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Author Topic: Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.  (Read 1407 times)

Offline eluterio

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Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.
« on: January 25, 2015, 08:29:28 am »
Long story short, I missed my OG by a mile.  Tried to do a batch sparge method preboil gravity must have been incorrect and my post boil was lower.  I finished off with a 1.026 gravity and was looking to hit a 1.046.  According to beer smith If I added 3.4 ounces I would achieve this.

My question is how to add it to the already pitched wort. Do I just add straight cane sugar into it or do I boil some water add the sugar dissolve it then add?  I cant seem to find anything that answers this.

I plan on using the yeast slurry for my next batch would adding sugar do anything to the yeast for the next batch?

Im not really worried about the flavor I used a new hop and was trying to make a lower gravity beer and tons of hops. Wanted to see what the hops were like. 

Thanks anyone!



Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2015, 09:03:37 am »
Adding dry sugar to a fermented beer risks creating nucleation points on all of the sugar crystals and creating a lot of foaming. You're better off mixing it with water and boiling into a syrup like priming sugar. It is going to give you a very dry and thin beer though. You may be better off using extract to create a thick wort and add that to the fermented beer.

It will not be a problem if you add sugar and then want to reuse the yeast.

I am concerned that you somehow ended up with almost 50% of the gravity you should have received. If you want to talk about your mash/sparge technique we can help make sure you don't have this problem going forward.
Heck yeah I blog about homebrewing: Brain Sparging on Brewing

Offline eluterio

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Re: Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2015, 09:18:40 am »
It was my first time using the batch sparge method I usually fly sparge and hit my numbers with consistency. I used beer smith followed how to batch sparge, two addition of x amount of water at 168 into mash tun then drain.  I drained but drained not on full go half way is what I did.  Not sure how else to modify it to get better extraction. 

Thanks for the reply its helpful. 

Offline denny

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Re: Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2015, 09:55:27 am »
It was my first time using the batch sparge method I usually fly sparge and hit my numbers with consistency. I used beer smith followed how to batch sparge, two addition of x amount of water at 168 into mash tun then drain.  I drained but drained not on full go half way is what I did.  Not sure how else to modify it to get better extraction. 

Thanks for the reply its helpful.

Forget about the Beersmith batch sparge instructions.  Check out www.dennybrew.com for better info.  I've batch sparged hundreds of batches and average 85% efficiency.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline eluterio

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Re: Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2015, 11:03:32 am »
Denny,

I was listening to I believe your BS pod cast right before but read beersmiths batch sparge instruction figured I was save doing it that way.  Im sure Ill try this again and will do your process dump, load dump again. 

Thanks! 


Offline brewinhard

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Re: Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2015, 01:00:35 pm »
Be sure to stir the grains and water additions to mix it well with each batch of water added.  Let it sit 10-15 min before recirculating and draining each time so the sugars can dissolve. 

Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: Need some help on how to add sugar after pitched yeast.
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2015, 03:28:54 pm »
Denny,
I was listening to I believe your BS pod cast right before but read beersmiths batch sparge instruction figured I was save doing it that way.  Im sure Ill try this again and will do your process dump, load dump again. 
Thanks!

BS from Denny? Never happen. :)
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