How to add caramel syrup to secondary

Hello, I was going to brew a beer and wanted to add caramel syrup to the secondary by racking on top of it. I'm just not sure if I need to boil it with a little water to sanitize it. If anyone else has done this, the advice will be much appreciated.

Sepanik1986 said:

Hello, I was going to brew a beer and wanted to add caramel syrup to the secondary by racking on top of it. I'm just not sure if I need to boil it with a little water to sanitize it. If anyone else has done this, the advice will be much appreciated.

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If you can warm it up to 170F, you don't need to boil it - 170F will pasteurize it fine, and it will be easier to pour.

You might want to add it sooner than "secondary", and get it into the fermentor after fermentation is about 2/3rds done, to make sure the yeast hasn't flocced out before you add it. It will still likely ferment _some_ doing it your way, but it might not make it to the expected final gravity depending on the yeast, the amount of syrup, and the OG.

Thanks. I've never added any type of syrup before but I'll give it a try your way

Sepanik1986 said:

Thanks. I've never added any type of syrup before but I'll give it a try your way

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Do it gently, and watch for foaming. The warm syrup hitting the cooler CO2 filled beer can gush.

That is the voice of experience...

Black Island Brewer said:

Do it gently, and watch for foaming. The warm syrup hitting the cooler CO2 filled beer can gush.

That is the voice of experience...

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Should I let it cool to room temp before putting it in? Meant to ask earlier but I always for get to ask questions.

Sepanik1986 said:

Should I let it cool to room temp before putting it in? Meant to ask earlier but I always for get to ask questions.

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I don't for two reasons: as long as it is 145F it remains pasteurized, and hot it is way easier to pour. The heat from a small amount of syrup won't heat enough beer to cause a problem, but, just to be cautious, I pour slowly so that hot syrup doesn't hit the yeast cake and possibly kill yeast.

But, if you wanted to cool it, just cover it while it cools.