How do you use Belgian Candy Sugar?

[kombat]

I'm helping a friend brew a Belgian Trippel this weekend, and the recipe calls for 2 pounds of Belgian Candy Sugar. Unaware that it comes in both solid and liquid forms, I've bought the solid kind, that looks like sugar cubes.

What's the "proper" way to introduce this ingredient into the brew? I'm hesitant to just dump them into the boil for fear of them hitting the bottom and scorching. The best plan we've come up with so far is to open the valve of the boil kettle and collect a gallon or so of wort in a steel pot towards the end of the boil, then dump the Belgian candy sugar cubes into this wort and stir them until they're completely dissolved, then pour this solution back into the boil kettle with the rest of the boiling wort. We would do this with about 15 minutes left in the boil.

Does that sound like a good plan, or is there a better way I'm not aware/thinking of?

 

[LLBeanJ]

Probably as good a plan as any. I can't see why it wouldn't work. You could also boil it on the stove in some water and add to the wort either in the boil or a few days later as fermentation begins to slow.

 

[hanuswalrus]

I recently did a Belgian Dark Strong and used candi sugar for the first time. When researching how to use it, everyone seemed to say just add it right into the boil (towards the end, around 15-10 minutes left), and make sure to stir to avoid scorching. The stuff dissolves pretty quickly when added to the boiling wort, so I don't think you need to worry too much if you're stirring while adding it.

 

[bolus14]

I think your plan sounds good.

I've always just used liquid for Belgian Candy, but when using table or brown/turbinado sugar i have poured right into the kettle then used my mash paddle to stir around the bottom for a few minutes, at which point the sugar should be dissolved. I've never had a problem with the sugar scorching.

 

[jspain3]

I did a Belgian Dark Strong in November and simply threw the one lb of Belgian Candy into the boil with no problems.

 

[elpenoso]

Dissolve it first. I keep scorching the sugar. The black spot in the kettle is a pain to scrape off too.

 

[hanuswalrus]

The black spot in the kettle is a pain to scrape off too.

I have yet to try it out, but I've read that Bar Keepers Friend is great for scrubbing out stains like that and making your kettle look like new.

 

[TrickyDick]

I prefer to add belgian candi sugar (and by the way, I usually get the syrup) directly to the primary on day three or four or just after high Krausen. This will give the most character from the sugar to your beer and prevent any yeast stalling (by preferentially consuming the glucose instead of maltose theoretically) and prevent scorching.

 

[DNKDUKE]

Mucho good stuff here.

http://www.candisyrup.com/products.html

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

I prefer to add belgian candi sugar (and by the way, I usually get the syrup) directly to the primary on day three or four or just after high Krausen. This will give the most character from the sugar to your beer and prevent any yeast stalling (by preferentially consuming the glucose instead of maltose theoretically) and prevent scorching.

This is what I do and works great. Bonus is you dont need to account for the sugar in your stater, when you add the sugar there will be plently of yeast around looking for something to eat.

 

[IslandLizard]

I make my own syrup and usually add it at the end of the boil. It's inverted sugar that's caramelized to certain degrees (colors), so yeast will go to town on it first. In that light, as TrickyDick said, it does make more of sense to add it after primary has settled down.

 

[solbes]

Not sure theres a ton of benefit (if any) in using the rocks or hard sugars. Generally you can invert your own on the stove top with white table sugar. Belgian brewers used to use Beet sugar instead of cane sugar, but not sure that's true anymore. In my area, a lot of the cheaper table sugar is made from beets, so thats what I generally use. Really no need to invert either, but the yeast need to break it down one further step if you add raw table sugar.

Anytime a belgian recipe calls for amber, dark, or D2 syrup I use the Candisyrup brand (liquid). Fantastic stuff and you get some really good results. I've boiled away my own on the stovetop and gotten some good and interesting sugars (its fun as long as you don't burn yourself). Its more messing around and not quite the same as the commercial stuff. I highly recommend CSI's products.

If its lighter colored sugars, I will add with about 5 minutes till flameout. I've always added my CSI syrups at flameout and make sure to fully stir it in.

 

[TrickyDick]

I've used both the dark and amber and D2 and also the clear syrups. I think that you get more flavor out of the darker syrups than the Clear syrup for obvious reasons and that these are usually used in different styles. That said, probably cheaper to use table sugar instead of the clear syrup.
The pouches make these super easy to use.

TD

 

[WilliamH]

I use candi syrup and cane sugar quite a bit. Now, I always add it at 60 minutes. I've found that, when added at 20 or 15, it thins the body of the beer more than I like. I also love the flavors I get from mallard reaction that happens in the 60 minute boil. With non-syrup, I pour it in slowly and make sure to stir the wort as I do so. Never have any problems.

 

[bolus14]

I use candi syrup and cane sugar quite a bit. Now, I always add it at 60 minutes. I've found that, when added at 20 or 15, it thins the body of the beer more than I like. I also love the flavors I get from mallard reaction that happens in the 60 minute boil. With non-syrup, I pour it in slowly and make sure to stir the wort as I do so. Never have any problems.

Good idea. Never thought to add early in the boil as almost all recipe say to add somewhere between 10 min and flameout. Makes sense that you would get some mallard reaction adding it at 60.

 

[b-boy]

I prefer the syrup. I add it throughout the boil. I add a little every 15 minutes.

 

[WilliamH]

I got the idea for adding it at 60 from one of my favorite Northern Brewer recipes. I've never looked back!