Made A Mistake Brewing Today

[OppR2nist]

I have a recipe that involves some LME, some DME, and some corn sugar. I got all my malt extracts dissolved and started my boil. Ten minutes in, after my first hops were added, I realized that I forgot to add the corn sugar. I mixed it in real quick and just kept going. Now I know I likely didn't ruin it, but will it affect my flavors at all?

 

[Amadeo38]

Won’t affect anything at all. I usually add sugar during the final 5 minutes. To give you some more peace of mind, I have forgotten the sugar altogether and added a boiled-and-cooled sugar solution into the fermentor at the end of primary fermentation, which reactivated the yeast and the beer was great. For the most part, hops are really the only ingredients that will affect the outcome of the beer when added at different times during the boil. The exception here is that longer boils of LME may contribute to a darker beer than if you were to add it toward the end of the boil. This may be a very minor difference, however.

 

[coonmanx]

Relax and have a homebrew. Everything is OK.

 

[IslandLizard]

The exception here is that longer boils of LME may contribute to a darker beer than if you were to add it toward the end of the boil.

Yeah, it's advised to only add half the extract at the beginning of the boil. Turn heat off while adding extracts to prevent it from sticking and scorching, until all is dissolved (stir well). Then resume boiling, adding hops etc. Add the remainder of the extracts and any additional sugars at flame out.

This is even more important when doing partial boils, where you top up the volume in the fermenter.

It makes for better tasting beer.
As does controlling your fermentation temps and good sanitation.

 

[ReaperOnefour]

It might lower your IBU's a little, but i say that you will be fine.

 

[Calder]

It might lower your IBU's a little, but i say that you will be fine.

Leaving it out (lowering the gravity of the boil) will increase the IBUs.

You did not mess up your beer.

To maximize IBUs and reduce darkening, only add half the extract at the start of the boil. You can add the rest at the end of the boil (after taking pot of the boil) before cooling. Just make sure it is dissolved before cooling.

If a recipe has simple sugars in it (sugar, honey, etc) I add it to the fermenter as fermentation starts to slow. I dissolve it in a little water (half a pound to a pint of water) and just pour it in when it has cooled a little. I do reduce the original volume in the fermenter to account for the additional volume I will add later.