used for flavour and colour.

 

[beergolf]

In very large amounts, table sugar can give a "cidery" taste.

Not true. I do a lot of tripels and have used up to 25% plain table sugar without any trace of a cidery taste.

 

[brew703]

I've never used sugar when brewing but I have used cane, turbinado, and corn sugar for bottling.
I prefer cane or white sugar or turbinado as it's readily available. I can only get corn sugar at the LHBS and the closest one is hr away.

 

[fuelish]

I thought most table sugar in the US is beet sugar, unless specified as cane sugar....dunno, just a random thought

 

[z-bob]

Not true. I do a lot of tripels and have used up to 25% plain table sugar without any trace of a cidery taste.

I said my 20% might still be superstitious.

I've tasted the "cidery" thing before, and it's bad. But maybe it wasn't really from too much sugar but from not enough malt?

 

[Qhrumphf]

I thought most table sugar in the US is beet sugar, unless specified as cane sugar....dunno, just a random thought

Actually I'm relatively certain almost all white sugar in the US is cane sugar (although perhaps not ALL). European sugar I thought was more likely to be beet. Likely a result of the less than stellar history of US and English colonial relations. But that's why Belgian candi sugar is often from beet sugar.

 

[beergolf]

Actually I'm relatively certain almost all white sugar in the US is cane sugar (although perhaps not ALL). European sugar I thought was more likely to be beet. Likely a result of the less than stellar history of US and English colonial relations. But that's why Belgian candi sugar is often from beet sugar.

Depends on where you are. There are a lot of beet sugars on the market, but again depends where you are located. Also some store brands tend to be beet sugar while the premium brands are cane.

the beet versus cane controversy is a new development. Cane was once the dominant sugar in U.S. markets, but within the last few years beet has taken the lead. Beet now accounts for 55 percent of the 10 million tons of refined sugar consumed in the country each year. And, according to Ben Goodwin, executive manager of California Beet Growers Association, the percentage is expected to grow.

 

[fuelish]

Depends on where you are. There are a lot of beet sugars on the market, but again depends where you are located. Also some store brands tend to be beet sugar while the premium brands are cane.

That could be the reason for my thinking, I never buy name brand stuff like that, unless I was specifically looking for something....to me, table sugar is table sugar, and I don't even use it unless baking

 

[Qhrumphf]

Depends on where you are. There are a lot of beet sugars on the market, but again depends where you are located. Also some store brands tend to be beet sugar while the premium brands are cane.

Perhaps. I've definitely seen beet sugar available, but usually marked as such. Every refined white table sugar I can recall seeing (store brands included) has been explicitly marked as refined cane sugar. But I obviously haven't purchased sugar from everywhere in the country.

Ultimately the difference when refined should be minimal at best, as the point of refining is to obtain just plain bland sucrose crystals.

 

[beergolf]

Agree the difference is minimal at best. Just refined sugar.

 

[JKaranka]

Yeah, the fun is in the unrefined cane. I've never seen unrefined beet.

 

[TravelingLight]

Perfect. Thanks for all great advice. I feel better now about using table sugar in my IPA!

 

[TheFrenchDude]

Hi!

And what about maple syrup?
I saw a local homebrewer's video in which he explain that he like maple syrup for some reasons.
Is it a good sugar?

 

[m00ps]

Sure, you can use maple syrup, honey, molasses, etc. You just need to find a brewing recipe tool that has an entry for it to add it to the fermentables

 

[TheFrenchDude]

Thanks m00ps!

Does it have any interest?

 

[Newsman]

I use plain old table sugar when making my cider.... no appreciable taste that I can figure. 4# per 5 gallons.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Maple syrup will add flavor. Most all of it will ferment out, but residual flavor will be left. Awesome if that's what you want. I made a "wine" with 100% maple syrup that was different. Came out almost like whiskey or bourbon.

 

[derekp83]

I use sugar cubes to prime my bottles; works great and they are premeasured, and it's cheaper than using corn sugar or malt extract.

This sounds like a great idea, but what size bottles? When I looked up Domino Sugar Cubes Dots, it said that each cube was 4 grams, which is roughly equivalent to a teaspoon. Any time that I've read about the older technique of priming bottles individually with sugar, a 1/2 teaspoon was the typical amount.

 

[z-bob]

This sounds like a great idea, but what size bottles? When I looked up Domino Sugar Cubes Dots, it said that each cube was 4 grams, which is roughly equivalent to a teaspoon. Any time that I've read about the older technique of priming bottles individually with sugar, a 1/2 teaspoon was the typical amount.

The Domino Dots (which have gotten very hard to find) are about 2.3 grams. I use one per 11 or 12 oz bottle. For 1 liter plastic bottles, I use 2 of the larger (3.6 grams) sugar cubes. BTW, the larger cubes won't fit down the mouth of a standard beer bottle, the Dots do fit.

 

[derekp83]

The Domino Dots (which have gotten very hard to find) are about 2.3 grams. I use one per 11 or 12 oz bottle. For 1 liter plastic bottles, I use 2 of the larger (3.6 grams) sugar cubes. BTW, the larger cubes won't fit down the mouth of a standard beer bottle, the Dots do fit.

Got it. Thanks for the tip. It's nice to see a response to an older post without someone chiming in about how the OP is really old lol. Great info is great info.

I also found this resource on the topic: https://nebrewing.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/bottle-priming-with-sugar-cubes/comment-page-1/

The author talks about how it's a good middle of the road carbonation, though it might be too high for British ales. After thinking about it, this could be modified by using 16 oz or 16.9 oz bottles with the 2 gram drops. It would probably work out fine.

 

[z-bob]

Got it. Thanks for the tip. It's nice to see a response to an older post without someone chiming in about how the OP is really old lol. Great info is great info.

I also found this resource on the topic: https://nebrewing.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/bottle-priming-with-sugar-cubes/comment-page-1/

The author talks about how it's a good middle of the road carbonation, though it might be too high for British ales. After thinking about it, this could be modified by using 16 oz or 16.9 oz bottles with the 2 gram drops. It would probably work out fine.

I did not write that wordpress article, but I could have. Pretty much every point is the same as my experience. Just be careful when you buy sugar cubes to see how many is in the 1 pound box. You want the ones that are 198 cubes per pound. I can't find those available anywhere, but I bought a bunch of boxes a couple years ago. I just bottled 4 gallons of beer in 17 oz plastic bottles using the 126 per pound cubes. My first time using these bottles; tall skinny things that fit in a standard 6-pack carrier. I'm tempted to open one already (5 days) because the bottles are hard and the beer is cleared, but will try to wait 2 weeks.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Just be careful when you buy sugar cubes to see how many is in the 1 pound box. You want the ones that are 198 cubes per pound. I can't find those available anywhere....

I just saw them at my local Walmart.

 

[El Nino]

I've only ever used organic cane sugar but it's worked well since the beginning so i stuck with it. 12 oz bottles 1/2 tsp, bombers i use 1

 

[InspectorJon]

Amazon Domino Dots

 

[sanraepem]

Actually I'm relatively certain almost all white sugar in the US is cane sugar (although perhaps not ALL). European sugar I thought was more likely to be beet. Likely a result of the less than stellar history of US and English colonial relations. But that's why Belgian candi sugar is often from beet sugar.

In Minnesota, cane sugar clearly states on the package "Cane Sugar." Sugar made from sugar beets says "Pure Sugar."