Using Inverted Sugar instead of Cane Sugar

[solidghost]

Will there be a cidery taste that everyone talks about if you use the inverted sugars instead of cane sugar?

And I read that a lot of belgian beers use inverted sugar as an adjunct so I was wondering what's the advantage of using inverted sugar instead of other adjuncts like dextrose?

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

It's about the same. What are you using the sugar for? For bottling you wont notice really any difference between the sugars.

 

[adx]

It is not the same. Invert sugar is glucose and fructose, while table sugar is sucrose. Glucose and fructose is easier for yeast to digest which is what makes invert sugar better for fermentation.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

It's not going make squat of a difference in taste when bottling though.

If you are using it for 40% of your recipe then yeah. But why would you do that anyway?

 

[Got Trub?]

Brewers yeast have their own invertase (enzyme) and readily convert table sugar (sucrose) into its monosacharide components of fructose and glucose which can then be fermented. There is no need to spend extra money to buy or time and effort to create invert sugar as the yeast will readily do it for you. There is no difference in taste. As Denny pointed out the "cidery" taste that everyone fears is not really apparent until you use large amounts of sugar in your recipe. Some Belgians use upwards of 30% sugar, usually beet sugar, without any cidery off flavour.

GT

 

[mr x]

Agreed. You aren't going to see any difference in taste. I stopped making invert sugar and just use cane sugar when Lyle's or clear candi is called for in a recipe.

 

[solidghost]

Thanks guys. I was just curious as why the belgians beers are using such sugars and what are the advantage.

 

[mr x]

Just remember that the amber and dark belgian sugars can't be subbed with cane sugar. You need to buy or make the real deal there. Although I recall that 150 crystal can help if you don't have access to dark sugar.

 

[solidghost]

How about brown sugar? Could be a good substitute right?

 

[HP_Lovecraft]

The "cidery" flavor does not come from the sugar. It comes from the lack of nutrients, producing extremely unhealthy yeast. This is why you only notice off flavors if used in large amounts. In small amounts, the yeast simply use the excess nutrients found in the malt.

It is a misconception that cidery flavors come from cane sugar, but not corn. They both lack nutrients. However, yeast likely requires more nutrients to ferment cane sugar, as it is a more complex sugar.

In that case, inverting converts the sugar from semi-complex, to simple- Same as corn-sugar. Belgian brewers use inverted sugar.

 

[solidghost]

Ahhh.....understood. So the inverting process makes the sugar easier for the yeast to convert to alcohol. Thanks HP