Brown sugar in extract based IPA

[Shade]

I have an English mate coming around to guest brew this week and I've been getting things in order in terms of recipe. He's keen to make a IPA, so aiming for something dry and hoppy.

I am aiming for a 23L batch (that's 6 gallons). LME here comes in 1.7kg tins, so we have 3.4kg (5.75lb).

I'm also adding 200g (.45lb) of Carapils for a bit of head retention/mouthfeel and 200g (.45lb) of medium Crystal for colour and slight sweetness.

That ends up with OG at 1045 which is a bit low, targetting over 1050 to end up around 5% ABV.

I'm planning for a Columbus/Citra hop combo with short boil/late additions, 20g (0.7oz) of each at 20 mins, 30g (1.1oz) at flameout for 30 mins, 50g (1.8oz) of each dry hop.

Using US-05 yeast.

So, rather than add more Crystal which will make it sweeter than I want, I'm currently planning to add 300g (0.65lb) brown sugar - as I understand it, it should just bump the ABV without any appreciate sweetness or taste addition, leaving me a fine, dry, hop-forward IPA.

Does that sound reasonable?

 

[Yooper]

to me, brown sugar does have a taste impact. Fermented brown sugar has a pretty disagreeable to taste to me, especially in a lighter beer. It's molasses, but with the sugar fermented out. (I call it mole asses, since it's so bad, but that's not very nice).

It's, well, odd. It might be ok in an old ale, or in a big barleywine, but in an IPA I think it would be rather unpleasant.

Why not use something more flavor neutral, like table sugar?

 

[MaxStout]

I once used brown sugar to bottle prime a pale ale, thinking it would add a "unique" touch to the beer. It did, but not in a good way. It imparted a funny taste that I can't really describe, other than it wasn't good. It was in the background, but definitely noticeable. Just enough to really bug me every time I drank one.

 

[Yooper]

I once used brown sugar to bottle prime a pale ale, thinking it would add a "unique" touch to the beer. It did, but not in a good way. It imparted a funny taste that I can't really describe, other than it wasn't good. It was in the background, but definitely noticeable. Just enough to really bug me every time I drank one.

So............you don't love the description of "mole asses"? That's the best way I could describe it, since it's unsweet molasses and it's rather unpleasant.

I know people think it would be awesome in things like hard cider, but it's pretty awful tasting to me. (Yes, I am a BJCP judge).

 

[MaxStout]

So............you don't love the description of "mole asses"? That's the best way I could describe it, since it's unsweet molasses and it's rather unpleasant.

I know people think it would be awesome in things like hard cider, but it's pretty awful tasting to me. (Yes, I am a BJCP judge).

Actually, mole asses is probably the best descriptor. It was certainly foul and I used less than half the amount the OP is considering.

BTW, bad joke about that...
Mole #1: "I smell pancakes!"
Mole #2: "I smell maple syrup!"
Mole #3 (in the tunnel right behind Moles #1 & 2): "All I smell is mole asses."

 

[Shade]

Ok, thanks a lot, appreciate the advice. The brown sugar was going to add a little more colour which would get me in the range for the English IPA style according to BrewersFriend, but if it's going to be noticeable then I'll stick to table sugar as suggested.

Thanks!

 

[user 4295]

Actually, mole asses is probably the best descriptor. It was certainly foul and I used less than half the amount the OP is considering.



BTW, bad joke about that...

Mole #1: "I smell pancakes!"

Mole #2: "I smell maple syrup!"

Mole #3 (in the tunnel right behind Moles #1 & 2): "All I smell is mole asses."

I have an extract porter recipe that I was going to try and it calls for 1 lb of light brown sugar. After reading your comments on it tasting like mole ass, I'm reluctant to use it. What do you recommend I replace it with?

 

[z-bob]

I have an extract porter recipe that I was going to try and it calls for 1 lb of light brown sugar. After reading your comments on it tasting like mole ass, I'm reluctant to use it. What do you recommend I replace it with?

Ass might be good in something that dark.

Anyway, whenever I add sugar to beer I just use plain granulated white sugar, and I add it at the beginning of the boil.

A pound is a lot, got a recipe?

 

[user 4295]

The recipe came from a LHBS near me. He has a bunch of simple recipes that he shares with his customers, and they've all been pretty good. This is his Porter.


1lb Crystal 60L
12 oz Chocolate Malt
6.5 lbs Light LME
1 lb Light Brown Sugar

2 oz Willamette. (bittering)
.5 oz EK Golding (flavoring)
.5 oz EK Golding (aroma)

Your choice of English Ale Yeast

 

[myelo]

I also think that much brown sugar is going to affect the taste some, in addition to bumping up the ethanol and lightning the body. Whether you will like the taste is going to be personal preference.

I really like Lagunitas Brown Sugga, which has about half pound dark brown sugar per 5 gallons.

 

[MaxStout]

Ok, thanks a lot, appreciate the advice. The brown sugar was going to add a little more colour which would get me in the range for the English IPA style according to BrewersFriend, but if it's going to be noticeable then I'll stick to table sugar as suggested.

Thanks!

You could try some dark Belgian candi sugar if you want sugar that adds color.

 

[Cyclman]

+1 on the candi sugar, it'll dry it out, give a darker color / flavor, but I hate molasses in beer. I have had one Christmas beer that I enjoyed with molasses, but otherwise, I find it nasty.

 

[Shade]

My local LHBS doesn't carry it. One carries syrup but is out of stock. I read you can make your own but that looks time consuming enough for me to want to avoid it!