Help with candy sugar

[LuisLozano13]

Hi, I tried to make dark candy sugar and it turned out very very bitter and kind of like burned in flavor, color is about 17 SRM so it isn't very dark, is it ok for candy sugar to be bitter? Or is it supposed to be like raisins and plumbs? I'm brewing a Belgian dubbel and I don't know if I should use that candy sugar or make another batch

 

[Homercidal]

I have no idea. When I made dark sugar I didn't taste it before adding it. I can't figure out how you could have done anything wrong, though. My guess is that it's fine. Some roasty/bitter grains end up tasting like dark fruit after dilution and fermentation.

 

[PosterGuy]

It sounds like yours got burnt on the bottom.
If it has a bitter, burnt sugar flavor now this will definitely carry over to the bottle.

When I make my own dark syrup I start by making a clear invert syrup.
(About one cup of water with a pinch of citric acid per lb of sugar.)
Heat stirring the bottom constantly and allow the excess water to evaporate very slowly (low simmer, not boil).
As the water evaporates the temperature will rise and the sugar will begin to color.
I keep a pot of water boiling nearby to "cool" the syrup quickly and dilute it once it begins to sufficiently color.
I usually stop the process at a deep blood red.

When working with 5 lbs of sugar I add 5 quarts of boiling water all at once in a steady stream.
Cooling boiling sugar in this way is explosive at best, so a long spoon, gloves, and a well over sized taller stock pot are in order.

Remove from heat constantly stirring until stable.
Any excess can be stored quite a long time under refrigeration.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Keeping it low and slow is the way to fly. I have not experienced bitterness in my darker batches of home made candi sugar. I generally dont need to stir my batches (I only do 1lb at a time max, larger batches may act differently). Keeping it in the 270-280F range will prevent the sugar from burning, and will continue the slow carmelization. Any bitterness to me leads me to believe it was burnt, it happens, its happened to me while making straight up caramels for nom-noming. Its not a big deal, if I actually calculate it, if I ruin a 1lb batch of candi sugar, I'm only out maybe 50 cents or so, maybe 30 or 40 minutes of my time (max). Tastes bitter/burnt? Toss it and restart, the batches I take to a dark ruby red I get strong raisin and dried dark fruit flavors but never bitterness.