Originally Posted by KyPeN
It does indeed have candied sugar in it. That is the essence of a Belgian, I'm told. The purpose of adding the sugar is to make the brew sweeter. The yeast is not capable of eating it, that's why you don't just add more malt and use the candied sugar.
Kind of figured yours had sugar as well: I did read that it's really used in the high gravity Belgian beers......and at least one beer kit that a certain brewing supply store sells!
I think I'm also going to have to argue about yeast not eating sugar. This Scottish Ale kit just has the regular dose of malt extracts, with 1lb of candied sugar. Raised my OG to 1.07. Papazian says that in fermentation, yeast converts sugars to alcohol and carbon dioxide. A higher gravity beer gets more alcohol because it either has more malt (which has its own sugars) and/or sugar additives. My imperial stout has a higher gravity because it did use twice as much malt extract as my other recipes have been
To eleborate, I'll even include some quotes about sugar (in his Joy of Homebrewing book)....I'm that much of a nerd!:
" Sucrose (and invert)-Sucrose is rapidly fermentable by beer yeasts. It occurs naturally in malt. Commercially it is available in crystalline form, usually as common white table sugar. Invert sugar is a type of sugar that is made from an acide treatment of sucrose. The name "invert" refers to the optical effect that a solution of invert sugar has on light.
Like sucrose, it is a combination of one glucose and one fructose molecule. Pure invert sugar is as fermentable as sucrose; because of by-products that are produced during the acid treatment, inver sugar may be 5 to 10 percent less fermentable then sucrose and can contribute unusual (both desirable and undesirable) flavor characteristics."
"Candi sugar- Used by Belgian brewers in several traitional strong ales, Candi sugar is nothing more than slowly crystallized pure sucrose. The crystals are large and clear, coming in white, amber, and brown colors. The darker colors are the crytallization of caramelized sugar and add a degree of flavor to the beer. These sugars are commonly used to lighten the body of stronger beers while producing more alcoholic strength".
The sugar that came with this kit was pretty dark: so on top of adding alcohol, it probably explains that really sweet smell too
I gotta find a beer smiley BTW!!