Belgium Candi Sugar Help

[LittleBroBrews]

Thinking of making my own candi sugar at home, does anyone out there have any tried and true recipes or techniques that they would suggest using and how long does candi sugar last for after being made? Can I store it in the fridge for a few months? Or will it go bad and create off flavors in the beer?

I'm thinking of making this for a belgian blond beer that I want to brew so any help prior to going out and investing in ingredients is much appreciated.

 

[scutiger]

I make my own candi syrup at home all the time with great success. I love the Belgian brews, and don't like paying the kind of prices people charge for fancy sugar or syrup. This website has several different methods, mine is closest to the last method listed: http://www.franklinbrew.org/wp/?page_id=391

My method is to take usually 2 pounds of table sugar and 1 cup of water combine in a pan. Add some food grade phosphoric acid and Heat it till it dissolves and keep heating till it comes to a boil. This creates the inverted sugar necessary. Then you just keep boiling it until it darkens to your desired color. Once it gets where I like, I let it cool down to below 200F and add water to make the final volume close to a quart. If it dries out on you too much, slowly and very carefully add some warm water, because it will want to instantly boil off, shooting molten syrup everywhere.

As far as shelf life, I've make it and store it in my pantry, I've had some for several years that are still good. The gravity of this stuff is around 1.350, so there's really not enough water to allow anything to spoil it. I think of it like honey, the stuff never goes bad.

 

[DuckiesRevenge]

You have to check out SnickasaurusRex's thread on Belgian candi sugar. It's something like "20lbs of sugar......" and something else in the title. Great info and step by step directions.

I have made the deep amber a few times ascended just straight clear candi. Both have come out fantastic for my Belgians.