Third Batch - Gravity/Sugar Question

[ebaker]

I wanted to go for a lighter bodied, hoppier result this time. Partial mash.

5 lb Pale 2-row
.5 lb Munich
.5 lb Carastan (Baird's)
1 lb Golden Light DME
1 lb Wheat DME
1 lb Cane Sugar

1 oz Galena at 60 min

1/3 oz Chinook at 14 min
1/3 oz Centennial at 14 min

1 oz Cascade at 7 min
1/3 oz Chinook at 7 min
1/3 oz Centennial at 7 min

1 oz Cascade at whirlpool
1/3 oz Chinook at whirlpool
1/3 oz Centennial at whirlpool

Dry hop w/Cascade, Chinook

5 Gallon Batch

Wort came out tasting great, nice and biting.
But the gravity was low, just over 1.040

Sort of expected this because I only went with 2 pounds of extract this time. In my previous batches, 3 lb DME were used.

So the plan is to invert another pound of cane sugar, and add it to the ferment after a few days when it calms down a bit. I've heard about the possibility that yeast could stall if presented with too much simple sugar early on.

Question: Is going with 2 pounds of sugar overkill? This would put it at 20% of the grain bill. Thoughts?

 

[BigJack]

At these levels, I don't think a stall is a big concern. That said, more sugar won't do much for flavor.

Personally, I'd leave it as is, but if you want to goose the gravity, consider adding more malt, dissolved in as little water as possible.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

That seems like a lot of Cane sugar. That's going to make the final beer very twangy.

 

[ebaker]

Thanks for the advice.

Thinking I'll leave it as it is.

Mash was at a lower temp (around 150F), and with the lb of sugar already in there, it should attenuate well.

Would be nice to have something a bit lower abv, so a few can be enjoyed.

 

[GrimBrewer]

Sugar will increase the ABV but not the final gravity. Either leave as is or rather just add 10%
Don't be too scared of sugar. Belgium beers use a lot of sugars in their recipes.

If you want to increase the FG, nothings stop you from boiling a small amount of water with dme, cool it and add it to active fermentation. You will just have to calculate how much DME u need to add 0.005 or 0.010, and remember the water you boil it in will add to your total volume.