Sugar additions while raising temperature

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loctones

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I'm making a golden strong style beer, and the recipe uses 2.5 lb of sugar. I'm using Wyeast 1388, and the last time I used that yeast I pitched the yeast in the mid 60s and raised it into the low 80s over about 8 days. I want to follow a similar temperature profile with this beer, as the resulting beer was pretty good. However, I also want to feed the sugar to the yeast over a few days to ensure that I get a well-attenuated end product.

I'm curious if this will cause problems. My understanding is that the yeast product most of their flavor compounds during the growth phase. The growth phase should be finished about 4 days into fermentation. But, by adding additional sugar, am I extending or re-starting the growth phase? I'm not really sure if the growth phase ends because the yeast reach a growth limit, because available sugars are mostly depleted, or something else.

I'd hate to find out the hard way that adding sugar while fermentation temperature is 70-75 degrees causes the yeast to produce a bunch of unwanted flavors.
 
Each new addition of sugar will stimulate a small "growth phase."

The growth phase ends because the yeast has consumed most of the easily available sugars. When the only thing left in your wort are more complex sugar chains, the yeast spend more time breaking down the complex sugars and less time reproducing.
 
So, does that mean I SHOULD expect some off flavors from the sugar additions at higher temperatures? How significant is the small growth phase?
 
yes, you should expect some funky odors and flavors from the sugars additions at higher temperatures. the significance of the bump in yeast cell population growth will be directly linked to how much sugar you add to your wort.
 
What percentage of the SG is the sugar? If you're at or under 20% incremental sugar feedings are really not needed.
 
The percentage of sugar is 21%, which is higher than I've done before. Hence, I thought the incremental feeding will be good. I added the first lb. last night, with the temp at 70. I'll hold it there until I get the rest of the sugar in and start ramping the temperature again once it consumes a good amount of the sugar. I don't want to drop the temperature and cause the yeast to go dormant, and it doesn't sound like I should increase the temperature any higher while adding sugar.
 
If you can keep the temperature below 70 you will be doing the right thing towards preventing ester odors and flavors. If you do want the esters then you should allow the temp to climb.
 
Well, I do what some of the esters. The fruity notes from this yeast on the last beer were really nice. But, I don't want the fusel alcohols. I know Belgian yeasts can handle higher temperatures, but I feel like I might be on the edge at 70.
 
Just make sure you stay within the temperature range of the yeast and you should be fine for fusel alcohol production. That being said, adding sugar will lower your pH and will increase the chances of fusel alcohols.
 
The high end of the temperature range is 80, so I should be covered from that aspect.

As for pH, I only have the strips and they aren't very accurate as far as I can tell. Here's one more reason (in addition to measuring the mash) to pick up that pH meter I've been looking at.

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it!
 
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