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Author Topic: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition  (Read 4724 times)

Offline Dave King

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How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« on: May 17, 2013, 10:44:27 am »
I made an American Brown Ale, and forgot to add the brown and cane sugars (1/2 lb. of each).  It's fermenting merrily along, and I'm sure it'll be fine, but I could add the sugars while the yeast are active, to get to what the recipe really was. 

I'm wondering about the best way to sanitize it, and I'd think extracting some of the fermenting beer, add the sugar, do a 10 minute boil, cool it, and add it back into the fermenter, would be best.  I could just use more tap water, but the fermenter is rather full, and I also don't want to dilute it.  It is just "clean" sugar, maybe I can just stir it into the fermenting beer?  Thoughts?  --  Dave King, BIER
Dave King, President of BIER

Offline jeffy

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2013, 10:55:26 am »
I have made Belgian Tripel by adding the sugar addition directly into the fermenter on the third day of fermentation.  I don't think you need to be concerned with sanitizing it, especially if you're using it right out of the sealed container from the store.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2013, 10:59:03 am »
I have made Belgian Tripel by adding the sugar addition directly into the fermenter on the third day of fermentation.  I don't think you need to be concerned with sanitizing it, especially if you're using it right out of the sealed container from the store.
+1.  I've done the same with sugar additions.
Jon H.

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2013, 11:11:15 am »
Dump it in.  I've done it many times with no worries.

I don't think a pound is too much to add all at once, but you could break it up into staged additions if you want to.

I'd make sure you get the break up the brown sugar so it's not too clumpy.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline cheshirecat

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2013, 11:36:17 am »
I usually make a simple syrup. Not to sanitize but so the sugar will mix in better and not just fall to the bottom. With that being said I have just dumped it in with no problems.

Offline erockrph

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2013, 12:10:10 pm »
Add me to the "just dump it in" camp. Sugar is highly hygroscopic, so not much is able to grow on it.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline Dave King

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2013, 10:56:17 am »
Thanks guys, I think I'll just mix up the Cane and Brown sugar, to get rid of lumps, and stir it in.  I thought I'd heard there was no need to sanitize, but couldn't find any reference to that on the web.  See you in Philly,

    Dave King, BIER
Dave King, President of BIER

Offline piszkiewiczp

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2013, 11:16:46 am »
Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it will suck in any available water. It will desiccate any bacteria or fungus that happens to land in it, so nothing grows. At worst, you would have a few spores vs. trillions(?) of yeast cells. Nothing to worry about. 

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2013, 08:24:41 pm »
This is my theory on splash aeration vs O2. Random spores vs billions of good guys. Good guys win, and I don't worry about the small stuff.

Offline 1vertical

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Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2013, 08:32:46 pm »
When it comes to sanitization concerns, my goto is always Everclear.
A slurry of sugar and etoh should be doable if there is great concern.
You will at worst bump the ABV up a fraction.
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.