brown sugar to an ipa?

[bigplunkett]

So ive been brewing over 2 years. And i was thinking of adding brown suger to an ipa just for color. Ive used it in cider and a few beers and cant seem to see it tranfering any flavors over. Any thoughts or wisdom would be appreciated.

 

[JKaranka]

Brown sugar additions are uncouth. If you want just colour you should use brewers' caramel. If you want colour and flavour you could use invert sugar syrup made from raw cane sugar.

 

[jddevinn]

What color are you trying to get? I'd adjust the grains slightly to get the color... The amount of "dark grains" in a black IPA is surprisingly small.

 

[bruteforce]

If all you want is color I'd use a little bit of black malt, or carafa III. Or maybe midnight wheat. I like brown sugar in my barleywines, but I don't know about an IPA, you'll get a little bit of the molasses flavor which might not cooperate.

 

[jerbrew]

Candi sugar works well if you're looking to bump up the ABV, add some color, and get some toffe/carmally flavors while not use any roasted or dark crystal grains. Although a tiny bit (say 4 oz) of highly kilned or roasted grains will change the color tremendously without any flavor additions.

 

[JKaranka]

If you go the malt route an ounce of black patent is plenty of colour and no flavour

 

[seefish]

I definitely wouldn't say that it is "uncouth", but there may be better options if you are going just for color. Brown sugar will add to your OG and help dry the beer out. It will certainly impart a differant flavor than if you added crystal malt or some other dark malt.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

nnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooo! Don't DO IT!

 

[jjeffers09]

I disagree with most of you. Style wise - a bit of cane sugar will help keep it drinkable and bitter. The whole point of an IPA in my opinion. So the addition of sugar is pretty standard. So if you want to debate the VERY subtle flavor that molasses will add to a batch is pretty insignificant. It will add less caramel flavors than any crystal malt on the shelf. It can be done. Now I have used brown sugar is pretty much any brown-black colored beer I have made. It leaves almost no "flavors" to mention. However, if you are looking to put it in a Cascadian IPA/ Black IPA/ IBA/ HopHead Porter whatever you wanna call it, it works. I have done it, at 15% brown sugar I have done it. It works best in the 5-8% range, it will dry it out, it does a little in the way of body.
It is not uncouth, it would be uncivilized to suggest that creativity and inspiration is inappropriate in homebrew - if you go the malt way you will change the body and aroma - if you go candi sugar you will add more caramelized flavors than the brown sugar would - I think with Style Nazi-ism doesn't do any justice to the homebrew - if all you are after is color change because you want a black ipa then go with some debittered black malts in the less than 1oz per gallon but I use brown sugar in those beers too.

 

[jddevinn]

I have no issue with "off style" beers but bigplunkett asked about an IPA, if he doesn't say otherwise I assume he is looking at a style correct IPA. He also stated just for color. Just for color would be a black patent addition (assuming he wants to go darker not redder, rye or white.)

I would expect a sugar addition to a double IPA but not a IPA.

 

[jjeffers09]

"Generally" all malt according to 2015 bjcp guidelines. Meaning there can be exceptions. I will say it again... I think using any sugar in any IPA, or substyle, if used in small amounts it can work.

 

[JKaranka]

I disagree with most of you. Style wise - a bit of cane sugar will help keep it drinkable and bitter. The whole point of an IPA in my opinion. So the addition of sugar is pretty standard. So if you want to debate the VERY subtle flavor that molasses will add to a batch is pretty insignificant. It will add less caramel flavors than any crystal malt on the shelf. It can be done. Now I have used brown sugar is pretty much any brown-black colored beer I have used. It leave almost no "flavors" to mention. However, if you are looking to put it in a Cascadian IPA/ Black IPA/ IBA/ HopHead Porter whatever you wanna call it, it works. I have done it, at 15% brown sugar I have done it. It works best in the 5-8% range, it will dry it out, it does a little in the way of body.
It is not uncouth, it would be uncivilized to suggest that creativity and inspiration is inappropriate in homebrew - if you go the malt way you will change the body and aroma - if you go candi sugar you will add more caramelized flavors than the brown sugar would - I think with Style Nazi-ism doesn't do any justice to the homebrew - if all you are after is color change because you want a black ipa then go with some debittered black malts in the less than 1oz per gallon but I use brown sugar in those beers too.

I add sugars to many of my beers. I have no problem whatsoever with that. It's just that for an IPA or a pale ale you'll get a better match from things like 10-20% flaked maize, or a decent addition of invert #1 or #2.

 

[saltymirv]

I'm so uncouth that I had to look up the definition of it. I don't see any issue with adding ~5% brown sugar to an IPA to dry it and add a little color. The yeast will "more readily digest" invert sugar but they have no problems fermenting sucrose either. They have to do a little extra enzymatic work but they love sugar and have no problem breaking a couple bonds for that sweet, sweet glucose

 

[rhys333]

If you brew all-grain a simple grain bill and low mash temp is often the best approach and sugar isn't really needed for IPA up to about 6.5% abv. If you're doing extract though, then a touch of sugar won't go a miss to help dry it out a little. White sugar is fine and about 1% chocolate or black malt will give you some colour without flavor. Brown sugar won't hurt anything though if you really want to try it out... as long as you keep the amount relatively low (say 5% max).

 

[55x11]

I'm so uncouth that I had to look up the definition of it. I don't see any issue with adding ~5% brown sugar to an IPA to dry it and add a little color. The yeast will "more readily digest" invert sugar but they have no problems fermenting sucrose either. They have to do a little extra enzymatic work but they love sugar and have no problem breaking a couple bonds for that sweet, sweet glucose

Agreed. Also what jjeffers said.
BJCP guidelines for American IPA say "Sugar additions to aid attenuations are acceptable". Brown sugar is specifically mentioned in style of Brown IPA.

I think you will only get a subtle change in color (but a more substantial change in gravity). Unless we are talking about very dark (caramelized) candi sugar or molasses, to me at least, the differences in flavor between say inverted sugar, brown sugar, candi sugar/syrup etc. are too subtle to detect.

I say - go for it!

 

[bigplunkett]

The idea was to add color and dry it out. And to bot to have to use crystal malts. Grist would be 10#2row 1# wheat 12 oz brown sugar. I just tjought of it the other day figured id ask around. Didnt mean to start a **** storm.

 

[jjeffers09]

The idea was to add color and dry it out. And to bot to have to use crystal malts. Grist would be 10#2row 1# wheat 12 oz brown sugar. I just tjought of it the other day figured id ask around. Didnt mean to start a **** storm.

No sh*t storm to speak of, just passionate opinions I suppose. I feel like you are on the right track. Obviously there are mixed opinions if brown sugar is appropriate so you were correct to ask the question. I have tried it, I liked it, I will use dark brown sugar in my dark and/or dank IPAs again. I like the simple grist too

 

[Redlantern]

Have used Demarara sugar twice to the same end - a little tiny but of color and to drive down the FG a bit.

I was not disappointed.

Some folks may not like it based on style guidelines, but in small-ish quantities (I target <5%), I cannot see where it will hurt. If it works, achieves your numbers, and the beer tastes good (best reason ever) then go ahead.

 

[Yooper]

I use sugar in my bigger IPAs, but I personally hate the flavor of brown sugar once it's fermented. It's ok in a brown ale I guess, where that "not sweet molasses" flavor might go well, like Special B does, but I really dislike it in anything light. I don't use it in wine or cider recipes for that reason. It's still got that molasses flavor, but without the sweetness associated with it, so to me it's unpleasantly odd.

It's ok if you love it, but I think that even a little bit does have a flavor impact. So I think that's why you have such divided opinions!

 

[bigplunkett]

Ive never been able to taste a diffrance. Even in my ginger beer where i used 2#. Guess my palate sucks. I keep my ipas Grist simple. Hops are the star at most it might have a little vienna or munich to mix things up. But i find i like it best simple. Thanks for the help guys guess i should put the total recipe up.

10# 2row
1# wheat
12 oz brown sugar
50 ibu charge of ctz 60 min boil
Yeast nutrients and irish moss at 15
1 oz citra 5min
2 oz casscade 0 min
150* hopstand
2oz casscade 2 oz citra 30min
Wlp 001
Mash at 149 60 min
2 oz casscade 3oz citra dry hop