Why is Corn Sugar so expensive?

[Calder]

I never use Corn Sugar, so it's not an issue for me, but why is corn sugar so expensive. I just checked the price on-line and it's $1.75 a pound. Cane (or beet) sugar at the local supermarket works out around $0.55 a pound.

Corn Syrup is the single biggest commercial sweetener in the world. Big companies don't use it because it has any special flavor, they use it because it is the cheapest ingredient they can get to add sweetness to their product.

Anyone got any insight, except for the obvious; that the marketeers of corn sugar for the home brew industry have found a way to market something slightly unique with a huge mark-up.

 

[Revvy]

Anyone got any insight, except for the obvious; that the marketeers of corn sugar for the home brew industry have found a way to market something slightly unique with a huge mark-up.

You got it, homie. Can you really name or think of any other use for it, than to homebrewers? It's not something you see in any cookbooks or anything. It's going to be a limited market, and therefore a captive audience. And that means money.

 

[Golddiggie]

Another reason I'm glad that I use turbinado/dememera sugar for bottle priming. You can get it pretty cheap if you shop right. Much cheaper than corn sugar, from the prices I've seen.

 

[hoppymonkey]

The mark-up thing is probably true, but the powdered sugar we use is not the same as the syrup they use. ALthough I have very good results using the syrup.

 

[emjay]

Corn sugar is pure glucose.

The corn syrup that is so popularly used for its cheap price is HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup). As the name implies, it is NOT pure glucose. So they're not quite the same thing.

However, you can prime with table sugar just fine, if you want to. Shouldn't produce any "cidery" flavors, especially at the small amounts used to prime.

Turbinado/demerara, as another poster mentioned, will work just like any other fermentable sugar, but given the fact that they contribute quite a distinct flavor, I think it's absolutely nuts to use this as your "default" priming sugar, and I would only ever use it in a minority of beers.

 

[PseudoChef]

You got it, homie. Can you really name or think of any other use for it, than to homebrewers? .

Yes, us scientists go through a ****-load of it to make different growth medias. I would take a guess that the science industry is a little more populated than the homebrewers.

 

[bob1852]

Yes, us scientists go through a ****-load of it to make different growth medias. I would take a guess that the science industry is a little more populated than the homebrewers.

Yeah, a friend of mine works in a lab, and I was visiting him the other day and noticed a tub marked "dextrose." He wasn't sure what he paid a pound, but I'm pretty sure the lab markup is even greater than the homebrew markup.

 

[Revvy]

Yes, us scientists go through a ****-load of it to make different growth medias. I would take a guess that the science industry is a little more populated than the homebrewers.

But neither of those markets are big enough for corn sugar not to be a low customer base commodity, and therefore more expensive than table sugar. It's all about the size of the marketplace.

 

[Calder]

I usually use plain table sugar. For dark beers (Browns, Porters, IPAs, etc) I use brown sugar which has a little molasses in it.

I think the myth of cidery flavors has been revealed as being what it is; just a myth. Many breweries use significant amounts of cane sugar in their beers (Belgians, British, and I'm sure many others), with no issues.

I think cidery flavors came about from kits with large amounts of simple sugars (makes it cheaper), and poor brewing practices.

I have a pound of corn sugar from 2002, that I just never seem to have a reason to use. Probably should just use it up to get rid of it.

 

[PseudoChef]

But neither of those markets are big enough...

Wat. The science market is enormous. Factor in the need for a high purity product (>=99% and some applications will require >=99.9% purity) and the cost skyrockets. The stuff homebrew shops sell on the shelves is most likely the same stuff we buy, so high cost for the refined product.

 

[Beezy]

So far I have bought just enough for a 5 gal batch each time. Talk about markup. I really like it though so I am not keen on switching it up. I gotta get a bigger sack tho.

 

[Revvy]

Wat. The science market is enormous. Factor in the need for a high purity product (>=99% and some applications will require >=99.9% purity) and the cost skyrockets. The stuff homebrew shops sell on the shelves is most likely the same stuff we buy, so high cost for the refined product.

But again, compared to the amount of human beings on the planet that use white table sugar, or the commercial places that use it, it's still a niche market.

Are there more cooks on the planet or scientist? Are there more coffee drinkers on the planet that use sugar every morning?

 

[PseudoChef]

That's a terrible analogy. You don't equate a coffee drinker to someone making a buffer or media when the former is using a scant tsp and the latter is using kgs.

 

[emjay]

Also, not sure why you're reasoning that the more consumed product is necessarily more expensive. Economies of scale would suggest otherwise, not to mention that, as a staple, there are almost certainly far greater subsidies given involved in the production of table sugar.

 

[PseudoChef]

Also, not sure why you're reasoning that the more consumed product is necessarily more expensive. Economies of scale would suggest otherwise, not to mention that, as a staple, there are almost certainly far greater subsidies given involved in the production of table sugar.

Because it's main purpose is for the scientific industry where, as I stated, high purity is necessary (not so for table sugar). Also, I would argue, with no sound evidence (ha) that everything in the science world is marked up. That's all. Revvy seems to think that there's not many science ventures out there. I beg to differ.

 

[emjay]

Because it's main purpose is for the scientific industry where, as I stated, high purity is necessary (not so for table sugar). Also, I would argue, with no sound evidence (ha) that everything in the science world is marked up. That's all. Revvy seems to think that there's not many science ventures out there. I beg to differ.

Actually, my post was directed at Revvy, as his position that table sugar is more highly consumed is the only reasoning he has to support that it should be more expensive, even though that is very unlikely to actually make it costlier.

 

[LexusChris]

From what I understand, the real reason why Corn sugar and any other corn based products are so expensive lately... increasing demand for biofuels.

In a case of unexpected consequences, the U.S. & Global focus on bio-fuels like ethanol, has put such a demand (& premium price tag) on corn that the prices have increased dramatically.

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/18173/

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/corn-prices-soar-chinese-imports-increase-ninefold-compared-official-projections

Of course any commodity (like beef/cows) which use corn (as food) has also been increasing.
--LexusChris

 

[PseudoChef]

Actually, my post was directed at Revvy, as his position that table sugar is more highly consumed is the only reasoning he has to support that it should be more expensive, even though that is very unlikely to actually make it costlier.

Gotcha - my misunderstanding.

 

[E-Mursed]

From what I understand, the real reason why Corn sugar and any other corn based products are so expensive lately... increasing demand for biofuels.

In a case of unexpected consequences, the U.S. & Global focus on bio-fuels like ethanol, has put such a demand (& premium price tag) on corn that the prices have increased dramatically.

--LexusChris

6 out of 10 ears of corn produced in this country go toward the production of ethanol and other bio-fuels.

What a luxury it is for us to burn food to fuel our cars - and we as tax payers subsidize it.

 

[McGarnigle]

But other corn-based products aren't really expensive. Corn itself isn't really expensive either. Also, the big biofuels push is fairly recent. And cane sugar suffers from tariffs; it's not a pure market either.

Home brew stores no doubt have a higher per product markup grocery stores. They pretty much have to given how many fewer products they sell each day.

 

[C-Rider]

From what I understand, the real reason why Corn sugar and any other corn based products are so expensive lately... increasing demand for biofuels.

In a case of unexpected consequences, the U.S. & Global focus on bio-fuels like ethanol, has put such a demand (& premium price tag) on corn that the prices have increased dramatically.

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/18173/

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/corn-prices-soar-chinese-imports-increase-ninefold-compared-official-projections

Of course any commodity (like beef/cows) which use corn (as food) has also been increasing.
--LexusChris

Me thinks you got it Chris. Some idiots think corn is better to make ethanol than food thus increasing it's demand and price.

 

[emjay]

I actually remember hearing about a week ago that US farmers have just planted the largest corn crop in over 70 years... we'll see how that works out

 

[bob1852]

I actually remember hearing about a week ago that US farmers have just planted the largest corn crop in over 70 years... we'll see how that works out

'tis true, but they also got a late start in many areas because of the spring flooding and general wet soil this spring.

 

[dweaver]

Corn itself isn't really expensive either. Also, the big biofuels push is fairly recent.

Corn may not seem that expensive but up until about 5-10 years ago when the ethanol push started corn was at about 30 cents a can now its at about $1 a can, and that's with all the extra corn that is now being grown

 

[hoppymonkey]

While I heavily disagree with us subsidizing ethanol production, the corn that they make it from is feed corn which is much different than the corn we eat.

 

[MachineShopBrewing]

But other corn-based products aren't really expensive. Corn itself isn't really expensive either.

Really? You must not follow the markets much. Corn has doubled in the last year or so. You must not have noticed food prices skyrocketing at the grocery store. Corn is ridiculously expensive right now due to short supply, ethanol demand, a commodity bubble, and inflation.

http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/CCV1/tab/2


Also, dextrose is used quite a bit in the food industry. Just look at the ingredient list for lots of products including many candies.

 

[badhabit]

I don't use corn sugar any more and have not for the better part of 15 years, but when I did I bought it at the grain elevator, they use it in cattle feed and it is dirt cheap in 50 pound bags. I bet I still have 15 or 20 pounds in a plastic bucket.

 

[slowbie]

While I heavily disagree with us subsidizing ethanol production, the corn that they make it from is feed corn which is much different than the corn we eat.

A field is a field though, and the number of fields are limited. If more feed corn is being grown it means something else is being grown less.