Can I add more corn sugar?

[maestrotee]

I made a Wheat Ale kit that called for 2.2 lbs of corn sugar 7 days ago (I used DME for last batch, but didn't have it for this one) but didn't have an appropriate scale to measure it out. After getting the scale (I know, should've done that in reverse order) and weighing what I measured in, I realized that I was about a pound short. The firmentation was vigorous for a couple days, but has stopped. Is it safe or stupid to try to add more sugar (in water, boiled then cooled, of course), or should I try to do it in a secondary firmentation step, or just dump it down the big hole in the side of the street outside of our house?

 

[Beer_Guy]

The yeasties will eat it up no matter how late it is added. Remember, primer is sugar too and it gets fermented.

 

[maestrotee]

So should I just wait it out and add more priming sugar at bottling? Kind of afraid of exploding bottles since the difference is pretty significant. And if so, how much to each bottle, if there is any right answer here?

Or, if you were to take over this batch, would you just add it now and leave it for the next 3 or 4 weeks?

Thanks for the reply!!!

 

[Beer_Guy]

Add the extra pound now, give it another week or two, check gravity and if steady for 3 days straight, then bottle.

As for Primer you want a decent carb in a wheat beer. For 5 gallons of American Wheat use 4.5oz for batch priming or 0.084 oz per 12oz bottle.

And RELAX, it will be a fine brew.

 

[ChshreCat]

You could also leave it as it is without much of a problem. All the sugar will do is bump up the alcohol content and make the beer thinner. I'd venture that it'd probably be better without the extra sugar.

 

[Yooper]

You could also leave it as it is without much of a problem. All the sugar will do is bump up the alcohol content and make the beer thinner. I'd venture that it'd probably be better without the extra sugar.

That's what I'd do. A kilo of corn sugar is a LOT and the beer will be better without it. I'd leave out the remainder, because it will do nothing good for the beer.

 

[PT Ray]

I would say get a pound of wheat DME or LME to add. That will give you enough malt for a decent body but enough sugar to make sure you don't get stuck with too high of a finishing gravity. Regardless if it's extract or sugar I would add to the primary.

 

[Beer_Guy]

I agree with what you guys are saying, but he ask about FOLLOWING the recipe.

Now me, I would not have added even the first 1.2lbs and subed 2.5lbs wheat extract or another light extract. At this point, I'd add in 1.25lbs of some Light extract.

 

[ChshreCat]

I agree with what you guys are saying, but he ask about FOLLOWING the recipe.

If the recipe is wrong, I'm going to give my best advice.

 

[maestrotee]

Thanks a ton, all. Sounds a lot more reassuring, at least! So basically, either way I go, the beer might just turn out okay. If I add anything, I will pick up some malt extract for the extra flavor in the next couple of days. I am planning on bottling it before Christmas to give 6-packs to a certain select couple of people that have liked my earlier ventures, with some instruction to let it sit til after the new year, of course. Sounds like I just need to be patient and 'RELAX'.

 

[Yooper]

If the recipe is wrong, I'm going to give my best advice.

if this is a 5 gallon batch, the corn sugar will boost the ABV (one pound that's missing) by .009. If it's a 6 gallon batch (common with those "kit and a kilo" type kits), the difference is .008 SG points.

The beer will be about .75% ABV lower, but the taste and body will be better, without the extra corn sugar.

I would never recommend adding the full kilo of sugar to a kit beer, so in this case I really believe "less is more".

 

[ChshreCat]

if this is a 5 gallon batch, the corn sugar will boost the ABV (one pound that's missing) by .009. If it's a 6 gallon batch (common with those "kit and a kilo" type kits), the difference is .008 SG points.

The beer will be about .75% ABV lower, but the taste and body will be better, without the extra corn sugar.

I would never recommend adding the full kilo of sugar to a kit beer, so in this case I really believe "less is more".