So, perhaps an odd question, but I will give this a go. Along with being a home brewer, I’m also a DIY-er, sometimes it has to do with economics, sometimes it’s just because I’m process oriented and like to take a hands-on approach. I’ve been interested in honing in on the Trappist style ales, and I’m aware that Candi sugar is a common ingredient. Ive also come across, mostly in Hieronymus’ book, that there are multiple approaches to using the sugar. Has anyone here tried caramelizing their own sugar? Which process is used? (Maillard reaction or just straight up caramalization). I’m sure there’s someone here who has given this a go. And if so, have you noticed a significant final result? Cheers, Aaron
Check it: http://ryanbrews.blogspot.com/2012/02/candy-syrup-right-way-hint-weve-been.html?view=timeslide
Here's an article on making something like the invert sugar syrups used in the UK: https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/invert-syrups-making-simple-sugars-complex-beers/ Note: there is a link at the bottom of this page to the Unholy Mess website. I was originally going to post that link, but the link no longer is valid and the destination had malicious intentions, apparently tried to load a virus or other nasty that McAfee blocked. Oh well... that site used to describe how to make inverts that were featured in the Averagely Perfect ESB Recipe and the Pope Mild Clone recipes that can be found in this forum.
I'll (mostly) copy over the notes from Ron Pattinson's Homebrewers Guide Raw sugar. Citric Acid Water Candy thermometer Saucepan. For each pound of sugar, bring 1 pint of water to a boil Lower heat and add sugar slowly so that it dissolves add 1/4 tsp citric acid Set temp on thermometer for 230ºf stir frequently while it starts to simmer When temp hits 230, reset thermometer for 240 - the slower the rise, the better Keep temp between 240, and 250, and probably keep stirring. For no 1, maintain at temp for 20 - 30 min for No 2, maintain for 90 - 120 for no 3, 150 - 210 for no 4, 240 - 300 If you don't have a thermometer. Once you add sugar just keep the heat low enough to maintain.
Thank you all for the responses. I’ve done some more reading up on this too, and looked on the YouTube (of course there are things in YouTube that would address this too...duh). I am seeing some varying information though; some suggest using citric acid and tartaric acid, while others are suggesting using a basic solution of calcium hydroxide (pickling lime). While the acids are easier to get a hold of, does anyone have any experience with either method? I’ll hopefully get to madlab this in a couple weeks. I know that sugar inversion is the most important part. Perhaps neither method is significantly important as long as the inversion takes place? Again, thank you for the further resources! Aaron
I made my own plum sugar once when I was out of D-180. I bought a couple pounds of dates, split and de-seeded them, put them on a cookie sheet in the oven until they were roasted and dried. Put them in a food proccessor and turned them into dust. It was super tasty!! The quad I made with it was great, just a touch lighter in color and flavor than if I had used D-180.
I use sucrose (table sugar) in my Belgians, and any other beer that I want a bit “thin” and boozy. I thought long and hard about making my own candi sugar, but there just seemed something redundant about taking table sugar, adding it to water, removing the water, and then dissolving it in water again. FWIW
It sounds like you may be talking about the clear rock sugar sometimes sold as belgian candi sugar at homebrew stores. That stuff is a waste of money. OTOH, invert sugar syrup that has developed some color and flavor can be useful.
This is the same question I've struggled with and can't seem to find a definitive answer for. From my understanding of the chemistry (and I'm not a chemist), the process should be done in a basic environment and then acidified. That being said, I haven't been able to find any to test out personally.
If you don't want to spend a bunch of money. Just get a lemon, or two and use that instead. A lot safer, and a lot cheaper.
I've done both the ryanbrews method using picklng lime (this is the brand I have seen in retail stores) and an English invert method using acid (lactic) at least a couple times. The finished sugar products are different in taste, if only because the acid has a noticeable flavor. However, I can't say that the beers I made with that approach taste noticeably lactic. I've never set out to do a split batch or other comparative experiment to say I have a preference. Perhaps there would be a slight difference in final pH, all other things being equal. Of course, any controlled experiment would want to control the sugar color development, too. Not so easy. Or maybe it would be sufficient to control the time? I doubt the two methods are 100% interchangeable, but I have yet to develop a strong preference in my own brewing. The Mad Fermentationist's earliest blogs have at least a couple exercises in testing different sugars in beers and tastings of these were sometimes featured in early Basic Brewing Radio podcasts. I don't recall if he made any of his own sugars in those episodes, but you still might find them interest.
Various mixtures of commercial invert sugars sold under the names 'Lyle's Golden Syrup' and 'Lyle's Black Treacle' should be capable of making a range of color impacts and flavor impacts. No idea if the Belgian Candi Syrups are similar in flavor and/or if they are classified as invert sugars. https://mashmadeeasy.yolasite.com
