Candi sugar or syrup?

Which one is better quality? I have only used hard belgian candi dark sugar in belgians. Is syrup a better or worse choice?

Why not 2-3 lbs of table sugar? I have used this successfully and it achieves the same ends as clear or amber Candi sugar or syrup. Apparently for Dubbels Dark Candi Syrup is recommended. I just added sugar myself and it tuned out wonderful!

It doesn't matter terribly much, at least I don't think it does. I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to invert/non-invert sugar, and feel if the Belgian breweries use inverted sugar there has to be a reason possibly due to the yeast having to produce invertase enzyme. I think the biggest advantage though is controlling the amount of carmelization if you do it at home. That in itself is invaluable.

Wow, holy crap. How did I miss that you were from State College???

I did a taste testing with my club with some different sugars. Dark candi-syrup won by a a landslide. So much more complexity in it - plum/cherry/vanilla notes. The rocks gave a burnt sugar taste and table sugar is just table sugar, which won't impart any additional taste.

Well that does bring up a point. If you are using Dark Syrup vs. Dark Candi sugar I'd imagine there is a difference...but that could be a result of the different manufacturer's processes rather than if it is in Syrup or Crystalline form. But for lighter styles like a Tripel, I'd wager they'd produce near identical results.

PseudoChef said:

I did a taste testing with my club with some different sugars. Dark candi-syrup won by a a landslide. So much more complexity in it - plum/cherry/vanilla notes. The rocks gave a burnt sugar taste and table sugar is just table sugar, which won't impart any additional taste.

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This is probably why I have seen it suggested it for use in Dubbels, Strong Darks etc.

mdf191 said:

Which one is better quality? I have only used hard belgian candi dark sugar in belgians. Is syrup a better or worse choice?

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Quality doesn't enter into it. Both products are of equally high quality.

Which type you choose should depend on what style of Belgian ale you're brewing. If it's a Dubbel, it's a tough choice; as others have noted, dark candisugar has all sorts of impurities that, depending on how much you use, impact flavor.

That's what makes it dark, you see - impurities. When sugar is refined, you're after pure sucrose, and the dark gunk is left. That's what makes molasses.

If you're making a Tripel or something pale, the choice is simple: go with clear invert sugar. As another has noted, it's become traditional. I suspect that's not because of any flavor/aroma impact, but because candisugar is a huge pain in the ass. Candisugar has to be dissolved slowly, where you can just pour liquid invert sugar like malt extract. I remember making 10bbl of Dubbel, lugging a 50lb sack of dark candisugar up the ladder to dump in the kettle. Then back down the ladder, get the stirrer, stir the snot out of the wort. Lather, rinse, repeat - every five to ten pounds of sugar. Dissolving a 5-gallon bucket of invert sugar is simplicity itself in comparison.

I like invert sugar for all Belgian styles, and prefer to get the flavors of Dubbel from specialty grains, not sugar. But opinions differ!

Cheers,

Bob

i've been wanting to make a dubbel or dark strong with the syrup for some time.

like all those other guys said...stick with clear candi, other invert or table sugar for the lighter brews.

Radical Brewing has a really good section dealing with sugar and other adjuncts.

I used turbinado sugar for my tripel. If I did a dubbel (which I won't because I don't care for the style) I would use the dark syrup. Invert sugar would have fermented out quicker, but I don't care because I'm leaving this baby in the primary for a long time anyway.

I was thinking of brewing a strong dark. And I was reading the descriptions of what "flavors" the syrups from Northern brewer. They seem to suggest that the darker syrups add flavor complexity... So maybe I should go dark syrup instead of dark candi for a dark beglian.

zoebisch01 said:

Wow, holy crap. How did I miss that you were from State College???

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Yeah, was in State College when I joined hbt. Graduated though...living back in eastern Pa now.

mdf191 said:

Yeah, was in State College when I joined hbt. Graduated though...living back in eastern Pa now.

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Where? Lehigh Valley?

Bob

This the stuff for dark Belgium's.

dark candi, inc.