Corn sugar or DME for gravity??

[larkinnm1]

So I have found the limit of my system to be about 16 lbs of grain. That gives me around 8.5 abv on low finishing beers so I should be fine for the most part. My question is when I want a higher og should I be using DME or can I just throw some corn sugar in the boil? Typically I get the color and maltyness from my grain bill and I wasn't sure if light DME would change that. I have heard sugar can give you a cider taste. Just curious about what others have done. Thanks!

 

[Calder]

Sugar doesn't give a cider taste in a decently made beer. I've used up to 30% sugar in some Belgians that came out great.

The answer is: It depends on the beer. If the beer can use some sugar, Belgian or IPA, then use some sugar, but do not go overboard. If it is something like an Imperial Stout or Barley wine, then extract would be more appropriate.

And it is OK to use plain table sugar.

 

[filthyastronaut]

Depends. Seems like DME would boost your gravity without reducing any body, so keep that in mind. I just used corn sugar on an Imperial IPA to boost gravity as well as just dry it out, as I was using heavy amounts of Munich. So I'd say it depends on your goal, and if you stick with a pound of corn sugar in an already big beer, you won't have any problems.

 

[larkinnm1]

Make sense. Sugar for low fg beers and DME for high fg ones

 

[johngg123]

CORN SUGAR if it's in your recipe. DME if you missed your numbers.

p.s. - if you overshoot your numbers, then skip the corn sugar! That usually the case for me because I assume my efficiency is crap.

 

[andrewmaixner]

do two mashes and and parti-gyle them into cheep 5gal buckets. Combine both of the high-gravity first halves, and you have your desired ultra-high-gravity wort. Boil the second regular gravity beer from the second runnings after that. (Honestly though, LME will also be a lot easier than this -- but result in less beer )

Or just buy a larger (70qt coleman extreme) mash tun / cooler for $50 including parts, on sale.

Depending on the style though, sugar may be perfect. I throw 3Lbs of invert sugar syrup into my personal chimay tripple clone.