karo syrup

Has anyone ever used karo syrup to up the sg in their wort? Its basicaly corn sugar but the one i'm considering using is the dark.

I just went to the Karo website and here is the list of ingredients for dark Karo syrup: Karo dark corn syrup is a mixture of corn syrup and a small amount of refiners' syrup (a cane sugar product with a molasses-like flavor). Caramel flavor, sodium benzoate (a preservative), salt, and caramel color are added. Dark corn syrup has a rich brown color and distinctive flavor.

Sounds pretty awful to me. But I don't use dextrose (corn sugar) very often, either, unless I'm making an IIPA or something like that. Corn sugar can thin and dry out a beer, and that's good in some recipes. I don't use it to just boost the alcohol, since that will make the beer out of balance.

I like beer made with malt, hops, water and yeast and rarely use other ingredients. I know that sugar does have its place at times, though. I've used flaked corn in a cream ale recipe, etc, when it's appropriate.

I'm pretty new to homebrewing, but I think sodium benzoate affects the yeast somehow.

I have used the clear Karo syrup in the past with no ill effects.

I dont really need to boost the abv, but my sg was low and the only thing i hive to adjust up was some karo dark. Its going in a XX clone that last time cameout a bit malty anyway. This isnt one of those lets make a knoggin masher beers (i have been known to do that though) its more of a nessesity i think. I tried it we'll see it turns out and i'll let you know

So Yay or Ney? I'm a week away from bottling and I'd love to get an affirmative answer to this. I have the Dark and the Clear in the kitchen.

I used it but it'll be at least a month before i get the first taste.

jonbrout said:

So Yay or Ney? I'm a week away from bottling and I'd love to get an affirmative answer to this. I have the Dark and the Clear in the kitchen.

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if you're a week from bottling, it's really too late anyways. Leave it out.

Skip it this time. Use more malt next time.

Huh? I mean using it for priming sugar when i mix my wort in the bottling bucket. What are you all talking about?

The OP was asking about using it in the wort during the boil to up the SG. Using it for priming sugar for bottling I have not done. You can if you want but I don't know how much you would use.

Mmm well if anyone has any idea i would love to know. I thought Karo was just corn sugar after all and was going to use it for priming. Yes, No, maybe so? What do you all use? thanks.

For a 5 gallon batch I use between 2/3 and 3/4 of a cup of table sugar. I take a two cup pyrex measuring cup, 1 cup of water, bring to a boil in microwave, add sugar cautiously as it will probably get excited, stir to disolve, dump in bottling bucket. Rack new beer into bottling bucket, give it a gentle stir, commence bottling. Don't get carried away with the stirring as it can lead to oxidizing.

Yes, Karo is corn syrup. I just don't know how much to use for priming.

IowaHarry said:

For a 5 gallon batch I use between 2/3 and 3/4 of a cup of table sugar. I take a two cup pyrex measuring cup, 1 cup of water, bring to a boil in microwave, add sugar cautiously as it will probably get excited, stir to disolve, dump in bottling bucket. Rack new beer into bottling bucket, give it a gentle stir, commence bottling. Don't get carried away with the stirring as it can lead to oxidizing.

Yes, Karo is corn syrup. I just don't know how much to use for priming.

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Karo is corn syrup. It's not "just" corn sugar, though. The dark has other ingredients (listed from their website above) and the light has things like vanillin in it. I wouldn't use it. I'd use corn sugar or DME or table sugar, or even honey if I had to, but not corn syrup.