D-45 Candi Syrup Crystalized

[tripeland]

A few years ago I bought a few pouches of D-45 and D-90 candi syrup. Only just remembered I have them and was thinking of brewing something to use them up. Since they are quite old now they seem to have crystalized in the pouches. The pouches are still unopened. Are they still ok to use? Should I set them in warm water to try and liquify them again before use?

 

[tennesseean_87]

I'm not sure how the flavor holds up over time, but I'd probably use it. That's just me.

 

[doug293cz]

On the day you want to use them, put them in hot tap water. Pull them out periodically and massage the pouches to help dissolve the crystals. If there is anything left in the pouch after adding to the wort, put a little hot brewing quality water in the pouch, pinch it closed and shake, then pitch into wort.

Brew on

 

[odie]

You could just dump it into the boil and it will melt pretty quick I think.

But I would just warm it some water to liquify it and add to the fermenter. I kinda think the heat from the boil will take some of the candi flavors away.

 

[IslandLizard]

I would never put candi syrup in the kettle, you stand to lose 10-20% of it, while it doesn't need boiling. Add it to the fermenter, instead, toward the end of fermentation. Just dissolve the sugar crystals by adding some hot or boiling water, using a small stainless pot.

 

[palmtrees]

I would never put candi syrup in the kettle, you stand to lose 10-20% of it, while it doesn't need boiling. Add it to the fermenter, instead, toward the end of fermentation. Just dissolve the sugar crystals by adding some hot or boiling water, using a small stainless pot.

I'm brewing a Dubbel soon, so I'm interested in your thoughts here. What is your take on adding at flame out vs adding in the fermenter?

 

[McMullan]

I wouldn't worry too much. Refined sugar is more stable than many things and Belgian candi sugar - being made from sugar beet - doesn't have much flavour to lose anyway. It's main uses are to increase gravity without the need for a knife and fork and, occasionally, some colour. I've often wondered if Belgian brewers ever used more flavourful cane sugar before the Napoleonic wars, before the British cut off their… cane sugar supplies? Sugar beet is a blatantly inferior product that only adds 'lab grade' refined sucrose.

 

[IslandLizard]

Re: Candi Syrup

What is your take on adding at flame out vs adding in the fermenter?

Unless you squeeze all the wort out of your kettle trub, and siphon/drain the wort down to the very bottom, there's a % of that syrup left behind with the wort that remains in the kettle, and is thus wasted.

Especially the lighter syrups are mostly simple sugars, yeast will start binging early.
I'd also rather have them save the expensive syrups for dessert. I think the subtle flavors of the syrups are better retained by adding them after the bulk of fermentation has completed. Then give them an extra week or 2 to gnaw on those goodies while conditioning.

 

[palmtrees]

Re: Candi Syrup

Unless you squeeze all the wort out of your kettle trub, and siphon/drain the wort down to the very bottom, there's a % of that syrup left behind with the wort that remains in the kettle, and is thus wasted.

Especially the lighter syrups are mostly simple sugars, yeast will start binging early.
I'd also rather have them save the expensive syrups for dessert. I think the subtle flavors of the syrups are better retained by adding them after the bulk of fermentation has completed. Then give them an extra week or 2 to gnaw on those goodies while conditioning.

I have a very simple kettle with no ports and typically just dump everything into the fermenter, so I probably wouldn't have much kettle loss. But I'm down to try and get more of those flavors to survive fermentation! I'll give this a shot with my Dubbel as fermentation winds down. Thanks for the input!

 

[MikeCo]

In theory, you will get a bit more out of adding the syrup to the fermenter vs the kettle. However, I always add them at flameout with great results. The only way to know the difference for sure is to make side by side batches using each approach and taste them.