sugar problem

So I make the PM version of a Dog Fish head imperial stout from "Extreme Brewing". I got what I thought was all the ingredients from my LHBS in one box, but misplaced the recipe. So I get in the mood to brew and I don't have my recipe, and decide to go ahead anyway, using what knowledge I have about the individual characteristics of hops to make a good guess at what and how much to put in at certain points in the boil. I did make a mistake that I fear will spell disaster, however, and forgot to boil 3/4 pound turbinado. The target ABV is 10.7%, and I fear I won't reach anywhere near this without the sugar, or that the flavor will be much too dry, etc.

I have a few inches in the top of my carboy. Can I make a simple syrup and dump it in? (it has been about 48 hours, and the head is just about to start finding its way into the blow-off tube rigged up.

Is it too late to salvage? should I not worry?

Sure you could do that.

Course, the omission wouldn't be the end of the world either all things considered.

Yeah, that would work. Boil it for a bit in some water, cool, then pour it in. I have even done this with smaller amounts of corn sugar (about 1 cup) in the secondary to make up for the additional water added when racking/accounting for blow-off losses. Did you determine how much the 3/4# is going to add in terms of gravity points? I would think that you would be off by around 1% ABV, still not bad for an imperial stout. I personally haven't used that type of sugar so I can't comment on flavor characteristics.

Not a disaster. Turbinado is just cane sugar that hasn't been refined to the white stage. Not adding it will knock your ABV about 0.9% and the difference in hop utilization is minor. Since cane sugar ferments 100%, what you have now will be slightly less dry.

Adding it now is ok.

Many who brew really high gravity beers do exactly what you are proposing - add fermentables throughout fermentation. You'll be fine.

GT