Belgian Candi Sugar d180

[Travis K. Jansen]

I'm prepping to make a Belgian quad (basically it's the Northy 12 from NB) and calls for Belgian Candi syrup d180. I've made clear stuff with really good success, so I'm wondering if d180 is just cooked longer to get a darker color. Is it still done with white sugar, or is it raw cane sugar? Any help is appreciated. Looking at the malt, it seems as if all the dark color of this beer comes from the syrup.

 

[thehaze]

Candi D- syrups are beet sugar with water and some also contain date sugar, but I am fairly sure people have tried to replicate it, but not succeeded entirely.

I urge you to do your own and then buy 1-2 pouches of the real thing and brew the exact same beer twice: once using your own and then using the D-180.

 

[madscientist451]

Last time I brewed a Belgian Quad, I ran off about a 3 quarts of wort and got it boiling in a side pot while I was finishing up the sparge. Basically boil it down to a thick syrup, you'll have to keep stirring it so it won't scorch. Add it back to the main boil eventually.
Adding the D-180 may seem extravagant, but the difference in flavor is dramatic.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

Candi D- syrups are beet sugar with water and some also contain date sugar, but I am fairly sure people have tried to replicate it, but not succeeded entirely.

I urge you to do your own and then buy 1-2 pouches of the real thing and brew the exact same beer twice: once using your own and then using the D-180.

Not a bad idea. I don't have the fermenter space right now, but maybe I'll invest so I can run two batches...unfortunately quads take so long to mature, it's a hard test to run

 

[LLBeanJ]

Sugar #5 from the first post in this thread will get you in the ball park.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/20-lb-of-sugar-and-a-jar-of-yeast-nutrient.114837/

Compared to CSI's D-180, the homemade one is a bit less complex, but I like it better. I'd be surprised if choosing one over the other would make much perceivable difference in a quad. At about $8/lb for the commercial stuff, I typically just go with the homemade variety and call it good. I would suggest you buy a lb of CSI's D180 and make a lb of Sugar #5 and then you can compare them for yourself.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

Sugar #5 from the first post in this thread will get you in the ball park.

Which thread?

 

[LLBeanJ]

Sorry, link added to the post.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

Interesting...they use DAP in that recipe vs. an Acid that I'm finding in most recipes. I've made the clear stuff with Cream of Tartar and it worked really well.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Interesting...they use DAP in that recipe vs. an Acid that I'm finding in most recipes. I've made the clear stuff with Cream of Tartar and it worked really well.

Yes, you need to use DAP to get you closer to the real thing. With cream of tartar, you're just making caramelized sugar and not getting the necessary maillard reaction.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

Yes, you need to use DAP to get you closer to the real thing. With cream of tartar, you're just making caramelized sugar and not getting the necessary maillard reaction.

Cool. Looks fairly simple, just adding water several times during the process. I wonder if this can be made into the hard rocks and stored in a freezer. That's what I did for my clear batcha nd it worked well.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

Probably just increase to 300 at the end and pour onto cookie sheet. I bet that works...

 

[LLBeanJ]

Cool. Looks fairly simple, just adding water several times during the process. I wonder if this can be made into the hard rocks and stored in a freezer. That's what I did for my clear batcha nd it worked well.

Yeah, just don't cool it down with water after the 2nd heat cycle.

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

I'm gonna try this tonight...

 

[Travis K. Jansen]

Well, here are the results!