Using Candi Sugar

I'm attempting my first Belgian Dubble this coming weekend and I have a couple of questions about using candi sugar. The recipe calls for 12oz of syrup at 30m but my LHBS only has the crystallized stuff. Do I still just throw that in at 30m or do I need to put it in earlier to allow it to dissolve by 30m? Is there a better way to do it? Possibly dissolve it on the stove with water ahead of time? If so how much water? Bedankt!

If you dump hard candi into a boiling kettle without constant stirring thereafter 'til it dissolves, it'll sink to the bottom and burn there.
I'd still do the addition at the prescribed time, just keep the wort spinning 'til the rocks have dissolved...

Cheers!

Dissolve the candi rocks prior to adding to the boil. Do not just throw them into the brewpot!! It's best to always dissolve any solids rather than just throwing them in and having them sink and scorch.

jessup said:

Dissolve the candi rocks prior to adding to the boil. Do not just throw them into the brewpot!! It's best to always dissolve any solids rather than just throwing them in and having them sink and scorch.

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Into how much water? Or should I just pull some of the boiling wort?

Using some wort works best. Easy peazy

Pull boiling wort at 45 minutes. Half gallon would be what I'd grab. Add candidate rocks to that and let it all dissolve. Swirl it up and make sure everything is dissolved before tossing it into the boil.

Just know that candi syrup and the hard candi are not the same thing and will not give you the same end result. (For better or worse depending on what you want out of it.)

ruger988 said:

Just know that candi syrup and the hard candi are not the same thing and will not give you the same end result. (For better or worse depending on what you want out of it.)

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Interesting. What would be the difference?

Good question. I make my own candi - both syrup and rock - and the process is identical save for turning the syrup into rock: upping the temperature by ~35°F before cooling.
It's that simple...

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

Good question. I make my own candi - both syrup and rock - and the process is identical save for turning the syrup into rock: upping the temperature by ~35°F before cooling.
It's that simple...

Cheers!

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So if the process is identical (I assume the same quantity of ingredients) why would it matter which I use? Obviously the syrup is more simple since I don't have to dissolve the sugar but would one taste different or effect the recipe in any way?

BroomVikin said:

So if the process is identical (I assume the same quantity of ingredients) why would it matter which I use?[...]

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I can't imagine why the same color candi would taste different whether syrup or rock.
The ingredients and process used are exactly the same except for a brief rise to hard-crack temperature for the rock...

Cheers!