adding simple sugars at mid fermentation

[steviebNY444]

I've been reading a little bit about adding simple sugars to your brew in order to increase gravity and give it a slightly drier flavor - which is what I'm after (anyone claiming this will produce a cidery brew, save your keystrokes, it doesn't). But I've read that you don't really want to add simple sugars to the wort before fermentation because the yeast will tend to go after the simple ones first and leave the maltose alone after it eats all the simples. So people suggest adding the simple sugar mid fermentation, after most of the maltose and what not is metabolized. Which is fine an all but how can you get an accurate OG measurment if you're increasing the gravity mid fermentation? You take the first OG measurement before the primary but this won't be right because you're adding gravity half way through. Does anyone know how accurately get an OG and FG comparison if you add sugars midway through fermentation?

 

[helibrewer]

Design your recipe using all sugars, that way even though you are adding sugar during fermentation, your calculated FG will be accurate. I have always added my sugar to the kettle and have never had an issue with stuck fermentation. Use a good pitch rate with healthy yeast. Another technique I have used with big belgians is to pitch a small starter just after wort high krausen (pitch the entire starter when it is most active).

 

[ColoHox]

Since it is 100% fermentable, just add the sugar to your recipe (as if you added it in the boil) and increase your starting gravity value.

 

[steviebNY444]

Design your recipe using all sugars, that way even though you are adding sugar during fermentation, your calculated FG will be accurate. I have always added my sugar to the kettle and have never had an issue with stuck fermentation. Use a good pitch rate with healthy yeast. Another technique I have used with big belgians is to pitch a small starter just after wort high krausen (pitch the entire starter when it is most active).

Ok. So it sounds like as long as my yeast is nice an healthy they should ferment everything. And from what you say if you're doing a high gravity beer, add some extra healthy yeast at high krausen to give it a nice boost.