Corn Sugar

[Craigerrr]

Hey all
I am looking at a recipe that calls for corn sugar, should this be a late addition, like with 5 minutes left in the boil?

 

[Group W]

Yes. But I have a few high gravity recipes that call for it and I often forget to add it.

 

[Nosybear]

Hey all
I am looking at a recipe that calls for corn sugar, should this be a late addition, like with 5 minutes left in the boil?

Why? Use table sugar, lots cheaper and same overall effect. Doesn't matter when you add it to the boil, it contributes no flavor and won't go away (applies to either table sugar or corn sugar).

 

[Craigerrr]

Thanks, I will adjust the recipe to add sugar to the boil.

 

[oliver]

add it as a preboil addition! makes it easier to dissolve and doesn't mess with IBU contribution.

 

[Craigerrr]

Thanks, I will throw it in with the first runnings.

 

[Hogarthe]

Usually corn sugar is delivered in a huge wooden barrel. At least that's what the bud light commercials say.

Really it doesn't matter when you add it. It's not like hops that need to be isomerized.

 

[Craigerrr]

Thanks

 

[ChicoBrewer]

 

[GFHomebrew]

Why? Use table sugar, lots cheaper and same overall effect. Doesn't matter when you add it to the boil, it contributes no flavor and won't go away (applies to either table sugar or corn sugar).

Not according to that significant brulosophy exbeeriment.

 

[Nosybear]

Not according to that significant brulosophy exbeeriment.

Dang Belgians have been doing it wrong for centuries. I don't disagree with the result, I've participated in some of these tests and tend to be the guy who gets it right. I also do this kind of statistical work for a living. I'm just not going to reevaluate my brewing on an n=1 experiment. There's just too much out there that says it doesn't make a difference for one test to sway my opinion.

That said, it's your pocketbook and your beer. And I may test it on my own, someday.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Dang Belgians have been doing it wrong for centuries. I don't disagree with the result, I've participated in some of these tests and tend to be the guy who gets it right. I also do this kind of statistical work for a living. I'm just not going to reevaluate my brewing on an n=1 experiment. There's just too much out there that says it doesn't make a difference for one test to sway my opinion.

That said, it's your pocketbook and your beer. And I may test it on my own, someday.

I've yet to put any sugar in my beers since moving from extract but if I were too I guess I'd give it more thought.

 

[Nosybear]

Sugar has its place. In big beers, it thins out the body and makes the beer overall more palatable. It works well in some IPAs where you want the body lowered. And it punches up alcohol - if you're brewing for effect, maybe a consideration.

 

[Aub]

I've yet to put any sugar in my beers since moving from extract but if I were too I guess I'd give it more thought.

It works well in Belgian strong ales, as nosy said it thins it out a bit while retaining the alcohol level.

 

[4Bentley]

I brewed for awhile with corn sugar. Yes I added 5 minutes before end of boil. The point is to sanitize, otherwise it does nothing in the boil.

Not sure if it is related to the corn sugar, but the beer seemed thicker when pouring, and never was as clear as I like. I have given up a point in alcohol, but it is easier to clear the batch and it pours nicely.

Let me know your experience.

 

[J A]

Not according to that significant brulosophy exbeeriment.

The problem with citing that single comparative experiment (aside from the larger statistical-significance issues that Nosy mentions) more participants actually seemed to prefer the beer made with table sugar over the beer made with corn sugar:
"The 18 participants who made the accurate selection on the triangle test were instructed to complete a brief preference survey comparing only the beers that were different. A total of 8 tasters reported preferring the dextrose beer and 10 liked the sucrose beer more."
It reinforces the notion that there's not an advantage to using the more expensive dextrose. If you're really concerned about using sugar right out of the bag, get some cream of tarter (or have lactic acid on hand) and make some invert sugar that's exactly the same as the expensive Belgian Candi-syrup. It's super easy and you can cook a little golden color into it and add to the flavor profile if you want.

 

[Nosybear]

The crystalline candi sugar is, you guessed it, sucrose. Beet sugar, in this case.

 

[J A]

The crystalline candi sugar is, you guessed it, sucrose.

Exactly...
All that fancy Belgian Candi-stuff we buy is just sucrose that's gone through a little magic act of breaking the bond in the molecules to form glucose and fructose. Glucose is just another name for dextrose. Voila!!

 

[Craigerrr]

Man Oh Man, some serious science going on here!!!

Thanks for all of the great info folks, you are all very... wait for it... sweet?

 

[Craigerrr]

Kidding aside, the recipe I was looking at was by member Antek, I have made great beers from a couple of his recipes. The recipe that calls for the corn sugar is his Punk IPA, which is a clone of a great IPA from the UK. What purpose do you suppose it would serve in this beer? To dry it out?