Feeding a big beer

[legion]

Hi,

I am currently brewing a Belgian Tripel and a Double IPA. The recipes both use 14% simple sugars, I have read that its better to add the sugar later on in the fermentation otherwise the yeast gets lazy working through the simple sugars and does not ferment out the more complex ones. My beers have currently been fermenting since Wednesday morning and are at high krausen.

At which point should I add the sugar? Can I add it all in one go? For the Belgian I might add some candi sugar, can I add it as crystals?

Many thanks in advance.

Legion.

[jmc]

You're right that some say you should add it later to make the yeast work on more difficult sugars first.
I did this when I make a Belgian Strong Golden ale with Duvel yeast a while back.
I added additional sugars (honey) in secondary after pasteurinsing it.

If you're adding granulated or Belgian crystals I'd dissolve and sanitise first.
eg by making a syrup, either in a saucepan or in pyrex jug / microwave.
I'd boil for a few minutes, let it cool a bit, pour into secondary and then syphon brew onto it once primary completed.

I'd say the choice between adding sugars in at the boil or later depends a lot on the yeast you are using and amount of yeast you're pitching.
In a recent brew (AG#80 - Belgian Strong Dark) using candi sugar I added in the start, but I was using loads of yeast from cake of previous Belgian single I made to build up the yeast (WLP545)

[legion]

I have added honey into my fermenter in smaller beers in the past, warmed up to make it runny but not enough to pasteurise it and the beer was fine. The double IPA is using US-05 slurry from an American Amber, I will add dextrose directly into the fermenter as I do not rack my beers to secondary.

The Belgian used WLP545 slurry from a Dubbel, I used the Mr Malty calculator for the pitching rates of both, with an extra 20% more yeast added for good measure. If I use Candi Sugar then I will make a syrup as you suggest.

But at approx what gravity point should I add the sugar? The beers SG before sugar is 1065 should I pitch when it gets down to 1020 or maybe lower?

[jmc]

I have added honey into my fermenter in smaller beers in the past, warmed up to make it runny but not enough to pasteurise it and the beer was fine. The double IPA is using US-05 slurry from an American Amber, I will add dextrose directly into the fermenter as I do not rack my beers to secondary.

The Belgian used WLP545 slurry from a Dubbel, I used the Mr Malty calculator for the pitching rates of both, with an extra 20% more yeast added for good measure. If I use Candi Sugar then I will make a syrup as you suggest.

But at approx what gravity point should I add the sugar? The beers SG before sugar is 1065 should I pitch when it gets down to 1020 or maybe lower?

Sounds like you've got most things covered.

I was really impressed with the WLP545. It powered through by strong dark ale.
SG down to 1004 from 1083 in 18 days.

I'd add syrup when yeast had really slowed down, say same or only 0.002 drop in SG over a day.
Depends on temp you're brewing at , but I'd estimate that will probably happen around end of 2nd week of primary with WLP545

[legion]

Will wait a bit for it to slow down and then add the sugar. Thanks for the advice.