When does sugar go in???

You can add it anytime you want.

If you add it during the boil, it would be best to kill the flame and stir it well to dissolve it. Otherwise, the sugar can scorch the bottom of your kettle and it can be a PITA to remove.

I add it before the boil starts. The runnings from the mash is hot enough to dissolve it quickly with a minute of stirring. Doing this will reduce your IBU by a trivial amount. Beyond that, there are no disadvantages.

 

If you want the best results, then save it until the primary fermentation is almost complete. Feed your yeast dessert after they're through the main meal. Sugar contains no real nutritional value and can stunt or stall fermentation if added all up front, at least in theory.

 

This is questionable advice based on a half baked hypothesis masquerading as a theory.

I brew with more than 10% sugar often. It happens every time I make a big Belgian. An adequate pitch from a starter into a high sugar wort plus nutrient makes good beer without issues. Stalling or inadequate attenuation hasn't been a problem. In fairness, it should be noted that adding sugar 7-10 days after pitching also works just fine.

2lbs of sugar isn't a lot for a big Belgian beer. If you intend to use more than 25% sugar, then consider using more nutrient and adding part of the sugar towards the end of the initial fermentation.

This beer needs a proper yeast starter regardless of how you add the sugar.

 

My personal practice is to add the sugar at the end of boil.

Cheeers!

 

I've not used sugar before, but I thing that Jack has the right idea. Keeping it out of the wort until late in the boil allows the wort's density to stay lower, thus a little bit better isomerization of the hops, especially if you are not able to do a full boil.

 

Adding 2# of sugar at the end of the boil vs the beginning of a boil in a full boil makes about 4 more IBU in a 50 ibu beer. Do you think you could tell the difference in a blind tasting?

 

Don't know, never tried it. But taste is not the issue here. If it means 4 points off the 'ibu' scale, then is like 12.5% thinner, and that could have some benefit during the boil.

 

What about a gracias por una amiga por favor?