how do you invert sugar?

I keep reading references to inverted sugar, but I don't know what it is or how you get it or make it?

What is the advantage?

 

Inverted sugar = sucrose converted into the simple sugars glucose and fructose; it's found naturally in both honey and maple syrup. Use of inverted sugar(simple sugars) in brewing will boost the alcohol content without adding more body. Belgian(candi) sugar - commonly used in brewing, especially in stronger, Belgian beers such as dubbel and tripel - is an invert sugar.

 

You need to heat it with a little acid. A drop or two of lemon juice or a bit of cream of tartar would work. I assume you are talking priming sugar... I have done it inverted and just plain sugar. I have gotten the same results. So far my observation is that it's unnecessary. Even if you use plain sugar vs candi in a Belgian I doubt you can tell the difference. Darker candi is a different story.

 

Brewing yeast provide their own invertase enzyme that will convert sucrose into glucose and fructose which they will then devour. I've always wondered what the interest in actually doing this outside the fermenter was based upon...

Cheers!

 

People talk too much on here.

 

Depending on the temperature you invert the sugar at you will develop different flavours. However only the flavours from darker inverted sugars will make it into the beer. For lighter sugars you can probably use table sugar imo.

There is a podcast below that discusses and provides recipes (verbal and pdf) for Candi syrup: Basic Brewing Network - 05-07-09 - Homemade Candi Syrup

 

LOL! Verrry interesting. But strange.
This is, after all, a forum. Kind of hard to get away from the concept

Cheers!

 

Yeah I know, talk away! My point is certain things get perpetuated on here that are kinda silly.

 

I feel this topic NEEDS to be cleared up.

I began several months age on a test to see just how much table sugar could be added to a brew. I started by adding the sugar slowly after fermentation had started. This told me it did not take much for the brew to get an off cider like flavor. Fine if you want apple cider, but in beer it was a real turn off.

Then I read on the interwebs about inverted sugar. I have since been able to use as much as a pound per gallon with no off taste at all. The only down side is the alcohol can dull the other flavors.

Web links of interest:
Shut up about Barclay Perkins.
Making Invert and Belgian Candi Sugar

 

I have attempted to made invert sugar at least 4-5 times and all I can tell you that it takes a while to master the recipe. It is sort of a balancing act, in worst cases I have almost burnt the syrup, and have spent the next 10 minutes cleaning and scrubbing my cooking vessel.

But at least once it has come out quite well. There are several places on the web which provide tips on making it (like Livestrong and Invert sugar ), try it out. I like the 1st one (livestrong) one approach better.