glorifiedbusdriver

Recipes 

I am making a Belgian Tripel soon and I plan on using 2 lbs. of candi sugar after a few days of fermentation. How do I use this stuff? It looks like rocks. After placing this in water, is it going to dissolve? I was told to boil this for 15 minutes in a small amount of water. How much is a small amount of water? 1/4 gallon? Do I have to worry about caramalization when using too little water?
Thanks for any input.

Charlie

RoaringBrewer

Recipes 

I assume you are adding it after a few days of fermentation as to 'step up' the amount of fermentables without stressing the yeast too much?

You can just add it to the boil I think, but obviously it will up your gravity and you should have a nice healthy yeast starter (read: one pinter probably isn't going to do it) if you are making a dubbel or tripel or something....

Adding late doesn't sound like a bad idea though. I'd assume you could get away with maybe 1/2g of water for the 2lb? And maybe account for this additional 1/2g in your original plan - e.g. make sure you only have 5g in the fermenter, 5.5 after the late candi sugar add...

__________________
Roaring Bull Brewing Co.
Est. 2006
http://www.cafepress.com/roaringbull

Currently Consuming (HB): Apfelwein on Tap Troegs Hopback on Tap; Craft Bottles
Fermenting/Conditioning: Up Next: Hop Trio American Wheat, Lake Walk Pale Ale
In Planning Stage: Farmhouse Saison and Something Oaked.

FatMonsters

Recipes 

As RoaringBrewer said, 1/2 gal should do it for the 2 .lbs. Just stir it really well when you add it to the boiling water so that the rocks don't just sit on the bottom of the pot at the flame. They dissolve quite fast, at least they did for me.

__________________
Drinking: Brown Ale, Belgian, Apple Ale
Planning: Scotch Ale, Stout

Screw991le

Recipes 

I have just tried a Belgian Strong Ale. I used 1/2 lb of Dark Belgian Candy in the wort boil. I let you know in a few months how it taste.

RoaringBrewer

Recipes 

One more note on candi-sugar... Make sure you make the decision between amber and clear depending upon the color you desire for your brew. I was surprised how much darker the amber candi will make your beer (according to beersmith software at least) - which is totally fine, there are darker belgians obviously, but... The clear shouldn't effect color at all...

__________________
Roaring Bull Brewing Co.
Est. 2006
http://www.cafepress.com/roaringbull

Currently Consuming (HB): Apfelwein on Tap Troegs Hopback on Tap; Craft Bottles
Fermenting/Conditioning: Up Next: Hop Trio American Wheat, Lake Walk Pale Ale
In Planning Stage: Farmhouse Saison and Something Oaked.

cheezydemon

Recipes 

I have read several places that the Belgians are laughing at us for paying high prices for candy sugar that actually makes no difference.

BYO had an article on it.

__________________
BOTTLED: "Route 66 IPA" 7% ABV, "Dave's Imperial Stout" 12% ABV , "Spider Imperial Stout" 9%ABV , "Mutt Irish Ale" 7% ABV, "Sorta Sierra" IPA's 4.4% ABV, "Habanero Ales" 5.5% ABV, "Pumpkin Seed Ale" 5.5% ABV , "Marzen" Lager, "Step child Ale",
PRIMARies: "Caramel Amber" , "Black Porter"
SECONDARIES:1 :"Miller Ale"
On DECK: Another Russian Stout

foxtrot

Recipes 

I placed a pound of candi sugar (rocks) into a hop bag and let it dangle about 1/2 way into the brew pot (during the boil). Dissolves in less than 5 minutes and avoids burning on bottom of pot.

mr x

Recipes 

From what I have read, the clear stuff is just table sugar.

__________________
This place really went to hell. Follow the OF standard stout. Bye.

Rhoobarb

Recipes 

It's all just table sugar. I make my own. The color just depends on how long you 'cook' it. I use this method, however, do not use wax paper! It'll stick to wax paper. Pay the extra few cents at the grocery store and get a roll of parchment paper.

RoaringBrewer

Recipes 

Yeah, I think I am going to attempt to make 2lb. of my own very-light amber (aka near clear) candi sugar for the tripel I'll be brewing in a few weeks.

Sure beats $10-14 for 2lb at the LHBS... and the lighter the color, the less time cooking, so shouldn't even take me that long! w00t

__________________
Roaring Bull Brewing Co.
Est. 2006
http://www.cafepress.com/roaringbull

Currently Consuming (HB): Apfelwein on Tap Troegs Hopback on Tap; Craft Bottles
Fermenting/Conditioning: Up Next: Hop Trio American Wheat, Lake Walk Pale Ale
In Planning Stage: Farmhouse Saison and Something Oaked.