When to add Belgian Candy Sugar?

I'm working on a Black Diamond Winter Ale clone; featured in most recent BYO magazine. No where in the recipe does it tell me when to add the Belgian Candy Sugar.

I have to add 1.25 lbs can someone help me? I've read mixed reviews about when to add... in fermentation, in boil, etc. Thoughts?

Should've figured this out before I started... slightly urgent!

The one time I used Belgian candy sugar I added it at flameout, probably the easiest way to use it.

There are some recipes that call for it at the begining of the boil... But if you give it at least 15 minutes of boil you should be fine.

I did a belgian this weekend that called for candi sugar and I added it 10 minutes before flameout....but then on the ride to work I listened to a podcast that suggested to add it after fermentation is kicking off good...the podcast was by Jamil Z so I'm guessing he knows what he's talking about. His logic is to make the yeast eat / break down the harder to digest sugars first and then feed them the easy stuff after you're about 1/2 to 2/3rds through fermentation. Makes sense to me, but it's too late for my Belgian.

I'm making a rather strong belgian. It had 9lbs extract and I waited about 5 days till the fermentation was JUST starting to slow down. I dissolved a pound in 2 cups of water to sanitize it and then cooled it and dropped it in the wort. There was a second rise in fermentation for a day. Then 2 days later I did the same with another pound of candi sugar and dumped that in too.

We will see how it turns out. It took almost 10-15 minutes of boiling to get the candi sugar to turn back completely to liquid.

h4rdluck said:

I'm making a rather strong belgian. It had 9lbs extract and I waited about 5 days till the fermentation was JUST starting to slow down. I dissolved a pound in 2 cups of water to sanitize it and then cooled it and dropped it in the wort. There was a second rise in fermentation for a day. Then 2 days later I did the same with another pound of candi sugar and dumped that in too.

We will see how it turns out. It took almost 10-15 minutes of boiling to get the candi sugar to turn back completely to liquid.

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That's the process that Jamil recommended in the podcast I was listening to today. I think he suggested you add it earlier though, but I don't imagine it makes much difference as long as the yeast are still active. It was a very interesting listen. He had 2 reasons for it if I remember right. The first was to get the yeast to start breaking down the complex sugars rather than feasting on the simple ones first. The second was it doesn't stress your yeast as bad so if you didn't pitch enough by the time you add the second sugar hit there's plenty of little guys swimming around to do the job.

Well, this could throw off your fermentation temps if you plan to let it rise over a period of days.

Hermit said:

Well, this could throw off your fermentation temps if you plan to let it rise over a period of days.

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Why is that? JZ said in the same podcast that he starts at 64 and holds it there until it gets going good and then lets it gradually rise to 70 I think...anyway how would a late sugar addition hinder temp control? If anything I'd think it would help...sort of like not having as much fuel in the tank to start off....it can only get so hot. I'm a newb though so if I'm wrong please tell me why.

kidsmakeyoucrazy said:

I did a belgian this weekend that called for candi sugar and I added it 10 minutes before flameout....but then on the ride to work I listened to a podcast that suggested to add it after fermentation is kicking off good...the podcast was by Jamil Z so I'm guessing he knows what he's talking about. His logic is to make the yeast eat / break down the harder to digest sugars first and then feed them the easy stuff after you're about 1/2 to 2/3rds through fermentation. Makes sense to me, but it's too late for my Belgian.

Click to expand...

This is great news!
I brewed a Belgian Blonde 2 weeks ago and forgot to add the candy sugar until I was cooling.
Added at around 170-180 if memory serves (big if).
I was afraid I had screwed up pretty bad.
This of course wasn't jamils recommended method but now I can relax a little : )

+1 on adding it to the fermenter after fermentation has slightly subsided. I think it stresses the yeast less this way.