Types of Belgian sugars

[Hockeyhunter99]

So i bought the wrong kind of sugar for the recipe that i have done many times before. ordered Belgian light candi for an online store. my recipe calls for Belgian soft blonde.

is there much of a difference besides soft granular compared to hard rock candi for the light?

also, it is for late addition. does hard candy disove at a different rate? should i add it half-way through boil rather than in the last 15min?

thanks

 

[jester5120]

it shouldn't be a huge difference. a slight color and flavor variance but it might even improve the recipe. 15 minute addition should be fine. make sure to add it slowly and stir it until everything dissolves to avoid scorching the sugar on the bottom of your pot.

 

[kcross13]

I have been reading about adding it to primary after initial fermentation to not stress out the yeast. Any thoughts of that?

 

[Fritobandito]

I have been reading about adding it to primary after initial fermentation to not stress out the yeast. Any thoughts of that?

I always add mine during the last 5 minutes of the boil. If the OG is high, it might be a good idea to add some later. I do that sometimes with high gravity meads, except with honey. I have never done it with a beer though.

 

[chickypad]

I have been reading about adding it to primary after initial fermentation to not stress out the yeast. Any thoughts of that?

I just did this with a triple that is in the fermenter. Boiled 2 lbs of light candi rocks in 2c water (stirring the whole time to get it to dissolve). Then cooled and added it in, seemed to work fine.
Only issue is calculating ABV. I'm just going to add the gravity that I would have expected from the sugar to my actual OG to estimate final ABV.

 

[beergolf]

I just did this with a triple that is in the fermenter. Boiled 2 lbs of light candi rocks in 2c water (stirring the whole time to get it to dissolve). Then cooled and added it in, seemed to work fine.
Only issue is calculating ABV. I'm just going to add the gravity that I would have expected from the sugar to my actual OG to estimate final ABV.

Just calculate OG as if you put the sugar in the boil. I like the addition of sugar after a few days of fermentation. Let's the yeast eat throug a big chunk of the fermentables before they get to the simple sugars. I do it for a lot of my Belgian brews.

To the original question the two sugars are just slightly different. Use what you have and it will make a good brew.

 

[pojobrown]

I heard to make Belgian candy is regular sugar and lemon juice. I might make my own. The long you cook it the lighter it gets. Starts off black then turns to red then clear. Very cool

 

[kcross13]

Typically belgium sugar is from beets I believe. Not suppose to be a taste difference but look at the difference in rums, from european to carribean.

 

[jester5120]

Typically belgium sugar is from beets I believe. Not suppose to be a taste difference but look at the difference in rums, from european to carribean.

I think they are different. I know i've bought both of those things separately and they were quite different. the candi sugar was just like chunks of crystallized sugar and the beet sugar was like a brown sugar with beet and raisin flavors

 

[kcross13]

i just assumed that belgium candied sugar came from beets since that is where belgiums get their sugar predominately

 

[chickypad]

The online store where I bought mine says refined from sugar beets. There was no ingredient list on the package.