Molasses: when to add?

[Michael_K]

Next on the brew schedule is an Old Ale with an OG of 1.084 and an FG of 1.023.

The recipe (half batch) calls for 6oz of molasses added to the boil - but I just read that Jamil recommends (in this month's BYO) adding simple sugars near the end of fermentation.

What do you all think? What will be the difference in flavor/fermentation adding it boil vs primary? What would you do?

Thanks!

 

[m00ps]

I add all my syrupy sugars a day or two into fermentation. This way there's no heat to dissipate the aromatics. As long as its from a sealed container, you don;t need to worry about sanitation

I do the addition early on in the fermentation because this is when the yeast is most active. You can add it whenever, but why would you want to wait another few days for the molasses to completely ferment when you could be already drinking your beer?

 

[LandoLincoln]

I've added molasses both to the boil (last five minutes) and to secondary.

I can definitely tell you that the molasses flavor can withstand being boiled. My friend and I used a 12 oz jar of black strap molasses in a 7 gallon batch of a big OG Christmas beer last year and that molasses really made its presence known.

This year, I used 6 oz of molasses in pretty much the same recipe and the flavor was hiding there in the background, but you could pick it out if you knew what you were looking for.

I also racked five gallons of a big beer (OG of 1.084) onto 6 oz of molasses and vanilla in secondary and let it sit for 10 days and the vanilla is stronger than the molasses, but I think the molasses is there. It compliments the vanilla nicely.

So I guess what I'm saying is that molasses flavor is pretty resistant to any way you'd want to use it. The only difference is the amount used.

 

[pegcitybrewer]

I've used molasses a couple of times and always to the boil. I made a gingerbread beer a couple of months ago that I'm just starting to dive into and the molasses is still there, but next to all the other flavors it can be hard to tell. I used 8 oz of fancy molasses.

On a side note, you're from Winnipeg! thats cool, felt the need to respond to your post because of that.

 

[Michael_K]

Thanks everyone - that's good to know that the flavors/aromas will stick around if I add it to the boil (probably with 5 mins left). No worries about the fermentation? That the yeast will fill up on simple sugar and leave behind some perfectly good maltose?

On a side note, you're from Winnipeg! thats cool, felt the need to respond to your post because of that.

Right on! Nice to see another 'Pegger on the boards. Cheers!