So I’ll be brewing Monday and ordered an ingredient kit from NB. According to the recipe there’s supposed to be 1lb of Belgian candi sugar as a boil addition but they shipped a pound of corn sugar instead. I’ve used corn sugar for bottling before but never in the boil. Are they interchangeable?
Substitute Corn Sugar for Candi?
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Robert65
Major Obvious (recently promoted)
What style is it? Especially appropriate if it's a Golden or Tripel. Lots of Belgians use it in those. Duvel is nothing but Pilsner malt and corn sugar aka dextrose.
Thanks, I would have made a trip to the local shop if I had to but it’s kind of a hike so I’d rather avoid it for just one item.
They describe it as kind of a caramel colored lighter version of a dubbel. It’s mostly Belgian pils with some biscuit and caramel malts as well.
They describe it as kind of a caramel colored lighter version of a dubbel. It’s mostly Belgian pils with some biscuit and caramel malts as well.
There are very (very!) subtle differences in flavor among light color Belgian candi sugar (solid, hard), Simplicity 0 and 5 (liquid syrup), invert sugar syrup, Lyle's syrup, table sugar (either cane or sugar beet based), dextrose (corn sugar), Turbinado, raw sugar, etc. Yeast doesn't care, and after fermentation they all taste pretty much the same, especially in beer, since any subtle flavor differences there may have been are largely masked by other flavors in the beer.
So, save your money and use the cheapest, most common sugar you have on hand: regular table sugar, Dominos or whatever generic your favorite supermarket sells.
Now the darker the versions of those syrups and candis the more markedly different they become, due to processes used. You can also make your own versions, it's fun and easy.
So, save your money and use the cheapest, most common sugar you have on hand: regular table sugar, Dominos or whatever generic your favorite supermarket sells.
Now the darker the versions of those syrups and candis the more markedly different they become, due to processes used. You can also make your own versions, it's fun and easy.
Although either works fine with no difference in final taste or outcome in the beer, you did get "schneebed" somewhat. Belgian Candi sugar (hard) or Simplicity (liquid) sells for around $6 a pound. Dextrose (corn sugar) is far cheaper, say $1 a pound, even less when repackaged from bulk.
You will make a nice beer subbing table sugar or corn sugar but the belgian candi sugar that was supposed to come with the kit would of been one of the darker ones:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2...nDubbel-1526647777689.pdf?4896451801740517695
If you are able to get to a LHBS before you brew you could IMO really improve the recipe using a pound of Candi Syrup D-180. Won't be as dark as it would be with the dark rock candi sugar but their flavors especially in the D-90 and D180 are fantastic.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2...nDubbel-1526647777689.pdf?4896451801740517695
If you are able to get to a LHBS before you brew you could IMO really improve the recipe using a pound of Candi Syrup D-180. Won't be as dark as it would be with the dark rock candi sugar but their flavors especially in the D-90 and D180 are fantastic.
I was curious and plugged the recipe into beersmith. I suggest for a belgian dubble you go with a pound of D-90 in that recipe, and maybe a pound of corn sugar too.
Belgian Dubbel per style guide is OG 1.062 - 1.075 and color 10-17 SRM
With corn sugar instead of the candi sugar you were supposed to get I get OG 1.057 and 9.2 SRM
With the dark candi sugar (rock) I get OG 1.055 and 25 SRM
With D-90 I get OG 1.055 and 15.3 SRM
With D-180 I get OG 1.066 and 20.5 SRM
With 1 pound each of D-90 and dextrose I get OG 1.063 and 15.3 SRM
My gravity measurements may not match your system, will depend on things like whether you dump entire kettle hops and all into the fermentor or if you leave the hops in the kettle, but they are probably pretty close. If they don't have D-90, Amber Candi Sugar (rock) will be similar color wise.
Belgian Dubbel per style guide is OG 1.062 - 1.075 and color 10-17 SRM
With corn sugar instead of the candi sugar you were supposed to get I get OG 1.057 and 9.2 SRM
With the dark candi sugar (rock) I get OG 1.055 and 25 SRM
With D-90 I get OG 1.055 and 15.3 SRM
With D-180 I get OG 1.066 and 20.5 SRM
With 1 pound each of D-90 and dextrose I get OG 1.063 and 15.3 SRM
My gravity measurements may not match your system, will depend on things like whether you dump entire kettle hops and all into the fermentor or if you leave the hops in the kettle, but they are probably pretty close. If they don't have D-90, Amber Candi Sugar (rock) will be similar color wise.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Others are correct. Corn sugar should only substitute for light Candi sugar, and not "dark Candi sugar".
Although I thought the term "Candi sugar" specifically referred to light sugar.
Yowsers!
Steveruch
Well-Known Member
in some recipes you can use plain sugar at less than $3 for a four pound bag.
Corn sugar is mostly glucose and I have read glucose is suppose to help ester production. For a British or Belgian beer that might not be a bad thing. Corn sugar seems like a better substitute for candi sugar than plain table sugar in the OP's recipe.
brewbama
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I agree those were the price from NB site just before the reply.
Thanks guys. The recipe sheet says light Candi sugar not dark so hopefully it won’t make too much of a difference. The price issue does annoy me though. I got the kit for 20% off which is really the only reason I got it. I’m thinking maybe they did the substitution to make up the difference from their regular price.
Seems dumb to lose a customer over 5 bucks but they managed to do it.
Seems dumb to lose a customer over 5 bucks but they managed to do it.
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