Adding Belgian Candy to Primary and Oxidation

[gmcastil]

I've got a Belgian strong ale in the primary right now, and fermentation has been going strong for about three days now. Now that the vigorous part of the fermentation is more or less over, I have some dark Belgian candy that I want to add. I intend to boil it in a small amount of water, let it cool, and then add it to the fermenter.

My question is simple - do I need to do anything to get it to incorporate into the rest of the wort? I'm a little worried about agitating the wort and oxidizing it. Should I just boil, cool and add or do I need to help it get combined evenly throughout?

 

[chickypad]

I do this routinely and just pour it in. Never had a problem reaching final gravity.

 

[Dawnhulio]

Did this myself a few weeks ago.... boiled the candi with enough water to end up in a thick syrup, sanitized the hell out of the measuring cup I used to pour it in (plus hands touching fermenter / lid, etc.), and just sort of poured it in a circular fashion over the top... and then let it sit in primary for two weeks total before transferring to secondary.

Verdict? Just bottled on Sunday, but had a nice sample of it before doing so... distinctly Belgian with a banana / bubblegum flavor that is going to rock. Hope you experience the same, let us know how it turns out!!!

 

[beergolf]

It is done all the time. I do it for most of my Belgian brews.

Just pour it in. The yeast will find the new food and go crazy again.

 

[WooHokie]

So I just got a recipe off Northern Brewer for the Belgian Tripel and it says to add the Candi Sugar with the extract in the beginning. So I gather that you guys don't do this? Can you explain why? I'm planning on brewing the Tripel on Friday and would love some advice. Thanks!

 

[koch711]

So I just got a recipe off Northern Brewer for the Belgian Tripel and it says to add the Candi Sugar with the extract in the beginning. So I gather that you guys don't do this? Can you explain why? I'm planning on brewing the Tripel on Friday and would love some advice. Thanks!

I made the NB tripel last Sunday and I decided to put the belgian candy sugar in at the last 15 min of the boil when I put the bulk of the extract in. Can't comment on how that has affected things really as far as taste, but fermentation took off like a rocket.

 

[chickypad]

So I just got a recipe off Northern Brewer for the Belgian Tripel and it says to add the Candi Sugar with the extract in the beginning. So I gather that you guys don't do this? Can you explain why? I'm planning on brewing the Tripel on Friday and would love some advice. Thanks!

The idea is to reduce stress on the yeast and help it finish better. The yeast start in a lower OG wort and work on the more complex sugars, then you dump a load of simple sugars as they are slowing down and crank them up again. At least this is the theory as I understand it. I can tell you that the first time I did it I duplicated a recipe that I had done once without the late addition. It finished 3 points lower (OG same if I subtracted the sugar contribution), so I do it now routinely.