Toward a Better Balance - Using Sugars

Hi all,

Yesterday I brewed an amber/brown ale, and I overestimated my OG when putting together my hop schedule, ending up with 34 IBUs @ 1.053 OG. I had estimated an OG around 1.059, so the beer's going to come out a little more bitter than I planned.

Will adding a little brown sugar - say 3/4 lb (5 gal batch) - during fermentation have the same effect on balance as if I had hit my target OG in the first place? I know that 6 points of brown sugar will dry the beer out a more than 6 point of malt would, but will it otherwise have the same effect on the IBU/malt balance?

It should help. But it isn't 'the same' because it isn't just the alcohol that balances the hops, it's primarily the malty body and residual sweetness and even the driest beers have some sweetness. Because the sugar is completely fermentable it won't have the same effect.

I would try add some extract or add some malto-dextrin if you can. You can still add the sugar too. That will add body and alcohol.