Corn sugar to boost gravity, or just use more base malt?

[periwinkle1239]

I tried doing a search on this but didn't find much, is it better to just add more base malt to get extra gravity or is using corn sugar just as good?

If you want specifics, I was planning on making this Double IPA w/ Simcoe recipe https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/double-simcoe-ipa-recipe-103410/ and I was thinking of up'ing the 2-row instead of using corn sugar. Thoughts?

 

[gcdowd]

Depends. Either will add more alcohol. But sugar will leave it drier while more malt will pretty much just yield a higher alcohol beer with similar body.

 

[periwinkle1239]

Depends. Either will add more alcohol. But sugar will leave it drier while more malt will pretty much just yield a higher alcohol beer with similar body.

Interesting, this is what I thought.

 

[mike20793]

Just adding sugar will give a more 'cidery' taste and dry it out. It is definitely recommended to add more malt to your recipe.

 

[periwinkle1239]

Just adding sugar will give a more 'cidery' taste and dry it out. It is definitely recommended to add more malt to your recipe.

This is also what I thought. So what do you recommend to swap out 1 lbs or corn sugar with malt. My eff is 75% roughly.

 

[Kayos]

For a IIPA use more 2 row. NO SUGAR!!! Yuck!!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Use Belgian Candied Sugar, theres a thread on here about an easy way to make it . Ive added 1# to a few of my brews and it helps up the abv a little and add some residual sugars. Also Pure grade B maple syrup. 8-12oz added to primary once fermentation slows a little adds about .006-.010 to a beers OG. Ive done both with success but they also attribute to the beers flavor, so if thats undesirable then using more base malt is always an easy way.

 

[duckmanco]

Just adding sugar will give a more 'cidery' taste and dry it out. It is definitely recommended to add more malt to your recipe.

I can't believe this one is still bouncing around, like LHBS advice from the early 90's.

Corn sugar, apart from hops could be the next best addition to to a DIPA, anywhere from 5-10% (some say up to 20%) from my experience has dried the beer where I wanted, and left absolutely no ciders off flavors. However, all this is dependent on how you like your beers. If you like residually sweet high FG DIPAs, then don't use the sugar. But if you like drier, more hop character for your money pungent DIPA, use the sugar. You won't make cider as long as your fermentation is right.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go start a "secondary is necessary" thread.

 

[Piratwolf]

Just adding sugar will give a more 'cidery' taste and dry it out. It is definitely recommended to add more malt to your recipe.

The only part of the above statements that is accurate is the "dry it out" part. JZ, Tasty, & Gordon Strong have all advocated using sugar. I put just under 10%corn sugar in my Imperial Red--not only is it not cidery but it got a 41 in BJCP competition. I put sugar in most of my IPAs as well and have never once tasted cider.

There's nothing wrong with adding more base malt, but sugar has the benefit of a lower FG.

 

[Yooper]

Just adding sugar will give a more 'cidery' taste and dry it out. It is definitely recommended to add more malt to your recipe.

As was mentioned, that is not true. It'd very common to use some simple sugars for some beers like Belgians and IIPAs. It makes the beer less "heavy" when making a high alcohol beer, and keeping a reasonable amount will certainly NOT make your beer cidery.

For a IIPA use more 2 row. NO SUGAR!!! Yuck!!

Sugar is a typical ingredient in IIPA as it helps produce a lighter bodied beer in a high ABV recipe. It's not "Yuck" at all.

Sugar gets a bad rap because it's dumped into beginner kits like Cooper's where it has absolutely no places- it's just a cheap alcohol boost in those cases and produces a sub-par finished beer. But in a properly made IIPA, Belgian triple, etc, where a crisp finish is desired, sugar is a very common ingredient and indeed routinely part of the recipe.

 

[bobbrews]

I just want to point out that simply adding sugar to an already existing recipe will not dry it out. Both the OG and FG will increase. To properly use sugar for the purpose of drying out a beer, you should "substitute" some of the base malt or extract with a portion of sugar. That way, the OG remains the same, but the ability to ferment more is increased since sugar is fully fermentable.

Using IPAs as an example for adding sugar ~ For all-grain 3-7% is probably average... For partial mash and extract, I'd say anywhere from 5-15% is safe.

 

[mike20793]

The only part of the above statements that is accurate is the "dry it out" part. JZ, Tasty, & Gordon Strong have all advocated using sugar. I put just under 10%corn sugar in my Imperial Red--not only is it not cidery but it got a 41 in BJCP competition. I put sugar in most of my IPAs as well and have never once tasted cider.

There's nothing wrong with adding more base malt, but sugar has the benefit of a lower FG.

Oh sweet (pun intended). Thanks for clarifying my misinformation. I guess my info is old and just not true. I have wanted my IPAs dryer, so I will definitely try this out. Thanks again and cheers!:rockin: