BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
I was wondering what is better golden Belgium candi syrup or honey ? What are the + or - to using one or the other ? Also if the recipe is already going to make a high abv is one better than the other
Candi syrup vs honey?
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buttcord
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Belgium sugar is good. Honey isn't from Belgian. Table sugar is fine for high ABV.
masterfool101
Well-Known Member
It really depends on what you want ... The two have completely different flavor profiles. Take the style of beer your making into account. Also, when you add them will impact the flavor. If you boil them 60 mins, the flavors will be less distinct than if they're added at knockout.
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BostonianBrewer
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What if its going into a blonde that is already going to hit 7.45 . It came with the syrup but my girlfriend wanted to try orange blossom honey instead will this make the beer too strong and overpower the taste with alcohol ? I can post the recipe
phuff7129
Well-Known Member
Post your recipe. It will make it easier to make a recommendation for you.
I brew a lot of Belgiums. Personally I have found using honey to be a waste. The subtle flavor & aromas go up with the CO2. For boosting ABV plain ole sugar is fine. If you are adventurous you can make your own candi sugar. I often do. It is simply a simple syrup that you allow to caramelize. Once it has reached the color you want shut off the heat. I allow it to cool a bit and add some water to keep it fluid it will harden otherwise. Making your own allows you to steep flavorings orange peel, any citrus peel, lavender, vanilla beans, berries, rose hips etc You get the idea. For a honey flavor use honey malt in the mash, partial mash or steep.:rockin::rockin::rockin:
jCOSbrew
Well-Known Member
I brewed a Belgium strong ale and used 2lbs candi sugar.
Then I did some reading and found that the comercial Belgium brewers use table sugar (which is much cheaper than candi sugar or syrup).
Also brewed the WH honey ale w/ 1lb honey at flameout. You get a subtle honey flavor which was the goal for this recipe.
Then I did some reading and found that the comercial Belgium brewers use table sugar (which is much cheaper than candi sugar or syrup).
Also brewed the WH honey ale w/ 1lb honey at flameout. You get a subtle honey flavor which was the goal for this recipe.
Very different...
Honey is going to take a lot longer to ferment out, it is different type of sugar.
The taste will be different to...
DPB
either will be fine to add to a high abv. i guess the candi is a lil better since its inverted. i've added 3lbs of honey during ferment to a BGSA with no issue tho
+ both add subtle complexities
- not much more than table sugar & cost much more
doesn't include honey, but check this out: http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2010/03/pale-belgian-sugar-experiment-tasting.html
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys ! But you don't think the alcohol flavor will be over powering if I use honey seeing as it will make a stronger dry beer ?
if its dry enough and as strong as you'd like then i'd just leave it be... or experiment & rack some into another carboy with honey/candi syrup & find out which you like best. as long as your temperatures are under control and it was properly balanced for the higher ABV then it shouldn't be overpowering (recipe would help)
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
6.6light lme
1lb Belgian pale
2oz n brewer
1oz willamete
3787 Trappist Hg
1lb light candi syrup OR 1lb honey
Irish moss
Also I was going to add sweet orange peel to the fermenter
1lb Belgian pale
2oz n brewer
1oz willamete
3787 Trappist Hg
1lb light candi syrup OR 1lb honey
Irish moss
Also I was going to add sweet orange peel to the fermenter
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
The kit stated 7.45% with the candi it came with , i was wondering how much that would differ with honey instead , maybe they over estimated when compiling the ingredients ?
it'll be basically the same with honey or candi syrup as they offer about the same ppg. seems like they over-estimated, as i dont see that recipe getting to 7.5% unless this is <5gals or you use both the honey & candi. 95% attenuation is very unlikely with extract
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BostonianBrewer
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It is a 5gal batch ? Any recommendation on tweaking it maybe use cites in place is some of the n brewer ?
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
Citrus *. Damn auto correct
Depends on your hop schedule and whether full boil or not. 2oz of NB sounds like way too much if its @60, and even worse with citra (assuming that's what you meant). It'd also be a waste to use citra as bittering hop as you'd lose all its good characteristics.
What are you calculating for IBUs? I'd be aiming around 25
As for the grain bill, if you're aiming for 7.5% you'll need more malt, as is you'll be around 6.5%. the pale malt needs to be mashed to get anything out of it and honestly mashing 1lb is kinda a waste of time, you won't get much flavor from it. I'd use some vienna or munich instead to get more flavor, altho both need to be mashed as well.
phuff7129
Well-Known Member
I plugged this into Beersmith and the starting gravity comes out to 1.055 with the candi sugar and 1.054 with the honey. You cannot count the pound of pale malt as fermentable as it is only steeped. I show if you use the 2oz of NB for 60 minutes and 1oz of Willamette at 5 minutes you get 37 ibu's.
If you want a bigger beer here is what I would recommend.
9 lbs of LME I would use a pilsner LME if you have it or can get it.
1.5 lbs of sugar (table, candi, or honey it does not matter. Table sugar would be more to style)
I would add half a pound of Munich for some color and a little more complexity.
The added fermentables decrease your IBU's to 23 so you can add some more hops to your taste.
If you want a bigger beer here is what I would recommend.
9 lbs of LME I would use a pilsner LME if you have it or can get it.
1.5 lbs of sugar (table, candi, or honey it does not matter. Table sugar would be more to style)
I would add half a pound of Munich for some color and a little more complexity.
The added fermentables decrease your IBU's to 23 so you can add some more hops to your taste.
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
Correction * they are 2 1oz packets of uk northdown and a 1 oz packet of willamette . Note they are pellets for each
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
And I would mash some Munich for the complexity but I've never mashed anything before , should I just add a little more lme?
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
You guys are a great help sorry for all the dumb questions
mashing is no harder than steeping. just throw the munich (and pale if you want to use less extract) loosely in a bag with 1-2qt/lb and hold at 150F for 45mins, and voila you mashed.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/
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BostonianBrewer
Well-Known Member
Similar to when I steep the specialty grains in an extract kit but just a bit longer
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