Jamil's Cream Ale Sugar Confusion

[funkenet]

Hello[color=#FF8040] Posters,

I brewed the Cream Ale from the Jamil Show last weekend and I believe everything went as planned. Hit my numbers on the nose and everything but... I kept waiting for Jamil and John to talk about when they add the sugar in this recipe. I listened to the podcast 3 times and they never mention anything about it. I remembered the Saison show where they say to add the sugar 3/4s of the way through fermentation, so the yeast will eat maltos and the other complex sugars first. Is this what I should do for the Cream Ale too? Also the beer has been in the fermentor for 2 days now so I cannot do back and add the sugar to the boil. So, should I forget the sugar all together or should I add it as planned? Oh, Also I checked the pre-boil gravity and it was 1.040 but forgot to check the post boil gravity.

recipe:
http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Jamil/The ... m_Ale.html

Thanks for your input,

FunkEnet

[HopRunner]

It is my understanding that the sugar additions go something like this.

For a regular strength beer that you want to add sugar to, you add the sugar to the boil. To assist in hop utilization you delay adding the sugar to later in the boil. That way the hops are not in an already high gravity mixture and more of the bittering agents go into solution. If you are just adding a pound or so of sugar and it is not an overly hoppy style then it doesn't really matter when you add the sugar.

If you are making some sort of alcohol bomb like a Barley Wine or something ... (I'm guessing) .. 9% or greater, the primary fermentation is already pretty rough on the yeast. If you let the yeast complete the initial all malt fermentation before you add the sugar you will get a more complete maltose attenuation. When the sugar is added post primary fermentation the yeast can just eat the simple sugars and give up..

In your case adding the sugar to the fermentation will just increase your alcohol content and maybe make the beer seem dryer. It is your call, and it depends on if you have the head space in the carboy for the added sugar solution.

Uhhh.... OK maybe that was overkill.... I've had my coffee today!

So... I vote, Skip the sugar..

[tavish2]

i think i just went partially blind reading that post.

[Steelers&Beer]

i'd boil it up in a little water to santize, let it cool and add it when 75% of fermentation is done. Will add a little abv, lighten the body and help the yeast finish up. you want your cream ale dry and crisp. just my 0.02

[Grist Licker]

I agree with Steelers&Beer. Add it!

[mr x]

i think i just went partially blind reading that post.

+1, I had to read the responses to figure out the question.

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

i think i just went partially blind reading that post.

+1, I had to read the responses to figure out the question.

I think the propeller is getting to him.

[funkenet]

Yeah, you must be getting old then because I could see the text just fine on my computer! Thanks for the help on this, though I don't think the verdict is quite in. Also how do I know when the fermentation is 3/4s of the way done?


Thanks,

~FunkEnet~